USA Today brings us a detailed look at Rock Band 3. The brand new 25-key keyboard controller is also revealed. The keyboard can be used as a MIDI keyboard, and the note highway will shift so the correct keys are covered.
New guitars are also going to be released along with Rock Band 3 that take advantage of the new Pro mode. One of the guitars will even be a fully functional Fender guitar! Expect improved UI functions too, such as drop-in-and-drop-out multiplayer and being able to change a song's difficulty without having to restart.
Wow, that keyboard controller looks really hard. You all excited?
[Update: Hit the break for a list of some of the songs that will be in Rock Band 3.]
2000s Combat Baby -- Metric Dead End Friends -- Them Crooked Vultures Get Free -- The Vines Lasso -- Phoenix Me Enamora -- Juanes Oh My God -- Ida Maria Portions of Foxes -- Rilo Kiley The Hardest Button to Button -- The White Stripes
1990s Been Caught Stealing -- Jane's Addiction In the Meantime -- Spacehog Plush -- Stone Temple Pilots Walkin' on the Sun -- Smash Mouth
1980s Crazy Train -- Ozzy Osbourne Here I Go Again -- Whitesnake I Love Rock and Roll -- Joan Jett Just Like Heaven -- The Cure Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio The Power of Love -- Huey Lewis and the News Sister Christian -- Night Ranger
1960s-1970s Bohemian Rhapsody -- Queen Break On Through -- The Doors Crosstown Traffic -- Jimi Hendrix
Hamza Aziz, Destructoid's Community Director, has been here since day one. He was born when a tiger coughed up a hairball into a pool of ooze. He was one of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles before budget cuts. Hamza works as a previews editor and manages a team in San Francisco. To date he has given away tens of thousands of dollars in prizes to readers. What a dick. Actually, Hamza is as kind as he is hairy.
Likes
Super Mario RPG, Halo, iPhone, Videogame cover bands, Super Nintendo
Meet the rest of the team
Keyboards? Cool. Online "Party Play"? Also Cool. Bohemian Rhapsody and Break on Through? AWESOME!! Still looking forward to GH6:WoR more but still, pretty awesome.
Man. The addition of playable drums was only a moderate step towards learning actual drums. But Expert mode with the keyboard seems like it comes surprisingly close to actually playing the song.
So I have always loved the piano, and have wanted to take lessons for years. I finally got the courage to take a class for my fall semester coming up. This will fit in perfectly.
I love the whole world.
2000s
Combat Baby -- Metric
Dead End Friends -- Them Crooked Vultures
Get Free -- The Vines
Lasso -- Phoenix
Me Enamora -- Juanes
Oh My God -- Ida Maria
Portions of Foxes -- Rilo Kiley
The Hardest Button to Button -- The White Stripes
1990s
Been Caught Stealing -- Jane's Addiction
In the Meantime -- Spacehog
Plush -- Stone Temple Pilots
Walkin' on the Sun -- Smash Mouth
1980s
Crazy Train -- Ozzy Osbourne
Here I Go Again -- Whitesnake
I Love Rock and Roll -- Joan Jett
Just Like Heaven -- The Cure
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
The Power of Love -- Huey Lewis and the News
Sister Christian -- Night Ranger
1960s-1970s
Bohemian Rhapsody -- Queen
Break On Through -- The Doors
Crosstown Traffic -- Jimi Hendrix
Stand aside people, I'm going to rock the hell out of that keyboard.
(Bohemian Rhapsody isn't really that difficult in reality on piano, the only places where it's used are relatively slow and uncomplicated. Now, if Harmonix later decides to release, say, Dream Theater songs that are charted for keyboard...well then we'd all be fucked.)
HOLY SHIT. HURRY THE FUCK UP FALL. Also really glad to see a few of the songs I was hoping for, as well as a couple of the keyboard songs I called out. Though I agree with king kong five- GIVE ME BOWIE.
I pictured the Keyboard looking a lot cooler, but of course its probably not the final design. Still though, sitting it on your lap just doesn't seem like a good way to play it and standing up seems like it would be really hard to play a 25-key keyboad. I don't know, maybe its just bad first impression here, but I'm not to excited for it now. Not that I was all that excited to begin with, but a keytar really sounded cool, at the time.
"Two new guitar controllers in the works have actual strings where you strum; one is a full-sized, fully functional six-string Squier Stratocaster from Fender. "It can tell where your fingers are based on technology in the neck and the bridge of the guitar. No buttons," Drake says. "While you're playing it, it feels exactly like playing a real guitar," because that's what you're doing.
The other is a Fender Mustang Pro controller from accessory maker Mad Catz with a field of buttons in each fret. As your fingers compress the smaller non-colored buttons on that guitar's neck, your finger positions are represented in the game's display. "You can go from plucking single notes to power chords and bar chords, we have crazy stuff like tapping and slides," Dubrofsky says. "If you ever had any aspirations of connecting with the music in a deeper way ... you are really going to like Rock Band 3."
Also: For drums, three new cymbals are added to the standard four drum pads, and you are forced to play the correct cymbal at the right time. "It really immerses you more. You feel more like a drummer,"
•Revamped song-filtering system. With the Rock Band library expected to grow to about 2,000 songs by year's end, it has grown too big for simply scrolling. With the new system, "you can say, 'only show me songs in Rock Band 3' or 'only songs under three minutes' or 'Eighties metal songs from my (downloadable) collection,' " Teasdale says. "It's a really cool way to take your full library down to a manageable list of songs."
I can already play the piano. This is awesome.
Now just sell a bundle with the software and the keyboard, and I'll buy it day 1.
And maybe make all the old songs have harmonies and keyboards too, if you are feeling really generous harmonix. :P
FUCK YEAH MOTHERFUCKERS!!! FUCK ALL YA HATIN' BITCHES! THIS IS MY LIFE AND THIS SCIENCE!!!
Okay, nerdgasm aside, love it. Absolutely love it. A bit unfamiliar with the setlist but that's half the fun. Still there's so much to be learned. Harmonix has me by the balls. Big surprise, eh?
Also, I love GH but keyboard + harmonies easily makes RB3 the superior holder of Bohemian Rhapsody. Sorry guys. Still love ya for that bangin' setlist though. Children of the Grave, amirite?
Because I'm the only person who's pointed this out--it's "Portions for Foxes," USA Today, not "Portions of Foxes"--I'm guessing it also means I'm the only person stoked to see Rilo Kiley on that list. "Bohemian Rhapsody" is great and all, but it was also an eventuality. Like heat death. But being given the chance to croon like Jenny Lewis . . . that's something unexpected and, as a result, something special.
FUCK YES. As a piano player, I always receive flack from my friends when we play Rock Band because they say the only music experience I have is with "the useless instrument." I'm looking forward to seeing their faces when they find out they'll need me if they want to beat most Queen songs on Expert.
I came. I fucking CAME.
This destroyed any and all interest I potentially had in Guitar Hero 6: Game with Shitty Subtitle.
Rock Band is going to make Guitar Hero it's prison bitch.
Some great songs and some meh ones. I like this idea of a fully functional Keyboard, though, and Pro Mode has me intrigued. If it teaches me real guitar (or helps), then I'm all aboard.
Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?
Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!
Contest:
12:01 AM on 06.10.2010 | 
I love the whole world.
Thanks for that. |:<
Setlist so far...
2000s
Combat Baby -- Metric
Dead End Friends -- Them Crooked Vultures
Get Free -- The Vines
Lasso -- Phoenix
Me Enamora -- Juanes
Oh My God -- Ida Maria
Portions of Foxes -- Rilo Kiley
The Hardest Button to Button -- The White Stripes
1990s
Been Caught Stealing -- Jane's Addiction
In the Meantime -- Spacehog
Plush -- Stone Temple Pilots
Walkin' on the Sun -- Smash Mouth
1980s
Crazy Train -- Ozzy Osbourne
Here I Go Again -- Whitesnake
I Love Rock and Roll -- Joan Jett
Just Like Heaven -- The Cure
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
The Power of Love -- Huey Lewis and the News
Sister Christian -- Night Ranger
1960s-1970s
Bohemian Rhapsody -- Queen
Break On Through -- The Doors
Crosstown Traffic -- Jimi Hendrix
Stand aside people, I'm going to rock the hell out of that keyboard.
(Bohemian Rhapsody isn't really that difficult in reality on piano, the only places where it's used are relatively slow and uncomplicated. Now, if Harmonix later decides to release, say, Dream Theater songs that are charted for keyboard...well then we'd all be fucked.)
That's what I'm doing right now!
It seems Rock Band is doing the same thing:
"Two new guitar controllers in the works have actual strings where you strum; one is a full-sized, fully functional six-string Squier Stratocaster from Fender. "It can tell where your fingers are based on technology in the neck and the bridge of the guitar. No buttons," Drake says. "While you're playing it, it feels exactly like playing a real guitar," because that's what you're doing.
The other is a Fender Mustang Pro controller from accessory maker Mad Catz with a field of buttons in each fret. As your fingers compress the smaller non-colored buttons on that guitar's neck, your finger positions are represented in the game's display. "You can go from plucking single notes to power chords and bar chords, we have crazy stuff like tapping and slides," Dubrofsky says. "If you ever had any aspirations of connecting with the music in a deeper way ... you are really going to like Rock Band 3."
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2010-06-10-rockband10_VA_N.htm
SOL....BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY?!?!
So fucking sold it hurts.
Also: For drums, three new cymbals are added to the standard four drum pads, and you are forced to play the correct cymbal at the right time. "It really immerses you more. You feel more like a drummer,"
•Revamped song-filtering system. With the Rock Band library expected to grow to about 2,000 songs by year's end, it has grown too big for simply scrolling. With the new system, "you can say, 'only show me songs in Rock Band 3' or 'only songs under three minutes' or 'Eighties metal songs from my (downloadable) collection,' " Teasdale says. "It's a really cool way to take your full library down to a manageable list of songs."
Natal function?
Now just sell a bundle with the software and the keyboard, and I'll buy it day 1.
And maybe make all the old songs have harmonies and keyboards too, if you are feeling really generous harmonix. :P
Okay, nerdgasm aside, love it. Absolutely love it. A bit unfamiliar with the setlist but that's half the fun. Still there's so much to be learned. Harmonix has me by the balls. Big surprise, eh?
Also, I love GH but keyboard + harmonies easily makes RB3 the superior holder of Bohemian Rhapsody. Sorry guys. Still love ya for that bangin' setlist though. Children of the Grave, amirite?
FUCKIN, BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY!!:.. O... M... G... MY HEAD WILL EXPLODE, I WANT THIS GAME SO BAD...
AND A SPANISH SONG BY JUANES... omg... uhhh... wait, juanes?... Thats pop!... Well, doesnt matter...
CRAZY TRAIN!!:.. I LOVE ROCK N ROLL... JUST LIKE HEAVEN... IF THEY PUT FRIDAY IM IN LOVE... I WILL LOVE YOU HARMONIX!!...
ok, im too excited right now... and... *HEAD EXPLODES*
I am so buying this shit.
OMG I posted.
This destroyed any and all interest I potentially had in Guitar Hero 6: Game with Shitty Subtitle.
Rock Band is going to make Guitar Hero it's prison bitch.
Also, what Dexter345 said. I've played Keyboardmania. That didn't go so well...
I'm hoping they don't just shoehorn keyboard tracks into songs that clearly don't have them. Also, inb4 a shitton of classical music on RBN.