E3 10: You Rock Guitar is an interesting peripheral

For hardcore fans of Rock Band and Guitar Hero, sometimes the bundle guitars don’t stand up to aggressive long time play. What to do? Well, many higher level players just buy another guitar and go to town. However, You Rock Guitar hopes to mix things up.

A true MIDI guitar that can be hooked up to iPhone, PC, iPod, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, and pretty much any damn device you please, the You Rock Guitar uses hundreds of rubberized recessed “strings” that can be pressed like regular guitar strings. Near the base of the guitar is a set of siz real strings that can be strummed, and the $200 device is currently being sold for real musicians who want a MIDI guitar.

But that’s not what you care about. As a game instrument, the wireless guitar needs $20 cartridges that correspond to different games, such as Rock Band for the Wii, or Guitar Hero 2 for the Xbox 360. Yeah, it’s a little weird, but it makes any game backwards compatible, and the peripheral will be fully supported with Pro mode in Rock Band 3. Hands-on? Well, it’s a little weird initially, as while there are indicators on the neck showing where the typical five frets fans are used to in Rock Band and Guitar Hero, but that, coupled with the actual plucking and strumming of strings, takes a little to get used to. Is it bad? Nope, not if the idea of a MIDI controller is appealing to you, but recognize that it will take some practice.