Rock Band

[Raelynn]

While the microphone and drum peripherals are completely fine, the guitar controller is a complete abomination when compared to the GH3 controller. The neck on the Rock Band guitar controller is way too long (to make room for the superfluous extra buttons at the base of the neck) and the buttons are ridiculously wide in comparison to the GH3 controllers which makes it harder to play for no good reason. In addition, the Rock Band controller buttons take much more effort to press down and tend to stick as well which, when combined with the annoyingly fat buttons, makes for a vastly less comfortable play experience in Rock Band. There is also a switch which changes the effect of the whammy bar that is completely unneeded and just gets in the way. If it was *my* copy of Rock Band and not my roommates I would have ripped or broken it off my now. Also, maybe this is nit-picky, but I really like how the GH2 & 3 strum bars clicked when you strummed them... the Rock Band guitar is 100% silent and it feels heavy and unresponsive, whereas the GH-series controllers had very light strum bars that clicked when you strummed them so that you knew exactly and how far you had to strum to play notes. The Rock Band guitar peripheral just feels heavy and unresponsive in general. I really feel like GH3 got the guitar peripheral "right" and Rock Band just really screwed the pooch on this one.

To bring a different point of view, I prefer the Rock Band guitar to the GH3 guitar. I have both and have logged many hours on both. The reason that I like it are mainly that it feels a bit more substantial in my hands and (after getting used to it) I like the feel of the strum better. Also, in a group setting, the lack of clicking when you strum can help to keep others from messing up their own beat (which was noticeable to me when I was trying to play bass and my friend was on the GH3 controller playing the guitar). That click just irks me.

As for the bottom frets, I didn't need them until Green Grass and High Tides. Using the second set was the only way I got through it, because it's easier to pick up the fingertap-style sections if you screw up since you don't need to strum again.