I cannot BELIEVE I am thinking of getting a video game

[cupcake_goth]

You see, I don't play video games. I just don't. They don't interest me. Which is hugely funny considering the Stroppy One is a video game fiend.

But.

I am seriously thinking of getting Rock Band 2. But the only controller/peripheral thingie I want is the microphone. Because all I want to do is use the game as vocal training, to see if I can get more of my singing range back. (Okay, fine, and to make a little rock star character and dress it up. What? I've seen the wardrobe you can play with for customizing.)

People who have known me for years are now giggling at me and saying "Jilli wants a video game? REALLY?" But yeah. I think so. Any of you have advice or comments?

Comments

[noisedesign.livejournal.com]

COME TO LA AND PLAY ROCK BAND WITH US!!!

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

YES! THIS IS AN EXCELLENT PLAN!

[ms-kilian.livejournal.com]

I completely understand. I'm tempted to buy a gaming console so that I can get the new Beatles roack star/sing along game.

[contessamorgana.livejournal.com]

My family's already halfway there. We bought the Wii Fit Plus/Sports bundle last week, and now my dad's waiting for everyone to settle down with this lot before springing to get the Beatles Rock Band kit. (Finally, bands he actually grew up with!)

I've got the soundproofed headphones on standby. I never really liked the Beatles, and as my dad is tone-deaf I'm afraid hearing his attempts at the Fab Four's vocals will wipeout whatever tolerance I have left for their music.

[pandorasbox.livejournal.com]

I work at a retirement community that houses Retired UW professors. We just got them Rock Band featuring the Beatles. They love it.

[caleidescopeyes.livejournal.com]

That's awesome!

[staxxy.livejournal.com]

People who have known me for years are now giggling at me and saying "Jilli wants a video game? REALLY?" But yeah. I think so. Any of you have advice or comments?

Nope. I am currently doing the "I told you so" dance, instead. :P

[staxxy.livejournal.com]

oh... ALSO....

Siouxsie is in downloadable content. So are the Psychadelic Furs.

[keonei.livejournal.com]

and the Cult :)

[marchwarden23.livejournal.com]

You're so going to end up playing Brutal Legend, too. *grin*

[javagoth.livejournal.com]

Icon love!

[lisa-marli.livejournal.com]

The Male Child already has a Wii, which he uses A Lot (he is a male child). So I'm thinking of getting The Beatles Rock Band, well because... Yeah, for a way too long a time. Will probably have a ton of fun singing along to all of those songs. :)

[cupcake-lolita.livejournal.com]

why would you feel ashamed?!?! I love video games!! Real life is not a fun game at all.... but pretending you're in a rock band instead of actually being in one could possibly be fun...or you could become a hermit who talks to their T.V.
It could go either way but it's fun finding out??? D:

[kuzibah.livejournal.com]

If you don't want to go whole hog on "Rock Band" there are also karaoke games which are just for singing. The ones I've played do score based on pitch, so they'd be useful in that way. Plus, you can usually get them cheap at Game Stop or other places that sell used games.

[dragoonx.livejournal.com]

I say go for it, they're addicting. Go to wikipedia and look up Rock Band 2, Guitar Hero World Tour, and Guitar Hero 5. Also look at the additional download content from each company and see which one has more of the music you want.

[salad-barbarian.livejournal.com]

Sure it all starts with one game. But then you begin to buy similar games. Then you start to buy everything made for that console. Soon you branch out, buying PS3s and super nintendos. Pretty soon you're pawning your wardrobe and forgoing cupcakes just so that you can afford Gravitar for Atari.

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

I don't have any fear of that happening to me. Seriously, I'm missing the video game ... thing. The Stroppy One is a fiend about them, so I've seen a lot of them, but none of them fill me with an urge to play them.

Sing Star

[nojh.livejournal.com]

Not that I consider this game better than Rock Band but there is a singing only series of games called Sing Star that you might look into. They're likely bargain bin games for the Playstation 2 so you could pick them up cheap. Any USB microphone works for the games, I believe.

The advantage of Rock Band is that, if your console is hooked up to the internet, you can continue to buy new songs for the game. Plus your friends can do something else other than sing while they play with you.

[miriamele.livejournal.com]

For Christmas last year my parents gave my boyfriend and I a large-ish chunk of money because they had no idea what we wanted. There was much celebration and brain storming on what we should do with the money. We were lame - we really wanted to get Rock Band but we told ourselves we wouldn't play it nearly as much as the cost demanded we should.

We completely regret our decision. Get Rock Band. I know we will someday soon ourselves. <3

I've played it at a friends and it is very fun. I enjoy the singing and guitar, but the drum kit and I are NOT friends.

[loree.livejournal.com]

They make a microphone controller (for the Xbox 360, anyway) that you can buy separately, and you can buy just the discs of most of the Rock Band and Guitar Hero games and song packs. This is how I usually play unless we have company, because Marty loathes Rock Band and my hand-eye coordination is so dreadful that I really only want to sing anyway.

[dollydarknesss.livejournal.com]

I think it's a great idea, especially since you like singing.I have played Rock Band and thought it was quite fun, go for it!! :)

[caliban1227.livejournal.com]

Would you like to borrow our copy and one of Mics (We have three)our to try out?

I am about to start playing Rock Band Beatles myself.

[leenerella]

Das Haus has always classified Rock Band is GREAT FUN.

[morbeux.livejournal.com]

This is a great plan. I have been using it for conditioning training to eveuntally graduate to real electric guitar. I have read many stories with people using it as a training tool with good success.

[wavecrest09.livejournal.com]

Come have dinner and play at out house. We have the rock band stuff, including the Beetles. We also have Lips which is one of the just singing versions. Besides you need to come hang out with us.

[bbullock.livejournal.com]

Don't know if anyone has already mentioned this (sorry, too tired to read that much pink-on-black, right now), but the only thing RB or RB2 will train you on vocally is pitch.

That's all that really matters in the game: being able to hit the right pitch at the right time and for the proper length of time. So if that's what you want training in, go for it.
And by "train," I mean, "barely explain how to."

Once you figure out what the different heights of bars and things mean, though, it can be good for that.

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

Oh, I know that all it will help me with is pitch control. Which is okay, that's pretty much what I need. I've *had* vocal training, and used to have a fairly good singing voice. I just need to get back into practice, and RB2 will be more fun than just singing scales.

[bbullock.livejournal.com]

But then, what isn't more fun than just singing scales?

[moonofmorrigan.livejournal.com]

I believe you will have tons of fun with it. I know some of my friends that are in bands play it as well for similar purposes. (Including to play dress up.)

[icprncs.livejournal.com]

I can understand this dissonance.

I hate video games and always have.

We now own a Wii.

As of last night, we also own a balance board, which was MY request and thus my birthday present.

Eventually, the market manages to come up with something for *everyone*.

[torreybird.livejournal.com]

I, too, grok the dissonance. The only video game I play on the XBOX 360 are on the free arcade sets, and I only do that in order to amuse the fam with my appalling lack of skill.

I don't own a Wii yet, though I think it's in my future(TEH RAINZ! they are coming.) I am very intrigued by the Wii Fit w/Yoga possibilities. Are you going to post reviews of the balance board? Pleeeese?

[thalionar.livejournal.com]

honestly, that's why I got Karaoke Revolution, it helped some, definitely got me singing more. :)

[tauren-wardrums.livejournal.com]

Go ahead and get it. If you decide you don't like it, you can always take it to GameStop for store credit or the like.

[junya.livejournal.com]

You're always welcome to come over for one of our Rock Band nights...

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I certainly hope to make it to one of them in the near future. (Besides, I'd like to see you peoples.)

[junya.livejournal.com]

I'll be sure and let you and the husband know when the next one is.

[keonei.livejournal.com]

There really isn't anything more amusing than watching xiggy play drums on Expert especially when a stick goes flying.

Danse Macabre

[valdary.livejournal.com]

http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2009/10/being-demonstration-along-strictly.html

Just had to show you this, people dancing the "Macabray" from Neil Gaiman's "The Graveyard Book"

[haate.livejournal.com]

Ok, Rockband is fun (for multiple people), but if you're looking to work on getting your range back...singsong is a bit better on a practical side.

That being said, i loves me some rockband,

[madd-hatteress.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't suggest Rockband for serious vocal training. The game is actually set up so people who can't sing very well can play. A friend of mine explained that you basically have to sing like a tone deaf robot to play it correctly. Maybe researching another kind of vocal program, or looking into vocal lessons might be a better choice.
(Rockband is still fun to play though! I really enjoy the drums myself.)

[nil8r.livejournal.com]

You can make a pink and black Cupcake Goth avatar!