CES 2009: ezGear showcases 'most advanced music game controller'

by Chris Greenhough { Jan 8th 2009 at 7:11PM }

Even though it has been thoroughly thrashed with the ugly stick, ezGear's "You Rock Guitar" is actually a nifty bit of kit. Labeled "the world's most advanced video game and music controller" by its maker, the guitar is compatible with all current music games on the Wii, and swaps out the traditional strum bar and colored fretboard buttons for real strings and a multi-touch pad respectively (despite how it looks, there are no strings on the fretboard).

There's a bunch of non-Wii functionality in the You Rock. It can hook up to your PC or Mac (where it works with programs such as Garage Band, Sonar, and Finale), and can additonally link to your iPod, iPhone, or MP3 player, allowing you to "jam along" with your favorite Showaddywaddy tracks (yes, we know). You can even connect it to a guitar amp or mixer!

Alas, the peripheral's many functions mean it will launch in Q2 or Q3 with a price tag of $149.99. If you think you could get some use out of this besides playing on the Wii, that might make this worth it. While you wait, make the jump for the cheesiest trailer we've seen in forever.

Gallery: ezGear You Rock Guitar

"It's like freaking magic, and the price will send shivers up your Xbox."

[Via Geek]

Tags: ces, ces-2009, consumer-electronics-show, ezgear, guitar, guitar-hero, guitar-hero-world-tour, instrument, music, rock-band, rock-band-2

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Cryo @ Jan 8th 2009 7:34PM

Other than it works with other stuff, there asking GH and RB to be harder, now you have to hit the string on the fret while playing the same string. WTF too realistic. (I play real guitar also)

Danny @ Jan 8th 2009 8:15PM

I want it, it will be mine.
Haha that was a cheesy commercial! But app store card at your local retailer.

PJH @ Jan 8th 2009 8:54PM

Even though I really dislike the concept of these games as a whole, I think this this is great. Now maybe people will understand it takes more than hitting one button at a time to play an instrument.

megapenguinx @ Jan 8th 2009 10:03PM

Touch keypad=fail seriously I hate the slider bar on the new Guitar Hero

Anti-Villian @ Jan 8th 2009 11:26PM

Most advanced guitar control? I'm not so sure, I mean, You heard of guiter rising? lets you plug in actual guitars. I would love to see that come to the Wii but I'm only aware of it being released on Mac and PC :( but till my dreams are filled this will have to do.

Craig M @ Jan 9th 2009 12:20AM

That video was stupid (cheesy whatever you want to call it).

Interesting concept for a new controller, but I don't think its neccisary for Guitar Hero and Rock Band. I think they do just fine with only a strum bar. At least half of the time they show the guitar being used the person playing is only using one string anyways.

Jayenkai @ Jan 9th 2009 5:07AM

At some point, you really need to just buy yourself a guitar!!!

Jarrod Miller @ Jan 9th 2009 6:18AM

I want it! I think the MIDI functions alone would be worth the price....but to use it for all that stuff is just awesome. Playing RB2 with actual strings would feel so much better to guitarists like myself and maybe get others actually interested in a real instrument.

Oh and that was the best commercial ever.....you know what....what?....YOU ROCK! lol

rodjoh @ Jan 9th 2009 10:38AM

That's pretty cool :) I like the idea.

Though they fail to realize that these games are usually overcharted so playing them with this thing would be insanely harder if not impossible.

shadebug @ Jan 10th 2009 12:54AM

Two issues. First, by the looks of it strumming a chord in a game will produce 6 notes really fast, which is going to make some songs horrible to play (half the fun is power chords).

Second, how the hell is this working for 360 and not PS3? As I understand it the PS3 uses a straight USB connection and is easy to interface with, not to mention that HMX at least has open controller standards so making the controller work fr wii and ps3 should be damn near identical. Conversely, the 360 is notorious for its encryption and licensing issues when trying to get a controller working with it.

PS. Whammy?