Eight-year-old is better than you at Guitar Hero
by Kyle Orland 
{ Jan 15th 2007 at 6:45PM }
We here at Joystiq have posted a lot of insane videos of people playing Guitar Hero and other rhythm games, even going so far as to declare one pizza-fueled shredfest as the best GH vid ever. Well we were wrong. This video of an eight-year old getting five stars on Guitar Hero II's Psychobilly Freakout on expert difficulty is, in fact, the best Guitar Hero video we've ever seen.
While we can't confirm for sure that this performance isn't faked somehow, the video's frequent close-ups on the frets and consistent, unbroken point-of-view make it seem unlikely. The best part of the video is the way this kid disdainfully turns away from the screen during some of the hardest sections, essentially playing blind just because he can. Now that's rock and roll.
So, to the anonymous little guitar god in this video, we salute you with the new title of best Guitar Hero video ever. Until the next one comes along, that is.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Sean @ Jan 15th 2007 6:53PM
what a waste, why doesn't that kid just play a real guitar?
Dan @ Jan 15th 2007 6:53PM
thats just crazy...
raging_evil @ Jan 15th 2007 6:56PM
What do you mean what a waste? He is 8 years old, it's not like he spent years working on that and now it's too late for him to pick up a guitar. I'm pretty sure he'll move on to a real one.
elnino2783 @ Jan 15th 2007 6:57PM
This video could only be made more amazing if this kid was somehow using a Nintendo Powerglove
And yes, he needs guitar lessons ASAP.
Guitar Playe @ Jan 15th 2007 6:59PM
Its fake
AJ @ Jan 16th 2007 3:26PM
he's wearing a TO jersey...ew.
2kings @ Jan 15th 2007 7:10PM
he's not that good at all!
Gavin @ Jan 15th 2007 7:09PM
How they did it: Run the console through VCR or digital recorder or whatever. Record performance. Then Replay the video with the munchkin mimicking guitar antics.
I did this with my Atari and my kid sister back in the early eighties and my parents really thought she was some kind of three-year old gaming savant.
William @ Jan 15th 2007 7:13PM
Meh. Could be real. Never doubt little kids at home with no friends. Also, he looked a bit too cocky so his credibility goes down. Also, I wonder who actually got the 5star if it wasn't him??
Kapp @ Jan 15th 2007 7:16PM
Too bad he likes the Eagles
Hannibal @ Jan 16th 2007 1:12AM
Could be real. Even if it's not, the person playing was awesome and the kid is a great actor considering all of his finger positions were right. I think it's legit.
Also, I love guys like #2. Every once in a while I tell someone how much I like Guitar Hero, and they'll make a dumbass comment like "why don't you actually learn guitar?" First of all, that's as dumb as asking why don't you actually go play football instead of playing madden or actually race instead of play Gran Turismo. Secondly, I've been playing bass guitar for quite a while and I certainly don't regret my time playing GH.
David004 @ Jan 15th 2007 7:21PM
Guess where I was when I was 8? OUTSIDE!!!
waruwaru @ Jan 15th 2007 7:25PM
CostCo socks rulez!
OTAM @ Jan 15th 2007 7:23PM
Sean,why play GTA when you can just kill hookers and steal cars in real life?
I mean,do you see how ridiculous it is when you compare video game actions to acting out their real life counterpart?
Zaius @ Jan 15th 2007 7:23PM
you freakin' haters. that was definately real, if he could mimic it so perfectly, what's the point?
Daniel @ Jan 15th 2007 8:05PM
I've got a few things I need to point out about this video (without questioning it's validity). 1) His finger work on the solos where all frets are used is outstanding, and I am totally jealous. 2) Turning your back to the screen will only succeed in angering people. If you turn your back, at least play to the crowd. Something more than a smile. 3) He's wearing a T.O. jersey. I officially love this kid.
Chris @ Jan 15th 2007 7:30PM
It amazes me how quick people are to call fake on something. Are they scared of being caught out believing something was real?
Andrew @ Jan 15th 2007 7:39PM
Best video they've ever seen? I guess they have never watched Quackdilly's Guitar Hero videos.
Judd @ Jan 15th 2007 7:41PM
Very impressive. Psychobilly Freakout is definitely one of the toughest songs in the game. But the hardest song in the game is Jordan, a bonus track. I'd like to see someone get 5 stars on that song, kid or adult, bucket on head or not.
East @ Jan 15th 2007 7:47PM
Looked pretty darn real to me. As far as I could see, having played Freakout to death, he strummed the bar when he was supposed to strum the bar, and pressed the buttons the way they were supposed to be pressed, when they were supposed to be pressed.
If this is somehow faked, I don't see the point, as he could clearly play the song.
Matt Dusza @ Jan 15th 2007 8:23PM
Ive 5 stared PBFO plenty of times on expert... Beat Jordan and ill be impressed
Fuzzboxer @ Jan 15th 2007 7:57PM
If you notice around the 1:10 mark, he does not strum the guitar when you can clearly hear notes being played.
kerbero9 @ Jan 15th 2007 8:03PM
to #2 -
did you see the REAL guitar next to the aqaurium???
i've been playing guitar for over 10yrs and from the way those kids fingers were moving i would bet it was his.
Pikachelsea @ Jan 15th 2007 8:17PM
Daniel, if you're "angered" by him turning his back on the screen, then you're too easily angered. It doesn't "anger" me at all; he's obviously just doing it because he can, and he "plays to the crowd" plenty (or maybe you missed the 10 full seconds where he's wildly swinging his arm to fake-strum the guitar).
btw you haters are hilarious. "FAKE" "I WENT OUTSIDE WHEN I WAS 8" lol, how do you know he never goes outside? And you're spending your time whining on Joystiq for crying outloud... obviously you're SOOO much better than him. Hahahha.
Sonicandtails @ Jan 15th 2007 8:18PM
The kid is actually playing it believe it or not. I didn't see him miss a single pick (I know the song mostly by heart, I can't turn my back and play though)...
michael @ Jan 15th 2007 8:27PM
wow.... i suck ass.
bounchfx @ Jan 15th 2007 8:41PM
yeah, he's not better than me. :)
chady @ Jan 15th 2007 8:41PM
How many times have you gotten beaten online by some kid on live all the time. What makes it so hard to believe that this kid is actually doing it
Nash @ Jan 15th 2007 8:42PM
I suck so much compared to that kid it makes me never want to play Guitar Hero again.
Triforceowner @ Jan 15th 2007 8:46PM
My friend e-mailed me this, I replied telling him the kid should improv on the real guitar, and than I'd be impressed.
Hovig @ Jan 15th 2007 11:30PM
Dat looked rigged. but he's good. but im better. by that saying its true. because he was playing on expert. but i Play in Hyper Speed. so Beat dat kid.
Sangheili @ Jan 15th 2007 9:08PM
ok guys if you think this kid is faking it then please take the time to go to youtube and just search for "8 year old guitar hero." it has plenty of GH2 videos of this kid 5*ing expert songs. if this is fake then o well they put alot of effort into it and gratz to them for fooling alot of people. if its real then freakin gratz to that kid for being the best person ive ever seen at guitar hero. and everyone who says he should start playing real guitar is right. even if this is staged the kid has some major talent just judging by his finger movements. anyway just thought id throw my 2 cents in.
Sangheili @ Jan 15th 2007 9:09PM
oh and to matt dusza search youtube for jordan there a a few convincing videos imo
Kruegmeister @ Jan 15th 2007 9:40PM
Guitarist Always Close their Eyes when they're "Feelin it"
This would actually point to Him not Faking it.
If he starts making "F" Faces then you know he's getting down with it. Feel it, Feel it.
While my (Multi Colored Button) Guitar Gently Weeps.
Pikachelsea @ Jan 15th 2007 10:47PM
Triforceowner, you're ridiculous. Let me guess, as soon as he masters the real guitar, you'll come back with "Let me know when he wins a Nobel prize; THEN I'll be impressed."
Stop trying to pick apart this kid's accomplishment just because you're nowhere as good as he is.
KillerSlinky @ Jan 15th 2007 11:57PM
Totally fake. He turns his back to the camera and TV at the same set, twice. Why? Cause he's not actually moving his fingers fast enough to hit all those notes. He hasn't memorized the set, he just turns his back so you can't tell he's faking it. Also, they never zoom into the strum switch (wtf do they call it anyway?), cause he's not moving it fast enough. If you buy this, you're a guilible bastard.
Crusader Oath @ Jan 16th 2007 2:00AM
I noticed something in this video. He strums MUCH less than there are actual notes, when he turns away and you see the screen and him he is mostly strumming down, getting that flick up effect (basically 2 strums) however, because of the speed of the notes going past it no longer syncs up, as well "Sliding" his fingers accross the frets is not a viable way to play during those solos, it is really just not fast enough, I agree with #6, this is obviously a fake. It is merely not possible to sync the keys up with that style of playing, its showboating. I must admit, he pulled off a great job of mimicing a rock star. But this time, it just cant be true.
Brandon @ Jan 16th 2007 3:04AM
I want to punt that kid for wearing a TO Eagles jersey. nooblet
Scott @ Jan 16th 2007 3:53AM
I too have to call fakie here. If you use a regular controller instead of the guitar you dont even have to press any buttons on the controller to hit the notes, it just plays perfectly automatically. No matter what song. Does this have any evidence that the controller is even plugged in? No. And again, I too am a very experienced played and unless thats the only song that kid plays theres no way he could memorize all those chords. I dont know, fake or not, its highly unlikely and there are too many factors in this one that make it feel fake to me. Nuff said.
Jeff @ Jan 16th 2007 4:01AM
Its real.
Okay here's disproving:
1. When he's not strumming but notes are still being played, its called hammer ons.
2. Theres plenty of video's of this kid, why bother faking.
3. I know every single note of the songs he plays and if you watch his fingers he plays them all perfectly...if he could hit all the notes at the right time...why would you fake it?
4. He's just a skilled kid playing a game. Leave him be. He's ugly as hell and probably has no friends...but he's good at a game. He's my idol tbh.
Infil @ Jan 16th 2007 4:28AM
An impressive video, and to anyone with any Guitar Hero knowledge, it's clear he's not faking. The score is pretty high too, about 40,000 higher than the 5-star score.
Good job to him.
And to people saying "let's see him clear Jordan", you should realize that a person good at this game, like this young kid, myself, other commenters in this thread, and about 200 people on the Score Hero ranking site, doesn't find Jordan difficult. It's possible, perish the thought, that you just suck. :)
CHUDGOO @ Jan 16th 2007 9:29AM
Uh. I can play actual Reverend Horton Heat songs. Like on a real guitar... (Psychobilly Freakout included...it's not that hard once you figure it out).
This bothers me so much... A generation of kids that think that button mashing ==creativity and call it "good enough".
And the little turd is not flipping a proper satan.
What his hand is saying in that pic is that he loves you.
You can tell a lot about a person by their thumbs...
Tuck that shit in!
Clorox Man` @ Jan 16th 2007 11:52AM
"OMG FAKE"
God I hate the Internet...but videos like that make it all worth it. Totally Awesome.
By the way, it sure is nice to smile at something instead of get all nerd rage on it.
Bean @ Jan 16th 2007 12:16PM
Can't believe people are trying to call this fake. Of course he's not strumming during the fast sections, you hammeron & pulloff all the notes during those.
@CHUDGOO
You're actually coming down on an 8 year old for not throwing up "proper" horns? Get a grip. Nobody said he's a creative genius, he's just goot at the game.
stephen @ Jan 16th 2007 1:45PM
@18
The reason he strummed the bar once is because of something called the "hammer-on/pull-off" technicks. It saves your life in the most difficult of situations, really.
zero2dash @ Jan 16th 2007 4:16PM
So...they've got the funds to purchase a TV like that yet they don't upgrade their Fisher Price video camera? Wow, talk about a choppy pixelated mess.
Zegim @ Jan 16th 2007 5:32PM
I wish I could do that.
Tyler @ Jan 18th 2007 10:28AM
I wouldn't be so sure that he looks away JUST because he can. I have a friend who does the same thing, but only because it actually helps him on certain sections. He literally gets too confused trying to follow each fret visually, but he can nail them if he isn't watching it.
Hawker @ Jan 17th 2007 12:50PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym6sjIzlHTY
Jordan 5-Star
Cletus @ Jan 20th 2007 6:08PM
Did anyone notice the part where he's wavinig his arm around? He's not holding the strum bar down, but the notes are still being played because you can see the lines lit up. They should't be if he's not holding the strum bar down.