In a lengthy interview with GameDaily BIZ, Harmonix CEO
Alex Rigopulos offered his thoughts on air drumming – the preferred form of percussive input in Nintendo's
Wii Music, skillfully demonstrated above by a professional – and explained why Harmonix felt the need for an actual drum peripheral on the Wii. After considering using the Wiimote in an air drumming capacity, Rigopulos says, "We backed away from it because we found that the tactile element of actually hitting a surface when you're drumming is a fairly critical part to the visceral feel of actually playing drums." So, with air drumming, you're missing "a critical element ... in the experience."
Not much of a surprise coming from the head of a company currently shipping a giant, plastic drum kit, sure, but we were surprised to learn air drumming was ever even under consideration at Chez Harmonix.
{ Jul 25th 2008 at 10:23AM } 
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Red Leader @ Jul 25th 2008 10:27AM
That video is terrible, and I'm getting tired of music games.
BIGGEN (LIVE-PSN: BIGGEN1103) @ Jul 25th 2008 12:35PM
in agreeance! i watched for 20 seconds and after it looped for the 100th time in that 20 seconds, i committed suicide, traveled back in time, didn't click on the video and can now post this heroic tale.
Tiptup300 @ Jul 25th 2008 1:49PM
The other video making fun of the conference is hilarious.
DonkeyBarf @ Jul 25th 2008 2:05PM
Oh man I wish this video was posted instead:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgRriCJARvU&feature=related
Kye - Me_DF @ Jul 25th 2008 5:49PM
I want my 1 minute 33 seconds back!
pwnetheus @ Jul 25th 2008 5:57PM
No Donkey, this one wins moar.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blZcZP2CGqM&feature=related
Misfit Toy @ Jul 26th 2008 11:10AM
I think this one is worthy of a look-see guys http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLSw7RRTl_k&feature=related
Tiptup300 @ Jul 26th 2008 2:08PM
You all fail, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XR7LaJLLf8&feature=related
SoulBlade @ Jul 25th 2008 10:29AM
God that guy at the conference was a douche.
Fishstick @ Jul 25th 2008 12:59PM
Mega faux-hawk double douche. Didn't the Camminator say his last names was Drums? Srsly.
Paul (PSN: heypaul) @ Jul 25th 2008 1:22PM
His name is Ravi Drums. I'm just really glad my name isn't Paul Farts.
Grant @ Jul 25th 2008 3:55PM
well i hear the whole movie thing isn't going so hot for M. Night, so he had to look for other forms of media to crap up.
Chase @ Jul 25th 2008 10:30AM
Mr. Rigopulos is too kind. My reply would have been much more brusque. But then again, I'm not a Harmonix CEO.
lochack @ Jul 25th 2008 10:33AM
that douche is on speed.
DeaconGTG @ Jul 25th 2008 10:33AM
Air drumming would also seem to remove any skill from the game (I'm looking at you, Wii Music). Or rather it would make the difficulty extremely difficult if you had to drum in a certain way to signify hitting the snare or high hat, etc.
4MyFriends @ Jul 25th 2008 10:36AM
"Air drumming would also seem to remove any skill from the game"
I'm pretty sure that's what Nintendo wants to happen.
felixlighter @ Jul 25th 2008 10:48AM
It looks like placing the wii-mote in a paint mixer would be an effective strategy.
felixlighter @ Jul 25th 2008 10:34AM
All you have to do is watch the video of that "skillful" demonstration by the professional to see why air drumming doesn't work.
mr mobius @ Jul 25th 2008 10:36AM
I'll agree he sounded awful but maybe he was just a crap drummer?
Ten Dolla Bill @ Jul 25th 2008 10:49AM
He was a professional drummer. So if a pro drummer looks like crap playing wii music what hope does joe smith have?
Wii Music is going to be trash.
Duke @ Jul 25th 2008 10:51AM
Well, everyone knows that Joe Smith can't drum worth a damn. He's a xylophone god though!
4MyFriends @ Jul 25th 2008 10:52AM
Maybe non "MATURE GAMES FOR HARDCORE GAMERS!" might actually won't mind looking like a retard while having fun with a video game? This game isn't targeted towards your FPS shooter fan, this is a casual targeted game.
Mr.ESC @ Jul 25th 2008 10:57AM
He was mediocre at best (That guy is weird as Willy Wonka Tunnel) and the Super Mario theme was a torture and it was played by Shigeru Miyamoto.
I think they expect us to do it better.
tmacairjordan87 @ Jul 25th 2008 12:14PM
It's one thing to look like a retard while playing a game, but it's another to look like a retard while playing a ridiculously bad game. Don't worry though, nintendo has both fronts covered.
4MyFriends @ Jul 25th 2008 2:43PM
Oh tmacairjordan87, don't you ever get tired of trolling Nintendo blog entries?
Sora @ Jul 25th 2008 3:28PM
Oh 4MyFriends, don't you ever get tired of trolling anti-Nintendo blog entries? (Seriously, go look at your post history...)
Duke @ Jul 25th 2008 4:08PM
Shouldn't you be here: http://www.nintendowiifanboy.com/
Brucie B @ Jul 25th 2008 10:44AM
Someone is going to get strangled with that Damn cord!!!
*Its 2008, we don't need wires*
reiji @ Jul 25th 2008 12:56PM
Nintendo is the one to thank for stagnating innovation and suing NYKO for this: http://www.nyko.com/nyko/products/?i=133
shamowfski @ Jul 25th 2008 10:49AM
Friggin Hit Stix!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hit_Stix
Shattercross @ Jul 25th 2008 11:26AM
OMG, repressed memories....coming....back...
CURSE YOU, HIT STIX!!!
Nate @ Jul 25th 2008 11:40AM
ROFLMAO! I totally had those. Wow, welcome to 1985.
Broseph @ Jul 25th 2008 10:51AM
Air drumming doesn't work because you aren't drumming
Evan @ Jul 25th 2008 11:25AM
Plastic guitar controllers don't work because you aren't plucking strings, but it didn't stop people from having fun.
Broseph @ Jul 25th 2008 11:46AM
yes but you arent even hitting a plastic drumset
it'd be like if the Wii guitar hero had you shake the nunchuck to strum and use the wiimotes buttons as frets
everyone would have said wtf, just as we're all saying to this video
wtf
J Shaw @ Jul 25th 2008 11:02AM
i feel stupid asking, but were y'all kidding when you put that video up? cause it doesn't sync with the music one bit. he's just "playing" really fast in a pattern (which repeats) the whole time.
as a drummer i can confidently say that air drumming is 100% different from tactile-based drumming. the rebound of the stick and even the speed and placement of the stick on the drum means everything to a discriminating percussionist. for instance, how will he do rim shots?
im sure that the different parts of a drumset (ie., hi-hat, bass drum, cymbal) are played by holding different buttons or combinations of buttons. i dont know though, i could be wrong. which brings me to another point; the bass drum really isnt something you play with your hands.
shame, nintendo.
OneTopJob6 @ Jul 25th 2008 12:02PM
There will be balance board support - didn't you see the press conference vid? Left closes the hi-hat, and right hits the bass. At least you get some tactile interaction on that front. (The rest, is, as you said, button combos. Ick.)
J Shaw @ Jul 25th 2008 1:15PM
what if you want to close the hi-hat and hit the bass drum simultaneously? sorry, i wish i had a wii but i dont and i am unfamiliar with the peripherals.
OMGOMG @ Jul 25th 2008 11:02AM
God, that Ninty presser is going to live on for years.
dark_inchworm @ Jul 25th 2008 11:10AM
Or at least until they have a press conference with good news.
Mr Khan @ Jul 25th 2008 11:28AM
I don't know. I mean, sure it was laughably horrible, but it didn't produce any particularly memorable memes that will live on long after we forget the context. No "Giant Enemy Crabs," or "Geeks and Otaku" moment that can really be captured and remembered for a long time
Maybe something Dunaway said, but there's no real soundbyte that will keep the show in memory for a really long time
MagikOvenMit @ Jul 25th 2008 11:30AM
That Ninty presser? Can't you just spell out the words instead of sounding like an eight year old?
OMGOMG @ Jul 25th 2008 11:56AM
This coming from someone who's screen name has MAGIK in it.
OMGOMG @ Jul 25th 2008 11:57AM
This coming from someone with their name spelled Magik.
OMGOMG @ Jul 25th 2008 11:58AM
Stupid joystiq commenting system.
danny. @ Jul 25th 2008 12:23PM
Someone call McElroy, I think OMG might have a nomination for the burn award on his hands [+1]
Justin McElroy @ Jul 25th 2008 12:43PM
CONGRATULATIONS, OMGOMG, you've just been awarded the Justin T. McElroy Memorial Burn of the Day award.
Use it in good health.
OMGOMG @ Jul 25th 2008 1:16PM
McElroy, will this award help with the ladies?
Justin McElroy @ Jul 25th 2008 2:17PM
Fuck no, dude. If anything it will hurt. What's wrong with you?
4MyFriends @ Jul 25th 2008 2:43PM
People in their blind rage at Nintendo are overhyping this. Sony's E3 2006 is something we will be laughing at for years to come, this is something 90% of us will potentially forget before the end of the year.