Rigopulos on why air drumming doesn't work

by Christopher Grant { Jul 25th 2008 at 10:23AM }

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.

Tags: Alex-Rigopulos, Harmonix, Ravi-Drums, Wii-Music

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!

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.

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.

lochack @ Jul 25th 2008 10:33AM

that douche is on speed.

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

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.

Duke @ Jul 25th 2008 4:04PM

A troll says what?

Sora @ Jul 25th 2008 8:27PM

4MyFriends, there's a difference. Sony's '06 conference was laughably bad. Nintendo's conference was so bad that it was facepalm and try to forget about it bad.

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.

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