Rock Band guitar mod turns on the magic of invisible light
by JC Fletcher 
{ May 15th 2009 at 3:00AM } 
The way he explains it, it sounds simple -- merely add an LED emitter and a receiver to the space where the strum bar usually goes, and then wire the controller up so that it registers a strum whenever the light beam is broken. Anyone can do that, right? The result is a guitar that strums when you wave your hand through the strum bar area. See the video after the break and marvel at the less-clicky, vaguely magical guitar!
[Thanks, Comet!]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Regular Pants @ May 15th 2009 3:11AM
awesome, i wonder how long till these are mass produced.
Temidien @ May 15th 2009 11:22AM
Pretty damn fly. I just hope these guys atleast get credited if such a guitar is ever mass produced.
lockheede @ May 15th 2009 2:10PM
I think he said the beam was 5mm wide, so in some instances the 3mm pick, if angles just right, wouldn't break the beam...
Heh @ May 15th 2009 3:12AM
This kinda fixes my gripe with GH/RB. For songs like thrasher/ride the lightning/etc I can play them irl fine but it takes me a little more effort in the game. It's because, instead of a pick, I have that whole bar to move and it takes more force when trem picking (picking fast)
If he could play thrasher speed stuff without the strums getting messed up, I'm gonna go mod my controller right now lol.
HazyCloud @ May 15th 2009 8:53AM
I've read that HMX prefers to use picks while playing on the RB guitars. Give that a try.
Mazrael @ May 15th 2009 11:39AM
Don't get why he say's you can't use a pick.. I mean just get a thicker one.. I've got ones that are 2 or 3mm thick, one of which I'm sure is called a 'chubby'..
definatly kills the dead zone on the RB guitar, fells to me like I'm strumming all 6 strings every strum.. on Metallica songs it feels like more effort than it really should be, I keep my hand where it needs to be, over the strings so for rock band I've had to unlearn that.. it already bugged me that I had to hold buttons for notes that on a real guitar aren't fretted ie 'open'...
N-zero @ May 15th 2009 3:17AM
Yeah that looks cool and unnecessary. Its only good if you like showing off your creative abilities to build things. If you can do it I hate you because I can't.
Patrick @ May 15th 2009 3:34AM
Unnecessary? you mean something useless? Tell that to all the people with a broken strum bar or one that isn't registering at all.
Ah... if only you had the power of imagination. You could figure out these necessary ideas yourself.
Zorink @ May 15th 2009 4:09AM
just get one of these
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=241
or http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2049723
and hook it to an op-amp or a logic gate. Make sure the voltage coming out is the same as the voltage coming off the switch (probably just use the original switch's wire) and you are good to go.
Cena @ May 15th 2009 3:28AM
Ah, the power of electronics and physics. ^^
Draken Stark @ May 15th 2009 3:57AM
Amazing! Now only if an actual string mod is out there I'd like to see it.
wes @ May 15th 2009 4:08AM
I recall seeing a real string mod on scorehero once...
Xiphias @ May 15th 2009 7:50AM
I recall seeing a string mod too
It's called a guitar... ;)
Troy Powers (PSN: TroyPowers) @ May 15th 2009 9:36AM
Yeah, how long until there's a game where you have to play the ACTUAL notes, reading an ACTUAL chart on an ACTUAL guitar?
Maybe Prince would allow some of his tunes on that game.
Craig M @ May 15th 2009 3:58AM
Sure, this is neat and all, but I don't think I'd ever want one. It seems like there is too much room for error - and I like feeling like i'm actually moving something when I play.
"less-clicky, vaguely magical guitar!" I say meh. The dude in the video is making more noise than the actual rock band strum bar makes.
OmegaVader @ May 15th 2009 4:02AM
seems cool, like the idea of my guitar not being so loud anymore.....however, the strummer helps keep rhythm, and I doubt 'tapping' would get me through more difficult parts than this video ever shows.
Slick @ May 15th 2009 4:12AM
"ham it up"
i lol'd
Boff @ May 15th 2009 4:42AM
A true Air Guitar for RB & GH! I like it.
Have to agree with others though, the strumming/clickety clicking helps me keep my rhythm.
Hellion42 @ May 15th 2009 6:06AM
I've always dreamed of playing a guitar with no tactile or audible response.
MrKlorox @ May 15th 2009 7:39AM
It'll fuck with the new 360 camera coming out, which calculates depth using infrared.
FNG @ May 15th 2009 8:16AM
you really have no idea how light works do you?
Michael @ May 15th 2009 8:01AM
Seems to make it a little more like a fake air-guitar. Also, faces in places... happy guitar is awesome.
Metalfr3ak @ May 15th 2009 8:20AM
uhhhhh, why? are people THAT socially sterile?
Traceur_ryuk_shinigami @ May 15th 2009 5:29PM
I'm confused. What makes you think they are "socially sterile"? Just because they aren't yelling at the camera?
Metalfr3ak @ May 15th 2009 7:37PM
Because they would spent THAT much time configuring a cheap plastic controller over maybe learning how to play a real one? Its Pathetic.
Comet @ May 15th 2009 8:33AM
Alright, they used my tip!
Singular Trap @ May 15th 2009 8:48AM
If 2 light emitters and receivers could be squeezed in there, you could put a little logic in there to account for the up and down strumming. Nice find!
DWells55 @ May 15th 2009 9:27AM
Pretty simple mod to pull off and undeniably cool, although I'd think that playing with no physical feedback would be rather difficult.
derek @ May 15th 2009 9:43AM
would be totally awesome if it had a visible laser beam
CLShortFuse @ May 15th 2009 10:14AM
Fog kit!
jacob.buehler @ May 15th 2009 12:11PM
I play real guitar and I'm pretty good at guitar hero / rockband and I can say I love the rockband controller (maybe more than the guitar hero) but the biggest problem with it is that there is no clicks on the strumbar, it makes things alot easier when you can feel the click. This LED light idea is even worse cause you can't feel anything. Real guitar or gaming controller you are supposed to be able to "feel" when you've plucked or activated the strumbar, it's just natural, this LED light idea is horrible, but I'm sure he just did it cuz he was extremely bored ;P
why not the LS2LS7? @ May 15th 2009 12:18PM
The nice thing is it would never wear out. But it's going to be near impossible to strum fast, you'll have to tap instead, which isn't really like playing guitar, it's more like playing Track and Field.
It'll also cut the battery life to half or less for whatever that matters.
Pincho360 @ May 15th 2009 1:20PM
ahhhh to not have a life and be a complete douche bag
BigD145 @ May 15th 2009 2:38PM
Why is that guitar screaming?
schuyler @ May 15th 2009 3:59PM
them rock band guitars dont click anyways
Afrocass @ May 15th 2009 4:17PM
freaking awesome.. the next generation of guitars should totally be infrared
Garst @ May 16th 2009 2:16PM
Soon, you'll be able to bring your own air guitar to play Rock Band. It'll be great!