Selasa, 04 Maret 2008

Rock Band drum kit modded for pencil use
We've already seen a real drum kit modded for use with Rock Band, but that's unsurprisingly not the only bit of customization going on, as evidenced by this considerably scaled down kit created by David Yoon. While he hasn't provided a complete how-to, we're guessing quite a few folks out there will be able to follow his lead, with the mod consisting primarily of some felt covered tin lids, a pair of CDs and some foam for the foot pedal, and a couple of new piezo transducers from Radio Shack that replace the stock ones. Put that all together and you'll be reliving your desk-tapping days from high school in no time.



Complicated fix for overworked Rock Band drums
It's no secret that Rock Band hardware has experienced its fair share of failures, and while the kick pedal has caused the lion's share of grief on the drums, we're pretty sure at least some of you out there have thoroughly ruined those heads. If so, the similarly bummed folks over at Official Xbox Magazine have a possible solution. We'll be honest -- the "fix" described in the read link below isn't for the faint of heart, but if you're too impatient to take your problems up with Harmonix, find the smallest screwdriver you can and have at it.



Rock Band standalone drum kit now shipping in US and Canada
If you've been hankering after some Rock Band but hesitant to buy the full bundle because you've already got a couple Guitar Hero controllers lying around, or you've just beaten your existing drum kit to pieces, you're in luck -- Harmonix is now shipping the Rock Band Drum Kit to stores in the US and Canada, just a little bit later then we'd heard. The kit will retail for $80, which isn't all that bad -- especially considering the myriad alternate uses for the triggers once you get bored of playing "Maps" over and over again. Expect it to pop up soon in US stores, with a 2-8 week delay before it hits Canadian shelves.



DIY musical gear: just add talent
While browsing the 'net recently, we came across three separate DIY / mod articles (all stemming from our friends at Make) related to musical instruments, and realized that if combined... it's almost a band (or at least the White Stripes). The first is a step-by-step guide to making your own Rock Band-esque drum triggers that can interface with your PC, allowing you to perform freestyle -- though you can still bang away at games with them. The second experiment lets you add USB to a standard electric guitar, thus enabling you to record directly out of your Firebird (or other axe) straight to disk, reducing your time in the studio and freeing up your schedule for rehab. Finally, if you've got a USB guitar, you'll probably want some effects as well -- we suggest making them yourself using the handy kits in the link below. Okay, so it's not technically a band quite yet, but with a little elbow grease, questionable hairstyles, and a cash-embezzling manager, you'll be on your way to a Behind the Music (or passing reference on Pitchfork) in no time.



Rock Band mod adds actual guitar string, touch of class to axe
For Rock Band players that have also had some experience with a bona fide six-string, getting used to that plastic strum bar can take some work. For one gamer in particular, he decided to spend that time doing something a bit more productive than getting acclimated, like adding in an actual guitar string. There's also a switch mechanism that gets triggered by said string, which then sends an input to the game. Pretty swank, we say -- check out the video for yourself after the jump!



Wii coming to Rock Band, Rock Band Premium Microphone not coming to Wii
We're chalking this up to mixed PR signals, but a spokesperson for PDP -- makers of that Rock Band Premium Microphone we caught the other day sporting a Wii logo -- just let us know it was an accident, and that the mic isn't compatible with the Wii after all. Of course, the only reason we cared is that the logo signaled the arrival of Rock Band on the Wii -- which we now know is happening anyway -- so the only people disappointed here should be those of you who wanted to experience Wii Rock Band with "premium" third-party accessories. So... too bad for three of you. We regret your loss. Now if you'll excuse us, we have to get back to mastering the drums on "Tom Sawyer."



EA's CEO nonchalantly mentions "coming launch" of Rock Band for Wii
Finally got around to trading in that raincheck for your very own Wii? Good. Ready to pick up Rock Band? Believe it or not, we think we know that the aforementioned title is indeed headed to Nintendo's darling -- that's according to EA's CEO John Riccitiello, who was reportedly heard mentioning its "coming launch" on a recent conference call. Apparently, IGN even went the extra mile and pinged EA for additional confirmation (and got it), and while no details surrounding a release date, price or wicked new setlist were uncovered, at least you've got a few ticks to start scrounging up spare change.


Rock Band instruments pursuing solo careers February 12th
In a bit of shocking news today, two members of the Rock Band instruments set (drums, guitar) have declared that come February 12th, they're going solo. Citing "creative differences," and the original bundled guitar's inability to "clean up its act," the two solo pieces will be on their own and available for $79.99 and $59.99, respectively. This should come as good tidings for players who've had trouble getting a bass into the mix (PlayStation 3 gamers), or those who've wanted to rock the drum vs. drum match-ups. No word on whether the microphone will join the fray and walk out on the trio, though rumor has it a number of labels are ready with offers.



Rock Band Stage Kit with lights, smoke leaked by GameStop
As if playing Rock Band wasn't one of the greatest group gaming experiences to come along in years, it appears that a new accessory is set to amp up the fun even more by bringing an "interactive light and smoke stage show" to your already thrashing performances. Apparently you can already pre-order this so-called Rock Band Stage Kit from GameStop for 100 bucks, although they've since pulled the box image from the product page, so you'll have to rely on the screencap above to see what you're paying all that money for. Ships on June 23rd, according to the retailer's site, giving us plenty of time to install a proper stage and stadium seating in our game room.



Ion Audio shows off prototype of alternate Rock Band drum set at CES
The fine folks at Ion Audio are showing off a prototype Rock Band drum set complete with beefier drums and some cymbals out on the CES show floor. Apparently release is pending on customer interest, and there's no word on how much Ion's planning on charging, but we can say with much certainty that we'd jump at a chance to add this kit to the existing Engadget HQ collection of Rock Band paraphernalia. Check out Engadget Spanish for the full on gallery experience.



Mad Catz signs on to make Rock Band instruments, accessories
While Activision and Harmonix bicker over the real reason there's still some lingering incompatibility between the two, Mad Catz has inked a multi-year licensing agreement with MTV Networks to "produce and distribute game peripherals and other products" for Rock Band. Reportedly, the third-party peripheral maker has secured the rights to "manufacture, market and sell game accessories, including both wired and wireless bass guitars, a drum percussion set bundled with professional quality wooden drum sticks, and a wired microphone." All in all, we're stoked to see another player entering the Rock Band hardware game, so here's to hoping Mad Catz won't ship out any faulty axes and frail drum pedals during "the first half of 2008."

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