..::The Keyboard::..

[TheCobra49]

Now i know the chances of a harmonix employee seeing this are slim, but if any of you fellow rock band gamers feel my idea below is a good one, please relay this somehow.

-The keyboards are featured in many of the songs in rock band, including Epic by Faith No More, and the one everyone loves to "sing" the keyboard parts to, Tom Sawyer, by Rush. My friend first brought up the fact that keyboards, being a big part of rock music, aren't included in the game. I'm not attempting to flame the forums by making this topic. But i just want my voice to be heard. Thank you all for listening to what i have to say.

[Krakenheds]

I don't know how fun a 5 finger keyboard would really be?? Not trying to flame, just saying it would probably be pretty easy.

[master2uall]

i must say, after learning how to tap to colors with the guitar, i think a keyboard setup would be pretty damn cool, and yeah i get the singing part of rush too, i do it out of habit, lol.

i dont think it would be easy either, cause nothing is easy on this game to me, i think i would love to try it and would have a blast.

[darkangel]

I don't know how fun a 5 finger keyboard would really be?? Not trying to flame, just saying it would probably be pretty easy.

why does it HAVE to be 5 ? why not ten ? just because everything else (except mic) was 5 doesnt mean that the keyboard NEEDS to be 5 also. They could have the middle 5 keys for easy and expand outward for harder levels

[drummerguy519]

I know for one that having a keyboard for Smokin' would make that song a much more real experience. IT's kind of ridiculous and funny watching the guitar player try to master the keyboard solos using frets and a strum bar.

[geezer]

They should use the RB Fender as a Keytar:

http://www.takisoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/keytar1.jpg

With the main buttons and the solo buttons you have 10 "keys". Lot easier then making a new instrument (especially since only a handful of songs have significant keyboards).

[chillzatl]

keyboards aren't "featured" any many songs at all. While there might be lots of songs with keyboard parts, they're not prominent. Which is why adding a keyboard to this game is a bad idea. OOH I just played 25 seconds of a song. Ooh, I held the same note for the entire chorus! EXCITING!

[Teh_Nfsjunkie91]

keyboards aren't "featured" any many songs at all. While there might be lots of songs with keyboard parts, they're not prominent. Which is why adding a keyboard to this game is a bad idea. OOH I just played 25 seconds of a song. Ooh, I held the same note for the entire chorus! EXCITING!

My D Minor could beat up your E.

[whofan]

Unfortunately I have to agree with most of the sentiment here.

A keyboard controller could not be implemented effectively into the game because:
1) It could only be about 5 keys (maybe 1 or 2 more, but no more than 7). This is due to the layout of Rock Band. How are you going to fit all of the notes on the fret board if it is 10 keys?

2) Where on the screen would you put a 5th fretboard? The screen is already crowded enough with everything that is already in the game.

3) Song choices would be SERIOUSLY limited. Every single song chosen for the game would have to have a keyboard/synthesizer/organ/piano part. While this instrument does have quite a few featured songs, it does not appear in a lot of songs, a lot of songs that would otherwise be perfect for the game. It's far too limiting to impose this restriction on the game.

It is for these reasons that I can not support a keyboard controller add-on into RB.

[DSOTM]

if anything the keyboard should have like 14 keys, seven for each hand
would be too boring if it wasnt like that

[Parodygm]

whofan said it all. The only thing you could do would be to add a 5-key beyboard that was an optional accessory to replace the guitar. So, it would really only be viable on tracks that were totally devoid of guitar and that might change a lot of peoples' concept of Rock Band.

[WhiffleBallTony]

It's not your idea, mate.

[SemperFi]

It's not your idea, mate.

I'll second that...about 50 threads on keyboards dating from pre-release.

Something else people don't seem to realize, is that while a keyboard might be fun, NONE of the current on disk tracks or DLC would be compatible with a keyboard. HMX would have to start over...not likely.

[Cyberdyne]

if anything the keyboard should have like 14 keys, seven for each hand
would be too boring if it wasnt like that

at this point, get a real keyboard.... i'm all for the fisher-price toys we get to play, but a keyboard for this game? naaaa.... just get a real one and learn the song if you so desire.

[Jordashebasics]

They did an interview with NPR where it was stated that they strongly wanted to include a keyboard....

but it was going to add too much extra work for a game that was already more ambitious than normal.

[MC Anna]

the fretboard could go at the bottom of the screen (kinda like the vocals are at the top, in band play that is)... and it could only pop up during the keyboard parts of the song... it could also be a purely optional add-on to the bass... so like in tom sawyer, keyboard comes on, bass part stops and bass player gets to start playin the keyboard...

i have a a pretty sweet idea for a harmonica for the guitarist too...

[o1skinneej]

the fretboard could go at the bottom of the screen (kinda like the vocals are at the top, in band play that is)... and it could only pop up during the keyboard parts of the song... it could also be a purely optional add-on to the bass... so like in tom sawyer, keyboard comes on, bass part stops and bass player gets to start playin the keyboard...

i have a a pretty sweet idea for a harmonica for the guitarist too...

I had a somewhat similar idea to turn the mic into some sort of Melodica. Which essentially is a keyboard that you blow in. So it could be the ultimate multi-purpose peripheral. And they could add copious amounts of ganj......Reggae music. GORILLAZ too!!!(lots of Melodica in their songs)

[kevmaster2000]

Don't forget the sweeeeeeeeeeeeet keyboard solo in "Highway Star".

[zurgrock]

i would go for 10 note keytar

[Rac146]

Has anyone thought of using a real note staff? Kinda like the scrolling vocals except with notes instead:

https://www.student.gsu.edu/~rcampo2/rock.jpg

Sure it will be fairly difficult to people who've never played a real instrument before, but it shouldn't be that incredibly hard to learn, especially for a 10-14 note keyboard.

[botnic]

Eh... Not going to happen. I say spend our brain energy on other matters.

[TheCobra49]

Thanks for being so optimistic botnic =/

[krammkracker]

There just isn't enough space on the screen for 5 instruments, perhaps having the option of 4 people playing one of 5 instruments. (Guitar, Bass, Drums, Vocals, Keyboard)
Thus keeping the 3 fret board one vocal bar structure.

[darkangel]

Unfortunately I have to agree with most of the sentiment here.

A keyboard controller could not be implemented effectively into the game because:
1) It could only be about 5 keys (maybe 1 or 2 more, but no more than 7). This is due to the layout of Rock Band. How are you going to fit all of the notes on the fret board if it is 10 keys?

how about smaller notes ?



2) Where on the screen would you put a 5th fretboard? The screen is already crowded enough with everything that is already in the game.

Yeah, that is true.



3) Song choices would be SERIOUSLY limited. Every single song chosen for the game would have to have a keyboard/synthesizer/organ/piano part. While this instrument does have quite a few featured songs, it does not appear in a lot of songs, a lot of songs that would otherwise be perfect for the game. It's far too limiting to impose this restriction on the game.

(for the sake of argument) It could be part of the mic so the keyboard parts are more of an option rather than a regular component to all songs. OR it could be an alternative to bass or guitar for certain songs for example, songs by the Doors do not actually have a bass guitar, all the bass and melodies were done on Ray Manzarek's keyboards. In the case of a Doors song, the bass player could switch to keyboard instead of using the guitar



It is for these reasons that I can not support a keyboard controller add-on into RB.

Unfortunately, I agree with you. my argument is entirely based on devils advocate. I think it would be cool if they could add more instruments, but it is not anything we can expect because the reality of it is, your (con) argument is more reasonable than any pros.