In another example of reverse – influence content coming from the game industry, a company called the Music Wizard Group has releases a piece of educational software and corresponding guitar and MIDI pickup devices which they claim will be able to teach the user how to play a real guitar as opposed to one with only 5 colorful, plastic buttons. It’s called the Guitar Wizard, and its rockin’ strings instead of buttons.

                                             Seems almost like a game-screen.
 

Curiously, the software uses the same colors as the popular PS2 / Xbox 360 game, no doubt to capitalize on its popularity and some player’s desire to learn the “real thing” – as if the “fun” Guitar Hero game wasn’t hard enough – at least for someone without an ounce of dexterity in their fingers – like me. Regardless of the difference between serious musicians and the casual console gamers, the Guitar Wizard is obviously influenced by both camps, and hopes to draw the aspiring guitarist and the merely curious at the same time.

                                             It's a real guitar, but with helpful color-coding.

Undoubtedly there are enough people out there who has tried Guitar Hero and are wondering how to learn the real thing without going through music school. The next Hendrix is surely out there, and he’s probably looking to trade in his plastic guitar for something more serious.