Guitar Hero sparked the interest in the kidlet several years ago. She's very very good at both GH and RockBand, routinely pulling off the extreme hardcore songs on expert.
I don't know if it helped her learn quicker, but it definitely helped her learn an appreciation of a wide variety of music quicker.
Her interest in RockBand (I never played GH with her and still haven't) gave her the desire to get a guitar. We found a cheap acoustic for her at first. She played it and learned quite a bit. She already could read music before picking up the guitar, though.
After a time, she was given an amp and an electric guitar. She then went to lessons for about a year and then we found the lessons weren't doing much good anymore. Might have been the instructor, I don't know. I guess the biggest problem I had with lessons is that they didn't even teach her to tune properly. After that, I sat down and taught her that and we (her mother, the kidlet and myself) decided she was done with lessons.
Her greatest desire now is to own a Les Paul silverburst.
Her interest rekindled my interest in the bass. For some reason, her mother thinks me playing the bass is sexy. Go figure. I then went about lusting after a Ric since I sold my 4001 years and years ago.
Shortly after I picked up an acoustic/electric bass and a cheapo fretless, she decided she wanted a bass to play on. We found her an inexpensive EB-0 and she now plays that. I have to admit that she still needs to learn the reason for a bass in the mix but she can sight read and play decent. She's more of a guitar fiend than a bass fiend. Maybe she needs to take lessons or I need to teach her more, that'll be up to her though.
I finally found a great Ric and I'm happy but still need to get a good head/cabinet combo.
She doesn't know of all the pieces and parts I have hidden away, like the 70s Ric 4x10 cab that'll be hers if she sticks with it.
Craig Witty was kind enough to sell me an Epiphone Les Paul some time back that she plays. It definitely sounds sweet in her hands. I'm not sure which pups are in it, but I came across some pups 496R and 500T that she'll probably get for Christmas. I also picked up a new Gibson case for her yesterday that is hidden under the bed right now.
She hasn't let up yet and still plays RB and GH.
And I don't have to be told that she's spoiled. In my mind, I can't give her enough for rekindling the musical spirit I tossed away long ago.
By the way, she's only 12 and understands that at any time, any and everything she's been given can and will be taken away. She's a good kid, currently plays 3 instruments and is a National Jr Honor Society member.
What I can do, however, is blame her for me wanting to move into a bigger house so we can have a bigger jam room.
As far as RockBand goes toward people playing music, I'd say it only makes a difference if you let it make a difference. I play RockBand (but haven't in several months). However, I don't know if some of you would call me a musician. I only play on the stage that's in my mind...
