Geekery

Been there, rocked out, got the t-shirt: The Electronic Rock Guitar Shirt

Posted on 07. Dec, 2009 by Jake in Gadgets

Once upon a time if you wanted to be a rock god you had to spend years actually learning how to play a real guitar. Then Guitar Heroes came along and changed all the rules, to the point that now there is a generation of youngsters who believe that ‘like, real guitars are so lame’. This is a day and age where rock stars seem a bit obsolete, and it is seen as far more socially acceptable to work through your rocker fantasies in a safe way, behind a television screen with a piece of plastic. That way you get to miss out on rehab while retaining the sense of accomplishment that comes from being a true hard-rocking legend, even if you will only ever get to hear the cheers of virtual crowds.

Now the virtual guitar generation has taken it one step further by introducing the Electronic Rock Guitar Shirt, brought to you by everyone’s favourite purveyors of awesome although probably slightly unnecessary gadgetry – Thinkgeek.com. It’s a t-shirt with an image of a guitar on it, a mini-amp attached and a magnetic pick. Each button on the neck of the guitar triggers a different major chord, which means you can use the shirt to play any famous classic rock song as long as it is completely in major (which many are). Depeche Mode fans will have to wait for the next version to come out if they want to play minor chords. If you want to start a virtual t-shirt band you could always get a friend to buy the Electronic Drum Kit Shirt, also from ThinkGeek. Those who have to hear you ‘practice’ all day may soon learn to hate you though. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

According to its inventors, the Electronic Rock Guitar Shirt is ‘not a toy that plays pre-canned musical riffs, it is a real musical instrument that allows you to play your favourite songs and sound great doing it’. Which is a bit like Twilight author Stephanie Meyer saying that her books are ‘serious literature’. Make no mistake, no matter what those promoting it tells you, the Guitar Shirt is just a toy, a novelty item that people may laugh at in generations to come. For now, though, don’t let the virtual guitar revolution pass you by.

It will set you back $30 and you can buy it here: http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/interactive/

Tags: guitar, guitar hero, rock, rock guitar t-shirt