According to a national survey conducted by musical instrument retailer Guitar Center, MTV Games' Rock Band and Activision's Guitar Hero are both contributing to "dramatic increases in the gamers' interest to own and play real instruments." Interestingly, the games also seemed to make musicians who play Guitar Hero or Rock Band want to use their real instruments more frequently as well.

"These games are a painless and fantastically seductive entrée to playing music," said Dr. Larry Livingston, Music Director of the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California. "They engage your mind, body and soul, creating a whole sense of the movement of music. Having tasted the experience, players may want to move from the simulated to the real. Therefore, it's no surprise that these games have whetted the appetite for the real deal."

Here are the key findings from the survey of over 7,000 respondents:

  • Of the Guitar Hero and Rock Band players that do not currently play a musical instrument, two-thirds (67%) indicated that they are likely to begin playing a real instrument in the next two years.

  • Nearly three out of four (72%) musicians who play games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band have spent more time playing their real instrument(s) since they began playing these games.

  • Eight out of 10 (81%) of the Guitar Hero and Rock Band players that have been inspired to play an instrument because of the games would like to receive a musical instrument as a gift this winter holiday season.

  • Sales of gear for first-timers at Guitar Center has surged along with the peak in sales for Guitar Hero and Rock Band. In the holiday selling season in the last quarter of 2007, Guitar Center saw a +20.7% jump in comparable store sales for beginner-level electric guitar & amplifiers. This surge grew even stronger through the first nine months of 2008, when Guitar Center's cumulative comparable store sales for the category increased +26.9%.

    • "This spike of interest in playing actual instruments stemming from a video game is an unprecedented phenomenon," stated Guitar Center's Executive Vice President / Chief Marketing Officer Norman Hajjar. "Most video games sell fantasy, but Guitar Hero and Rock Band are selling a dream that can be realized. These games plant an achievable goal in the heart of the player and that, in turn, drives our business."

    Rock band 2

      Rock Band is back and better than ever! EA and Harmonix team up again to bring you the latest Rock Band experience, complete with new musical instrument peripherals, new downloads, and new party modes! The game will also support original downloadable content from the first Rock Band, along with the original instruements. Get ready to rock all over again in late 2008! (Screenshot 1 of 22)

      Rock Band is back and better than ever! EA and Harmonix team up again to bring you the latest Rock Band experience, complete with new musical instrument peripherals, new downloads, and new party modes! The game will also support original downloadable content from the first Rock Band, along with the original instruements. Get ready to rock all over again in late 2008! (Screenshot 2 of 22)

      Rock Band is back and better than ever! EA and Harmonix team up again to bring you the latest Rock Band experience, complete with new musical instrument peripherals, new downloads, and new party modes! The game will also support original downloadable content from the first Rock Band, along with the original instruements. Get ready to rock all over again in late 2008! (Screenshot 3 of 22)

      Rock Band is back and better than ever! EA and Harmonix team up again to bring you the latest Rock Band experience, complete with new musical instrument peripherals, new downloads, and new party modes! The game will also support original downloadable content from the first Rock Band, along with the original instruements. Get ready to rock all over again in late 2008! (Screenshot 4 of 22)

      Rock Band is back and better than ever! EA and Harmonix team up again to bring you the latest Rock Band experience, complete with new musical instrument peripherals, new downloads, and new party modes! The game will also support original downloadable content from the first Rock Band, along with the original instruements. Get ready to rock all over again in late 2008! (Screenshot 5 of 22)

      Rock Band is back and better than ever! EA and Harmonix team up again to bring you the latest Rock Band experience, complete with new musical instrument peripherals, new downloads, and new party modes! The game will also support original downloadable content from the first Rock Band, along with the original instruements. Get ready to rock all over again in late 2008! (Screenshot 6 of 22)

      Rock Band is back and better than ever! EA and Harmonix team up again to bring you the latest Rock Band experience, complete with new musical instrument peripherals, new downloads, and new party modes! The game will also support original downloadable content from the first Rock Band, along with the original instruements. Get ready to rock all over again in late 2008! (Screenshot 7 of 22)

      Rock Band is back and better than ever! EA and Harmonix team up again to bring you the latest Rock Band experience, complete with new musical instrument peripherals, new downloads, and new party modes! The game will also support original downloadable content from the first Rock Band, along with the original instruements. Get ready to rock all over again in late 2008! (Screenshot 8 of 22)

      Rock Band is back and better than ever! EA and Harmonix team up again to bring you the latest Rock Band experience, complete with new musical instrument peripherals, new downloads, and new party modes! The game will also support original downloadable content from the first Rock Band, along with the original instruements. Get ready to rock all over again in late 2008! (Screenshot 9 of 22)

      Rock Band is back and better than ever! EA and Harmonix team up again to bring you the latest Rock Band experience, complete with new musical instrument peripherals, new downloads, and new party modes! The game will also support original downloadable content from the first Rock Band, along with the original instruements. Get ready to rock all over again in late 2008! (Screenshot 10 of 22)