Giving artists a chance to sell their tracks, if they prove popular, Rock Band Network goes way beyond a game.
It’s no secret that Rock Band went by Guitar Hero like a car passing someone standing still. But they’re really getting the world up to speed by introducing the Rock Band Network. Thing MMOs with a beat and you have a basic idea what it is. But it’$ much more if your tracks are popular …
Harmonix has announced that Open Beta registration opened this week exclusively for XBox 360 users who will be able to not only play Rock Band tunes, but they will also be able to record, convert and upload custom tracks for other Rockers to jam to. Gamers then judge how cool any given lick is and if they’re bonafide hits, the Rock Band Network will offer hits for sale for a price of $1-3 a song and share the revenue. This means that not only does Rock Band take on a gaming life of it’s worn with fresh material, struggling bands can actually see some revenue if their cream rises to the top.
Here's a great shot of the Rock Band Creator software interface. As you can see, it pays to have audio editing background to fall back on.
There is a catch though … it’s not free. Network fees cost $99/yr for Premium Membership in addition to an Xbox Gold Membership being required. But if you have a garage band, that’s only maybe $20-30 a year each. And for now, it’s PC only. Sorry MacHeads.
Also, word on the street is that the encoding to a proper Rock Band format is not for the pop crowd, and it can be quite trying. But for budding musicians trying to get discovered, the Rock Band Network may be an awesome opportunity.
Fist of rock raised.
Hat Tip – Engadget