# Instrument compatibility in the various music games
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instrument-compatibility-in-the-various-music-games/488307
**Category:** The Game Room
**Created:** [March 4, 2009, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instrument-compatibility-in-the-various-music-games/488307 "2009-03-04T19:15:52Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Jihi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jihi)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2009, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instrument-compatibility-in-the-various-music-games/488307/1 "2009-03-04T19:15:52Z")
So I purchased the special edition box for Rock Band 2 for the PS3 a few weeks back, (the bundle with a guitar, drumset and a microphone), and even though this is my first foray into these type of rhythm games I’m digging it quite a bit.
I’m thinking about picking up Guitar Hero: World Tour as well but I don’t want to drop another almost $200 on more instruments. I’ve done some research and I understand there is some cross compatibility between the various games, but it’s not 100%. I’m seeing some conflicting information regarding different editions of the games as well as across the various platforms, and it’s all a bit confusing. This is the [guitar](http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/resources/2007/06/composite_2.jpg) I have and this is the [drum set](http://www.breakitdownblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/rock-band-2-drums-pads.jpg). Is it true,as I’ve read, that the [microphone](http://www.toystoreinc.com/catalog/rockbandps3mic.jpg) is just a fancy looking USB mic?. Simply put, if I purchase GH:WT will these instruments work with it? What about the band specific GH releases like Aerosmith and the upcoming Metallica?
Also, what’s the history regarding future compatibility with other releases? If I want to buy Rock Band 3 when it comes out am I likely to have to repurchase the instruments as well?
Thanks for any help you guys can provide.
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### Author:  [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2009, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instrument-compatibility-in-the-various-music-games/488307/2 "2009-03-04T20:58:43Z")
I think it’s the current issue of Official Playstation Magazine, or maybe the issue before that, where they actually have a handy instrument compatibility chart for all of the PS3 music games. I do recall that yes, a USB mic is a USB mic. It’s at home so I wouldn’t be able to tell you more until after getting home from work.
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### Author:  [@Jihi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jihi)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instrument-compatibility-in-the-various-music-games/488307/3 "2009-03-04T21:34:49Z")
Hmm, a chart… such an intuitive concept that completely slipped my mind. 😛
I googled “instrument compatibility chart” and came up with [this](http://blog.wired.com/games/images/2008/11/14/ghchart1.jpg). I don’t know if it’s the same chart but it answered all my questions. Thanks **Ferret Herder!**
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### Author:  [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2009, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instrument-compatibility-in-the-various-music-games/488307/4 "2009-03-04T21:42:43Z")
Nope, it’s different, but if it meets your needs that’s great. 😃
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### Author:  [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)
#### Post date: [March 5, 2009, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instrument-compatibility-in-the-various-music-games/488307/5 "2009-03-05T07:18:38Z")
So basically the Guitar Hero controllers work for everything and the Rock Band controllers work for Rock Band and Guitar Hero World Tour.
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### Author:  [@Sir\_Not\_Appearing\_on\_This\_Site](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Not_Appearing_on_This_Site)
#### Post date: [March 6, 2009, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instrument-compatibility-in-the-various-music-games/488307/6 "2009-03-06T23:56:55Z")
The linked chart is not completely accurate. I have a GH Les Paul for PS3, and it works just fine on Rock Band/ RB2.
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### Author:  [@RogueAOV](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RogueAOV)
#### Post date: [March 7, 2009, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instrument-compatibility-in-the-various-music-games/488307/7 "2009-03-07T07:39:45Z")
I am having a similar worry myself, i have just bought a PS3, and i was interested in GHWT which is 100 dollars at the local store with the guitar. Now i have no interest in the drums etc just the guitar, and my PS3 is not compatible with PS2 games. So if it worth buying GHWT and picking up Metallica etc later without the guitar etc?
OR
should i just forget it and go and visit my oldest kids friend who owns all of them every weekend for a couple of hours until i get bored playing?
its either bioshock and little big planet or world tour… cant quite make up my mind, and the different instruments is confusing me too. I have seen some track packs for guitar hero… will i be able to get the songs from the other games on a PS3 disc and make the guitar more worthwhile?
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### Author:  [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)
#### Post date: [March 9, 2009, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instrument-compatibility-in-the-various-music-games/488307/8 "2009-03-09T03:24:04Z")
Note that _GH:WT_ guitars have added functionality (the slide board thingy) which the RB guitars and the guitars for previous GH iterations don’t have. You don’t need it- you can play every note with the regular buttons and strum bar- but it is kinda fun.
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### Author:  [@Sir\_Dirx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Dirx)
#### Post date: [March 9, 2009, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instrument-compatibility-in-the-various-music-games/488307/9 "2009-03-09T16:31:21Z")
The second half of the chart, for Wii and PS2 owners:
[http://blog.wired.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/14/ghchart2.jpg](http://blog.wired.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/11/14/ghchart2.jpg)
_grumble_no cross-compatability on the Wii…