General Information

Welcome to the dedicated samples page for the very popular musical video game known as Rock Band. This page contains samples of blind folk playing specific songs from that game, including some of the vast library of downloadable songs, which can only be acquired in the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game. What follows is a set of links to each song, which can be clicked to hear that song being played by either me, or another blind person in Rock Band. These links will be unanotated, except where I feel there is something specific or interesting to say, and they will be separated by instrument as well using headings. Also, when looking at each link, you will be able to see whether the person playing the song succeeded, failed, or maybe even had a really close call with a specific song. There are several samples of each, in order to provide variety in your song choices if simply sampling these situations. This collection will most likely expand as more downloadable content is released, and more blind people are converted to the way of Rock Band.

A couple other things to note before we begin. There are several sounds you will hear during these songs other than those of the crowd and the actual music. I will attempt to describe these sounds, so that they may be understood when heard. The first, which sounds vaguely like an electric guitar getting electricuted, is the sound heard when you gain energy in the game. This energy can be used to bring you back from near failure, and really pump up the crowd as well. Also, it doubles the score you receive from each note while active. Which brings me to my next sound. When you hear a quick, rising and descending electric guitar note that doesn't necessarily go with the song that's being played, you know that the energy stored up to that point has been activated. And when you hear something that sounds a little like a small wind blowing, that energy has run out, and must be built up again. You may also hear strange effects on the guitar audio during some moments. This is the result of the setting of the Effects Switch, which is only present on Rock Band guitars. Each setting puts on a different effect, which is only used when energy is active. Thus, this is another indication of that state. Lastly, when you hear a single ding, it means the player has played well enough to gain a star. A song can earn up to five stars, so effectively you're seeing, and hearing, your rating on that song go up as you play. Lastly, I should note that all sounds I have just described, save for the star sound, are different depending on the instrument, each possessing its own unique qualities. And now that that's out of the way, enjoy the music!

Guitar Samples

This is a plane texttttt file containing all the songs that I can play on the guitar. It will be updated as songs are added to my lisst, which is to say that it may be updated more often than the samples on this site, so check back often.

Note: And I mean reeeeeeeally close call. This song is haaaard! Oh and also, this song does a great job of demonstrating Rock Band's crowd singalong mechanic. See, if you do well enough, they always clap, but in some songs, they'll start singing along as well. Don't believe me? Listen.

Note: Spectacular failures are those songs which I play really well for a large portion of the song, but fail almost immediately when I reach a certain point. This particular performance did surprise me, however, as when I reached that point, I didn't fail as quickly as I thought I would.

Note: While this one's passable, Clement's playing of Nightmare turned out far better. Go Clement!

Note: Interesting little fact here. If you were to acquire this song outside of the game and listen to it, you'd notice that the guitar part, which is of course present in the game, isn't actually in the song. It seems Harmonics added that part themselves, as without it it couldn't be played to the fullest extent in Rock Band.

Note: Another instance of the part you play not actually being in the original song.

Note: This song is actually from another video game called Portal. It plays during the credits of that game, and I am inclined to believe that, given the lyrics, this song contains spoilers. Listen at your own risk.

Note: This one's pretty down to the wire as well. It's definitely not one of my noteworthy efforts, but I did get through it.

Note: One of those I am particularly proud of. This song is not easy, and is probably harder than it sounds to someone who hasn't played it. But I think I do pretty well.

Note: Yes, don't be fooled by the length of the recording. This is an extremely long song, and what I got through was just a little less than half of it.

Note: This is another shot at the same song, and as you can gather from the link, it turns out a whole lot better.

Note: One of the easiest songs in the game when all are sorted by skill, and yet I still haven't perfected it. It's all those interesting little paterns in the middle, I think.

Note: You will see that I know almost nothing of this song, but did this sample by request. So uh, there ya have it.

Note: This song demonstrates Rock Band's "Big Rock Ending" feature, during which you go crazy, strumming whatever notes you want on whatever frets you want, building and building your score. The trick is that you must hit the song's very last note or notes. Failure to do this will negate the Rock Ending, and remove all the points you built from it. I got this one though.

Note: This song is ridiculously easy. It's, like, two songs above the easiest song in the game. For those who play Rock Band, it's one easier than Maps

Note: What is an utter success? Why, one hundred percent of notes hit, that's what. A perfect playthrough.

Note: This song holds a special place in Rock Band as a Rock Band exclusive. You will not find it on any of Shinedown's albums.

Note: I missed the first freakin note of this song! Oy...

Note: Another one which demonstrates the singing crowd mechanic very well.

Note: Yep, finished it this time, and got the rock ending too. Yaaaaay me!

Note: I am inconsistent with this song. I have succeeded in playing it more than once, and yet it was not to be this time.

Note: Another crowd-pleaser.

Note: I played this song for a very specific reason. While it is not listed amongst the easiest songs when sorted by difficulty, it is probably the easiest one to pick up in the entire game. It has a very simple, three-chord progression through basically the entire song. I got it almost perfectly the first time I ever played it. And this time, well, I just um, pressed the wrong button in the beginning...

Note: One of the best examples of the singing crowd, mainly because the crowd does something I find utterly hilarious if you're doing well enough. Listen carefully to the song's bridge, and when it reaches the little guitar solo, you'll hear the crowd singing along with... the guitar.

For someone who didn't know how to play the Rock Band Guitar before, this one's sure good. Most awesome, in fact.

Yes indeed. I am man enough to admit when I have been bested. Clement shows us all that he was lying about not being able to play the guitar, when he rocks my world with this song which, as you can see if you check out the sampe above, I failed. Dude.

Yes, let's be fair. Ya came pretty close near the end there, Clement. Heheeheh.

Note: Big success is more like it. He gets very nearly a hundred percent on this song. Listening to this sample will be almost like listening to the song as it originally sounds. Well, except for the crowd, and the star sounds, and...

Note: The crowd only starts booing a little teeny tiny bit, so...

Note: What? What's this? What'd that link say? Failure? Well, I suppose Clement had to bring his own death into this medium sometime, eh? Heheh. Seriously though, I shouldn't talk. He gets just as far as I do in this song. Yeah, that's right. I can't finish it yet either.

Note: This is something that Clement decided to do, wishing to submit a better performance than his first sample of this song. Believe me, he succeeded.

Note: Once again Clement wanted to show us a better performance, and once again he succeeded. A much better solo in this one. Congrats, Clement.

Note: If there is anything Clement deserves congratulations for, though, it's finishing this song. He almost bombed the solo, but what does it matter? He finished one of the game's most difficult songs.

Note:And here's another noteable. I haven't actually finished this song myself, so congrats again.

Note: Hey, this is a really, really, really hard song. And to his credit, though he didn't finish it, he got further than I did.

Note: Truly a splendid performance here. Go Clement go!

Note: Another song Clement revisits in order to provide us with a better performance.

Note: But he didn't think that last performance was quite good enough. So here it is again, this time with absolutely one hundred percent of notes hit. Congrats, Clement.

Note: Not a hundred percent, but very very nearly so. I've been assured that Clement can play this song perfectly, but a few notes were missed here.

Note: That solo's a killer, but Clement, ya done good.

Note: This is one I'm personally proud of Clement for completing. This song is not easy, ladies and gents.

Note: Neither is this one.

Note: Wooooooooow!

Note: Just polishing off the tough stuff, this guy Clement.

Note: Wanna know the funny thing about this song? It's easier than it sounds, even for the easy difficulty. This is one of those surprise songs that you can just get through the first time and not look back.

Note: This song sounds fun! I should, like, try it!

Whew, boy. This one was close. But ya did it, kid, and good on ya for that.

Note: That solo... That's not a nice solo. But you did pretty good, all told.

Note: This is a fast song, even on easy, but Clement does it good.

Note: Go ben! Definitely not bad for one who just recently got the game. Note that there is a little silence here, as Ben really did this sample from the beginning. And I'm talking, from when the game was loaded.

Note: So Clement's convinced he didn't do well at this one, and OK, he missed quite a few notes. But the crowd weren't really booing... that much... were they?

note: I love this song. This is one of the twenty songs you get free when you buy Rock Band 2, and I have to say Harmonix made some fantastic choices in my mind.

Note: I seriously love this song as well, and to date have not finished it myself. But clement did, and I say more power to him. Nice work, Clement. Almost totally nailed this song.

Note: It should be noted that this is the original artist, but the recording is apparently remastered, as are all the songs in that track pack.

Note: I still maintain that this is one of the weirdest bands ever. Check out these lyrics, along with Liam's guitar-playing, of course.

Note: Woe. Seriously. This song be tough. It's not the toughest, but this guy's one monster of a guitar player, and it shows through a bit here. Good job, Clement, on doing well enough at this to keep it from Close Call status.

Bass Samples

Note: The first bass sample! Why haven't I done any? I honestly do not know.

Note: Yeah, you read it right. Expert. Fast strumming mostly where this song is concerned, but still, a nice feather in the Clement cap.

note: Yeah, that link says expert. And he does really, really good. Wahoo for Clement!

Note: Gees, Clement really is obsessed with Pat Bennetar. So obsessed, in fact, that he belted out two samples of her on expert! Rock on!

Drum Samples

Posted by Clement.

Posted by Clement.

Posted by Clement.

Note: Trust me, this is a much harder song on guitar. If you haven't checked out the guitar sample of this song yet, do so.

Note: A fantastic drum performance of this song to add to his equally fantastic guitar work. Also, he reeeeeally works the drum fillers in this one. Check it out!

Note: Again, a really great performance.

Note: Though Clement doesn't utterly rock the house here, this sample deserves some commendation. It is, after all, pretty solidly fast.

Note: Like woe, folks. This here sample is awesome. Yeah, even though Clement didn't complete this one, he does totally awesomely for a good chunk of it, at least in my opinion. And this song is no slouch on any instrument.

Note: Hey, it's an easy song, but it's still cool! Go Clement!

Note: Well, the man did it. He did it, folks. He just barely came out of it alive, but he did it. Pat on the back, buddy.

Note: He missed the rock ending! He missed it! Ha ha ha... Er, that's terrible!

Note: I personally believe Clement just recorded this one because I don't have this song as of the time of this writing. He's mean! Oh, and he does good too.

Note: Oooo! A setlist! Pretty! Sure it's only two songs, but Clement really rocks the drums on these, and we need some examples of how setlists work. Hurray!

Vocal Samples

Note: Just a quick note here about star power for Rock Band singers. Clement successfully activates it once near the end of this song, and yes, you do have to shout into the mic during a nonsinging moment to do so. It's quite a neat concept, and it works fairly well.

Note: Yes, folks. Clement really, really can go that high. And with a sore throat too. Of course, I had no idea about the sore throat until I had already asked him to sing this song... Or did I?

Disturbed: Down with the Sickness: Clement's Sample: Success Bon Jovi: Livin on a Prayer: Clement's Sample: Success

Note: Clement really loves this song, and you can tell.

Note: Ok, Clement, now breathe. Seriously, you uh, you reeeeeally get into this one. I don't care what you say.

Note: I've just gotta say it. While Clement does really well in this sample, it's downright hilarious as well. You simply must check this one out.

Note: Interesting thing about this one is that Ben has chosen to turn down the other tracks of the song almost as low as they can go. His aim is to be singing alone with the crowd.

Note: Pay attention to this one. Liam tries to activate his star power in some pretty clever ways. Like uh, having a conversation with the computer that sings the song.

Note: This right here's a song entirely in Spanish. But ya know something? Clement knows... a lot... of Spanish. So please, if you're offended easily, pay no attention to the flurry of curses he hurls our way throughout the song. It's not very nice, but that's Clement.

Note: Yes, hearing Clement sing this song is truly as weird as you might think it is. And yet, he sings so beautifully! Disturbed: Indestructable: Ben's Sample: Playing on Expert: Success

Note: It seems as though Ben's still learning the words to this one, but he still makes it through. This serves as proof that you don't actually have to know what you're singing to get through a song. It's all about the tone, not the words.

Note: Isn't it funny how all of Ben's imitations of American dudes sound the same? And how he always sings the guitar part, even though the dudes in question wouldn't? I guess he can be forgiven for this one though, as the crowd does it too. Weirdos. Ah well. Silly Ben.

Note: Perhaps the best vocal sample ever. Why? Cause it's really long, you get to hear the longest Rock Band rock ending, and Ben just talks to you through most of it. Funny thing about live versions. There are these really long parts where the singer on stage just doesn't sing. When you're playing Rock Band, it's just plain old fashioned freetime.

Voxtar Samples

Note: Introducing Voxtar, the awesome concept of playing the Rock Band guitar, and doing vocals at the same time. This one comes from Liam, and he does a pretty decent job, though there are a couple of stumbling moments in there. Enjoy!

Multiplayer Samples

Note: Introducing the multiplayer section! What better way to kick it off than with a sample of a full band? I sure can't think of one. Ben's on vocals as this online band rocks out. Check it!

And that's it for now. Check back every now and then, as more songs may pop up. Also, feel free to drop me a suggestion by either sending an email to brandon@brandoncole.net, or by subscribing to the mailing list. You can do this by sending an email to brandonslist-request@freelists.org, and putting the word subscribe in the subject line. Thanks for listening, and rock on!