Rhythm game accessories

For example, the drum-kit controller included with Guitar Hero World Tour functions properly when used in Rock Band games.

Common features among these controllers (with the exception of Rock Band 3's "pro" guitar controllers) are a set of five colored "fret" buttons on the neck (green, red, yellow, blue and orange) a "strum bar" (around where the pickups on an electric guitar would be) and whammy bar (corresponding to its real-life position) on the body.

Like standard controllers, the X-Plorer features an expansion port which allows users to equip a wired headset for voice communication.

However, it is not officially supported by Aspyr Media (developer of the PC and Macintosh release), and shows up in game using the same icon as the X-Plorer.

The strum bar is rubberized, the nuts on the headstock are made from chrome rather than plastic and the "solo section" of the neck is molded differently and is now digital rather than analog.

It features two sets of fret buttons, one for standard gameplay, one for solo sections.

[5] It also features a split strum-bar, allowing more accurate emulation of dual-fingered up-strumming used to play real bass guitars.

[5] Two new guitar controllers were released alongside The Beatles: Rock Band, modeled after John Lennon's Rickenbacker 325 and George Harrison's Gretsch Duo Jet.

The bass guitar controller released alongside The Beatles: Rock Band is modeled after the Höfner 500/1 "violin bass" guitar which was famously used by Sir Paul McCartney; however, it is configured for right-handed use, while McCartney's was left-handed, although one can use the "Lefty Flip" option to play left-handed.

The Mad Catz Rock Band portable drum kit is a portable drum kit controller produced for use with Rock Band games by Mad Catz.

Rock Band 3 saw the addition of a new "Pro mode", which more closely mimics playing real musical instruments.

The adapter features a small switch to change between drums, keyboard and guitar modes, a volume wheel and an overdrive button.

The adapter connects to the console via a 9.8 ft (3 m) USB cable and to the instrument via a standard MIDI connector (5-pin DIN).

in Rock Band 3, Harmonix designed a keyboard controller, which is produced by Mad Catz.

The keyboard features 25 full-sized velocity-sensitive keys, with an overdrive button and a touch-sensitive strip on the "neck".

It also features a standard set of buttons,[a] in order to facilitate navigation within the game and on the console itself.

For pro mode, all the keys are used, and the keyboard is split up into 5 colored sections to aid the player: red - C3-E3, yellow - F3-B4, blue - C4 (middle C)-E4, green - F4-B5 and orange - C5.

The keyboard controller also has a 3.5 mm TRS connector (jack) which can be used to attach either a stomp switch or an analog expression pedal.

The dongle also features a 2-port USB hub, allowing additional peripherals to be connected to the system.

As such it can be connected to most synthesizers (via a MIDI cable) and computers (via a MIDI-to-USB adapter), allowing the controller to be used as a real musical instrument.

The /Y/2 and /A buttons increment or decrement the program number (respectively), while the Start/+, Home/Guide and Select/Back/- send real-time system stop, continue and start messages (respectively).

The remaining d-pad buttons/directions allow switching of analog pedal functions; down sets it as a channel volume controller, left as an expression pedal (default) and right sets it as a foot controller.In order to play the "pro" drum mode, players require at least four drum pads and at least 1 cymbal pad (with up to three cymbals being compatible).

To allow this, pro cymbals were released to complement existing Rock Band 2 drum sets.

It consists of six short stainless-steel strings suspended between two sensors, which detect the vibration of the stings when plucked or strummed.

An unofficial workaround involves connecting it through a MIDI-Pro Adapter, although direction pad buttons, overdrive detection and Basic 5-button game play are unavailable since they do not function through the MIDI port.

This is a true six-string electric guitar, with electronics built in to allow it to interface with the game to provide added features such as on-screen fret sensing.

Additionally, the Squier Stratocaster Pro Guitar has full MIDI output capabilities.

Unlike the Mustang Pro controller, the Squier is "console-neutral", as it is connected to the console via the MadCatz MIDI Pro-Adapter.

A demonstration of the Fender Squier Stratocaster Pro Guitar at its Electronic Entertainment Expo debut showed it being played directly through an electric amplifier alongside other players on the other controllers while playing the game.After the success of the release of PaRappa the Rapper, Konami released the game Beatmania[17] with a DJ style controller.

DK Bongos are a unique controller for the GameCube designed for the Donkey Konga series of rhythm games.