Rock Prodigy is an app that plays like a game, but uses a real guitar and teaches real songs and skills. It teaches you these songs and skills by allowing you to play along with notes displayed on the screen, like a real-life Guitar Hero. You simply play along with the 'game' on your real guitar, and in doing so learn guitar techniques and songs. Rock Prodigy, however, is not a game; it's an instructional tool. Rock Prodigy's purpose is to teach you how to play the guitar in a fun way. It is intended to provide some relief to the burden of practicing, making learning the guitar easier, faster, and more fun.
One large benefit of Rock Prodigy is its mobility. It works with any recent iOS device, and requires no plug-ins. Also, you can use any guitar, electric or acoustic. And so, you can use Rock Prodigy anywhere that you can bring your iOS device and guitar. It's very portable.
More importantly, however, it works with any level of experience. If you are picking up a guitar for the first time, or if you already know how to play well, it has lessons and songs adapted for your level of experience. It teaches you the basics, such as how to hold and tune a guitar, and then increasingly advanced lessons, such as scales and difficult songs. This leads into the main function of Rock Prodigy: it is an instructional tool designed to assist the learning and practicing of any guitar player. It is not intended to replace any traditional methods of learning or practicing. Rock Prodigy, as a supplementary tool, can help any guitar player learn and perfect songs and techniques. Learning how to play a song requires repetitive practice. Why not practice in a way that is fun?
In The Shallows, Nicholas Carr claims that our brains change and develop based on our behaviors and experiences. I think it's possible that, after practicing the guitar with Rock Prodigy for some time, guitar players could come to develop positive, fun associations with guitar practice. Do not be deceived; no app can make learning and practicing an instrument easy. It requires hard work and consistent practice. However, if Rock Prodigy can make learning the guitar a little easier, faster, and more fun, then that is a worthy accomplishment.
