Published: January 21, 2008 09:47 pm      

Guitar heroes

Library offers jamming sessions

PLAINFIELD — The sounds of Van Halen, Nirvania, The Police, and other rock-n-roll bands may seem out of place in the quiet settings of a public library, but that’s not the case at the Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library during Saturday morning Guitar Hero jam sessions.

Guitar Hero, published by RedOctane and Activision, is a series of music video games where players use a guitar-shaped controller and must hit the correct color-coded buttons to correspond with the notes playing to the song of the screen. Songs range from the 1960s to the present and players can play as an individual or in a competitive and/or cooperative setting with two players.

Joanna Carter, a library assistant, said library officials have been offering Guitar Hero sessions in the children’s room since the summer of 2007, and it was the kick off to the library’s back to school party last fall.

“We have three different gaming systems — Wii, Guitar Hero, and Dance Dance Revolution,” Carter said. “We try to rotate them out so every three months, there is a new game.”

Although the Wii game system maybe the most popular amongst the group that attends, Carter said Guitar Hero usually has a very good turnout. Typically, eight to 12 school-aged children attend the weekend sessions, with 12 being the maximum number library officials allow.

“It’s one of the better programs,” Carter said.

They also try to have more than one session, but Carter said it depends on who is running it and when it is scheduled. Usually, the different gaming sessions are scheduled for a morning and an afternoon session.

Currently, there are four types of Guitar Hero available on the market — Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero II, Guitar Hero III: Legend of Rock, and Guitar Hero Encore: Rock the ‘80s. Carter said those who come to the jam sessions usually play Guitar Hero II, and they range in experience levels from easy to expert.

“It’s really as interesting to watch as it is to play,” she said.

Carter added that she has seen a mixture of children — those who know how to play and those who don’t — come to the sessions.

Blake Wilson, 11, of Plainfield, attended last Saturday’s session and has only been playing the game for a couple of months. He explained that his favorite song to play on the game is “One” by Metallica, but playing at the expert level can be difficult.

“I’ve only played one song at that level and it’s kind of hard,” he added.

Evan Timmons, 10, of Camby, also attended the session and said he spends anywhere from three and five hours a day playing the game at home. And even with that practice schedule, he admits that the game isn’t easy.

“It’s hard to hit the notes on time,” Timmons said.

Michael Fodrie, 9, of Brownsburg, who won the session’s tournament, said he has been playing the game for about a year now.

He said he likes to come to the library’s jam sessions because he only has one guitar controller at home, so it’s difficult to play against or with someone else.

“When there’s three long notes, I have trouble hitting them at the same time,” Fodrie said.

Carter explained that Guitar Hero jam sessions are not just for boys. She said she once had sisters attend a session who had never played before, but were able to pick it up real quick.

The next gaming session at the Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library is Wii, with a session at 10 a.m. and another at 2 p.m. Feb. 16. Registration is required.

For those interested, call the library at 839-6602 ext. 109, visit the website at www.plainfieldlibrary.net, or by stop at the children’s department desk.



amanda.roach@flyergroup.com