@Axemusica, you have a weird perspective on the “point” of these games that is not shared by a single person I know who plays them.
When I play the guitar on Rock Band, I don’t think I’m playing a real guitar. It’s more like a form of dancing. It’s a way to experience the music in a visceral manner, not a way to imitate the actual playing of music. Your post betrays a pretty myopic understanding of the nature of Rock Band as a videogame.
And frankly, I get kind of pissed off when I am “judged” for enjoying Rock Band. The games have not taught me how to play the guitar, but they have dramatically expanded my musical taste. I can appreciate many more genres of music after playing them, and I can appreciate many more intricacies of songs when I hear them. For those of us who don’t have the time, money, or inclination to invest in “real instruments,” Rock Band is still a wonderful experience and an amazing way to experience and learn about music (and to have fun with your friends).
To say that the only meaningful way for children to interact with music is by spending years learning how to play musical instruments is pretentious nonsense. And it’s especially frustrating because the evidence shows that these games are getting more and more kids into music—which is why music lovers like, oh, the fucking surviving Beatles members are into them. It makes me wonder if you enjoy playing instruments because you enjoy music, or if it’s because you enjoy the status of being a virtuoso.