Questions about Classic Guitar Hero Games (2024)

Please note that these questions and answers do not apply to Guitar Hero Live. Check out the Guitar Hero Live FAQ for information about that product.

General Guitar Hero Questions


1. How do I sync my Guitar Hero controller to my console?

In order to connect your Guitar Hero controller to your console, choose your console from the following list and follow the instructions:

PlayStation 3

  • Connect the wireless dongle to one of the USB ports on the front of your PlayStation 3 system.
  • Check your guitar and dongle for a red indicator light. Press the small button on the front of the dongle if there is no light or the light is flashing. If there is a solid light displayed on both you are ready for the next step.
  • Press in the PS button on the guitar. The red lights above the strum bar will stop flashing and only one red light will remain illuminated.
  • If it is taking longer than a few seconds and the lights are still flashing press the PS button again, you may need to hit the PS button several times.

Xbox 360

  • Press the sync button on the bottom of the guitar. This is located next to the headset connector on the bottom of the guitar near the strap peg. When you do this the lights on the guitar around the Xbox 360 guide button should chase themselves in a circle.
  • Hit the sync button (the button next to the USB ports) on the console.
  • All four lights should flash on the guitar and the Xbox 360 console. Then the four lights should stop flashing on the guitar and only one will remain illuminated.

Nintendo Wii

  • Sync your Wii remote to your Wii console.
  • Plug the connector that is inside the controller compartment into the bottom of the Wii remote.
  • Insert the Wii remote into the controller compartment.

2. Why is classic Guitar Hero DLC no longer available?

A variety of business and development issues caused Activision to remove classic Guitar Hero DLC from sale on March 31st, 2014. You will still be able to download previously purchased songs through the in-game store. Previously purchased Guitar Hero Mobile games will no longer be available for download through the iTunes App Store. This affects the following games:

  • Band Hero
  • DJ Hero
  • DJ Hero 2
  • Guitar Hero II
  • Guitar Hero III
  • Guitar Hero: World Tour
  • Guitar Hero 5
  • Guitar Hero Warriors of Rock
  • Guitar Hero Mobile

For the following consoles:

  • Xbox 360
  • PlayStation 3
  • iOs (mobile game only)

Please note that this does not affect Guitar Hero Live. For more information about Guitar Hero Live, please check out the Guitar Hero Live FAQ.

3. My Guitar Hero game hardware is broken or missing a certain part.

If any part of your Guitar Hero equipment is missing or broken, first check the box carefully. Some of the smaller parts can move around during shipping.

If you are missing the main drum pad, please return your product to the retailer for an exchange. For any other instrument issue purchased in the previous 180 days, please go to the section of the Web site to request a replacement.

4. My Guitar Hero controller or another piece of Guitar Hero hardware is not working.

If your guitar controller will not function, first try the following steps:

  • Replace the batteries in the guitar.
  • Restart your console and re-sync your guitar. If you need help syncing your guitar, check out question one of this FAQ.
  • Move or turn off anything near your console that uses a wireless transmitter. This includes cordless phones and other wireless controllers.
  • If your console is inside an entertainment center, please remove it and try to sync the guitar again.
  • Remove large metal objects near the wireless transmitter that can interfere with the signal.
  • Vary the distance between you and the console. Being too close or too far from the console may interfere with the wireless signal.

If your guitar controller is connected to a PC version of Guitar Hero:

  • First verify that the guitar is connected to the PC. Look for the red indicator light above the strum bar.
  • Make sure that the controller is recognized and active in the Windows control panel. To check your controller in the Windows Control Panel, choose your operating system from the instructions below:

  • Windows XP

    • Click on the Start button, then Setting, then Control Panel.
    • Double click on the game controllers icon.
    • Make sure the controller status is OK.
    • Click on the Properties button, calibrate, and test the controller as needed.
    • Click the Apply and OK buttons.
    • Click the Advanced button and make sure your controller is listed as the Preferred device.
    • Click on the OK button.

    Windows Vista

    • Click on the Start button, then the Control Panel.
    • Double click on the game controllers icon.
    • Make sure the controller status is OK.
    • Click on the properties button, calibrate and test the controller as needed.
    • Click the Apply and OK buttons.
    • Click the Advanced button aqnd make sure your controller is listed as the Preferred device.
    • Click on the OK button.
  • Check to see if the guitar button in question is functioning in the Windows control panel. You should be able to see the buttons light up in the Window game controller panel when you test it.
  • Try disconnecting and reconnecting the wireless dongle, then resynching the guitar.
  • If the buttons are not functioning in the game or behaving oddly, please press the lever of the back of the guitar at the base of the neck and remove the neck of the guitar. Then plug the neck back into the guitar. (Do not do this with a Guitar Hero Live controller. Once attached, the neck of a Guitar Hero Live controller cannot be removed.)
  • If the strum bar is registering extra hits, try keeping a finger on the strum bar while playing the game instead of flicking it with your fingers/hand.
  • Try replacing the batteries in the guitar.

If your drum controller is not working:

  • Make sure the drum set has working batteries.
  • Make sure the drum pad is on and synched with the wireless receiver.
  • Check to see if the drum set works in the menus as well as in game.

If one of the drum pads is not working:

  • Make sure the drum set is on and synched with the wireless receiver.
  • Make sure the other drum pads are working correctly.

If one of the cymbal pads is not working correctly:

  • Make sure the cable is connected properly.
  • Try swapping the cymbal pads to see if they work on the opposite side.

If one of the foot pedals is not working properly:

  • Make sure the cable is connected properly.
  • Make sure the drum set is one and synched with the wireless receiver.

5. Why can’t I record the cymbals when I use a Rock Band drum kit in the Music Studio?

The Rock Band Drum Kit is not fully supported in the Music Studio. For correct recording functionality, use the Guitar Hero Drum kit.


Guitar Hero III


1. When playing the iOS version of Guitar Hero III I keep missing notes and the game appears unresponsive.

This seems to happen if you play with the pick stylus held to the touch screen. Instead, swipe back and forth across the touch screen using the pick stylus while never leaving the instrument held to the screen. To perform a Guitar Hero III “up/down” strum equivalent, stroke one way on the touch screen, lift the stylus and then stroke the opposite way on the touch screen. This gives the effect of playing the guitar while also giving the best results while playing.

2. If you said no to the data collection prompt when first booting up the iOS version of Guitar Hero III, is it possible to turn it on without reinstalling the application?

Yes. You must completely quit the Guitar Hero III application and go to your iOS device’s Setting menu. Scroll down to the bottom of the menu and press the Guitar Hero tab. Press the “Off” button and the Data Collection slider will move to “on.”

3. Can I copy a Guitar Hero III Wii save file onto an SD card and then move it to a different Wii?

No. It is not possible to copy a save file on the Wii to an SD card and move it to a different console.


Guitar Hero: World Tour


1. Is my Guitar Hero: World Tour compatible with the instruments from any other music game or the instruments from another platform?

Yes, to a limited degree. To get the best experience with your Guitar Hero game, you should only use Guitar Hero branded instruments.

PC

  • The Guitar Hero: World Tour PC version is compatible with the PlayStation 3 guitar, drums, and microphone.
  • The Guitar Hero: World Tour PC version will also work with the Xbox 360 guitar, drums, and microphone provided you have the wireless Xbox360 controller receiver for the PC. Please note that the Xbox 360 controllers are not officially supported by Activision customer support.

PlayStation 3

  • The Guitar Hero: World Tour PS3 version is compatible with all previous guitars from previous Guitar Hero titles for this console.
  • The Guitar Hero: World Tour PS3 version is compatible with all Rock Band instruments such as the guitar, bass, drums, and microphone. When using a Rock Band drum set, the note tracking will consist of four notes on the highway.

Xbox 360

  • The Guitar Hero: World Tour 360 version is compatible with all previous guitars from previous Guitar Hero titles.
  • The Guitar Hero: World Tour 360 version is compatible with all Rock Band instruments such as the guitar, bass, drums, and microphone. When using a Rock Band drum set, the note tracking will consist of four notes on the highway.

Wii

  • The Guitar Hero: World Tour Wii version is currently only compatible with all previous Guitar Hero guitars. There is no compatibility with any other peripherals.

2. Does the Metallica Death Magnetic album I purchased for Guitar Hero III work on Guitar Hero: World Tour?

Yes.

3. Can I import songs from Guitar Hero III to Guitar Hero: World Tour?

No. There is currently no way to import songs from Guitar Hero III to Guitar Hero: World Tour.

4. Is the Guitar Hero: World Tour PC version compatible with Windows 7?

Yes. As long as you have the updated drivers and Windows 7 compatible hardware, you should have no trouble playing the game on Windows 7.

5. What are the minimum system requirements for Guitar Hero: World Tour for the PC?

Minimum System requirements

  • Operating System: Windows XP SP3, Windows Vista SP1
  • Processor: Intel Pentium Dual Core 2.4 GHz or AMD Athlon 4400+
  • Memory: XP – 1GB RAM, Vista – 2GB RAM
  • Hard Disk Space: 8.1 GB + 1 GB swap file
  • Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card

6. Why can’t I get the Warrior of Rock and Rock Maiden achievements?

In order for these achievements to pop, autosave must be turned on.

7. My Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock downloadable content is not showing up. How can I find it?

If none of the downloadable content you’ve purchased is showing up in the game after purchasing it, try the following procedure:

  • Verify that the song you are looking for is not showing up for another instrument. Certain songs do not have vocal tracks and will not show up if you try to play them using a microphone.
  • If you are still not able to see the songs, delete the downloadable content, clear the Xbox 360 cache, redownload the content and the game update and relaunch the game.

Deleting the Downloadable Content

  • In the Xbox 360 dashboard, select My Xbox.
  • Scroll over and select System.
  • Scroll down and select Memory.
  • Select and open the Games option.
  • Find the Guitar Hero: World Tour file and open it.
  • Delete all of the Marketplace content that you downloaded. Note: Do not delete the save files!

Clearing the Xbox 360 Cache

  • Press the Guide button, scroll to the Settings tab and select System Settings.
  • Select Storage or Memory.
  • Highlight a storage device and press Y button. Please note that no matter which storage device you select, this process will clear the cache on all storage devices.
  • Select Clear System Cache, then select Yes to confirm.

8. When I go the Multiplayer section of Guitar Hero: World Tour I can’t see any servers in the server list. What’s going on?

The Guitar Hero: World Tour servers have been shut down due to business concerns.

9. I’ve gotten the following error message: “Unexpected error reading data” on my Wii.

For best performance, all of the songs in your Quickplay “Create-a-setlist” list should be in the same location, either on an SD card or saved on the Wii.

10. How do the special vocal gameplay features work in Guitar Hero: World Tour?

Guitar Hero: World Tour has two special features in its vocal gameplay section:

Hype Meter

  • The Hype Meter is the blue area that appears on the vocal highway with light blue pumping fists. In this area you may sing, speak, or do whatever you like and it will push the rock meter towards the green area and help you earn Star Power.

Vocals Freeform

  • The vocals freeform are the yellow area that appears on the vocal highway with yellow arching waves flowing through it. If you sing in key with the song, you will be rewarded with points that add to your score as well as a small amount of Star Power. If you’re able to change your pitch while remaining in key, you’ll receive a high multiplier on points earned.

11. When creating a new online account, some of the letters I type are not showing up on the screen.

Guitar Hero: World Tour was created with English as its primary language. As such, certain characters that appear in other languages will not be accepted by the game when creating an online account.

12. Why do I receive a message stating the current instrument setup is not compatible with the current game type?

The correct band setup is two guitars, one vocalist, and one drummer. Any game without this setup will receive this error.

13. How can I switch my band profile while I am in the game?

It is not possible to switch your band profile while in the game. You will need to reload the game, wait until the band profile prompt appears, and then select the band profile of your choice.

14. How do I sync my drums?

In order to sync your drums, select your system from the list below and follow the procedure:

Playstation 3

  • Connect the wireless receiver dongle to USB port 1 on the front of the station.
  • Turn on the controller by pressing the PS button on the front panel of the drum set.
  • Press and hold the connect button on the top of the wireless receiver dongle.
  • Press the PS button one more time to complete the syncing process.
  • If the drums are not syncing properly do the following:
    • Move or turn off anything near the PS3 that uses a wireless transmitter (this includes cordless phones and other non PS3 wireless controllers).
    • If your PS3 is inside an entertainment center, please remove it and try to sync the drums again.
    • Large metal objects near the wireless transmitter can also interfere with the signal.
    • You should also vary your distance to the console, if you are too far away come a little closer, if you are too close move back.

Xbox 360

  • Turn on the Xbox 360.
  • Turn on the drum set with the guide button on the front panel.
  • Press the sync button located near the memory card slots on the Xbox 360 (or USB ports on the redesigned Xbox 360).
  • Press and hold the connect button on the back panel of the drum set. This is the button right next to the battery compartment.
  • All four lights should flash on the ring of light on the drum set and the Xbox 360 console.
  • The four lights should stop flashing on the drum set and only one will remain illuminated.
  • If all of the lights flash, then do the following:
    • Move or turn off anything near the Xbox 360 that uses a wireless transmitter (this includes cordless phones and other non-Xbox 360 wireless controllers).
    • If your Xbox 360 is inside an entertainment center please remove it and try to sync the drums again.
    • Large metal objects near the wireless transmitter can also interfere with the signal.

Nintendo Wii

  • Sync your Wii remote to your Wii console. Please refer to either your Wii manual or visit the Nintendo site for instructions on how to sync a Wii Remote.
  • Remove the the Wii remote cover from the front panel of the drum set or drum brain if you have the newer Band Hero drum set.
  • Plug the connector that is inside the controller compartment into the bottom of the Wii remote.
  • Insert the Wii remote into the controller compartment.
  • Re-attach the Wii remote cover to the front panel of the drum set.

15. I was playing band vs. band as a guitar guest and noticed when I backed out and re-joined, my difficulty had changed.

When rejoining the band, you have to re-adjust your settings to the difficulty you want to play.

16. I was the host of a multiplayer match and the game seemed to get stuck while matchmaking.

This happens when of the players in the band vs. band dropped out as the host starts to matchmake. The only way to get around this is to restart the machine.


Guitar Hero: Aerosmith


1. Is Guitar Hero II or Guitar Hero: World Tour DLC compatible with Guitar Hero: Aerosmith?

No. Downloadable content for those games is not compatible with Guitar Hero: Aerosmith.


Guitar Hero: On Tour


1. The Guitar Hero grip isn’t working on my Nintendo DS version of the game.

This can happen when the Guitar Hero grip is not firmly seated in the GBA cart slot on the Nintendo DS. Ensure that the grip is firmly seated in the slot to fix this issue. If you have the original larger DS model, you will need to install the cartridge slot adapter that is included with the game.


Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock


1. Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock read issues for Xbox 360

There was a manufacturing issue with Xbox 360 version of Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock that may cause a read error on the Xbox360 console. If this is happening to your disc, click on the section of the Activision Support website to request a replacement disc.

Questions about Classic Guitar Hero Games (2024)

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