Rhythm game accessories are often required to playrhythm games available for various consoles, such as thePlayStation 2,PlayStation 3,Wii, andXbox 360. These includedance pads, guitar controllers, drum controllers, microphones and turntable controllers. With the exception of microphones, these controllers can generally be used to control any game (rhythm or otherwise), but have limited inputs, making them impractical for most games.

Rhythm game controllers are generally cross-compatible with other rhythm games. For example, the drum-kit controller included withGuitar Hero World Tour functions properly when used inRock Band games. Some functionality may be diminished however. For example,Rock Band drum kits only feature 4 drum pads, as opposed to the 5 featured on theGuitar Hero versions. As a result, the in-game track must be changed to accommodate (done automatically by the software).

Many officially licensed guitar controllers have been released, mostly affiliated with either theGuitar Hero orRock Band franchises. These controllers are shaped to resemble guitars but are generally smaller than their real-life counterparts.

Common features among these controllers (with the exception ofRock 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. Additionally, the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 controllers also feature ad-pad, start and select/back buttons and a Home/Guide button. For navigation within the system menus, the strum bar acts as "up" and "down" on the d-pad (the dedicated d-pad can also be used) while the fret buttons correspond to,,, and "L1" on PlayStation 3 or,,, and left-bumper on Xbox 360.

Guitar controllers for the PlayStation 2 may connect either to the system's controller ports or via USB; other than the original SG controllers, most PS2 controllers are wireless via a transceiver dongle. All those on the PlayStation 3 connect to the system via USB; most do so wirelessly via a USB transceiver dongle. On the Xbox 360, guitar controllers may be connected either by USB or wirelessly using the console's integrated 2.4 GHz wireless technology (dependent on the particular controller).

The PlayStation 2 SG controller is used forGuitar Hero. Another was used forGuitar Hero II. It is modeled after theGibson SG guitar.

The Xbox 360 version ofGuitar Hero II came bundled with a newly designed controller known as the X-Plorer controller and modeled after theGibson Explorer guitar. Like standard controllers, the X-Plorer features an expansion port which allows users to equip a wired headset for voice communication. The controller connects to the system via a USB cable. The controller was sold bundled with the Xbox 360 version ofGuitar Hero II, some Xbox 360 bundles ofGuitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, or available separately. It was also bundled with theWindows andMac OS X releases ofGuitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.

The PlayStation 2 version ofGuitar Hero III featured a guitar controller based around theKramer Striker guitar.^[1]

The PlayStation 3, Wii and Xbox 360 versions ofGuitar Hero III: Legends of Rock came with a newly designed wireless guitar controller which was designed to resemble aGibson Les Paul.

The PlayStation 3 version of the controller connects wirelessly via a USB dongle. The Xbox 360 version of the controller utilizes the same 2.4 GHz wireless technology as the official wireless controller, and as such when used in conjunction with theWireless Gaming Receiver for Microsoft Windows, may be used with the PC version ofGuitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. However, it is not officially supported byAspyr Media (developer of the PC and Macintosh release), and shows up in game using the same icon as the X-Plorer.^[2] The Wii version connects directly to theWii Remote via its accessory connector, while the Remote itself is held in a special cavity in the guitar controller.

Both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions feature ad-pad and a Home/Guide button. The Wii version, however, utilises the Remote's Home button, and replaces the d-pad with ananalog stick to facilitate use within the Wii's menus.

In addition to all the features of the earlier X-Plorer (Xbox 360) and SG (PS2) guitar controllers, the Les Paul controller features a detachable neck for easier storage and replacement, and customizable faceplates. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions come with a black faceplate as standard, while the Wii version comes with a white one (which also features a rectangular window for Wii Remote access). The controller was also available separately, and bundled withGuitar Hero: Aerosmith. TheGuitar Hero: Aerosmith version features a custom faceplate.

Guitar Hero World Tour features another new controller known as the "Genericaster". Unlike previous guitar controllers, this is not modeled after a real guitar design, but resembles a Fender Stratocaster, hence its name. As well as a new shape, it features a longer, quieter strum bar, longer whammy bar, and repositioned start and select/back buttons. It also features a new, touch sensitive "solo section" on the neck. This is functionally similar to the "solo section" onRock Band guitar controllers, but is not compatible withRock Band games.

Like theGuitar Hero III Les Paul controller, the PlayStation 3 version of the Genericaster connects via a USB dongle, which also acts as a two-port USB hub, while the Wii version connects to the Wii Remote accessory connector and the Xbox 360 version connects via Microsoft's 2.4 GHz wireless technology. Also like the Les Paul, it features a detachable neck and customizable faceplates. This guitar was available separately, bundled with aGuitar Hero World Tour "guitar bundle" or "band bundle" (game, guitar controller, drum kit and microphone) or bundled withGuitar Hero: Metallica. Like the Aerosmith Les Paul, theGuitar Hero: Metallica version features a custom (Metallica themed) faceplate.

The guitar controller forGuitar Hero 5 retains the same basic design as theGuitar Hero World Tour Guitar Controller, but with some minor alterations. 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.^[3]

The guitar controller released forGuitar Hero: Warriors of Rock is, like the "World Tour" and "5" guitars, not based on a real guitar design. This controller differs from its predecessors however, in that it drops the touch-sensitive strip on the neck, and allows for complete replacement/customization of the body, rather than just faceplates as on previous controllers.^[4]

Guitar Hero Live had a guitar controller with two rows of 3 buttons each. This renders the game incompatible with the older Guitar Hero controllers, as well as making the Guitar Hero Live controller incompatible with older games.

The guitar controller forRock Band is based on theFender Stratocaster. It features two sets of fret buttons, one for standard gameplay, one for solo sections. It also features an effects switch unique to theRock Band series of games. This controller connects via USB.

Like the guitar controller forRock Band, theRock Band 2 guitar controller is based on theFender Stratocaster. It is an upgraded version of the originalRock Band guitar with a different finish and an integrated light/audio sensor to allow for automatic AV synchronization inRock Band 2,Rock Band 3,Lego Rock Band,The Beatles: Rock Band, andGreen Day: Rock Band.

Modeled after theFender Precision Bass guitar, this controller is designed specifically for use in the bass guitar tracks onRock Band 2 (and other rhythm games).^[5] It lacks the whammy bar found on "standard" guitar controllers, and instead uses a knob.^[5] A second knob is also present to switch between various effects withinRock Band games, and a third knob acts as thestart andselect buttons by rotating it clockwise or counterclockwise, respectively.^[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 alongsideThe Beatles: Rock Band, modeled afterJohn Lennon'sRickenbacker 325 andGeorge Harrison'sGretsch Duo Jet.^[6] Functionally, these controllers are equivalent to those released alongsideRock Band 2.

The bass guitar controller released alongsideThe Beatles: Rock Band is modeled after theHöfner 500/1 "violin bass" guitar which was famously used by SirPaul 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.^[7] Unlike the bass guitar controller released alongsideRock Band 2, this controller is functionally equivalent to standard guitar controllers.

Although generally any guitar controller will work with a given rhythm game, this is not the case universally.^[8][9] The following table shows compatibility of various games with appropriate guitar controllers. (Rock Band 3 Pro guitar controllers are only compatible withRock Band 3 and thus are not shown.)

^† Sources disagree about whether USB-based controllers are compatible withPopStar Guitar.^[10][11]

This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding missing information.(October 2011)

Various controllers based arounddrum kits have been produced for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii and Xbox 360. The design of these varies depending on the game series a kit is designed for;Rock Band andPower Gig kits feature four drum pads, whileGuitar Hero kits feature three drum pads and two cymbal pads. TheRock Band kits may be used inGuitar Hero games and vice versa, but due to the different number of pads the game experience may differ. WhenRock Band kits are used inGuitar Hero games, the number of note tracks displayed on-screen is reduced to four due to the reduced number of pads.

The drum kit controller designed for use withRock Band features four drum pads and a kick pedal, as well as a complement of standard buttons.^[a] Twin poles support the drum pads, which are adjustable for height to accommodate sitting or standing players. Drumsticks can be placed conveniently on notches at the back of the drum kit.

The drum kit controller designed for use withRock Band 2 follows the same basic design as theRock Band kit, but with improved construction.

The Beatles: Rock Band drum is very similar to the kits released alongsideRock Band andRock Band 2, but with a few minor color changes, the addition ofLudwig branding and a "The Beatles" bass drum attachment (which is only cosmetic). Functionally, it is identical toRock Band 2 kits.

The Mad CatzRock Band portable drum kit is a portable drum kit controller produced for use withRock Band games byMad Catz.^[12]

The Logitech wireless drum controller is a drum kit controller created for use with theGuitar Hero series of games. As such, it features three drum pads, two cymbal pads and a kick pedal.^[13][14]

The drum kit controller designed forGuitar Hero World Tour was the first such controller for aGuitar Hero game. It features three drum pads (red, blue and green) and two cymbal pads (yellow and orange), as well as a kick pedal, and a complement of standard buttons.^[a] TheGuitar Hero World Tour kit also features aMIDI-in port, allowing users to connect most MIDI-compatiblee-drum kits for use as game inputs. The MIDI port can also be used for calibration of the kit via a specialised USB → MIDI adapter andWindows-based calibration software. Like otherGuitar Hero peripherals, the kit was produced byRedOctane.

The drum kit controller designed forGuitar Hero 5 follows the same basic design as theGuitar Hero World Tour kit but with some modifications.^[15]

This section is empty. You can help byadding to it.(May 2022)

Unlike other drum controllers, thePower Gig: Rise of the SixString AirStrike drum kit does not feature discrete drum pads. Instead, it simulates drum hit via motion-tracking of the drum sticks. LikeRock Band kits, thePower Gig: Rise of the SixString AirStrike drum kit is set up for four drum pads.

Rock Band 3 saw the addition of a new "Pro mode", which more closely mimics playing real musical instruments. As such, new peripherals were produced available to allow players to access these modes.

Designed byHarmonix and manufactured byMad Catz, the MIDI Pro-Adapter allows users to connect most^† MIDI-compatible drum-kits and keyboards for use inRock Band 3, as well as some specialized guitars (such as the officialRock Band 3 Squier Stratocaster Pro controller and theYou Rock MIDI guitar^‡); standard MIDI guitars are not compatible however. The adapter features a small switch to change between drums, keyboard and guitar modes, a volume wheel and an overdrive button. A standard complement of face buttons,Start/+,Select/Back/- andHome/Guide buttons and ad-pad are also present for navigation. 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-pinDIN).

^† The MIDI Pro-Adapter responds to specific MIDI note data, so instruments that do not output these notes and cannot be re-mapped are not compatible.
^‡ Requires firmware update on the You Rock guitar for compatibility.^[16]

In order to play the newkeyboard-based instrument parts (keyboard, piano, organ etc.) inRock Band 3, Harmonix designed a keyboard controller, which is produced by Mad Catz. The controller has a handle or "neck" on one side, and so resembles akeytar; this allows it to be either worn over the shoulder using a strap (like a keytar) or placed on a horizontal surface (like a traditional keyboard). 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 standard keyboard mode and when playing guitar/bass parts, five white keys, from the middleC toG, are marked with colored dots, and are played similarly to the fret buttons found on guitar controllers. 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 touchpad acts as a modulation control, and in game-play terms is functionally equivalent to the whammy bar on standard guitar controllers.

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

The controller connects to the console wirelessly via a USB dongle. In order to facilitate syncing between the dongle and the controller, each has a sync button. The dongle also features a 2-port USB hub, allowing additional peripherals to be connected to the system. Unlike guitar and drum controllers, the Wii version does not connect via the Wii remote, and instead connects via a USB dongle.

The keyboard controller is alsoMIDI compatible via a standard MIDI port (5-pinDIN connector) on its side. 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 controller transmits keyboard notes on MIDI channel 1.

When in MIDI mode, the various non-keyboard controls (with the exception of the sync button) are re-mapped to MIDI commands. The touch-strip acts as a modulation wheel or, when the overdrive button is held, as a pitch wheel. The//1 button decrements the octave (i.e. shifts it down so, for example, the C₃ key becomes C₂), while the/ button increments it (shifts it up); these can be used multiple times to get to various different octave settings from -1 (MIDI notes 0–11, or C₋₁-B₀) to 7 (notes 96–107, or C₇-B₈). This applies to the "base" octave (red and yellow keys); the other keys also shift in relation to this, making the highest possible note C₉. The//2 and/ buttons increment or decrement the program number (respectively), while theStart/+,Home/Guide andSelect/Back/- send real-time system stop, continue and start messages (respectively).Up on the d-pad toggles the keyboard between standard and drum mapping mode, which maps the lower octave (red and yellow keys) to MIDI drum notes (transmitted on channel 10). 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 existingRock Band 2 drum sets.

For the pro guitar mode ofRock Band 3, a pro guitar controller is required. Unlike standard guitar controllers, pro guitars allow input of any fret/string combination, allowing accurate simulation of a real guitar.

The Fender Mustang Pro Guitar controller, which is based on theFender Mustang, has 102 buttons along its neck which simulate holding the guitar strings against the fretboard. All six strings are represented along 17 different frets. In order to simulate picking/strumming, the Mustang pro controller features a "string box" located on the body of the controller (around the position of the strum bar on standard guitar controllers, or the cavity/pickups on a real guitar). It consists of six short stainless-steel strings suspended between two sensors, which detect the vibration of the stings when plucked or strummed. In addition to pro mode use, the Mustang can be used to play the game in basic mode. It also functions as a full MIDI guitar, with a MIDI output connector providing compatibility with MIDI software sequencers and hardware devices. For use in gaming mode, each Mustang controller can only be used with the game console it was designed for. 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. The Mustang Pro-Guitar is only a few inches smaller in length than an actual guitar, but, being made of plastic, is much lighter than an actual guitar. The neck is removable from the body for easier storage and transport.

The Fender Squier Stratocaster Pro Guitar is a specifically designed 6-string Squier Stratocaster guitar which is compatible withRock Band 3 pro mode. 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. The Squier, being a real guitar, has no buttons for gameplay and therefore is not usable for basic game play mode, only pro mode.

A demonstration of the Fender Squier Stratocaster Pro Guitar at itsElectronic 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 ofPaRappa the Rapper,Konami released the gameBeatmania^[17] with a DJ style controller. The game was originally an arcade game but later released on home consoles.

In 2009, theDJ Hero turntable was introduced. It consists of a record platter that is actually smaller than LPs. It also has 3 buttons, green, red and blue. The red button is big while the green and blue are small. Then, on the left side, was the crossfader, which allows player to swipe through. The effects dial that when players dial for extra points. Then, the Euphoria button, which activates to gain more points. Lastly, the flap with standard buttons, which can be used to navigate the home menu/dashboard.

TheRock Band andGuitar Hero games are compatible with all standard USB and Bluetooth microphones (Bluetooth microphones are limited to the PlayStation 3). This includes all the PS2SingStar microphones, PS3SingStar wireless and wired microphones and microphones included withGuitar Hero andRock Band games.

Microsoft has also released an official wireless microphone for the Xbox 360 which works via its 2.4 GHz wireless technology.^[18] It may be used with someRock Band,Guitar Hero andDJ Hero games, as well as withLips games,Def Jam Rapstar andMichael Jackson: The Experience.

ForSingstar games on the PlayStation 2 and 3, Sony have released both wired and wireless microphones. The wired microphones are standard microphones with a 3.5 mmTRS connector, which connect to the systems via a USB adapter. Each adapter can be used to connect two microphones to a single USB port.

osu! requires akeyboard and amouse, at least. Atablet or a digital Taiko drum is supported. They also provide support for theWii Remote, which acts as a nowadayVR controller

The Wii Remote could be connected either via Bluetooth or cable.

DK Bongos are a unique controller for theGameCube designed for theDonkey Konga series of rhythm games. The controller is based around two barrel-shaped bongo drums, each of which can detect when it is hit. It also features a microphone for clap detection.

The gamePop'n Music fromKonami released with its own controller featuring brightly colored buttons reminiscent of an arcade cabinet input.^[19]

Taiko no Tatsujin or 'Master of Drums' is a popular drumming game series from Japan that has featured many home releases that included drum controllers. These drums are meant to emulate aTaiko Drum^[20]

Samba de Amigo for theSega Dreamcast included a set ofmaracas controllers.^[21]

Shakatto Tambourine! released for theSega Dreamcast came with atambourine controller^[22]

The Japanese release of the gameMad Maestro! featured a baton controller^[23]

• RedOctane
• Mad Catz

• Game controllers

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