Super fast notes suck. Now, I haven't played Guitar Hero III, but most things I've read suggest that GHIII's hard is more about making the fret patterns difficult for game reasons and Rock Band's hard is about being more accurate to the music (and neither choice is inherently better than the other, by the way.) I can't really comment on the verisimilitude of that assertion, but it seems like a reasonable way to distinguish between the two, and it matches with each game's overall presentation.

Unfortunately, having the notes become more like the music means that a lot of hard songs (and upper difficulty medium songs) rely on a ton of super fast note strings. I don't know from music, but I guess these are sixteenth notes? This is where everybody realized that their Strats were busted. Rock Band needs to cool it on this tact. Compared to some of the other hard sections, I think Harmonix actually thought these sixteenth note riffs would be easier, but jamming on the guitar hardware just makes you feel like you're breaking it inside.

I don't know if my hands just don't work right, but when these sections show up, I have to switch my position to more of a bass player-esque style and grip the top of the guitar with my palm, so I can use the additional leverage to get my fingers on the strum bar fast enough.

So, either do something to make the guitars repond to all of these quick notes... or just have future DLC songs not lean on them so heavily. I vote for the latter and that's why I say PATCH IT!

New songs not coming fast enough. OK, this is a little whiny, but we've only had, what, three new songs each week? And those were all from the same artist per week, so if you ain't into Sabbath, you're out of luck.

New songs need to be coming a lot faster - and with more variety - than that. An entire album a week, plus a three-pack from a different artist and a handful of random singles... that would be stellar. People are going to spend another $100 on just DLC songs, especially if Harmonix can get the catalog to show enough depth. When your absolute favorite band shows up, you're going to spend the money.

If they announced Fleetwood Mac: Greatest Hits, Daft Punk: Discovery, The Monkees: Best of, Pet Shop Boys: Discography, Rolling Stones: Hot Rocks, or absolutely anything from They Might Be Giants... well, then Harmonix will be added as an approved withdrawl from my bank account. SELL IT!

Where's the keyboard? The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again" has this ridiculously long break where no one is singing, no one is playing guitar and, unbelievably, no one is drumming. As a singer, this is where I take the opportunity to introduce my bandmates.

But what's really happening in the song is a major synthesizer solo, in a virtual band that doesn't even animate a synth player. Seems like we need some kind of organ instrument!

I envision a full-standing pseudo-synth, kind of like the drum kit. Maybe ten keys on it (heavy emphasis on using both hands), plus the now-expected audio warping options. I would even assign it the songs that need a horn section, since who the hell wants to make an instrument that requires players to put it near their mouths.

I highly doubt this is a patchable upgrade to Rock Band 1. I'm sure it's technically possible to USB in a synth kit, but they're going to need something big to pitch Rock Band 2. Adding a keyboard is inevitable. SEQUEL IT!

Will our DLC songs for Rock Band 1 work for Rock Band 2? Here is a classic opportunity to make or break your relationship with your fans.

When RB2 comes out (I would guess fall 2009 at the earliest), will we be able to use our purchased-and-downloaded tracks in the new game right off the bat? Guitar Hero used the lack of downloadableness to screw over Xbox owners and make them pay stupid rates to get the old songs in the newer game. Now that Rock Band has, from jump street, allowed for DLC... they almost have to provide for the playability of those songs in the sequel. If not, there will be outraged screaming.

If they want to really make love to the fanbase, not only will they let you use your previous purchases but also let you download the complete built-in RB1 song list for use in RB2 (or offer it under a nominal fee) with proof that you already own the first Rock Band.

That would be a very aggressive move; I'd be happy with just a simple guarantee that the stuff I'm buying now (and downloading separate from the RB disk) will be playable in the sequel. PATCH IT!

Where's my bass? Sell me my freakin' bass.

Yeah, sure, I could grab the Guitar Hero III set for a bass... but why would I shell out the dough for an expensive game that I likely will play nowhere near as often, get stuck having to choose where I spend my DLC money, and then have a guitar that lacks those coolass extra frets and whammy warper?

Harmonix, I have money ready for you. Please contrive to accept it at your earliest convenience. SELL IT!

Rock Band does not have the best Freezepop song.

Guitar Hero III does. SELL IT!

Your avatars are stuck to one instrument. I can't believe this problem even made it out of the testing phase. I mean, we've all had a year - a year - to fully buy into Nintendo's Mii concept, where you have a silly avatar that looks like you that shows up in just about every game you play. We've all played MMORPGs and RPGs and online games where your entire gaming identity is attached to one particular character. Whether you upgrade through skill trees or micropayments or quests, whatever you do is done to enhance and dress up your character. Your avatar is you.

And then these numbnuts force your Rock Band character to be locked into one single instrument, either guitar, drum or microphone. So your one guy isn't You, it's just You On Guitar... and if You want to play drums, You have to make a You On Drums... and then spend more in-game money to make the clothing match your other You.

This is so colossally obnoxious and non-intuitive that it really ought to be priority fucking one over at Harmonix. PATCH IT! Immediately. Although, quite frankly, it's probably too late.

Speaking of the avatars, there's not enough face options. They really should have gone the Mii route and allowed for customizable faces, Mr. Potato Head style. (And by the way, it is completely frigtarded that Guitar Hero III on Wii does not import your Miis.) There are just not enough face shapes to make you feel like you're making you.

Unfortunately, I don't see this as a patchable issue. Although it sounds easy to offer a $5 Rocker Face Upgrade pack, there's no way to reconcile an online match between one person who bought the new heads and one who didn't. This is why you'll never see a Mii Channel upgrade, unless Nintendo pushes it through as 100% mandatory for all Wii owners. You would have to have the non-upgraded game figure out a way to default the upgraded info, resulting in who-the-hell-knows for how the upgraded face would appear on the old gamer's system. Not worth the mess it causes. This is officially a bullet point on the back of the Rock Band 2 box. (And Guitar Hero IV, if they're smart.) SEQUEL IT!