How close is guitar hero to playing the real thing?

How close is guitar hero to playing the real guitar?

Not terribly close honestly. While there are similar elements, they are very different creatures. At a high enough difficulty, you are something like the proper strum pattern, to my knowledge.

The only thing in common is that you are using your fingers.... but there are a world of differences.

4-5 buttons versus over a thousand combinations of notes and cords.

Not close at all

New Game Riffs On Guitar Hero, With A Real Electric Guitar - Game Announce - Kotaku
it is the exact same :cool:

Well you have it right that they are completely different, but the hammer ons and pull offs are the same... somewhat.

Also the fact that you can't make a basic noise on a guitar without strumming. I've seen several people at walmart play guitar hero and they didn't know you had to strum to play a guitar.

Yeah, you have hammerons and pulloffs and a basic simple guitar chord fingering structure.
In playing guitar you
1. strum, and there are various ways to strum; full 6 string strum, down only, up and down, up only, partial strings strum, one note on string plucked and other strings strummed, etc.

2. In the hammerons, pulloffs, there are various variations, quick, slow, quicker, lightening quick, deadly slow, pushing and slowing the timing (retard and anticipate).

3. In playing one note, you can rock your finger on the string/fretboard wood, you can move it fast back and forth string wise (length of string not side to side rocking) (each provides a different sound/feel), you can pull up the string after plucked, or pull string, pluck and let string move back to it's original position, letting off of the pull slowly or quickly. You can slide up to the note, where you start up or down from the note and pluck then quickly slide your finger along the string to the note you want to end up on. On the rocking the finger back and forth (vibrato) and moving it sideways back and forth you can alter the moton, fast or slow. You can half mute the strings with the butt of your hand and pluck. You can pluck and pinch the string with the fingers and thumb plus the pick at the same time giving a very unique mute, crisp sound. And so there are lots of variations in playing a note and or strumming on the guitar that are not availabe on the guitar hero. And a guitar player wouldn't believe that you are actually asking this question, grins. The thing is, you can't just pick up the guitr and play it. There is the physical hand and muscles involved and the pain in stretching fingers and hand that are to be gotten over after hours and hours of practice.

In playing the guitar while reading chords from a music sheet or cheat book you are approximately doing part of the same thing as guitar hero, but you are strumming and applying numerous variations to the strumming, picking which add your unique character and personality to the song. Guitar Hero is straightforward and non varying, it is canned, static, no character, no personality.

Those are some of the differences.
Guitar Hero is not very close in approximation to playing the physical guitar.
I wish you well