The result? Awesomeness! Check out one of my favorites by those guys:

DustFilms aren’t the only guys that are doing it though…there are some that try – many of them failing – but a few are worth while. Check out this Creed literal video translation (my favorite non-DustFilms video):

The site isn’t allowing open registration at the moment, but you can get on a waiting list…but you can get around some aspects of the waiting list as stated by the JamLegend FAQs:

How It Works

JamLegend is a Flash game with the number keys 1-5 (and function keys F1-F5) bound to their corresponding positions on the fret board. Like Guitar Hero, dots approach the bottom in time with the music and you must hold the appropriate number(s) in and strum. How? With the Enter key, of course!

You have two primary modes of play: Jam Style and Chill Style…shown here:

Playing the game can be odd depending on your keyboard. If you have a beefy enough keyboard where the function keys are evenly spaced (unlike one of my keyboards) you shouldn’t have much trouble with Jam Style.

My favorite method for play, however, has been using my Wii Guitar on my Mac thanks to DarwiinRemote. :D

The Music

The site’s slogan is “The free way to play the songs you love” is a little misleading. JamLegend is a new site with a small user base at the moment and little buy-in from big name stars. So…the appropriate slogan for now is “The free way to play the songs you will soon love because this site is freaking awesome”.

Are the songs bad? Definitely no. I hadn’t heard of any of the bands prior to playing around with JamLegend. Am I bummed that the songs aren’t from my favorite bands? No…I actually like a number of the artists. Blue Judy being one of my favorites – an Indie Rock Band from LA – and Double Stamp – another Indie Rock Band from Claremont, CA.

JamLegend does a nifty job displaying the songs that are currently popular (although this feature will become better as the user base grows), as well as bubbling new songs in front of your face. In addition to listing top songs, you can search and browse the site for specific genres, artists, and songs. Good times!

The Social Side

Similar to the Guitar Hero stat site that came with Guitar Hero III, JamLegend lists your bests, averages, global rankings, etc. You can add friends, challenge them to duels, or have massive guitar showdowns with large numbers of players. As an additional cool thing, you can earn groupies by completing Achievements. Groupies serve no real purpose at this time save for bragging rights but in the future that may change!

Where Its Heading

In its current state, JamLegend is a pretty ballsy free web application. There are some things coming down the pipe, however, that will make it that much cooler.

Music: If adoption of this game picks up, we could very easily see some larger named bands put their music out for play. Heck, the All American Rejects song Gives You Hell is pending track creation. Awesome.

More Instruments: JamLegend claims they are working on additional playable instruments! They are planning on adding keyboard, drums, bass, and (due to popular request)… cowbell.

Thoughts

This game will very easily become my mobile Guitar Hero fix (and soon to be Rock Band fix once the new instruments are implemented). The JamLegend site is gorgeous. The game is very well implemented. The music is good. I <3 it.

The song is by Jonathan Coulton, a rocker that seems to understand the life of a love-struck code monkey. I headed over to his site and found that I like a lot of his stuff. He’s got a great sound and his songs appeal to my taste :) To top it off, he quit his life of being a programmer in 2005 to pursue music and has done a bang-up job in my opinion. A lot of funny and geeky tunes. Of note are:

• Code Monkey
• Re: Your Brains
• Skullcrusher Mountain
• Baby Got Back (His own twist on the song…awesome)
• Mandelbrot Set
• A Laptop Like You

Etc, etc, etc. I like a lot more of his stuff (which he calls ‘well crafted geeky folk-pop). The best thing of all, he offers the songs for purchase from his store DRM-free! I will definitely be buying a number of them to add to my collection. Definitely worth a listen.

UPDATE:
Ok. So I like this dude’s stuff. I’ve forked over the cash and bought all his songs. w00t. Geekly songs abound (and some non-geeky ones). I have also found another very well done video rendition of “Code Monkey” done anime style with footage from “Black Heaven“. I figured I’d share it here too. Here it is:

This song is f’n dangerous – it gets you pumped so bad you might actually break shit. When the drum beats hit before the solo – watch the FUCK OUT! So if you want something to listen to while you “Flip out and kill stuff” this is it.

[...]

If u look at his damn boots he may boot you in the face because they are sooo in. Oh, and make sure to keep your volume down so you don’t tear your door off.

I’ve been ripping out to “Cooking by the Book,” but I figure I’d check it out anyways. Only halfway through I was slamming into walls and ripping my eyes out. If you’re looking for a way to get totally pumped up and dessimate your enemies…your search ends here.

DIO – Rainbow in the Dark. Thank you, that is all.

Whatever it is, World of Warcraft will be getting this dance with the new Draenei race in beling delivered in the WoW expansion – Burning Crusade.