Introduction: Easiest & Best Frets on Fire Keyboard Ever + Strum Bar
Easy and cheap mod to create an excellent keyboard for playing the awesome Frets on Fire (Free Guitar Hero PC Clone)
Step 1: Donor Keyboard
I used a standard USB Dell keyboard, the type as shown in the photo... you could use any old keyboard but i liked the minimalist approach of this Dell one...
Step 2: Remove and Cover Unwanted Keys
Remove all the numpad, arrow and pgup,pgdn etc keys... remove all the F keys... remove the ` key and the 6 key...
Replace the backspace \ ] and [ keys with the arrow keys you just removed... much easier to access in the new position...
Replace the F12 key with the Escape key...
Cover all the removed keys with black plastic, i used an old ice cream container lid. Hot glue works best here...
Step 3: Strum Bar
I looked all over the net for a good strum bar design and couldnt find one... so i had to resort to icecream sticks and hot glue... basically build a little 'T' and glue it upside down on the shift key so it over hang onto the enter key -- DO NOT GLUE ONTO THE ENTER KEY--- otherwise it wont work like a 'strum'
Hopefully the photos tell a thousand words here... the second one is painted....
Step 4: Paint the Frets
This step is optional but it does look cool... paint the 1,2,3,4,5 keys to match the fret colours in FoF..
I used MDF primer as a base coat and waterbased acrylic as a top coat... the blue could have been better... looks good in real life...
Step 5: Downlaod FoF
Now go download Frets on Fire and change the key settings to match the keyboard... (frets, arrows, esc)
http://fretsonfire.sourceforge.net/
Get the RF-mod too, then go to thepiratebay.org and d/l some song packs....!
24 Comments
12 years ago on Introduction
Have a look at this instructable, its like an advance version of your instructable, and more better version!!!
https://www.instructables.com/id/Guitar-Hero-Keyboard/
15 years ago on Introduction
lol thats actually pretty nice.
BUT =D.. since i have a PS3, i just plug my ps3 guitar hero controller in my pc and i can play frets on fire w-o any hassle :D
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
does that work with a ps2 guitar?
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
can you please tell me how did you do it? i probably wont check this page again XD so please i beg you send me an e mail and tell me cause i plug the controller but the guitar does not works please tell me cynnie_@hotmail.com
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
Thanks... yea that would be sweet but for cheap asses like me you cant beat FoF..!
14 years ago on Introduction
I Fretted Boat 'N Hoes with EOF, its not that hard though. heres the song folder:
http://rapidshare.com/files/209324601/Boats_and_Hoes.zip
P.S. ITS F""KING AWESOME
14 years ago on Introduction
Thats my keyboard! And nice, but I'm lazy, so I'll just paint the keys :3
14 years ago on Introduction
Nice! FoF is the win for cheap Guitar Hero fans... I remapped mine to 1-5 rather than F1-F5 because I hate that little gap. I also remapped strum to down arrow and left arrow, I can't stand the strum bar on real GH controllers but this way I can tap with my first two fingers like I'm playing a bass. The combination plays merry devil with navigating the menus though, so I might change it to something different like keypad 0 and . or . and / The worst bit about using the numbers as frets is when I want to put a great run or percentage on the end of a high score (my PBs are 400+ and 100% on Normal :D ) and pressing 1 is the same as pressing enter.
14 years ago on Introduction
Love it! tommorow im goin to prepare stuff for this. i'll buy the cheapest USB keyboard in town for 99,-SKK (3.3 €) get some plastic, some superglue and begin devastation of a brand new keyboard :D
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
Sweet... post a photo when you're done...!
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
it won\t be today because all the shops were closed, so i'll get it tommorow or so :D
14 years ago on Introduction
i swear this is true... my cousin helped produce this game. he made the the part for how u controll the game with the keyboard like that. if u want one i can hook u up with a gaming keyboard with the guitar strap knobs on it and with a strap. my cousins produceing that for the new frets on fire coming out on march 15 2009
14 years ago on Introduction
Pssshhh...Fret on Fire is ghey...why don't you learn to play a REAL keyboard...GAWWW!!!
(...hopes everyone notes the ironic sarcasm...)
14 years ago on Introduction
DO WANT!
15 years ago on Introduction
Love Frets on Fire, but the one single most irritable thing I hate about it is that GAT DAYUM ESC KEY !!! :P...lol But, if you cover that key, then how do you ecape to the menu and such, just askin' :)
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
i wouold say, change the command in the settings.
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
True, that "wouold" be the easiest thing to say I guess. ;) Aside from yanking the button out completely...lol
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
thats mena you didnt have to quote me!! lol
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
Me so saw lee ...lol
15 years ago on Introduction
thats badass. i am off to make one now, assuming i find an old keyboard lying around