Were going to take a useless old Guitar Hero controller and turn it into a MIDI controller with powerchords, solos, whammy bar, and palm muting all in one. BTW: None of this software is mine, and belongs to their rightful owners.

Step 1: Software/Hardware Needed

Your going to need:
A VST Host (i use FL Studio 8) but you can get a free one here:http://www.hitsquad.com/smm/programs/VSTHost/
A GH Controller, and an adapter if its not for Xbox 360 or PS3
Max/MSP Runtime:
http://www.cycling74.com/download/Max5Runtime_37726.zip
MIDItar Hero (this is where the magic happens)
http://miditarhero.com/
MusicLab's RealStrat (not free, unless you know what a torrent is)
GuitarRig 3 VST (also not free, unless you use a torrent)
A MIDI Loopback device: I reccommend LoopBE1
http://www.nerds.de/data/setuploopbe1.exe
and any drivers you might need to get your PC to recognize it as a joystick.

Step 2: The Setup

Assuming you have all of the components installed/downloaded, let us continue.
1. Plug in your GH Controller
2. Load up the Max/MSP Runtime
3. Open up MIDItar Hero (.mxf)
4. Under Controller select your joystick
5. Under Controller Type, select which type of controller you have. NOTE: If you have a PS2 Controller or something not listed, then select custom controller in the Control Type menu.
6. Test your controller to see if the buttons are working: (whammy, strum and notes) don't worry about the Power Chords etc. yet.
7. If you chose custom, then follow the on-screen instructions to set it up that will pop-up.
8. Select your MIDI output, it should be something like Input from LoopBE1 or something.
9. Click on the normal button.
10. Load-up your VST Host and RealStrat
11. On RealStrat, setup your audio, and make sure your MIDI Input is the same as your MIDI Output from MIDItar hero, and make sure your MIDI Output (on realstrat) is set to microsoft GS Wavetable....
12. Test to see if your GH Controller is sending the notes to RealStrat, then continue
13. Load-up GuitarRig 3 and select a nice distortion...YAAAAAAOOOOOWWWWWWW!!!!!! THUNDA
TO TOGGLE POWERCHORDS: hold start, then push green
TO TOGGLE SOLO MODE: hold start then push yellow, or if your using a rock band controller just go to the high frets.
TO TOGGLE Sustain/Smooth playing: Hold start then push red