Allow me to quote a preview to this week’s “South Park” episode, which is apparently about the video game "Guitar Hero": “Real guitars are for old people.” Same goes for drums and synthesizers. And French horns. As pop culture writer Bill Hutchens and I explain in our cover story for today's SoundLife section, there are enough new video game simulators available now – stuff like Traxxpad, Jam Sessions, Rock Band – that you could start an entire video game band using only virtual instruments.

For example, check out a track we threw together in a few minutes using Eidos’s Traxxpad. The part where it sounds like a synthesizer? That's just the square button and a joystick. It's no Grammy winner, but it's a start. Click here.