Today on the Rock Band website, it was announced that Harmonix is taking great pains to make the playing of imaginary instruments before a digital audience on your TV as realistic as possibe.

“Harmonix and MTV Games announced today a new lineup of musical instrument manufacturers whose premier products will be appearing in Rock Band 2. Joining the list of amazing in-game instruments from the original Rock Band, will be real world microphones, new guitars and an array of industry leading drumsets from some of the music industry’s most prolific manufacturers.”

OH MY GOD, REAL MICROPHONES FOR MY FAKE BAND!!!!11!

‘“We believe that working closely with our musical instrument partners is crucial to our mission to deliver the most authentic music experience possible,” stated Greg LoPiccolo, Vice President of Product Development, Harmonix Music Systems. “Whether it’s picking out your P Bass™, finding the right finish & hardware for your drums, or choosing the best microphone for your singer’s style, having real world instruments included within the world of Rock Band 2 is essential.”‘

Essential.

Once again, for those of you in the back, Harmonix is doing everything in their power to make it so the people who have mastered Rock Band, but not an actual instrument, can be as authentic as possible, virtually speaking, in the imaginary sense. 

Full Press Release after the jump.

Licensed Partners Instrumental to the Authentic Rock Experience

 New York, NY – September 18, 2008 – Harmonix and MTV Games announced today a new lineup of musical instrument manufacturers whose premier products will be appearing in Rock Band 2. Joining the list of amazing in-game instruments from the original Rock Band, will be real world microphones, new guitars and an array of industry leading drumsets from some of the music industry’s most prolific manufacturers.

 “We believe that working closely with our musical instrument partners is crucial to our mission to deliver the most authentic music experience possible,” stated Greg LoPiccolo, Vice President of Product Development, Harmonix Music Systems. “Whether it’s picking out your P Bass™, finding the right finish & hardware for your drums, or choosing the best microphone for your singer’s style, having real world instruments included within the world of Rock Band 2 is essential.”

 The full list of musical instrument partners included is as follows:

 Guitars, Basses and Amplifiers:
 Fender™ (Including Charvel™, Gretsch™, Jackson™, Squier™, SWR™) 

 Drums:
 DW
 Gretsch Drums™
 Ludwig/Conn-Selmer
 Pearl
 SJC Custom Drum
 Zildjian Cymbals

 Microphones:
 Sennheiser
 Shure

 Accessories / Additional Instruments:
 Ernie Ball
 Electro-Harmonix 
 EMG Pickups 
 Fender™
 Ludwig Drumsticks
 Pro-Mark Drumsticks
 Roland/BOSS
 Vater Drumsticks
 Vic Firth 
 ZVEX

Rock Band 2 features the largest music catalogue of any music-based videogame to date including over 100 songs  on the Rock Band 2 soundtrack with an unrivaled blend of classic and new artists including AC/DC, Guns ‘N Roses, Bob Dylan, Pearl Jam, Motorhead and more! With the addition of complete and immediate backwards compatibility for songs purchased from Rock Band’s ever-expanding online music store and the ability to export most songs from the original Rock Band disc, the Rock Band music library will feature more than 500 songs  by year’s end.

 The Rock Band online music store recently surpassed 21 million paid downloads since the game’s launch in late November 2007. With more than 300 tracks available to date via disc and download purchase (complete list of tracks at www.rockband.com/), the massive Rock Band Music Store allows players to preview and purchase downloadable individual music tracks, packs and albums from the vast selection of offerings available as they build their own custom Rock Band library.

 Rock Band 2 is rated “T” for Teen with descriptors of lyrics and suggestive themes by the ESRB.

For more information on Rock Band and Harmonix Music Systems please visit www.rockband.com and www.harmonixmusic.com.