So, lets get straight to the point. 'PRO' mode. Lets forget about it being a new challenge for experienced players, and appreciate what Harmonix are trying to achieve. Rock Band will teach you how to play guitar. And not just guitar, but bass, drums and keyboards. Yep. The inevitable addition of keyboards has arived.

Everything you already knew about Rock Band is still present and correct. Use your older instruments and play along with those five coloured buttons you know so well - all the way up to Expert (oooooh!). Or pick up the new Mad Catz developed 102-button guitar and activate PRO mode.

102 buttons. That's 17 frets and 6 strings. Pro mode will require you to form chords, pick at strings and actually hammer-on and pull-off notes. Harmonix are confident that after learning a song in Pro mode, you will be able to pick up a guitar and play these songs for real. And why not? 102 buttons!

You might as well play with a real guitar, right? Well you're covered there too. There is also a genuine Fender Squier Stratocaster being produced with everything embedded to allow playing Rock Band 3 wirelessly. Plug it into an amp too, game or no game. It's a guitar!

Anyone could have predicted this of course from the moment Guitar Hero first hit the scene. I've always said, if learning to play a guitar had a high score, I would be awesome (TBC). The great thing about Rock Band 3 is that Harmonix don't seem to be toying with the idea, they've gone all out.

The PRO mode applies to the other instruments too. The drums are receiving a new cymbal expansion, adding 3 cymbals to the existing 4 pads. Still no hi-hat pedal though. As for the keyboard, its already a 2-octave key-tar which seems stranger to use in the standard modes.

The interface and instruments have been overhauled to support this much more complex play, with a number appearing over the note suggesting which fret is required, and a constant read out of which fret you are currently positioned over thanks to sensors in the new guitar. The two keyboard octaves are represented in full, while the new drum cymbals appear as different shapes over the normal hits.

Vocal harmonies are now available too, as with the Beatles and Green Day spin-off games. This takes the total number of simultaneous players to 7 - guitar, bass, drums, vocals, keyboard and two harmony parts.

All the official instruments are now produced by Mad Catz, who are insisting they now only produce top-tier products, as seen with their recent arcade sticks. Expect to spend a bit of money if you want to get your hands on all the new instruments.

Interestingly Mad Catz are also shipping a MIDI PRO Adapter allowing you to use existing MIDI instruments, in particular keyboards and drums. That Korg Triton and Roland V-Drums you've got sitting around will be well chuffed. It works the other way too, with the new keyboard sporting a MIDI out.

As usual there are a whole bunch of new tracks on disc, 83 including Bohemiam Rhapsody, Been Caught Stealing, The Power of Love... Adding to the Rock Band catalogue which is rapidly approaching 2,000 tracks.

Anyone who has tried to enjoy a group session, especially after a beer (or five), will appreciate the ability for all players to drop in and out at anytime without interrupting anyone else's experience, as seen in Guitar Hero 5.

Even if I don't quite have the time to fully embrace Rock Band's new PRO mode, its exciting to know that the next generation of gamer/wannabe-rock-star might actually learn songs and techniques "playing" Rock Band.

With Rock Band 3 being so ambitious it leaves little room to guess what's next. Brass instruments? Recording studio? I look forward to being surprised.

Rock Band 3 is due out in time for Christmas on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii and DS (in some as yet unrevealed form).