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How to Set Up a Guitar Hero-Style Game for Local Multiplayer

Clone Hero Quickplay supports local multiplayer with guitars, gamepads, or keyboards. Learn the setup steps, how to troubleshoot a missing second controller, and what Guitar Hero Live requires.
Length4 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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Yes—you can play a Guitar Hero-style rhythm game with multiple people on one device. On PC, Clone Hero’s Quickplay supports one or more local players, and you can use guitar controllers, gamepads, or keyboards. The main catch is hardware: each player’s controller must connect to the device and be recognized as a separate input. If you mean Guitar Hero Live, its two-player setup has a specific requirement: two guitars and two wireless USB receivers.

Choose the game and platform

For a PC-based Guitar Hero-style session, Clone Hero is a straightforward option. Its official site lists Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS. The setup steps below describe Clone Hero; the Guitar Hero Live procedure is separate because its multiplayer hardware and join steps differ.

Check the game and platform before choosing controllers. “Guitar Hero guitar” is not enough information to establish compatibility: the guitar’s model, original console, connection type, and host operating system can all matter.

Set up local multiplayer in Clone Hero

  1. Connect an input for each player. Clone Hero supports guitar controllers, gamepads, and keyboards. Start with one device per player. For a wireless legacy guitar, identify its model and console origin, then check its required connection method and receiver in the official controller compatibility guide. For example, the guide says an Xbox 360 Guitar Hero 5 guitar needs an Xbox 360 receiver.
  2. Open a profile and choose the instrument. Press Start, select a profile, then open Controller and choose the instrument. The Clone Hero getting-started guide also explains the controls section for binding inputs if needed.
  3. Choose local Quickplay. Quickplay lets “1 or more local players” play songs from the current song list, according to the Clone Hero manual. The manual also lists Offline Versus for local score battles.
  4. Confirm that each player can control the game. Test both inputs in the menus or a song. If player two cannot navigate or play, troubleshoot device recognition and assignment before assuming the game mode is the problem.

Try a no-purchase setup first

A guitar controller is recommended for the familiar feel, but it is not required. A keyboard or gamepad can be used to confirm that local multiplayer works with your setup before you buy instruments. When playing without a guitar, the manual recommends Gamepad Mode, which removes the strum requirement.

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If player two’s controller is not recognized

  • Check both devices individually. Confirm that each connects to the computer or other host and is available to the game.
  • Make sure the inputs remain separate. A second controller that is mapped onto the first does not provide an independent player input. Check the controller or controls settings and test each device separately.
  • Verify the exact receiver or adapter. Do not assume that a generic wireless receiver will work. The needed hardware depends on the guitar; consult the model-specific compatibility guide before buying an adapter.
  • Recheck the selected instrument and bindings. In Clone Hero, open a profile and select Controller to choose the instrument. Use the controls section to bind inputs when necessary.

Compatibility depends on the particular device pairing. Clone Hero’s documentation describes controller-specific connection requirements; it does not guarantee that every pair of legacy guitars will work without configuration.

Guitar Hero Live has a different two-player setup

These requirements apply specifically to Guitar Hero Live, not Clone Hero. Activision’s support instructions, dated 2019-11-22, state: “Two dongles and two guitar controllers are required for local multiplayer.” The game’s campaign is single-player; multiplayer is available in Quickplay, and the second player can sign in only as a guest.

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  1. Sync the first guitar normally.
  2. Plug in the second wireless USB receiver.
  3. Put the second receiver and guitar into pairing mode.
  4. Choose the account or profile for that guitar, then use Select to pair it to Player Two.
  5. Start Quickplay. Player Two presses Pause to join.

Follow the Activision Guitar Hero Live two-player instructions for the console-specific details.

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What hardware should you use?

Approach What you need What to check
Keyboard or gamepad One supported input per player; no guitar purchase is required. Use Gamepad Mode for non-guitar play, and confirm the game recognizes each input separately.
Legacy guitar controller A guitar and any model-specific receiver or adapter it requires. Check the exact guitar, original console, host platform, and connection method in the compatibility guide before buying.
Guitar Hero Live Two guitar controllers and two wireless USB receivers for local multiplayer. Use the Guitar Hero Live pairing procedure; Player Two joins Quickplay by pressing Pause.
New 5-fret guitar A controller variant compatible with your platform and game setup. The Clone Hero wiki identifies the PDP Riffmaster as the only high-quality new guitar controller available on its page accessed 2026-10-04, at roughly USD 130. Availability, price, and platform variants can change, so verify them before purchase.

For used original guitars, the Clone Hero wiki suggests checking thrift shops, pawn shops, local marketplaces, and eBay auctions; its general advice is that original instruments under USD 60 are worth considering. That is the wiki’s buying guidance, not a current market survey. It advises against Amazon for used originals because prices tend to be high there and third-party instruments may be low quality.

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The Clone Hero compatibility information is community-maintained documentation, not a manufacturer certification. For any used or new instrument, verify the exact model and platform variant, plus whether your setup recognizes it as a separate player input.

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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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