Discussing game-based guitar learning in an online affinity space

This qualitative study employs discourse analysis to examine how learning to play the guitar is discussed and negotiated within an online affinity space centred on Rocksmith , a digital music game. Data consist of posts from the official Rocksmith discussion forum, where participants of varying experience levels engage in conversations about practice and progress. The analysis focuses on how users position themselves as learners, negotiate expertise and provide peer support through interaction, rather than on gameplay or instructional outcomes. Findings highlight how learning is discursively constructed as a socially mediated process characterized by encouragement, shared problem-solving and community-based support. This study contributes to understanding how game-adjacent online communities function as spaces for discussing and supporting informal musical learning.