Can You Use a Standard Controller for Guitar Hero III on Xbox 360?

No. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock on Xbox 360 requires a guitar controller. Standard gamepads (joypads) are not supported.

Why It Won't Work

• Input Mapping: The game expects 5 fret buttons, strum bar, whammy bar, star power tilt—mapped to a proprietary guitar dongle.
• No Gamepad Profile: The code lacks fallback mappings for standard controllers.
• Whammy Bar: Analog axis on guitar; no equivalent on gamepad.

Your Options

1. Buy a Guitar Controller: X-Plorer (wired), Les Paul (wireless), Generic USB—abundant on eBay ($15–$40).
2. Clone Hero (PC): Free, supports gamepads, keyboards, and real guitars. Best modern way to play custom songs.
3. Phase Shift / Frets on Fire: Other PC alternatives with gamepad support.

On original hardware, a guitar controller is mandatory. No workarounds exist on Xbox 360.