Guitar Hero Drums on Rock Band 2 (Xbox 360)? Not Compatible – Solutions

No. Guitar Hero and Rock Band drum controllers use different proprietary protocols and pinouts. The Rock Band 2 engine will not recognize a Guitar Hero drum brain.

Key Differences

• Cymbals: Rock Band cymbals are separate piezo triggers; GH often uses the main pads for cymbal hits (yellow/orange).
• Kick Pedal: Wiring polarity and jack standard differ.
• Handshake: The console queries the device ID; GH ID ≠ RB ID.

Solutions

1. Official Rock Band Drums: Rock Band 1/2/3 kits, Beatles kit, Ion Drum Rocker (pro).
2. Third-Party Cross-Compatible: Mad Catz “Wireless Drum Kit for Rock Band” (rare), PDP wired kits labeled “Rock Band Compatible.”
3. MIDI Pro-Adapter + E-Kit: Best feel; connect any Roland/Yamaha/Alesis e-drum via Mad Catz MIDI Pro-Adapter (works on RB3 only, not RB2).

For Rock Band 2 specifically, a used Rock Band 2 or Beatles drum set is the cheapest reliable path.