 While playing the game , an extended guitar neck is shown vertically on the screen ( the frets horizontal ) , often called the " note highway " , and as the song progresses , colored markers or " gems " indicating notes travel down the screen in time with the music ; the note colors and positions match those of the five fret keys on the guitar controller . Once the note ( s ) reach the bottom , the player must play the indicated note ( s ) by holding down the correct fret button ( s ) and hitting the strumming bar in order to score points . Success or failure will cause the on @-@ screen Rock Meter to change , showing how well the player is playing ( denoted by red , yellow , and green sections ) . Should the Rock Meter drop below the red section , the song will automatically end , with the player <unk> off the stage by the audience . Successful note hits will add to the player 's score , and by hitting a long series of consecutive successful note hits , the player can increase their score <unk> . There is a window of time for hitting each note , similar to other rhythm games such as Dance Dance Revolution , but unlike these games , scoring in Guitar Hero is not affected by accuracy ; as long as the note is hit within that window , the player receives the same number of points . 
