No drummer to synch with

[Minotauros]

I'm sure I'm answering my own question, just want confirmation (or contradiction).

I've read that the bass player and drummer lock in and synch with each other.

But if there is no drummer, just the bass player and one or two guitars... rhythm and lead... do the bass player and rhythm guitarist synch up?

I'm thinking they do, but not I'm not entirely sure.

[tangentmusic]

Everybody needs to sync up with everybody

[gimmethelowend]

Originally Posted by tangentmusic

Everybody needs to sync up with everybody

Pretty much. When your playing with your band, I'd try to concentrate more on what the rhythm guitar is doing, just because sometimes the lead part doesn't exactly carry the rhythmic foundation of a song in most melodies or solos. Also, it seems to me that in this situation, you are the rhythm section, so if you have any doubts about how a song feels rhythmically, I'd try listening to it a couple of times just to get the feel

[Minotauros]

Originally Posted by tangentmusic

Everybody needs to sync up with everybody

Yeah, that goes without saying, or else you have chaos and cacophony.

Originally Posted by gimmethelowend

Pretty much. When your playing with your band, I'd try to concentrate more on what the rhythm guitar is doing, just because sometimes the lead part doesn't exactly carry the rhythmic foundation of a song in most melodies or solos. Also, it seems to me that in this situation, you are the rhythm section, so if you have any doubts about how a song feels rhythmically, I'd try listening to it a couple of times just to get the feel

OK, as I thought.

Thanks guys.

[Minotauros]

That's a novel idea.

When I play bass along with the recording of Night Moves, for example, I follow the acoustic guitar, and it works pretty well. So I thought I was on the right track.

[MalcolmAmos]

When we do not have the drummer I sing the song, under my breath, along with the vocalist.

I let the vocalist set the tempo. That is what most rhythm guitar guys are doing.

[Testing_123]

+1 on everybody syncs up. With this added thought:

In the absence of a drummer, it might be useful to determine who will anchor the tempo/rhythm and be the pulse keeper, so to speak. You can't all follow each other, so someone ought to be the timekeeper of reference.

Bass is a great instrument to take on the "master of time" role, and the rhythm guitar can lock in with you. Or vice versa. Ownership of the timekeeper role could even shift song to song, or even within a song. (In fact, that would make a great listening exercise -- play the same song several times, but each time identify a different player as the timekeeper that others should follow. You might notice some interesting nuance variations, since each of your internal time meters might be a bit different.)

[Audiophage]

You should all be able to keep time for yourselves.