Odd question: how many bands here have rhythm guitarists?

Fassa Albrecht · #1 12-01-2009, 07:35 AM

Sounds an odd question but there's a reason.

It seems to me, both as a noobie rhythm guitarist and as a bassist, that rhythm guitar is increasingly rare. The only reason I am learning rhythm guitar is because I can't find a decent one anywhere else.
It seems that no-one wants to be a rhythm guitarist when the lead steals the show .

So how many people here are in bands with a rhythm guitarist?

NWB · #2 12-01-2009, 10:42 AM

Well, not at the moment.

However, I've offered to let our singer play my Les Paul on a few tunes that could use some rhythm guitar and he seems agreeable to it. Plus, yes, he can play.

I like playing rhythm guitar, but not in a band. I keep that to myself as I greatly prefer bass for playing with other folks.

bspot · #3 12-01-2009, 11:49 AM

Our band has a rhythm guitarist. Its nice to be able to play two different guitar parts within songs. Plus our lead guitarist also plays harmonica on a few songs, so the rhythm guitarist fills in during those harmonica parts.

**jmattbassplaya** · #4 12-01-2009, 11:51 AM

Out of the 20 odd assortments of bands I`ve been in I`ve only been in 3 bands that didn`t have a rhythm guitarist, and of those three bands two of them had keys instead. So to me, saying rhythm players are a dying breed seems like a false statement. Hell, I can`t find a singer who will play without a guitar on stage(which usually brings the total to 3 guitars).

M0ses · #5 12-01-2009, 11:52 AM

I have a keyboardist, which is like the same thing except he has a left hand. A very annoying left hand...

ithump4 · #6 12-01-2009, 12:03 PM

I'm a you might say a country bassist and most folks in my style of playing had rather play a lead instrument instead of being in the rythem section. Myself, never been a (out) frontman and never really cared for it. But to answer your question currently I'm not working (in a band) but have played both ways, with and without. I had rather have one in the band. They seem to help fill in dead spots during lead breaks.

tycobb73 · #7 12-01-2009, 12:33 PM

yep, the singer's husband. He sings sometimes too.

lunarpollen · #8 12-01-2009, 12:43 PM

Finding a good rhythm guitarist who has a good sense of dynamics and tone (i.e., not just an incessant wall of mud or white noise) is becoming difficult these days.

JimInMO · #9 12-01-2009, 01:13 PM

Oh yes, we have a rhythm guitar. He's our go to vocalist's for classic country tunes. I mean 40's, 50's and 60's stuff. Our lead guitar also plays pedal steel and sometimes trumpet. The rhythm guitar and me (bass) have to fill the space the lead leaves when on another instrument.

Jerk Store · #10 12-01-2009, 01:34 PM

Well, my band has a rhytm guitar player in my opinion. The two guitar players in the band are brothers, two years apart. Back in the day, the older brother was better, but pretty soon, the younger brother became better than he. We played a gig earlier this summer, and the younger brother was introducing everyone in the band and said "Nate on rhytm guitar". Apparently that didn't sit well with Nate, because ever since then he has just been "Nate on guitar". I feel that we definitley have a lead and rhytm guitar, but the two of them switch depending on the song, but with each of them playing mostly lead or mostly rhytm respectively through the gig. They are both great players though, and I'm always on "lead bass"!

Phalex · #11 12-01-2009, 01:38 PM

Well, the band I'm in presently doesn't really have a rhythm guitar so to speak, but more than one person has exclaimed that Dickie somehow manages to play both at the same time.

Stumbo · #12 12-01-2009, 02:20 PM

In the first band I was in we had a lead guitarist/vocalist who also played keys, and a rhythm player. When the lead player moved to keys, it was great to have the rhythm player to do the guitar work. All the other bands I've played in had keys and no rhythm players.

The jam band I'm in now that gets together every few months, the same lead player (from my first band) also plays bass. The bass player also plays guitar (he picked up a cool new Les Paul a couple of weeks ago). I'm sitting in as fakeboardist and playing bass on a couple of songs. We also have two drummers. Fun stuff.

mambo4 · #13 12-01-2009, 02:37 PM

I play with 2 guitarists, one also lead vocals who I guess can be called the rhythm guitarist. But really, they both play leads and figures that interweave and straight up chordal stuff pretty equally.

guroove · #14 12-01-2009, 02:43 PM

I play in a funk band with one guitarist who plays rhythm, even when he solos. I once had a funk band with 4 guitarists who all played rhythm. I also have played in many country bands where the front man plays acoustic guitar, which is what most people would call rhythm guitar. We would also have a pedal steel player, who only plays leads, and a telecaster player who plays the 'tele' parts.

michael_atw · #15 12-01-2009, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmattbassplaya

Out of the 20 odd assortments of bands I`ve been in I`ve only been in 3 bands that didn`t have a rhythm guitarist, and of those three bands two of them had keys instead. So to me, saying rhythm players are a dying breed seems like a false statement. Hell, I can`t find a singer who will play without a guitar on stage(which usually brings the total to 3 guitars).

Yeah it seems like many bands (especially top 40 and some hardcore crap) have 3 guitarists on stage, of which all seem to be playing the same riff most of the time.

Munjibunga · #16 12-01-2009, 07:39 PM

We've got one, and sometimes two (like on Eagles songs). My brother plays rhythm guitar and our keyboardist doubles. Take a look at Angus' brother Malcolm.

HugheJapackage · #17 12-01-2009, 08:03 PM

I have a rhythm guitarist in both my bands. I love the guys and it sounds great but you gotta be on top of your stuff or no one will ever hear you.

Quadcam · #18 12-01-2009, 10:19 PM

As our lead guitarist says "I'm not the lead, he (rhythm) is the co-lead guitarist"
which one is playing the solo just depends on the song.

either way it is nice to have a rhythm guitarist especially when the lead drops off to play the solo and theres another guitar to fill that gap in the sound.

Oric · #19 12-01-2009, 10:37 PM

My currently disjointed band, back when we had a full five members, had a rhythm guitarist, although he seemed to play pedals more than regular ol' rhythm guitar. He came up with some cool stuff though.

G00D+~VIBES · #20 12-01-2009, 10:47 PM

Our singer plays rhythm guitar, only. I suppose you could consider our sax the "lead" player, as we don't have a lead guitar. It's a blessing and a curse.