What does a rhythm guitarist do?

[PostPunk22]

Hello everyone, usually when I have Bass related problem I can come here and do a quick search and find a ton of answers and detailed info here. So I figured I will ask this question here, knowing that most of you have a LOT more musical skill and experience then me and many of you have been/are in a band or have some kind of band experience.

I have been playing bass (not good lol), just for fun by myself for a few years now, I have never been in a band or band type of setting. I had a friend who is interested in learning guitar basically ask me these couple questions about rhythm guiatar: what does a rhythm guitarist actually do, what is their role in a band, and what is their relationship to the bass and drums. I started to answer these questions, but I had kind of a hard time explaining everything properly. Of course I googled it, check wikipeida, etc. for help.

I kind of get the main gist of what the rhythm guitar players role is:

To provide rhythm and harmony in a band's rhythm section. Someone I know said it is basically like a bass but it plays chords instead of single notes.
Then I heard it actually works against the bass and drum an accents the upbeats.

So I am still a little confused still and have a couple more questions:

1. So basically when a band creates a song there is one rhythm or maybe a couple rhythms (one for verse, one for chorus, one for intro, etc.) that drives the song a long. That rhythm most of the time is created by the drums and bass. Is the rhythm guitar basically and extension of this and plays this rhythm (rhythmic pattern/riff) with the drums and bass? (only difference is that the rhythm guitar is usually a lot more harmonic/chordal then bass because it plays more then one note at a time)

2. If the question I just asked above is correct or pretty much the role of the rhythm guitarist, that kind of makes some sense to me. But I read in a few spots that the rhythm guitarist accents the upbeats a lot more and somewhat plays against the bass/drums/rhythm. This is the part that confuses me, because wouldn't this basically destroy the main rhythm set up by the bass/drums, make things really muddy, and too busy? Because if the rhythm guitar is playing one rhythm and the bass/drums playing another plus the vocal/lead melodies going on... wouldn't this make your ears not know what to listen too and make it sound really bad and busy? or am I missing something and not understanding things properly?

Sorry for the novice questions, I am just trying to understand things a bit better.
Thanks a lot

 

[punkjazzben]

It's a good question, but has many answers and subtleties.

If you want the 'highest level of description' answer, I would say a rhythm guitarist plays the basic chords of the song and is part of the rhythm section.

As such, he/she accompanies the melody or lead instruments and singers. What is played and how it is played depends on the genre, mostly, but there is no blanket requirement that a rhythm guitar doubles the bass rhythm or vice versa. To 'complement' each other is a better approach for all rhythm section players.

 

[Be_eM]

TOTALLY depends on the musical genre and style of music you're playing. Playing funk and soul music for example has completely different rules to playing AC/DC or mainstream rock. Rhythm guitar MAY be playing the pattern which makes a song recognizable before singing starts, and it may as well be played far in the background. It may mean layering whole note chords above the drums/bass groove, but it may as well mean playing spohisticated single note riffs over a straight drums and bass line. No rules except: it should serve and support the song.

 

[PlatypusBassist]

Depends. A lot of the time they fill out the sound by providing the chords and rhythm at the pitch of the guitar while the lead either plays a counter melody or solos

 

[Malak the Mad]

That is an excellent question, and so far, equally excellent replies! I can't wait to hear more perspectives.

In a number of musical genres, especially hard rock and heavy metal, the rhythm guitarist helps achieve that Phil Spector "Wall of Sound" effect. However, if you want to hear an example of the rhythm guitarist, lead guitarist and bassist all doing their own thing, but none of them stomping the other out of existence or fouling up the flow of the song, check out Lynyrd Skynyrd's Free Bird.

 

[2saddleslab]

You'll learn all you need to know by listening to Keef.
dP

 

[PostPunk22]

Hey everyone thanks for the excellent and understandable replies - they really REALLY helped.

I think I have a better understanding of what a rhythm guitarist role is:

The rhythm guitarist usually plays harmonically and rhythmically. Depending on the genre of music the rhythm guitarist:can follow/be in sync with the other rhythm instruments (Bass/Drums/Keys/Etc), can be playing its own single note lines/riffs that compliment the rhythm, sustaining chords (like a pad), be just accenting certain rhythm parts, can completely drop out in sections, can be a combination of one, two, or all of these, or can do anything it wants to b/c there really is no rules/norms just as long as it sounds good/supports the rhythm/and fits in with the song at hand.

Quick follow up question:

I know it's role changes due to genre/player/skill/etc. But in general what does a rhythm guitarist usually do for these genres:

-Rock/Pop (example: Beatles):
-Classic Rock (example: Stones):
-Alternative/Grunge (example: Nirvana):
-Hard Rock/Heavy Metal: Malak The Mad said that the rhythm guitarist usually "helps achieve that Phil Spector "Wall of Sound" effect"
-New Wave (example: The Cure):
-Funkier Rock (example: Red Hot Chili Peppers):
-Synth Pop (example: Depeche Mode (this is probably played by keyboards/synths rather then the usual rhythm guitar)):

(I am quickly just thinking of the top of my head but if any of you have any other genres please feel free to add)

I know this will help me and hopefully others understand things more, especially when just joining a band or jamming with friends. Also when I listen to music I will be sure to listen a lot more to what the rhythm guitarist is doing and how he/she is adding to the song.

 

[Be_eM]

But in general what does a rhythm guitarist usually do for these genres:

Listen to the genres, trying to find out how it's played, watch tons of videos and other tutorials named "how to play [whatever] guitar". There is no specific "what does he do", other than learning what the specifics of each genre and style are. Listening is the key. It won't help to tell you "oh, they mostly play 16th triplets in Metal songs", and then you listen and hear… straight 8ths. And those who want more can experiment with applying "this" style to "that" genre and maybe get something unique out of it.

 

[hrodbert696]

Funny looking at some of your examples - a lot of those bands only had one guitarist, so the point would be moot. In Nirvana, Kurt Cobain was the only guitar; he was pretty much a rhythm player, their music rarely had leads. The Chili Peppers also only had one guitarist (various guys in the slot over the years), who usually was more of a lead player. Depeche Mode is a techno group which never had more than one guitarist and sometimes not even that.

Not sure I could do any meaningful genre-by-genre analysis, but the basic notion is that rhythm guitar means strumming chords and lead guitar means playing melodies, countermelodies, or solos. Since I can't do a better definition than that, a few clear examples:

4 non blondes, "Superfly." Linda Perry opens the song with rhythm guitar before Roger Rocha comes in on lead with the rest of the band:


Alabama Shakes, "Hold On" - singer plays rhythm while the other guitarist plays a melody under the lyrics.


Blind Melon, "No Rain" - lead opens the song, then the rhythm (on acoustic guitar) comes in with the rest of hte band...


The Cure, "Just Like Heaven" - both guitars are kind of playing rhythm parts till the lead separates in a riff about 30 seconds in.


The roles aren't always all that distinguished. Listening to Def Leppard's "Photograph," both guitars are pretty much playing rhythm, till the lead plays arpeggios during the chorus, and then of course the solo. Under the second verse, they play two separate rhythm parts, with one following the bass line.

 

[waynobass]

You'll learn all you need to know by listening to Keef.

Beat me to it. Just listen to the Rolling Stones.

 

[Be_eM]

… but the basic notion is that rhythm guitar means strumming chords …

Well, here is an example that shows it can be more complex than this. Rhythm guitar is fun… not just the job of the "worse" of two guitarists in the band. And lead guitar is often overrated

 

[GlennW]

 

[Raf Seibert]

One of the finest rhythm guitarists is Pete Townsend of The Who. Another way to put it is, take away the obvious lead parts, and whatever guitar bits you hear are rhythm guitar.

Raf

 

[paulears]

I think it fills in the holes. The holes being either holes in time or holes is pitch. If bass and drums are the engine room that drives the song, the rhythm guitar is the suspension holding everything up. The bass may well supply the chord name most of the time, but the rhythm sets it into context. As an oldie I always think of status quo's rick parfitt who is the 'sound' of the band. He would be the one who if missing would make the band a rock boogie band, not really quo.

 

[Bassist4Eris]

Usually he delivers pizza.

 

[hrodbert696]

Well, here is an example that shows it can be more complex than this. Rhythm guitar is fun… not just the job of the "worse" of two guitarists in the band. And lead guitar is often overrated

Great video! I totally agree - that's why I said the "basic" notion is rhythm guitar strums chords. Just like bass provides the root notes, but a great bassist knows how to go beyond just pumping roots, rhythm guitar plays chords, but a great rhythm player knows how to go beyond just pounding out open or power chords.

 

[el murdoque]

In my book, the bass bridges the gap between the pure rhythm instrument (drums) and the melody instruments (guitar) and the bassplayer locks in with the drummer.
The rhythm guitar is doing the same, only if there is a bass doing the job, the guitars center of work is pushed further towards the lead instruments.
Both bass and rhythm guitar can do a lot of the job alone - that's why there are bands without one of them.

Furthermore, the rhythm guitars job is to keep up the guitar part in a song when the lead guitar goes into a lead or solo part.

 

[Alkali Ike]

Tom Fogerty was a great rhythm guitarist. That is all.

 

[snarebear]

They fetch beer for the rest of the band.

 

[wmhill]

It's been my experience that the rhythm player, has the place to rehearse and owns most of the equipment. Probably should own a van or trailer to make sure he's a vital part of the machine!