What does a rhythm guitarist do?

[Humbled]

This Nile fellow plays pretty good rhythm guitar:

 

[Moley13]

This is actually turning out to be a pretty cool thread. I'll +1 the fact that it's a very broad "position" in the band. Depending on genre, can be anything from single note melodies (yeah, not chords! Some people call this an "Ostinato". Most people call it a Riff ) to chords, in any rhythm ranging from complete counterpoint WRT bass/drums (who may, by the way, be playing counter to each other already), to complete copy of the bass (meaning realistically one of the rhythm guitarist or bassist could buy a fancy pedal and render the other useless ) Just my $0.02

 

[OldDirtyBassist]

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

If there is a truly most important member of a band, it's the rhythm guitarst. No chords, no song.

 

[xk49w]

There is a Waddy Wachtel documentary coming out, maybe out already - I don't know. I've always considered him one of the finest. Also Danny Kortchmar. The rhythm guitarist is the counterpart to the bass player in the section. They and the drummer completely set the chord motion and feel of the tune (assuming no kb/organ here...).

 

[Nev375]

Another excellent guitarist who is very rhythm oriented in his approach to guitar is the Edge from U2, He is known for his use of delays and layering strums in-between the repeat echoes of the delays to create complex patterns of sound. Very difficult technique to achieve.

 

[JTE]

Having gigged with a couple of REALLY good rhythm guitarists, the first thing that comes to mind is "they play stuff you don't notice, but immediately know if it's not there". All those Joe Messina "chunks" on the up beats of those classic Motwon recordings, the way Lennon voiced chords and hit them when they needed to be hit, Keith Richards' and Brian Jones' interplay, Malcom Young driving the bus (and I really don't pay any attention to suff like AC/DC, but Malcom's just so notable), Bob Weir weaving different harmonies and flows around Phil, Jerry, and the current keyboard player, Freddie Green with Count Basie, that's all what "rhythm guitar" encompasses.

Get to the recordings and LISTEN

John

 

[zontar]

Rhythm guitarists rock!

 

[snarebear]

I played in a band with a great rhythm player and he could really fill out the sound without stepping on any ones toes. He could grab the lead when needed, and was quick to jump on it when lead broke a string. Miss ya B.

 

[Moley13]

If there is a truly most important member of a band, it's the rhythm guitarst. No chords, no song.

Couldn't disagree more. For a start, there are tons of styles which don't use guitar at all! Often a "harmony" instrument (guitar/keyboard varieties) is not actually required, and when it is, a KB is usually just as good as a RG. Not trying to put down RG, just feel your assertion is unfounded

 

[PostPunk22]

WOW great replies, info & examples!!!
Such great answers, and a wealth of knowledge here..thanks everyone for sharing it.
How about if we flip things a little with these questions:
What makes a crappy/bad rhythm guitarist? Is there anything they can do that would really musically frustrate a bass player when playing together?

 

[Nev375]

If there is a truly most important member of a band, it's the rhythm guitarst. No chords, no song.

The lead vocal melody IS the song. Whatever is playing that, be it a voice or a keyboard doing elevator Musak is the most important instrument. Everything else is just backing it up to various degrees. The song could have a prominent bassline, guitar riff, or drum riff that provide a signature definition of the song as well, they may even provide the hook. But nothing trumps the lead vocal melody. You can strip everything else away from almost any song and still whistle or hum that and it will be recognizable.

 

[JimK]

If there is a truly most important member of a band, it's the rhythm guitarst. No chords, no song.

I disagree.
...many of my favourite albums/concerts have no chording instrument present. No piano, no guitar, etc.
(e.g. 1-2 horns + bass & drums).
IIRC, in his Modal-phase, Miles Davis asked (demanded?) that the pianist lay out during solos. Davis wanted an open canvas...

Furtermore, Rock bands like Cream, The Who, etc...live, they have long passages(jams) of no one playing "chords". In both of these examples, both bands barely had a drummer that played "the time".

 

[JimK]

WOW great replies, info & examples!!!
Such great answers, and a wealth of knowledge here..thanks everyone for sharing it.
How about if we flip things a little with these questions:
What makes a crappy/bad rhythm guitarist? Is there anything they can do that would really musically frustrate a bass player when playing together?

Frustrate a bassist?
a) Playing bad voicings! "Chords" may only = 3 well selected notes vs. 6 notes (Barre chord?).
The Root may not be required.
This is akin to a pianist that likes banging out Root notes with their left hand.
IMO, Steve Khan is masterful at voicing his chords. By not playing a "Root", per se, Khan allows Anthony Jackson a ton of freedom. Check out some early Eyewitness albums.

b) How about general 'bad rhythm/bad time'?
Sometimes, the only thing needed is a chord on the backbeat (Beats 2 & 4)...strumming throughout the whole bar can destroy any ensemble-type interplay.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Speeds the tune up faster than any drummer I've encountered....that's what a rhythm guitarist does.

Okay, maybe it's just the guy in my band.

Riis

 

[Moley13]

The lead vocal melody IS the song. Whatever is playing that, be it a voice or a keyboard doing elevator Musak is the most important instrument. Everything else is just backing it up to various degrees. The song could have a prominent bassline, guitar riff, or drum riff that provide a signature definition of the song as well, they may even provide the hook. But nothing trumps the lead vocal melody. You can strip everything else away from almost any song and still whistle or hum that and it will be recognizable.

Yep, this too. Also, semantically, the origin of the word "song" (from German" is "that which is sung" - so it HAS to have a singer!

 

[DWBass]

Simple answer is a guitarist who doesn't play leads or solos. Mostly rhythm chords or 'chicken pickin'. Google Paul Jackson, Jr. He is the epitomy of what a rhythm guiatrist should be.....in my opinion. Nile Rogers as well. Lee Ritenour is another who plays both roles very well.

 

[SteveHeissner]

What does a rhythm guitarist do? In some bands he takes up extra space on the stage and pretends to be a bass player.

 

[bassinflorida]

Here is an additional comparison. Try and find an excellent rhythm guitarist that knows 'all the chords, and how to progress through chords to a 'lead' guitarist that does not know how. The rhythm guitarist will have a job when the lead guitarist does not.

 

[paulears]

As Mark Knopfler says
"You check out Guitar George he knows all the chords
Mind he's strictly rhythm he doesn't want to make it cry or sing"

 

[tangentmusic]

John Lennon: Rhythm Guitar
George Harrison: Lead Guitar