Lead or rhythm guitar, where do you live?

[Deleted member 5962]

I play both. If I’m practicing a song, I play what’s required for rhythm. Sometimes it’s me playing and my daughter singing and that is my least favorite way to play. I like playing with others. I don’t like being the ONLY player because I like to break out of the rhythm more and not be tied to holding it down all the time. Sometimes I play along with another rhythm player and I play some rhythm, some fills melody or harmony, and then leads. Sometimes I play with multiple instruments, and I only play fills, melodies, leads. There are multiple scenarios I’m playing in now. From me being the only instrument with my daughter singing, to a semi-weekly gig with an acoustic rhythm player who sings, and I play rhythms and all leads, to playing with a bluegrass group (5 other instruments) to last Sunday playing with our orchestra. I sat right next to 3 violins and a cello, and played smooth singing lead medlies and harmonies throughout a song (Dumble preset on the AA3) with a 30 person orchestra and 70 person choir.

At home, I play rock and roll and spend more time trying to keep my chops up than working on rhythm playing. I work on smooth singing melodious type leads, and sometimes I play, really... really... pretty loud. I know you thought I was going to say “fast” but I didn’t.

 

[bodia]

I'm a ham fisted home player. I won't even play if my wife is in the room. A couple of licks, and the two or three riffs I know of any given song, if I'm at someone else's house, but I try to let them do all of the playing. I'd be "decent" if I could ever get into a routine. I'm OCD about a lot of things, but not playing. I need to correct that.

 

[dmatthews]

I'm a ham fisted home player. I won't even play if my wife is in the room. A couple of licks, and the two or three riffs I know of any given song, if I'm at someone else's house, but I try to let them do all of the playing. I'd be "decent" if I could ever get into a routine. I'm OCD about a lot of things, but not playing. I need to correct that.

I know this feeling.
Learning cover songs with a friend and starting a band with like minded and like abled players brought me out of my shell.
The killer app for me was being in a relaxed atmosphere.
Now I can hold my own rhythm wise.
Next I should work on lead, cuz I suck at it. Useless.
Then improv.

 

[danktat]

I would like to fancy myself a Trey Anastasio/Carlos Santana/Stevie Ray Vaughn type lead guitarist. But, alas, with another thirty years of practice I will never be quite that versed. BUT, I seem to have been picked up to do some rhythm work on some upcoming projects. So, that is what I am doing at the moment. Can't say that I am great at that either......but, if they tell me what to play, then I can play it......lol

 

[Alan Manning]

I must admit I'm more of a rhythm player than lead. Sure I can smack out some licks but iv'e always had a love for rhythm.
To the uninitiated I'm pretty alright I can improvise well enough to get by but I likes me a bit of widdem.!!!
I play mostly using my nails ( no picks flying around) Typical bluesy type licks when I go into one but one thing I do like is listening to jazz type feel.
That makes me want!!! So Sweet. (Oh Bugger I'm late for work See ya later) !!!!!!

 

[Huggy Love]

Sure I can smack out some licks

I'm pretty alright

I likes me a bit of widdem.!!!

Oh Bugger

....... ya gotta luv those Brits, they even have that accent ....... when they're just typing.

 

[Alan Manning]

....... ya gotta luv those Brits, they even have that accent ....... when they're just typing.

You'll do for me bruv!!!

 

[alantig]

I like to do it all! I try to play like SRV but can only wish to come anywhere close.

I play almost exactly like SRV.

Left hand for fretting, right hand for picking. Don't sound anything like him, but I play just like him.

.............. but I play lead on the neck pup a lot of the time.

That's kind of a coincident - I've been told my playing sounds like I'm standing on a pup's neck.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

When I pick up a guitar at home I aimlessly wank, when I play with people I just try to add something appropriate, when I write it starts with chords.

I’ve been lucky though, a lot of bands want me to play leads, which is cool because I spent an inordinate amount of my young life alone in a basement learning to do it.

 

[DickBanks]

When you play, practice, noodle, compose, or perform, where do you come from?

How about "50/50, I like to be a balanced player and give equal attention to both so I can meet some chicks?"

 

[Deleted member 5962]

How about "50/50, I like to be a balanced player and give equal attention to both so I can meet some chicks?"

Sorry, but that’s not how it works. Chicks dig shredders, which is why I shred, and why (cough) “some people” don’t like shredders!

 

[bodia]

I'm sorry, you asked where I live....Aurora,IL

 

[Deleted member 5962]

I'm sorry, you asked where I live....Aurora,IL

Wayne’s World, Waynes World, party time, excellent!

 

[jxe]

‘i’ll probably never leave aurora’

(thought it was aurora colorado at the time.)

 

[CandidPicker]

Although there wasn't a selection for what my answer would have been, here's my answer:

Some years ago, at our former blues jams, I used to be the rhythm/back-up player for a much better guitarist who'd close the night out with me and the house band. I'd usually play rhythm and perhaps have an opportunity to play lead if the better guitarist wasn't at the jam that evening.

If that were the case, the host of the jam would be the lead guitarist, and he'd let me pick up to 3 songs of my choice the house band could jam along with. Sometimes the host would be kind enough to choose some of the songs he'd already taught me and I'd have a chance to trade leads with him on those as well. My mentor taught me to play not just notes, but so that your note choice makes a statement. Some wise words there, if not teaching how to phrase notes into a story.

To answer the poll's question, years ago I strived for being a balanced rhythm/lead player, because the situation called for it. Nowadays, with less time spent at local open-mics, I find that my practice time is mostly spent towards jamming along to pre-recorded music and practicing leads over that. The not-so-obvious part is remembering to not solo extensively over vocals, and practice chord changes as the song calls for it.

Perhaps what IS worthwhile is utilizing practice tools such as iRehearse and using the app to enlarge/magnify/repeat the waveform while slowing down the tempo so as to see/hear the individual note choices as they occur within a song section. I'll be checking this out in a few weeks time as open-mic jam season gets under way. Not so much just now what with cooler wet weather, but onwards towards mid-May when the rainy season begins to dry out somewhat.

 

[merciful-evans]

there will be a little switch on your guitar, like this:

what you have it on is what you are.

yeah, but its upside down. There's no point having instructions on the pokerchip that only the audience can see. Loosen off that nut and rotate the disc into the reading position.

This is a much better thought out guitar

 

[merciful-evans]

On topic:

If you fingerpick, you can do it all !

 

[jxe]

i think the label is so the audience knows which guitarist you are. ‘john’ / ‘george’.

that guitar you posted looks like an italian toaster.

yeah, but its upside down. There's no point having instructions on the pokerchip that only the audience can see. Loosen off that nut and rotate the disc into the reading position.

This is a much better thought out guitar

 

[jxe]

like lindsay buckingham.

On topic:

If you fingerpick, you can do it all !

 

[merciful-evans]

i think the label is so the audience knows which guitarist you are. ‘john’ / ‘george’.

that guitar you posted looks like an italian toaster.

Well, its pretty versatile...