What to play when it's just guitar and piano

[TaylorJoe]

Hi Everyone,
I play in a worship group which usually has the great combo of 2 guitars, a slide trombone, a flute, a violin and a piano.
But occasionally it's just me and the piano. The piano tends to heavily dominate the sound.

The problem is that I'm mainly rhythm in the regular group, so I need some advice on technique and style to try to better balance the duo?

Hope my question makes sense,
Joe


From my iPhone

[RodB]

Many years ago I played as a duo - guitar and piano. We found it difficult - especially at first - to give each other 'room', and in the end the piano tended to carry the tune along with me doing a lot of rhythm playing. I took the lead sometimes to vary things, but the pianist had to be very conscious of what and where he played, taking on the role of supplying the rhythm.

Given that you already play rhythm guitar in your combo I would say you are already at some advantage, with much then dependent on the pianist.

To try to answer your specific question, I did move around the neck, varying where I played a given chord to create more interest and trying to move away from where the piano was filling the sound.

Enjoy the experience!

[MC5C]

Basically you need a piano player who listens. They are a one man band, they got all the bass, all the chords and all the melody all the time - if they want to. They have to leave you room, which can be as hard as get a new piano player or put your guitar back in the case, or just have a chat and say "I want to play this like that here, so you just play the melody", or "I want to play a solo for these 8 bars, so you just play a bass line and comp a few quiet chords for me"

Getting a piano player to not play all the notes can be really hard, because they are taught as a solo instrument from the very beginning.

[Pualee]

Ask the piano to move the left hand down an octave and the right hand up an octave.

Then you are in different sonic space.

[TaylorJoe]

Hi all sorry for the tardy reply, was a bit off the net for a while . Thanks for all the great suggestions


From my iPhone

[trking]

I'm primarily a piano player ... Been playing since I was 9, and I'm fitty years'ol, now ..... and THIS question about the guitar and piano duo is an excellent and very meaningful question, along with its replies.

I will also add, as a piano player, and based on these responses, that piano players tend to think they know it all .... I'm one of them ... Often, I "think" I'm the heart of it all ....

After playing many years, you begin to realize, it's about the "mix" ... the "band" and "give and take" ... and the willingness to "pass the ball" to somebody else, and let them run with it .... and bottom line ... it's NOT all about me....

At the same time .... I would have LOVED it if my guitar players would have come to me in the past and said, "Hey ... I'd like to try this .... what do you think?" Instead of saying, "I'm going to do this...." make it a team effort, and make the suggestion, "Hey, what do you think?" and then .... from there, figure out what each of you will do.... for example, I would "block" the chords, while the guitar player performs the rhythm ....

I have been dabbling in guitar for a couple of months ... so ... I am BRAND NEW to this .... I've given up on it years because of my hands being so small .... and moved to UKULELE as a result .... and finally decided, "You know what ... don't give up... " and went with a Taylor MINI GS-E .... and I LOVE it... I'm having so much fun, and am looking forward to starting to bring that into our worship service....

Any ways ... just wanted to comment on the question at hand from the OP....

THIS is a really nice forum ... and it's nice to read all of the feedback ... You guys are REALLY helpful, and I really appreciate it....