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  #16  
Old 07-29-2004, 07:47 PM
taygull taygull is offline
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Great stuff, thanks guys!

Now we are on track!
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  #17  
Old 07-30-2004, 09:35 PM
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For a really great discussion, listen to interview by Fingerstyle Guitar Magazine of Paul Yandell (Chet's sideman). He makes a great case for the value of a rythym player.
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  #18  
Old 07-30-2004, 09:40 PM
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Check out this thread. A few of the entries comment on rythym playing.
http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...1&page=1&pp=15
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  #19  
Old 07-31-2004, 10:18 AM
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I think being a great rhythm player involves a few key elements:

1. Great ears. The ability to listen to what's going on around you and "play into" what's going on.

2. Controlled ego. To be a good rhythm player, you have to realize you're probably not the "star" of the show, and be willing to make everyone around you sound better.

3. Great sense of Style/ ability to lay down the groove. Knowing what to play when, and keep the groove flowing so whoever has the melody (and the audience) is drawn into the performance.

4. Ability to play at a steady tempo, drums or not.

Just some random thoughts.
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  #20  
Old 08-01-2004, 01:01 AM
4Gtrs 4Gtrs is offline
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Bob W had a related post on 'antiphony', germane to this topic. Talked about voicing a song when more than one guitarist is playing. Really struck home to me (a rhythm player).
Sorry, can't find it in the Search engine...maybe someone else can pull it up.
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  #21  
Old 08-01-2004, 10:00 PM
jim_n_virginia jim_n_virginia is offline
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To me.. a Rhythm guitar player plays chords and strums and fills in....that simple. And the lead guitar player is just that...THE lead guitar player and generally the better player, but not always. I have known a few so called Rhythm guitar players who were fantastic pickers!

Sort of like lead singer and backup singerers. The lead singer is generally better and the backup singers..well just back him/her up.

In a perfect world.. two guitar players who are in tune with each other and know all each others licks and are well rehearsed will trade off and share the limelight.

A PERFECT example of this is my old favorite the Eagles. Everyone in the band including the drummer took turns singing AND playing lead.
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  #22  
Old 08-01-2004, 10:24 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jim_n_virginia
To me.. a Rhythm guitar player plays chords and strums and fills in....that simple. And the lead guitar player is just that...THE lead guitar player and generally the better player, but not always. I have known a few so called Rhythm guitar players who were fantastic pickers!

Sort of like lead singer and backup singerers. The lead singer is generally better and the backup singers..well just back him/her up.

In a perfect world.. two guitar players who are in tune with each other and know all each others licks and are well rehearsed will trade off and share the limelight.

A PERFECT example of this is my old favorite the Eagles. Everyone in the band including the drummer took turns singing AND playing lead.
Many backup singers I know can sing rings around the frontperson--who fronts the band either because (s)he's the leader/songwriter, can't sing harmony or play an instrument and/or has a more unusual and distinctive (not necessarily "better") voice (think James Iha vs. Billy Corgan, Jane Wiedlin vs. Belinda Carlisle or Vicki Peterson & Michael Steele vs. Susanna Hoffs). And I know many rhythm players who are far better and more versatile guitarists than the lead guitarists--not just "Guitar George"s who "know all the chords" but are "strictly rhythm" and don't "want to make it cry or sing" (thanks, Mark Knopfler). IMHO, "rhythm guitar" is a misnomer--I prefer the term "primary guitar;" and look on the lead player as more of a soloist and/or contrapuntalist.

Best rhythm guitarists in the business, IMHO: Nancy Wilson, Adrian Belew, Keith Richards, and Pete Townshend--all of whom are capable of playing lead.
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  #23  
Old 08-02-2004, 05:31 PM
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I think this has been mentioned already, but IMO you need rock solid tempo whether or not the bass and drums are playing. Once you've got that down, then you can start 'feeling' things in the music, like playing on top of or behind the beat, or pushing and pulling the tempo.

Of course this applies to everyone in the band, but the lead guitarist has a little more freedom to be sloppy.
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  #24  
Old 08-08-2004, 07:57 AM
Heliman Heliman is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jonesbrass
I think being a great rhythm player involves a few key elements:

1. Great ears. The ability to listen to what's going on around you and "play into" what's going on.

2. Controlled ego. To be a good rhythm player, you have to realize you're probably not the "star" of the show, and be willing to make everyone around you sound better.

3. Great sense of Style/ ability to lay down the groove. Knowing what to play when, and keep the groove flowing so whoever has the melody (and the audience) is drawn into the performance.

4. Ability to play at a steady tempo, drums or not.

Just some random thoughts.
In the late 60's early 70's I was in a band with a very talented drummer/percussionist. He could play virtually any type of music and impress anyone watching/listening. Years passed and we went our separate ways.

Then during the mid-80's I was watching the Country Music Awards and there was "my" drummer playing for Ricky Skaggs (male vocalist of that year)! A couple years later he was playing for Vince Gill (male vocalist of that year). Just recently he has been playing for Patty Lovelace, and just came off a road tour with Earl and Randy Scruggs.

A few years ago I posed pretty much this question to him: "Why do you think you have done well in the music industry when so many extremely talented drummers are waiting in the wings?"

His response was essentially what you have just stated. He also added that he makes a point of keeping his "nose clean", always showing up early for a session, tries to give the producers exactly what they want, and tries to never "stand out" in the mix. He has a reputation as one of the most skilled and dependable professional musicians in Nashville.

From my perspective, I would think the "ego" thing would be the hardest thing to swallow, especially if I were of that statue.

Respectfully yours,

Heliman
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