Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a guitar that is primarily used to provide rhythmic and harmonic accompaniment for a singer or for other instruments in an ensemble. The term refers to the use made of the instrument, not to its construction. The role of the rhythm guitar may be regarded as the complement to that of the lead guitar.
Purpose
A rhythm guitar provides the pulse or rhythm for a song, and to provide harmony that supports the other instruments or voices, in contrast to the lead guitar, which provides melody. A rhythm guitar, therefore, is simply a musical concept which implies almost any guitar played in a way where it supplies the rhythm in conjunction with the bass guitarist and the drummer, usually in a rock band. For example, during solos, or "lead breaks", or during short "fills". Also, good rhythm guitar players often have melody in their playing, and lead guitarists are seldom ignorant of rhythm playing, and may use chords or strong rhythmic playing in their solos. A rhythm guitarist supplies the layer of rhythm on top of which the melody is either played using another instrument or sung by a person.
In rock music, the rhythm guitarist is typically expected to play a sequence of chords, called a chord progression, around which the song is constructed. Often this chordal accompaniment is simplified to a cluster of two or three notes, sometimes called a "riff", that is repeated. In metal, this is typically extended to more complex sequences consisting of a combination of chords, single notes and palm muted parts, while the more technical bands often play riffs which may use lead guitar techniques. In jazz or swing music, the rhythm guitarist is also expected to integrate a moving bass or counter-melody in his or her playing.
There is no defining line between a rhythm guitarist and lead guitarist, and if there is only one guitarist in the band, or if the songs require it, the guitarist may have to play lead and rhythm at different times. Thus, guitarist can play both rhythm and lead—it just depends on the parts that he or she plays in each song, and the capability of that guitarist.
Patterns
Rhythm guitarists sometimes use heavier strings than lead guitarists. To further differentiate the guitar sounds, rhythm and lead players usually use different guitars. Many styles employ both an acoustic rhythm guitar alongside a electric lead guitar, especially rock and country.
Styles
There are a many specific styles of rhythm guitar:
- Big Band, as exemplified by Freddie Greene of the Count Basie Orchestra
- Western swing as played by Eldon Shamblin of the Bob Wills Orchestra
Noted rhythm guitarists
+ Buddy Holly of The Crickets
- Gem Archer of Oasis
- Syd Barrett of Pink Floyd
- Chuck Berry, who often played both lead and rhythm tracks
- Stone Gossard of Pearl Jam
- James Hetfield of Metallica
- David Knopfler of Dire Straits (early career)
- James Root of Slipknot
- Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park
- Izzy Stradlin of Guns N' Roses
- Pete Townshend of The Who, although the band's only guitarist, Townshend's playing took on the role of rhythm on many songs due to the virtuoso bass guitar playing of John Entwistle
- Malcolm Young of AC/DC
- Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones. Often alternates lead and rhythm parts with other Stones guitarists, but is most noted for his strong rhythm work.
- James Iha of The Smashing Pumpkins
- Brad Whitford of Aerosmith
- Simon Nicol of Fairport Convention
- Paul Stanley of KISS
- Pat Smear of Nirvana
- Wurzel of Motörhead
- Tom Petty of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
- Bob Weir of The Grateful Dead
- Sylvain Sylvain of New York Dolls
- Scott Ian of Anthrax