The Music of Rhythm Guitarists in Rock n Roll

The guitar is one of the most popular instruments that exists, and it is played by thousands of professional and amateur musicians in countries all around the world. There are a number of different types of guitars spanning a diverse selection of styles and genres from classical to electric, and each type has their own distinct sound and style. Music bands usually have at least one guitarist as part of their band; but in most cases, they usually have two of them. One is usually the lead guitarist which is the one most kids dreams of being, while the other is the rhythm guitarist who usually stays out of the spotlight but whose guitar playing is vital to the band. If you are looking for the best guitar guides and reviews check out The Cook Trio.

Differences Between Lead and Rhythm Guitar

There are a number of differences between the two types of guitarists you'll commonly find in a band. The rhythm guitar is the backbone to the music, but the lead guitar can add riffs or solos on top of what the rhythm guitarist is playing. The rhythm guitarist will focus on playing the chords and riffs to a track and may play a variety of chord progressions such as fingerpicking or strumming. They will also often strum power cords as well as perform some of the background riffs. The lead guitarist is generally the band member that performs all of the solos during a performance and provides the melodies and riffs through the tracks. Many times, the lead guitarist will also perform backing vocals or harmonize with the lead singer. Take the Rolling Stones for example as vocalist Mick Jagger is often accompanied by the lead guitarist Keith Richards.

Learning Rhythm Guitar

Regardless of the type of guitarist you want to be, it is vital that you have an understanding of rhythm guitar. It will be very important for your development as a musician, and being in possession of a good sense of rhythm is a great way to stand out above other guitarists who simply want to play ten-minute guitar solos. There are a number of websites that you can visit that can help you learn to play such as All Stringed which is a very informative resource for learning guitar playing. Nearly all of the most famous rock songs are based on the foundations that have been laid by rhythm guitar. Without rhythm guitar, you are many times left with a bunch of different instruments that are creating a jumble of sounds. Many times, it's the rhythm guitar that holds it all together, and allows the other musicians in the band to feed off what each other are playing. Learning to play rhythm guitar also helps your timing skills which are very important when performing music. Without good timing, your sounds and music can be all over the place. Another reason why everyone should learn the basics of rhythm guitar is that it is actually very easy to do so. Many of the most famous rhythm guitar pieces you'll recognize from famous music tracks are very easy to learn. It's not like lead guitar which can take a lot more time and practice before you play certain riffs or solos properly.

Importance of the Rhythm Guitarist

Unfortunately, the importance of the rhythm guitar is often underestimated with all the praise and importance is thrust onto the lead guitarist since they are the ones performing the amazing solos and often taking center stage with the lead vocalist while the rhythm guitarist and bassist are often way back on stage out of the spotlights. However, without the rhythm guitarist, the music would be much different. Their role is of extreme importance, and they are considered to be the backbone for any band. It's what they play and do that allows other members of the band to play their own roles, feeding off the sounds and music from the rhythm guitar. The heavy metal band Metallica is a prime example of the importance of a rhythm guitarist. Can you picture them live on stage with the lead singer/rhythm guitarist James Hetfield just holding the microphone and singing along? Could you picture his towering stage presence without him actually holding a guitar in his hands? And finally, can you imagine how different their music would be without a rhythm guitar setting the backdrop to all of their music. When it comes to music being performed by guitarists in a band, the majority of guitar playing will be rhythm-based guitar which can range up to 95% of each song. The other 5% are the guitar solos. Just that statistic alone should show you how important and influential the rhythm guitar is for the rest of the band, and the music that they create.

Top Rhythm Guitar Players

There have been a huge number of great rhythm guitarists over the past 60 years or so, and many are still playing and performing to a high standard today. Below we will take a brief look at some of the most respected rhythm guitarists.

Pete Townshend: Townshend's performances with The Who during the 1960s were seen by many as ground breaking, and he set a new standard when it came to rhythm guitarists. His work has showcased how important rhythm guitar is to a rock and roll band.
Keith Richards: Though he is seen by many as the lead guitarist of the Rolling Stones, Keith is the backbone to the sounds and music of the Stones; and his rhythm guitar playing has been a huge influence on future generations of musicians. Without the rhythm playing skills of Keith Richards, the Rolling Stones would have been nowhere as successful as they have been.
Prince: The late Prince was one of the most talented musicians to appear over the past 50 years, and his music spanned so many different genres, that it was almost impossible to label him. His rhythm and lead guitar playing is second to none, and many times he talked about the importance of rhythm, with it being the core to any piece of music.
Tony Iommi: With his worldwide fame, Tony Iommi and his guitar playing inspired generations of musicians, and though many will talk about his riffs and opening chords in some of Sabbath's most famous tracks, his rhythm guitar playing was also vital to the success of the band.

Without the presence of a talented rhythm guitarist, many bands would have failed to materialize, or at the very least, they wouldn't have experienced such success as they did. From heavy rock groups such as Guns N' Roses through to the bands of the 1960s such as the Stones and The Who, the importance and influence of their rhythm guitarist can never be underestimated.