# Would you rather....



## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Incredibly artificial scenario, I know, but what they hey.

Would you rather:

a) Be a lead guitarist with a solid rhythm player behind you, regardless of your own level of skill?

OR

b) Be a rhythm player behind a _really_ good lead player?

I'm assuming this is within the context of a minimum 4-piece band. No power trios allowed.


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## jbealsmusic (Feb 12, 2014)

The latter for sure... When people play well, I can listen to them for hours. I can only handle my own lead playing for so long before it feels stale.


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## Guest (Oct 26, 2018)

b


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Well since you take into account my actual skill level, B! Haha.


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## marcos (Jan 13, 2009)

Tough question Mark. In the classic country trio i play in, the signer is a solid acoustic player and really fills up all the holes while i noodle around. Having said that, i have had the extreme pleasure of tagging along on rythm with some Ottawa's best pickers and found it very fulfilling. My other pop rock band i play in, i am the only guitarist so get to do it all.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Tough question. 

In my last cover band, the singer/bandleader played rhythm but still depended on me to carry most of the rhythm and all the lead chores (except when the lead was played by the keys or blues harp player when we had either. In reality, I think of the rhythm and lead as being combined as that's most of my experience. The secret is knowing where to economize.

If I had to choose from the stated choices, I guess I'd be the solid rhythm player like I am in my fiddle/guitar duo where I play a zillion chords and rhythms behind the stellar melody player. My job is way more fun than either having to memorize or read melodies at the speed of light. We could easily add two more pieces (say any of vocals, drums, keys, and bass for example) without affecting my role very much.


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## gtrguy (Jul 6, 2006)

I've been in the 'B' category- primarily playing rhythm behind a stellar lead player and I loved it. Playing with superior musicians is always a pleasure and a great way to learn and build your own skills.


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## Chitmo (Sep 2, 2013)

Option C, have a stable job with a good income and continue to play as a hobby and entertain my cats!


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

I kind of like the situation where both guitarists are playing leads (EG the Stones guitar interplay) and a lead guitarist would be playing solos. I love writing leads and melodies, especially that have 2 guitar parts. But I'd be fine not soloing.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I've never thought of it as a Rhythm and Lead guitarist. In my view, you're either a guitarist or not.

I like a role where someone does the bulk of the heavy lifting and I get to toss in fills and leads.


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## johnnyshaka (Nov 2, 2014)

At my weekly lesson last night my instructor had me playing a lick over and over again but wanted me to try to alter my phrasing every time through the lick. While I was doing that he started playing chord progressions to try to put the lick into context and highlight different tones at different times...it was awesome! Doing something like that really drives home how important rhythm can be because it felt like he was playing "lead" with his choice of chords.

This stuff just blows my mind sometimes!

Anyway, to answer the question, I'd be more than happy to be a solid rhythm player behind a shit hot lead player...let him get all the girls...I'm happily married and can't afford a divorce.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

One of my guitar heroes is Steve Cropper; primarily rhythm, with fills here and there that "complete" songs.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

mhammer said:


> One of my guitar heroes is Steve Cropper; primarily rhythm, with fills here and there that "complete" songs.


I met the Colonel in the Nashville airport around 2015. I have a picture somewhere.

He was very gracious and seemed to appreciate my condolences on the loss of his buddy Donald Duck Dunn.

The funny thing was, I was sitting in first class and he was in coach. A flight attendant stopped to tell me there was some " rock celebrity" on board and asked if it was me.

Face palm moment.

Edit: Turns out it was 2012. See below


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

The envy is dripping out of my ears.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I was surprised I recognized him. In my minds eye I picture him as seen in the Blues Brothers movie.

Super nice guy. What a legacy.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)




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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

From what I believe is the same episode.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

johnnyshaka said:


> Anyway, to answer the question, I'd be more than happy to be a solid rhythm player behind a shit hot lead player...let him get all the girls...I'm happily married and can't afford a divorce.


The joke around here is that my wife always goes home with a guitar player.


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## johnnyshaka (Nov 2, 2014)

Mooh said:


> The joke around here is that my wife always goes home with a guitar player.


Just to be clear, you're a guitar player, right?


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

mhammer said:


> The envy is dripping out of my ears.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Milkman said:


> View attachment 229186


nice, heres me with colonel sanders


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Milkman said:


> View attachment 229186


Now THAT's a selfie!


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

mhammer said:


> Now THAT's a selfie!


I'm quite positive that judging with the naked eye, common knowledge and by definition its far from one. It doesn't mean that one isn't seeking the usual level attention and approval by posting this particular picture for the 6th or 13th time.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

(Hmmm, never hit this "ignore" feature before... wonder what it does?) 

COOL!


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

mhammer said:


> Now THAT's a selfie!


An honour to breathe the same air as him.

I mean, he co-wrote Sitting on a Dock of the Bay with Wison Pickett, not to mention much of the Motown stuff.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

KapnKrunch said:


> (Hmmm, never hit this "ignore" feature before... wonder what it does?)
> 
> COOL!


I mean Milkman can be a bit of a drama queen but I don’t think it’s necessary for you to put him on the ignore list. Heck, if a snowflake millennial like myself can deal with it, I’m sure a tough as nails manly boomer adult like yourself can deal with his little internet antics. No?


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

I'm a lead player through and through. I love to lay back and embellish the song with little fills to accent the rhythm.

I'm too shitty of a rhythm player to do it exclusively.


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

My kingdom fir a good rhythm player. 

A


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## LanceT (Mar 7, 2014)

vadsy said:


> nice, heres me with colonel sanders


Yeah but who's the guy in the white suit?


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

I'm happy in either role, and I hope the other guitar player is as well. So:

c) both can play rhythm and lead equally comfortably and swap back and forth. They don't have to be great at both, but both have to be capable of holding their end up, and hopefully have their own things to play/say, complementing each other.


What I will absolutely not tolerate is:

d) playing with a guy who can only play lead/solos, can't play any rhythm and insists on noodling over everything else, from the singer to the harp player to the key's solos to the other guitar player's solos. 

That is not a situation I will abide for long and will usually end up with me taking a break until the self-appointed soloist takes a break. And he usually suffers badly without a rhythm player to lean on - the songs usually fall apart.


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## Swervin55 (Oct 30, 2009)

I'd rather be a solid rhythm player all the way!


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

I wouldn’t be happy doing just one or the other for long.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

KapnKrunch said:


> (Hmmm, never hit this "ignore" feature before... wonder what it does?)
> 
> COOL!


It keeps A-holes off your radar. My list is short, but it does help.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

My goal/desire/preference from way back in high school was to be primarily the rhythm guitarist--I love cranking out power chords & regular ones as well.

Give me a lead part & solo here & there--and some co-leads, sure, but mostly let me play chords or riffs.

That was my plan way back when--and so while the band thing never worked out I still feel that way, which is probably why I wound up playing bass more often recently.
Of course you need a good lead player--who has a good sense of timing/rhythm.
(Although I had one telling me I had the timing wrong on a riff I wrote--I mean I wrote the riff--that's the timing. He didn't mean-"It might sound better if you played it this way" he meant I was wrong)


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

Rhythm with a solid lead player.


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## SWLABR (Nov 7, 2017)

When it comes to lead playing, my buddy and I are fairly equal, but his rhythm playing is so much better than mine! He is so solid! I wish I could hold the pocket the way he does. And not just basic 1-2-3, 1-2-3 stuff either. He changes chord shapes up the neck etc. And it seems effortless. Meanwhile, when it's my turn I'm trying so hard just to keep tempo. 

I guess my answer is "B". Because I'm not, but envy those who can. More so than a flashy lead.


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## SaucyJack (Mar 8, 2017)

I was rhythm behind a fantastic lead player for a few years and loved it!


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## jimmythegeek (Apr 17, 2012)

I would love to be the kind of rhythm player that Jim Hall was. Steve Cropper would be cool too!


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