# Playing guitar in a hard rock trio. Tips?



## isoneedacoffee (Oct 31, 2014)

I've been playing in a hard rock trio for awhile now. It's kind of a mix between Sabbath, the Stooges, and (at times) Pink Floyd. I am both the singer and guitarist, and soloing within a trio has been pretty interesting... In the past I sang and played mainly rhythm. In the trio, I notice that without a guitar filling the mids in the background sometimes solos leave the entire sound a bit thin, sucking the energy out of the song. I have experimented with a bunch of things:

1) More fuzz and OD to beef things up (it works to a degree)
2) Play solos that are interspersed with rhythm sequences, and chords (it works well)
3) Play solos that have coherent, simple, phrasing (this works well)
4) I asked a former bassist to step on the fuzz during the solos, and this helped too. The current bassist doesn't use as many pedals (which is ok).
5) I use delay to fill things up a bit too. (that also works well)

I have been watching/listening to live recordings of the following bands with one guitarist for inspiration/ideas:
Led Zep
early Nirvana (before Pat Smear came on board)
early Grand Funk (before the keys)
Wolfmother
Dinosaur Jr
any other ideas?

I want to try using an octaver (sub and upper) as I saw both Cobain and the guy from Wolfmother use one to great effect.

Any other tips?


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

Look at some live Black Keys stuff. He covers a lot of ground as a 2 piece. And you should watch lots of Cream live, just because.


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## isoneedacoffee (Oct 31, 2014)

cboutilier said:


> Look at some live Black Keys stuff. He covers a lot of ground as a 2 piece. And you should watch lots of Cream live, just because.


 I'll look more into the Black Keys. As for Cream, I'm a big fan, but was really turned off by their most recent recorded show. Most people talk about them as one of the original (if not the original) power trios, and that show had no power. It sounded meek... and when Clapton soloed the energy went way down for me. Technically, I am not complaining about his style or technique - I've been to two of his concerts and I think he is phenomenal - but in terms of sound and energy, I thought it was really lackluster.


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## amagras (Apr 22, 2015)

When I started my trio I tried using playback, finding a keyboardist and finding a guitarrist with a midi system, by the time I started to get responses I was used to it and my playing subtly changed to accommodate the trio, the truth is we make a lot of noise now. To sum it up, you'll get used to it, learn to hear bass and drums playing together as music and everything you add on top will start to feel like a mean to enrich the songs instead of a must.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

John Mayers Trio was pretty tight too. 

Also live ZZ Top, especially the 70s-early 80s shows


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

play solos you can whistle. also, make sure your bassist is evolving as a player. he's the link that can make the difference. I really don't mind the trio thing. I actually prefer it. 

I do find though that there is alot to be said for real, risky jamming. that's what causes magic to occur, however there's risk. I find that the unique tension that is created gets felt by the audience. it's what made for the great guitar solos of decades past. 

also as a guitarist, start learning to play the drums. but play more like Animal or keith moon. pretend you're soloing most of the time. that rhythmic thought pattern will modify your inclinations when soloing on the guitar. that said, it could take some time, since, now that I think about it, Ive been playing drums for a long time. only in the last few years, has my playing the drums really improved; and I've noticed it on the guitar. Fewer notes, played as if it were a drumset. try it


bla bla, i digress.

Trio is always better. IMO 

I personally love my trio +


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## ezcomes (Jul 28, 2008)

I see a couple different scenarios...

Ask the bassist to be 'busier' ... It will fill up the sound
Get a loop pedal, run a stereo rig so you can have a 'rhythm' guitar behind the solo
Or...just play and dont notice it..you are (and maybe the band) the only ones that will 'hear' it


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

ezcomes said:


> I see a couple different scenarios...
> 
> Ask the bassist to be 'busier' ... It will fill up the sound
> Get a loop pedal, run a stereo rig so you can have a 'rhythm' guitar behind the solo
> Or...just play and dont notice it..you are (and maybe the band) the only ones that will 'hear' it


The drummer and bass have to be spot on for a looper to work. And the timing to engage it needs to be impeccable. I've seen loopers make people look like fools on stage too often.


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