LESSONS/TIPS
Why it’s okay to be a rhythm guitarist By Marco DiSandro The first step to being a great rhythm guitarist is not purchasing a metronome. It’s not even learning chords or performing with other musicians. It’s admitting to yourself that it’s okay to play rhythm guitar. The glamour, attention, and title afforded to a lead guitarist would make any band member jealous, and the appeal would make any guitarist want to demand, “It’s lead or nothing!” Aside from the lead singer, the lead guitarist is overwhelmingly considered the most important member of the
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band – certainly the most pivotal instrumentalist in the group. However, such considerations are simply inaccurate and stem from a lack of understanding of band dynamics, how songs achieve their sound, and guitarplaying in general. Most music fans don’t think about the importance of rhythm guitar; the sound of one rhythm guitar can create a group’s sound, influence the music it makes, and even direct the lead guitarist. As a rhythm guitarist, you’re more marketable than you –
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and others – realize. You have skills and knowledge that can be applied to various aspects of the music community. You just don’t know it yet. Let’s take a look at a few reasons why it’s okay to stand in the background, strum some chords, and be satisfied with playing second guitar. The band needs you To be a rhythm guitarist, you have to have, well, rhythm of course. You and the bass and drums are working in tandem. You three are the backbone, if not the entirety, of the song you are playing.
