Rhythm guitar: Difference between revisions

In music performances, '''rhythm guitar''' is a [[guitar technique|technique]] and [[role]] that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the [[rhythm]]icrhythmic [[pulse (music)|pulse]] in conjunction with other instruments from the [[rhythm section]] (e.g., [[drumkit|drum kit]], [[bass guitar]]); and to provide all or part of the [[harmony]], i.e. the [[guitar chord|chords]] from a song's [[chord progression]], where a chord is a group of notes played together. Therefore, the basic technique of rhythm guitar is to hold down a [[chord sequence|series of chords]] with the [[fret]]ting hand while [[strumming]] or fingerpicking rhythmically with the other hand. More developed rhythm techniques include [[arpeggios]], [[Damping (music)#Guitar|damping]], [[riffs]], [[chord solo]]s, and complex [[strums]].

In ensembles or bands playing within the [[Acoustic music|acoustic]], [[country music|country]], [[blues]], [[rock music|rock]] or [[Heavy metal music|metal]] genres (among others), a guitarist playing the rhythm part of a composition plays the role of supporting the melodic lines and improvvisedimprovised solos played on the lead instrument or instruments, be they strings, wind, brass, keyboard or even percussion instruments, or simply the human voice, in the sense of playing steadily throughout the piece, whereas lead instruments and singers switch between carrying the main or countermelody and falling silent. In [[big band]] music, the guitarist is considered part of the [[rhythm section]], alongside [[Bass guitar|bass]] and [[drums]].

In the most commercially available and consumed genres, [[electric guitar]]s tend to dominate their [[Acoustic guitar|acoustic]] cousins in both the [[recording studio]] and live venues. However the [[acoustic guitar]] remains a popular choice in [[country music|country]], [[Western music (North America)|western]] and especially [[bluegrass music]], and almost exclusively in [[folk music]].

Most rhythms in rock and blues are based on 4/4 time with a [[Beat (music)#Backbeat|backbeat]]; however, many variations are possible. A backbeat is a [[syncopation|syncopated]] [[Accent (music)|accentuation]] on the "off" beat. In a simple 4/4 rhythm these are beats 2 and 4.<ref name=Grove>{{cite web|title=Backbeat |url=http://www.grovemusic.com |accessdateaccess-date=February 10, 2007 |year= 2007 |publisher=Grove Music Online }}</ref> Emphasized back beat, a feature of some African styles, defined [[rhythm and blues]] recordings in the late 1940s and so became one of the defining characteristics of [[rock and roll]] and much of contemporary [[popular music]].

Harmonically, in rock music, the most common way to construct chord progressions is to play major and minor "[[Triad (music)|triads]]", each comprising a root, third and fifth note of a given [[scale (music)|scale]]. An example of a najormajor triad is C major, which iscontains the notes C, E and G. An example of a minor triad is the aA minor chord, which isincludes the notes A, C and E. Interspersed are some four-note chords, which include the root, third and fifth, as well as a sixth, seventh or ninth note of the scale. The most common chord with four different notes is tgethe [[dominant seventh]] chord, which include a root, a major third above the root, a perfect fifth above the root and a flattened seventh. In the key of C major, the dominant seventh chord is a G7, which isconsists of the notes G, B, D and F.

[[Three-chord progression]]s are common in earlier pop and rock, using various combinations of the '''I''', '''IV''' and '''V''' chords, with the [[twelve-bar blues]] being particularly common. A four chord progression popular in the 1950s is I-vi-ii-V, which in the key of C major is the chords C major, a minor, d minor and G7. [[Minor chord progression|Minor]] and [[modal chord progression]]s such as I-bVII-bVI (in the key of E, the chords E major, D major, C major) feature in popular music.

In [[heavy metal music]], rhythm guitarists often play [[power chord]]s, which arefeature a root note and a fifth above, or with an octave doubling the root. There actually is no third of the chord. Power chords are usually played with [[distortion (music)|distortion]].

One departure from the basic strummed chord technique is to play [[arpeggio]]s, i.e. to play individual notes in a chord separately. If this is done rapidly enough, listeners will stilltend to hear the sequence as harmony rather than melody. Arpeggiation is often used in folk, country, and heavy metal, sometimes in imitation of older [[banjo]] techniquetechniques. It is also prominent in 1960s pop, such as [[The Animals]]' "[[House of the Rising Sun]]", and [[jangle pop]] from the 1980s onwards. Rhythm guitarists who use arpeggioarpeggios often favor [[semi-acoustic]] guitars and [[twelve string guitar]]s to get a bright, undistorted "jangly" sound.

The [[Soukous]] band [[TPOK Jazz]] additionally featured the unique role of ''mi-solo'', (meaning "half solo") guitarist, playing [[arpeggio]] patterns and filling a role "between" the lead and rhythm guitars.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kenyapage.net/franco/band.html|title=TPOK Jazz, members band members, guitarists, history|work=kenyapage.net}}</ref>

In some cases, the chord progression is implied with a simplified sequence of two or three notes, sometimes called a "[[riff]]",. That thatsequence is repeated throughout the composition. In [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]] (or just "metal") music, this is typically expanded to more complex sequences comprising a combination of chords, single notes and [[palm muting]]. The rhythm guitar partparts in compositions performed by more technically oriented bands often include riffs employing complex lead guitar techniques. In some genres, especially metal, the audio signal from the rhythm guitar's output is often subsequently heavilyrun distortedthrough bysome overdrivingform theof guitar'seffect pedal or overdriven [[guitar amplifier|amplifier]] in order to create a thicker, "crunchier" sound for the palm-muted rhythms.

In bands with two or more guitarists, the guitarists may exchange or even duplicate roles for differentvarious songs or differentseveral [[Section (music)|sections]] within a song. In those with a single guitarist, the guitarist may play lead and rhythm at differentnumerous times or simultaneously, by overlaying the rhythm sequence with a lead line.

The availability of electronicElectronic [[effects unit]]s such as delay pedals and reverb units enablesenable electric guitarists to play arpeggios and take over some of the role of a synthesizer player in performing sustained "pads",. whichThese arecan serve as sonic backgrounds in modern pop. Creating a pad sound differs from usual rhythm guitar roles in that it is not rhythmic. Some bands have a [[synthesizer]] performer play pads. In bands without a synth player, a guitarist can take over this role.

Some rhythm techniques cross over into [[lead guitar]] playing. In guitar-bass-and-drums [[power trio]]s guitarists must double up between rhythm and lead. For instance [[Jimi Hendrix]] combined full chords with solo [[lick (music)|lick]]s, [[double stop]]s and [[arpeggio]]s. In therecent 2010syears, "[[Tape loop#Loop Pedals|looping pedal]]s" arehave been used to record asupply chord sequencesequences or riffriffs over which the lead linemusicians can then beplay playedthe lead line, simulating the sound achieved by having two guitarists.

RhythmA guitaristsrhythm guitarist usually aimaims to generate a strongerstrong rhythmic and chordal sound, in contrast to the lead guitaristsguitarist's goal of producing a sustained, highoften higher-pitched melody linelines, that listeners can bedistinguish heard overabove the top of theother bandinstruments. As a result, rhythm and lead players mayoften use different guitars and amplifiers. Rhythm guitarists may employ an electric [[semi-acoustic guitar|acoustic guitar]] or a [[humbucker]]-equipped electric guitar for a richer and fatter output. Also, rhythm guitarists may use strings of a larger gauge than those used by lead guitarists. However, while these may be practices, they are not necessarily the rule and isare subject to the style of the song and the preference of the individual guitarist.

While rhythm guitarists in metal bands use distortion effects, they tend to use less of the modulation effects such as [[Flanging|flangers]] used by lead guitar players. Whereas the lead guitarist in a metal band is trying to make theirthe solo tone more prominent, and thus uses a range of colorful effects, the rhythm guitarist is typically trying to provide a thick, solid supporting sound that blends in with the overall sound of the group. In alternative rock and post -punk bands, however, where the band ismay tryingbe aiming to create an ambient soundscape rather than an aggressive [[Motörhead]]-style "[[Wall of Sound]]", the rhythm guitarist may use flanging and delay effects to create a shimmering background, or (as in [[The Smiths]] song "[[How Soon Is Now?]]"), a reverberating tremolo effect.

The rhythmic aspect of rhythmRhythm guitar ishas generallybeen much lessespecially important in [[jazz]]the thandevelopment in,of forjazz. instance,The rock orguitar pop.took Onover the otherrole hand,previously jazzoccupied guitaristsby arethe expectedbanjo to haveprovide deeprhythmic knowledge ofchordal harmonyaccompaniment.

[[Jazz guitar]]ists use their knowledge of [[harmony]] and jazz theory to create jazz chord [[Voicing (music)|"voicings,"]], which emphasize the 3rd and 7th notes of the chord. Unlike pop and rock guitarists, who typically include the root of a chord (even, with many open chords and barre chords, doubling the root), jazz guitarists typically omit the root. Some more sophisticated chord voicings also include the 9th, 11th, and 13th notes of the chord. A typical jazz voicing for the chord G7 would be the individual notes B, E, F, and A. This voicing uses the 3rd (the note B), the 7th (the note F), along with the 6th (the note E) and the 9th (the note A).

When jazz guitarists play chords underneath a song's melody or another musician's solo improvisations, it is called "''[[Comping (jazz)|comping]]"'', short for "''accompanying" {{Citation needed span|text=and for "complementing"''.|date=April 2010}} The accompanying style in most jazz styles differs from the way chordal instruments accompany in many popular styles of music. In many popular styles of music, such as rock and pop, the rhythm guitarist usually performs the chords in rhythmic fashion which sets out the beat or groove of a tune. In contrast, in many modern jazz styles within smaller, the guitarist plays much more sparsely, intermingling periodic chords and delicate voicings into pauses in the melody or solo, and using periods of silence. Jazz guitarists commonly use a wide variety of [[Inversion (music)|inversions]] when comping, rather than only using standard voicings.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://eden.rutgers.edu/~pfelton/inversions.html |title=jazz {{webarchiveguitar - advanced chords/inversions |website=eden.rutgers.edu |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930075616/http://eden.rutgers.edu/~pfelton/inversions.html |archive-date=September 30, 2011 }}</ref>

[[Gypsy jazz]] is acoustic music, usually played without a drummer. Rhythm guitar in [[gypsy jazz]] uses a special form of [[strumming]] known as "[[la pompe]]", i.e. "the pump". This form of percussive rhythm is similar to the "boom-chick" in bluegrass styles; it is what gives the music its fast swinging feeling. The strumming hand, which never touches the top of the guitar, must make a quick up-down strum followed by a down strum. The up-down part of la pompe must be done extremely fast, regardless of the tempo of the music. It is very similar to a grace note in classical music, albeit the fact that an entire chord is used. This pattern is usually played in unison by two or more guitarists in the rhythm section.

In funk bands, guitarists typically play in a percussive style, often using the [[Wah-wah pedal|wah-wah]] sound effect and muting the notes in their riffs to create a percussive sound. GuitaristGuitarists [[Ernie Isley]] of [[The Isley Brothers]] and [[Eddie Hazel]] of [[Funkadelic]] were notably influenced by [[Jimi Hendrix]]'s improvised solos. Eddie Hazel, who worked with George Clinton, is a notable guitar soloist in funk. Ernie Isley was tutored at an early age by Jimi Hendrix himself, when he was a part of The Isley Brothers backing band and lived in the attic temporarily at the Isleys' household. [[Jimmy Nolen]] and [[Phelps Collins]] are famous funk rhythm guitarists who both worked with [[James Brown]].

The [[guitar]] in reggae usually plays the chords on beats two and four, a musical figure known as [[skank (guitar)|skank]] or the 'bang'. It has a very dampened, short and scratchy [[chop chord|chop]] sound, almost like a percussion instrument. Sometimes a double chop is used when the guitar still plays the off beats, but also plays the following 16th or 8th beat on the up-stroke. Depending on the amount of swing or groove, this next secondary stab is often the 16th note sounding closer to an 8th placement in the rhythm. An example is the intro to "[[Stir It Up]]" by [[The Wailers]]. Artist and producer [[Derrick Harriott]] says, "What happened was the musical thing was real widespread, but only among a certain sort of people. It was always a down-town thing, but more than just hearing the music. The equipmen,tequipment was so powerful and the vibe so strong that we feel it."<ref>Bradley, Lloyd. ''This Is Reggae Music:The Story Of Jamaica's Music.'' New York:Grove Press, 2001</ref> Reggae chords are typically played without overdrive or distortion.