Rhythm guitar
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Rhythm guitar is the use of a guitar to provide rhythmic chordal accompaniment for a singer or other instruments in a musical ensemble. In ensembles or "bands" playing within the acoustic, country, blues, rock or metal genres (among others), a guitarist playing the rhythm part of a composition supports the melodic lines and solos played on the lead instrument or instruments, be they string, brass, wind, keyboard or even percussion instruments, or simply the human voice.
In the most commercially available and consumed genres, electric guitars tend to dominate their acoustic cousins in both the recording studio and the live venue. However the acoustic guitar remains a popular choice in country, western and especially bluegrass music, and is used almost exclusively in folk music.
Role
In popular music, the role of rhythm guitar is most often to provide the chord sequence or "progression" of a composition, frequently providing the rhythm or "beat" as well, usually as part of a rhythm section. In rock music and many of its sub-genres, a typical rhythm section minimally comprises rhythm and bass guitars, a drum kit and frequently a keyboard instrument, but may include a variety of other instruments, such as additional percussion, MIDI instruments, drum machines, turntables (for playing "samples" and "scratching") and equipment for playback of pre-recorded rhythmic accompaniment.
A guitarist "playing legs" plays a sequence of chords or arpeggios which embody the chord progression or "changes" that support the melody lines performed by the other instruments or voices. In contrast, the role of the lead guitar is to provide melody, countermelody and solos.
In rock music, the most common way to construct chord progressions is to play "triads", each comprising a root, third and fifth note of a given scale, or four-note chords, which include the sixth, seventh or ninth note of the scale. In some cases, the chord progression is implied with a simplified sequence of two or three notes, sometimes called a "riff", that is repeated throughout the composition. In 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 part 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 heavily distorted by overdriving the guitar's amplifier to create a thicker, "crunchier" sound for the palm-muted rhythms. A very good example of rhythm guitar virtuosity who is also widely cited as being an extremely influential rhythm guitarist is James Hetfield of the metal/hard rock band, Metallica.
In bands with two or more guitarists, the guitarists may exchange or even duplicate roles for different songs or different sections within a song. In those with a single guitarist, the guitarist may play lead and rhythm at different times or simultaneously, by overlaying the rhythm sequence with a lead line. A recent innovation is the use of a "looping pedal" to record a chord sequence or riff over which the lead line can then be played, simulating the sound achieved by having two guitarists.
Equipment
Rhythm guitarists usually aim to generate a stronger rhythmic and chordal sound, in contrast to the lead guitarists' goal of producing a sustained, high-pitched melody line that can be heard over top of the band. As a result, rhythm and lead players may use different guitars and amplifiers. Rhythm guitarists may employ an electric 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 is 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 flangers used by lead guitar players. Whereas the lead guitarist in a metal band is trying to make their 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, though, where the band is trying 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.
See also
