Issue #19 - Cosmic Debris Musicians Magazine - July /95
When asked what the rhythm guitarist does, I imagine most people (musicians and nonmusicians alike) would answer, "That's the one who strums in the background."
And of course a rhythm player strums from time to time. However within this specific role, an
accomplished musician can add a vast spectrum of color and feeling to the tunes being played. I don't hear enough of my fellow pickers taking advantage of the unlimited possibilities of this "art", so I write today to remind us all of it's importance.
Strip away all instruments in a song save the rhythm guitar. The frame of the tune is laid out - verses, choruses, bridges and all the little transitions between these main parts. A singer or soloist could "do their thing" over this foundation with the resulting sounds quite complete and satisfying. Folksingers often sing to the accompaniment of a single guitar, and that is all they need to do justice to the song.
In an ensemble (band) context, rhythm guitar helps to bridge the gap between the percussive drive of the drums and the melodies sung or played.
There are lots of techniques a rhythm guitarist can use to provide what's needed. Here are a few:
STRUMMING - Strumming can lay down a groove for a tune, but that's not all. Different inversions (different fingerings of the same chord from the bottom of the guitar neck to the top) of a chord emphasize different notes, and a careful combination of them can add an implied harmony to a melody, enriching it greatly. Subtracting a strum here and adding an extra there can create syncopations, "push" in the rhythm that can give the beat a swing, a bounce, a hip-hop, etc... making the music's movement more colorful and exotic.
A strum can be extended to sustain a chord, or cut off quickly to punctuate a stop or a change in the chord structure. Using a variety of related strums can give each part of a song (verse, chorus, bridge) it's own identity.
RIFFS - A riff is a melody line repeated over and over for rhythmic effect. It can be a simple two or three notes (like the fuzztone guitar in "Satisfaction") or a more complex collection (as in "Day Tripper"). In funk, one or two notes in an improvised syncopation can create a basic format for a singer or rapper to perform over.
A good riffmeister will intuit how to modify part to accommodate less symetrical structures, and even sense when combining a few chords within a riff will add drama to the rhythm part. ("Foxy Lady")
DRONES - In a drone, one note is repeated while other notes are played, creating a primitive sense of harmony. You can hear drones in bagpipe music, in the double low note boogie figures of Chuck Berry's rockers, and in the main guitar hook in U2's "I Will Follow". In the Door's classic "The End", Robbie Kreiger combined a droning D string with major and minor melodic figures in imitation of the sitar. (an East Indian string instrument-anybody remember Ravi Shankar?)
FINGER PICKING - In the most simple form, the right hand thumb alternately strikes two low strings sound in a chord formation while one or more fingers sound the high strings in a combination of left hand hammer-ons and pull-offs, notes other than those in the actual chord can be added to create melodic themes and fills. (as in Bruce Cockburn's "Wondering Where the Lions Are"). Traditional acoustic blues pickers often tap out a rhythm on one or two low strings with their right thumbs while plucking out melodic phrases on the high strings. (Check out John Lee Hooker's solo efforts)
ARPEGGIOS - In an arpeggio the notes of a chord are struck one at a time rather than all at once. You hear this technique in lots of rhythm and blues ballads such as Otis Redding's "I've Been Loving You Too Long".
An arpeggio gives a tune spare but melodic rhythmic support. (and with a bit of shimmering tremelo or chorus, sounds divine!)
These and other rhythm "tricks" can be combined to form colorful parts for various songs. In a riff tune, some drones may highlight a bridge or blend in with a solo. Strummed chords can alternate with finger picked passages, creating vivid dynamics for a deserving melody and lyric. In this way, a guitarist can have exciting and challenging parts to perform all the way through a song without doing a solo- what a concept!
One more trick - knowing when not to play. The music can be much more interesting when an instrument enters a tune part way through, or sits out a section and comes back in. It's exciting to play through a whole song (the momentum is intoxicating), but bringing a tune up and down with dramatic flair can be awsome. Just ask Beethoven !!
