Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I'm predominantly a bass player, and I tend to play "lead bass" at times. But I started on guitar back in 1977 and have continued guitar faithfully since then. I play both rhythm and lead styles, but my leads are typically in the midrange of the instrument, mixing in double and triple-stops, and all that stuff.

I am strictly a rhythym player. I also play bass in a local wedding band. Guitars- Ric 360/12, Jap strat, Gordon Smith SG2, Gordon Smith G90 Bass - Ric 4003 Maple Glo, Ric 4003 Midnight Blue, Rogue Beatle Bass copy
My first post on this great forum!

Welcome to the forum Geoffrey.

Thanks man! Glad to be a member of such a cool place.

Dude! I thought I posted here... now I don't see it - I'm going crazy.


Anyway, welcome!

I am primarily a rhythm guitar player. In fact, I was at a conference where people have name tags and certifications and stuff on their name tags and I slipped in "RG&V" on my name tag among the alphabet soup. It was a great ice-breaker because people were constantly asking me what it stood for and they loved it when I told them "Rhythm Guitar and Vocals".

I can play lead but not really well and when it works it's typically a lead pattern I've sat down and worked out or copied from tab or internet. I'm playing bass with a cover band right now and I find it a lot easier to "make up" lines on that as opposed to lead guitar parts.

I do enjoy the scale exercises though and I have a G-Dec that I'll occasionally turn on and play against just to see what comes out.

I'm more-or-less uninterested in playing leads, apart from simple worked-out ones (like Harrison did in the early days). My goal for the time being is to build my repertoire of songs on which I can play rhythm and sing at the same time.

- Scott

I do both. The fact that I was a drummer first and a guitar player second has been beneficial in terms of grounding me as a rhythm player. I worked for years with a metronome/click to develop good time, and I believe I have done that well. Playing lead was something I did automatically, I guess, after listening to Chuck Berry, Clapton, Richards, Townshend, McGuinn and many others in college, and taking it from there, picking up influences along the way. Blues was a big "shaper" of my style, particularly B.B. King. Paul Kossoff was a huge influence. His vibrato always hooked me right in. John Cipollina always floated my boat. Playing rhythm guitar seems like a lost art among young kids today. All they want to do is shred.

I'd say I am a chords, riffs and bridge-building player, all encompassing, a songwriter. I believe most people who don't play music, but only listen, would venture to say the singer is the most important member of any band. Many musicians might agree. I believe the songwriter is the most important member, no matter who has lead vocal, or who has lead guitar. Others may disagree, but overall, music doesn't transmit if someone doesn't write it!

Addendum: If you are the songwriter/guitarist, often times that may include being a rhythm player, power chord master, lead player, colorist, etc.

...wisdom through rhythms

I hate playing leads, but I have to. I even make up leads and force the other guitarist in my band to play them. I'm a tyrant.

adibitar69 wrote:Hii,

I am adi bitar from Dubai, I am not playing any musical instrument but i like to listen music.

Welcome, Adi! Just being a music listener is good, too!

I see you are not far from Abu Dhabi, do you go see the Formula 1 races there every year?

Strummer with crowing obligato.

Right now am learning to play guitar, two days back only i joined an institution. So nothing much idea about that.