Rhythm Players

feylya

Are there actually any decent rock style guitarists out there that are content with just pure riffing, not wanting to go and do and sort of soloing or intricate fills? It seems that 99.9% of guitarists that I've ever met want to play lead guitar, whether they can or not.

It mightn't be very interesting to do but it can be harder to do than soloing. Look at Kirk Hammett for instance - a decent enough soloer (depending on your taste), but for most of Metallica's albums, his rhythm work is pretty poor when he did play. Even live, Hetfield plays over him.

What's everyone's opinion? Are there guitarists content with being just rhythm players?

Giblet

Well in a band with two guitarists, ones gonna find out that he is weakest and become the rhythm, and from a bit of practice should become good at it.

feylya

Are there guitarists content with being just rhythm players?

That was my point, not if players are gonna be rhythm players, it was if they were going to be happy and satisfied with doing just that instead of trying to doing some soloing as well.

Epitaph

At the moment, I wouldn't consider myself half good enough to be the lead guitarist for the Artane Boys Band, never mind a decent band!

Only got a leccy recently, so I'm only starting fiddling with solos.

However, I much prefer playing rhythm. I'd be perfectly happy letting someone else play lead because at the moment, I wouldn't hold a candle to an experienced player, solo-wise. Lot better rhythm guitarist, would I be.

NeMiSiS

Hmmm...
See I dont think there should be a so called 'weak' player in a band..they gotta be able to hold their own. Like the stuff we are playing at the moment,we need a rythm player,and its pretty elaborate kinda stuff..so we need a 'good' rythm player.

But I couldnt give a rats ass wether the can pull off a solo better than me,let them on,theres always gonna be stuff one guitarist does better than an other and so be it. Its all about style..I dont know what Im getting at here..

I dont think id be purely content with rythm only..but ! Theres a lot to be said for two lead style players..dig ?

Bah

Tom

feylya

I'm not sure people are actually understanding what I'm asking. Yes, there are better rhythm players but I was just wondering are there any rhythm players who don't want to solo, not because they can't. It is cool having 2 lead players, can get some good harmonies going on.

Giblet

Well I don't know what other people are thinking, but I suppose that every guitarist tries as much as he can, and will add what he can to a song.
Wheter that makes him capable of lead or not.

Crash

tbh i'm completely happy playing rhythm. i enjoy the odd solo etc. but i am happy just riffing. mainly cus i play on my own and its the kinda thing i can just drift into rather than too much thought needed