In a band with two or more guitarists, the most noticeable parts of the song are played by the lead guitar, while rhythm guitars support the lead guitar by picking up the rhythm, tempo, and chords of the song. The guitar is a universally loved stringed musical instrument played by music lovers all over the world. However, for students learning guitar, terms like lead guitar and rhythm guitar can be somewhat confusing as they do not see a difference between the guitars used by a lead guitarist and a rhythm guitarist. In a band, there is always a lead guitarist who plays the most noticeable sounds of the guitar. There are also other guitar players who pick up the rhythm and play the lines along with him. This article takes a close look at lead guitar and rhythm guitar to come up with their differences.
Key Takeaways
- Rhythm guitar is a style of playing the instrument that completes the music a band produces; it requires the ability to pick up chords and rhythm and provide a feel that is just right for the vocalist.
- Lead guitar plays the passages filled by the instrument, the melody lines, and solos in a song; it is what makes the song appealing to the audience and is often remembered for the most pleasing notes or sounds in a song.
- In a band with a single guitarist, the same player plays lead guitar as well as rhythm guitar; in a band with two or more guitarists, the most noticeable parts of the song are played by lead guitar while rhythm guitars support lead guitar by picking up the rhythm, tempo, and chords of the song.
