Lead over rhythm

Lestratcaster

Just been researching other guitar tutors around me by going on Instagram and all the social media malark.

I find alot of the posts are of them noodling and shredding super fast licks, but to me it doesn't do anything. Ok yes its impressive you are technically proficient and can play really fast, but where is the connection with a potential learner?

How comes people put more into lead playing than solid accurate rhythm? 90% of guitar playing whether you're a working musician or a bedroom jammer will be rhythm. Can you imagine if Jimi Hendrix/Eddie van Halen played their songs sloppily and out of time?
When you do a cover people always want to hear the solo. But what about the iconic riff as well? Why do radio stations normally talk over the guitar solo?

I'm interested to hear thoughts and debate on this.

stratman3142

Perhaps they think that the solo shredding stuff will appeal to most (but not all) potential students. But I agree that rhythm is what guitarists do more than 90% of the time.

Danji

Regardless what you’re playing if it’s out of time it will be less effective.

Quick disclaimer, this doesn’t include playing ahead/behind the beat intentionally, that’s seriously good fun. 

AlexC

Without getting a bit too 'the perception of the electric guitar in modern society' about this - there's a sort of assumption that people looking for electric lessons are young guys who love metal. Whether this is right or not, I don't know... but certainly if I end up talking to a regular Joe then there is a kind of assumption that the electric guitar is about making squealing noises with your tongue stuck out. And - as we all know - 90% of what a guitarist does is support a song in some way, not dominate it. And rightly so. The better I've become at guitar the less I do. As a teen I played hell for leather, but tempered it with strumming Dylan songs. Guess which one is more durable! 

Phil_aka_Pip

John Lennon said something along the lines of "the rhythm guitar is what drives the song". He was a very good rhythm player, and I think he was right.

Radio stations talk over the guitar solo because they're ignorant idiots.

stickyfiddle

I'm not really interested in lead or rhythm guitar in isolation, but all the best players are better rhythm players than lead players. But those guys best bits are usually where they're not just playing chords but doing something interesting within that, driving the whole thing along but keeping our of the way of the vocal.  

I'm thinking Pete Townshend on almost everything he's ever played, Malcolm Young after the solo in Shoot To Thrill (the occasional runs up the low E string from 3:40 onwards), Lindsey Buckingham on Rhiannon, Thom Yorke's acoustic on Go To Sleep. 

Phil_aka_Pip

@stickyfiddle Pete Townshend is a brilliant rhythm player

People ask my if I "play rhythm or lead". I just say I'm a guitarist. I play what's needed at the time, I'm happy to comp or take a solo. Although soloing is more fun