Function/cover band number of guitarists

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LestratcasterLestratcaster Frets: 1079
Should there be 1 guitarist in a covers/functions band? Or 1 and a keyboard? The ones I've seen not many use 2 guitarists I wonder why this is?

The only possible reason is more money for the band if they can keep the members down to say 4, or have the singer playing guitar.
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  • exocetexocet Frets: 1949
    Really depends upon the style of music that you are covering. I play in a generic “funk / dance” function band. Two guitars would be a pain to work with in my opinion, far easier for me to work out a single guitar part and have keys providing the backing. With Rock / Metal - I can understand the need for 2 guitars but there again, low paying pub gigs often shapes the line up.
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  • Danny1969Danny1969 Frets: 10357
    The covers bands I'm in have 2 guitars and keys with those 3 people also doing the lead vocals and harmonies. So 5 people in the band but then another guy mixing so 6 in total on the payroll. This config allows you to pretty much cover any song quite accurately but means gigs need to pay more. Where I live the moneys pretty good anyway so it's not too bad
    www.2020studios.co.uk 
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  • monquixotemonquixote Frets: 17485
    tFB Trader
    If you are trying to make money in pubs then two guitarists is a luxury unless one sings. If you are going to have an extra member a keys player opens up a lot more options.
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  • JalapenoJalapeno Frets: 6378
    If there's more than one guitar - you have to do arrangements so you both don't bash out the same 6-string barre chords on every nuimber - sounds dire .......
    Imagine something sharp and witty here ......

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  • BlueingreenBlueingreen Frets: 2584
    I'd say one guitar plus keys optimal for a function band. For a covers band depends on the styles being covered. 

    “To a man with a hammer every problem looks like a nail.”
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  • vonLayzonfonvonLayzonfon Frets: 108
    I am in two rock covers bands. A 5 piece with two guitars and a 4/3 piece. Working in that genre I would say that two guitars is a bonus. There have been times with the 4 piece where we have dropped songs because we couldn't make them work with one guitar. Although as a couple of members are quite flexible we do a few numbers that use two guitars, but we have to pick them carefully according to who's comfortable with what multitasking.
    Sometimes we go out as a 3 piece and adjust the set list accordingly. 
    Obviously from a money-grabbing point of view going out as a 3 piece is great, but that's not the only, or even main, reason we do it. 
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  • KebabkidKebabkid Frets: 3301
    edited May 2019
    What a few people have said - 1 guitarist and 1 keyboard player. I've normally done this but also used a Roland Guitar Synth

    My favorite set up is Lead Singer/Guitarist, Guitarist, Bassist, Keys and Drummer. There's enough room for the instruments to mix without clashing and offer backing for each other without it sounding empty, plus you also have to look at the personnel numbers and the pay roll and for each person getting a fair whack for what usually amounts to a full day's work with functions.

    I also think it's essential if you're a 4-6 piece to ensure band members are at least able to sing backing vocals and it's an added bonus when you have a couple who can take lead vocals, or can play another instrument.

    For rock stuff, 2 guitars probably works best and a keyboard player. I was once in a band that had 3 guitarists, but we were playing stuff by The Eagles, The Doobies, Steely Dan etc and it worked very well as the different parts were more or less already mapped out. I also think, with more than one guitarist, it helps to have different tones and be using different guitars, say one on LP and another on a Tele.





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  • pintspillerpintspiller Frets: 994
    One of ours doubles up on sax
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  • p90foolp90fool Frets: 31370
    My covers band has two guitarists and we play a huge variety of pop and rock covers. The other guitarist is one of our lead singers, but there are only a handful of songs in our 80-odd song set which I can't play without him. 

    Quite often he'll switch to bass if the usual bassist can't make it and I prefer it if I'm honest. 

    The alternative lineup is electro-acoustic, percussion and two girl singers and we play almost the same set as the main band. Funnily enough that one usually plays bigger venues and gets people on the dancefloor quicker, possibly because with only two instruments it's much tighter. 

    My ideal would be keyboards instead of rhythm guitar but there are no decent players where I live. 

    My experience generally with people who play "school" instruments on a semi-pro or amateur basis is that they have no idea how a band works and zero initiative. 

    The point is you can use any lineup if you have a strong singer and one or more instruments which generate a tight rhythm. 


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  • VaiaiVaiai Frets: 530
    Best setup is keys and guitar but my last two bands were 2 guitars - I think it helps if one is primarily rhythm and other is lead/main - that's how it is in my band and it's not an ego thing! I was hired as lead guitarist - the other guy gets a few solos and intros etc but he's happy not being primary guitarist.

    I'd say for functions - keys is best as it gives you options for dancier songs and especially 80's or piano stuff (plus it easier as a guitarist with keys as it can cover a lot of ground and fill sound!)
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  • stickyfiddlestickyfiddle Frets: 26754
    My old lot was covers for pubs & parties but not quite weddings. We had 2 guitarists, but both of us and the bass player all sang - sharing lead vocals and heavy on vocal harmonies.

    As noted, keys can be better if you want to do pop/disco/soul but don't discount 2x guitars - that works very well as long as both players are flexible/versatile and don't do the whole "I want all the solos" ego trip thing
    The Assumptions - UAE party band for all your rock & soul desires
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  • ESBlondeESBlonde Frets: 3576
    edited May 2019
    In a function style band you tend to find the money is a big deal for some people. If a good drummer or keys player can earn more elsewhere, they are likely to go there and earn it.
    So what you often find is that every mouth needs to earn thier crust. If you don't sing (at least harmony), that is a strike against you. If there is already a guitarist that doesn't sing, what are you both really there for?
    Keys are more flexible in the sound production in that they can reproduce the more modern pop songs as well as put in the horn stabs and synth fills on the more classic material.
    Getting the balance right between bass, keys and guitar is a skill worth learning. Less right hand from the piano player so the bass stands out. Less full on chords from the guitar so the piano/organ/keys find there own slot in the sound spectrum. Less is more!
    So a hungry band will want bass, drums, keys, guitar with the preference of 3 being able to vocalise. Adding a female front person is a great selling point, or a very talented male vocalist.
    That said I depped Saturday night with a 70s era pop/rock old gits band as second guitar/vocal, and they went down a storm. But you are restricted in the material you can chose. More modern stuff does require synth/keys (and a rapper?). Those fancy Key9 and Mel9 C9 etc. pedals from electro harmonix will get you out of trouble for some things, but are ultimately not a permanant solution for a decent band/set.


    Edit:
    Reading @p90fool above reminds me of the value that a decent electro acoustic can have on texture and versatility. If a second player can reqularly adopt that as thier instrument for the appropriate material it makes a huge difference in audience perception.
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  • LestratcasterLestratcaster Frets: 1079
    All very good points mentioned here cheers guys. I can't sing very well so yes that would count against me alot! I did do backing vocals in previous originals bands but its more simple shouts or harmonies singing lower octaves.

    I guess I'm coming more from a rock angle so it'd be natural to have 2 guitarists, but as mentioned before funk and disco stuff has less guitar emphasis.
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  • VaiaiVaiai Frets: 530
    I also forgot to say, a singer who can strum some chords or do acoustic can also go a long way and you can have no keys or full 2nd guitarist as such with that extra instrument in some songs.
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  • monquixotemonquixote Frets: 17485
    tFB Trader
    p90fool said:


    My experience generally with people who play "school" instruments on a semi-pro or amateur basis is that they have no idea how a band works and zero initiative. 

    The point is you can use any lineup if you have a strong singer and one or more instruments which generate a tight rhythm. 



    Yes I always thought people who could read music and played in orchestras were "proper" musicians but very few of them can improvise, solo, recover from mistakes and groove. A lot expect someone to arrange for them as well.
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  • ArchtopDaveArchtopDave Frets: 1367
    Jalapeno said:
    If there's more than one guitar - you have to do arrangements so you both don't bash out the same 6-string barre chords on every number - sounds dire .......
    Alternately, you can use your brain and musical knowledge, to inject some variety in to your performance. :)

    I mainly play rhythm guitar. I agree that simply knocking out the same chords in a couple of keys for most of the time is boring, so I do my best to inject some variety into how I play, and what variants of the chords I can play.

    The band, that I'm in, has the potential for up to 3 guitarists. One guy plays most of the lead stuff, and, up and until now, I've done the rhythm. Our main bass guitarist also plays a bit of guitar, and we've recently acquired another member, who plays bass guitar and saxophone, so, in future I can do a bit more than laying down the chordal stuff.
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  • JalapenoJalapeno Frets: 6378
    Jalapeno said:
    If there's more than one guitar - you have to do arrangements so you both don't bash out the same 6-string barre chords on every number - sounds dire .......
    Alternately, you can use your brain and musical knowledge, to inject some variety in to your performance. :)

    I mainly play rhythm guitar. I agree that simply knocking out the same chords in a couple of keys for most of the time is boring, so I do my best to inject some variety into how I play, and what variants of the chords I can play.

    The band, that I'm in, has the potential for up to 3 guitarists. One guy plays most of the lead stuff, and, up and until now, I've done the rhythm. Our main bass guitarist also plays a bit of guitar, and we've recently acquired another member, who plays bass guitar and saxophone, so, in future I can do a bit more than laying down the chordal stuff.
    Bit aggresive, but I agree, merely pointing out the need.
    Imagine something sharp and witty here ......

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  • GrunfeldGrunfeld Frets: 4028
    More musicians = more mouths to feed. 
    Personally, I really like the stripped down feel of just guitar, bass, drums, and vocals.  Most of my favourite bands are 4 pieces.  
    Also, as has been noted many times on here:  many musicians on the semi-pro scene are flakes and if you sound is good with four then you're increasing your chances of getting a flake with a fifth. 
    And 27thly, it never ceases to amaze me how it's worth having a go at rehearsing "big" songs for which you'd think you need a 2nd guitarist, keys, and a horn section.  Clever arrangement works wonders.
    Oh, and everyone on backing vocals.  Massive, massive difference to the sound.  Vocals punch above their weight in terms of impact.
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  • EricTheWearyEricTheWeary Frets: 16256
    Grunfeld said:
    More musicians = more mouths to feed. 
    Personally, I really like the stripped down feel of just guitar, bass, drums, and vocals.  Most of my favourite bands are 4 pieces.  
    Also, as has been noted many times on here:  many musicians on the semi-pro scene are flakes and if you sound is good with four then you're increasing your chances of getting a flake with a fifth. 
    And 27thly, it never ceases to amaze me how it's worth having a go at rehearsing "big" songs for which you'd think you need a 2nd guitarist, keys, and a horn section.  Clever arrangement works wonders.
    Oh, and everyone on backing vocals.  Massive, massive difference to the sound.  Vocals punch above their weight in terms of impact.
    Having been in 5, 6 and 7 piece bands the opposite applies as well - having to find stuff for people to do when the original recording is stripped down. 

    I suppose that many bands evolve evolve and there isn’t necessarily a blueprint of we need X+Y+Z+Q. There are also ( at least it seems) a lot more guitarists out there than any other instrument so if you want to flesh out your sound that’s the easiest default. 
    Tipton is a small fishing village in the borough of Sandwell. 
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  • slackerslacker Frets: 2216
    I've played in a few bands over the years on guitar and bass.

    The general problem with two guitar bands is ego. The last two covers bands advertised for a guitarist. One meant rhythm bitch. The other meant I'll do all solos except sax keyboards harmonica and anything in Eb.

    My current band is a start up and it's very much my band. I chose the players, sing lead vocals, choose the songs, own the free to them rehearsal studio and provide lots of brewdog. 

    The others ger to choose genres and bands but I choose the song. The other guitarist wanted Tom petty so I chose running down a dream and told him I was Tom he was Mike.

    He generally does most of the rock or improvised solos. I'll take lead on instrumentals and slide. We do handle with care and he just assumed I'd take the lead breaks.

    I've been in many bands without a clear leader or a knobhead lead vocalist. I'm both in my band but I look after the band. If a song choice doest click we drop it. Sometimes I'll drop in a song in rehearsal without warning and it works.

    So short version if two guitarists work together it can be fun. 
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