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Have you ever dreamed of getting on stage with your band and being the center of attention with your skilful guitar playing? In that case, you might just be a future lead guitarist. As the name suggests, the lead guitar is the one that ‘leads’ the band’s instrumental track.
The terms ‘lead’ and ‘rhythm’ guitar can be quite confusing. After all, both use the same instrument. In this article, we’ll clear things up a bit and explain some of the main characteristics of lead guitar, playing techniques, and the differences between lead and rhythm guitar. We’ll also give some great examples of famous lead guitarists and bands known for their lead sections.
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What is lead guitar?
While the band’s rhythm section – rhythm guitar, bass, and drums – provides a backing track, support, and rhythm, the lead guitarist and vocalist (as well as the keyboard player in some bands) are responsible for playing the melody. It’s no wonder that the lead guitar is sometimes referred to as ‘melody guitar’. In fact, the lead guitar can often play overlapping melodies with the singer’s vocals. One reason many aspiring musicians want to become lead guitarists is that this role gives them a chance to play impressive solos.
What’s the difference between playing lead guitar and rhythm guitar?
Though you may not realize it, rhythm and lead guitar aren’t two separate instruments, but rather two different ways of playing. There are also different approaches to playing lead and rhythm guitar, which is why many bands decide to split the guitar duties between two players. In such cases, the band has a lead guitarist playing solos and guitar licks, as well as a rhythm guitarist who’s responsible for providing a steady rhythm for the lead guitarist and the rest of the band.
Whereas the rhythm guitarist’s role is focused on playing chords, muted riffs, or power chords, the lead guitarist’s tasks include playing melodies, fills, and solos, just to name a few. The lead guitarist usually uses the higher-pitched strings more than the rhythm guitar. Furthermore, many guitar solos and licks are played higher on the fretboard, while a rhythm guitarist plays riffs on lower strings
Many licks and solos are played higher on the guitar fretboard.
Even if a band has separate lead and rhythm guitarists, these two roles aren’t fixed. The lead and rhythm guitar can sometimes switch roles. If there’s only one guitarist in the band, it’s their task to fill the roles of both rhythm and lead guitarist.
Good examples of bands with only a single guitarist responsible for both lead and rhythm are Led Zeppelin (Jimmy Page), Black Sabbath (Tony Iommi), Van Halen (Eddie Van Halen) and Pantera (Dimebag Darrell). Bands with two guitarists include Slayer, Kiss, Metallica, and many more.
Lead guitar playing techniques
There are several techniques and characteristics associated especially with lead guitar. These may overlap with those of rhythm guitar, but rhythm and lead guitarists can use these techniques for different purposes.
Some of the most important techniques used by lead guitarists across a number of genres, from rock to blues and heavy metal to jazz, include solos, licks, riffs, arpeggios, and tremolo or alternate picking. Although many of these techniques may seem difficult and intimidating, don’t worry! There are easy ways for beginners to play lead guitar. Let’s get started.
Licks and riffs
Two related concepts that aren’t unique to lead guitar are licks and riffs. The difference between these two might cause some confusion, especially since they are often used interchangeably. In short, a riff is a repeating pattern usually played on low-pitched strings, while a lick is a short melodic idea usually played on high-pitched strings.
Guitar riffs are among the most essential building blocks of a song in many genres.
For example, the famous guitar intro of “Rock You Like a Hurricane”, made famous by Scorpions, is an instance of a guitar riff. The riff in question consists of a few different power chords that are repeated in a particular order and are played by the band’s rhythm guitarist. A guitar lick, on the other hand, often includes single notes played in a sequence, instead of chords and chord progressions. Guitar licks also tend to be much shorter.
Here’s one way to distinguish between riffs and licks: a riff is specific to a particular song, whereas a guitar lick could be used in several different songs. For instance, if you used the above riff by Scorpions in a song and called it your own, it’s likely that the guitarist Rudolf Schenker and the band would accuse you of trademark infringement. On the other hand, copying just a few notes from the song’s opening solo and using the sequence in your song would be an example of a guitar lick.
Guitar solos
If a band has a separate lead and rhythm guitarist, the lead guitar player is responsible for playing solos. Playing guitar solos well is a great way to showcase your skills and impress others. During a guitar solo, even the vocals quiet down to let the lead guitar shine.
Playing a solo is a great way to showcase your skills as a lead guitarist.
On top of that, solos are a great way to show your improvisation skills, if you’re skilled enough to come up with the solo on the spot. To improve your solo skills, consider practicing guitar scales. Knowing them is a great help when improvising a solo or writing a captivating song. Consider learning some basic major and minor scales to get started.
You can read more about guitar solos and various solo techniques in our beginner’s guide to guitar solos.
Arpeggios
Playing arpeggios on the guitar is a more advanced technique that soloists use to cover a wide range of notes in quick succession. An arpeggio is a type of broken chord; instead of playing all the notes of a chord at once, the guitarist plays the individual notes of the chord in a descending or ascending order.
Arpeggios are an example of an advanced guitar-playing technique.
One advanced technique used to play guitar arpeggios is called sweep picking, where you “sweep” the strings with your picking hand while fingering the notes with your fretting hand. Examples of sweep picking can be found in a number of music genres, including jazz. However, sweep picking is most commonly used in guitar solos in heavy metal and rock genres. Lead guitarists famous for their sweep picking skills include Ritchie Blackmore and Yngwie Malmsteen.
Lead guitar examples
Although there are numerous talented rhythm guitar players in the world of music, many of the most well-known guitarists have played lead. We could go on and on about our favorites, so these are just a few great examples. If you would like to master the lead guitar, it’s not a bad idea to start by learning from these experts.
Jimi Hendrix
Along with Tony Iommi and Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix is one of the most well-known and talented lefties of rock music. What makes Jimi’s playing all the more impressive is that he mostly used a right-handed guitar. Known for his wild performances, flaming guitars, and groundbreaking solos, all of his songs are worth studying.
Ritchie Blackmore (Rainbow, Deep Purple)
The English guitar virtuoso Richie Blackmore is a legend of rock and heavy metal for a good reason. Having played in influential bands such as Deep Purple and Rainbow, Blackmore left a lasting impression on many aspiring guitarists and the world of rock music at large. You can hear some of Ritchie Blackmore’s guitar artistry in ‘Since You Been Gone’, made famous by Rainbow.
Eric Clapton
Another equally iconic guitar player in the world of lead guitar is Eric Clapton, also known as “Slowhand”. Eric Clapton’s solo career spans several impressive lead guitar performances, as well as a number of classics by his band Cream. His guitar mastery isn’t limited to the electric guitar.
B.B. King
One of the most influential blues lead guitarists is B.B. King, whose electric guitar playing changed the world of blues and rock music forever. King unfortunately passed in 2015, but his guitar playing hasn’t ceased to impress and inspire countless guitarists. Check out B.B. King’s lead guitar playing for a master class in blues.
Tips for learning lead guitar
Want to become a better lead guitarist? Here are a few things to keep in mind, whether you’re a beginner guitarist or an advanced soloist:
- Understand the role: If you want to become a great lead guitarist, pay close attention to the role lead players serve in the band. Make sure to study the relationship between the lead guitar and the other instruments in the band.
- Practice licks and riffs: Licks are short melodic ideas usually played on the guitar’s high strings. Riffs, on the other hand, are usually played on the lower strings and repeat throughout the song. Practice some iconic riffs and licks while studying what makes them so great.
- Master solos: As a lead guitarist, you’ll be responsible for playing solos. This means that you’ll be the center of attention during one of the most technically challenging parts of a song. Guitar solos are great opportunities to showcase your skills and impress others. Practice scales to improve your understanding of the guitar fretboard and make it easier to improvise a solo.
- Study famous lead guitarists: Pay close attention to how famous lead guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix, Ritchie Blackmore, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, and Stevie Ray Vaughan played the guitar. Remember not to compare yourself too much to others. Instead, use other skilled players as inspiration.
- Practice regularly: Learning hard things requires effort and practice, and lead guitar is no exception. That’s why you need to practice regularly. Try to dedicate some time to practice every day.
- Don’t forget the rhythm guitar: Even if you’re set on learning the lead guitar, don’t neglect your rhythm guitar skills. Lead players can learn a lot from other playing styles. On top of that, many guitarists switch between lead and rhythm roles, so being proficient in both will make you a more versatile player.
Learn to play lead guitar with Yousician
Does playing lead guitar sound like your thing? If so, you should check out Yousician and our interactive guitar lessons that will help you learn the fundamentals of lead guitar. Though lead guitarists get a lot of the praise and glory, you shouldn’t underestimate the skill it takes to play rhythm. Luckily, there are plenty of lessons and songs for both playing styles.
You can download Yousician for free on your iOS and Android device, or you can use Yousician on your computer. In addition to exciting and easy-to-follow lessons for the guitar, you can also learn to play bass, piano, and ukulele with Yousician. Browse the wide selection of songs and genres to find your favorites.