Re: Lead Guitar Players (Again).

[Mike Curtis <wd6ehr@xxxxxxxxxx>]

> 
> Norbert Brunhuber writes....
> 
> >      My rock'n'roll band had to find another lead guitar player
> > since our old one left and we had a few auditions.  One of
> > the guys auditioning was pretty good and seemed a fun guy.
> > Afterwards he was talking on the phone to our bass player about
> > how the sound of a band should be.  The conversation ended up
> > with saying something to the effect of, "if the guitar players
> > and bass in the band are doing their jobs, you don't NEED any
> > other instruments, i.e. the harmonica, a.k.a. Me.
> >
> >   Every time I try to have an open mind, but these f-in' guitar
> > players are always the same.
> 
> This is exactly why I am not currently in a band. And why I'm
> beginning to hate blues jams. Why is it that guitarists all believe
> a harp is for that one jam between the second and third verse and
> should otherwise shut up. Where's the guitar player that would only
> play 20% of the time?

This is one big reason I play a single ;-)

But when I work with bands, it's with the understanding that i'll fill 
when I feel like it.

But I know something most guitarists don't - there are times when it 
sounds better NOT to play leads :-)

The less professional the band, the more restrictive they are on when to 
play and when not to play.  All the "studio cat" bands I've worked with 
NEVER worry about it.  If you have a tasty lick to fill with, use it.  If 
you don't, just lay out or play a background chord or something.  And 
there's no sin in laying out when you have nothing that will add to the 
song.  Music is supposed to be beauty, not competition :-)

Or to put it another way, a good musician knows when NOT to play :-)

Remember that all charts have many symbols we play - and some are "rests" :-)

> I'm totally convinced that if I ever get the
> right band together there will be NO GUITAR AT ALL! ('ceppin a'course
> a bass). Gimme harp, bass, drums and rub board (or percussion).
> But people just stare at you if you suggest a band with no guitar.

You could have a band with all harps.  It has been done (quite 
successfully, I might add.)

you could also get a guitarist who doesn't care all that much for taking 
leads.  Other options are keyboardists, banjo, ukelele, autoharp, 
sequencer, or even a keyboard with auto-accompaniment.  I have an old 
Casio cheapie keyboard with a few rhythms and bass lines programmed, and 
I actually wrote a pretty nifty song around it.  Sometimes I drag it to 
gigs so I can do this tune.

But even this is only bass and drums!  (But I play guitar and harp on it.)

(Dare I mention it's mostly a guitar instrumental, with a harmonica solo 
on the third verse ;-)  (Asbestos undewear donned and ready, SIR!)


 --  mike curtis
wd6ehr@xxxxxxxxxx