What does it take to play rhythm guitar in a band?!
Question: I've been playing guitar for a few months now and I really want to join/start a band. What exactly should I be able to do? Power chords? Open chords? What kinds of things should I be practicing if I really want to get good?
Answers: I've been playing guitar for a few months now and I really want to join/start a band. What exactly should I be able to do? Power chords? Open chords? What kinds of things should I be practicing if I really want to get good?
If you want to be a good rhythm guitarist, then you need to learn chords and power chords and how to associate riffs with a lead sound or vocal melody. So if the singer sings in notes like C E C G C G then you need to recognize that as the C Major key and know which chords fit in that key.
Open chords are good to learn first because they're harder, then you should hit the power chords to add variety to your sound.
If you want to be the rhythm guitarist, you need to be able to keep time well. Power chords are alright sometimes, but open chords have much more to offer, and there are tons of them to learn once you've got the basics down.. But as long as you can maintain strum patterns, stay on the beat, and write or learn entire songs then you can definitely start/join a band.
Practice all of that. A good guitar player has to be versatile. It also helps to have a good voice for lead and back-up vocals.