Six-stringer question

Tony LaCroix · From: Austin, Texas, USA

OK, first of all, all you jazz guys sit down; this question is not for you. Now anyone who considers himself a "lead guitarist", have a seat, please. Now, from the remaining group, here is my question:

Do you play many chord inversions in your rhythm playing, or do you stick mostly with root position chords? I've always found plenty to keep me busy by keeping the root on the bottom. And when the bass player is green or just clueless, it helps to keep the bottom on the bottom (the way I see it). Still, I'm curious...

Jack Francis · From: Queen Creek, Arizona, USA

The band that I play in's other guitar player (Doubles on keyboards) plays mostly heavy on the root in his chording.
I listen to what he's doing and use voicings that compliment rather than duplicate, on the guitar or on my steel.

Leon Grizzard · From: Austin, Texas, USA

I think you are asking your question of guitar players, since the posting is under music not related to steel guitar. If I am wrong, never mind.

I play guitar in a band with pedal steel (the inimitable John Russell), fiddle, and bass - no drums except for when we hire one for dance gigs. We play country, mostly 40's to 60's, and some earlier tunes, plus a little swing. On 2/4 tunes, especially faster ones, I generally alternate root and fifth. On swingier stylings I play a moving bass line style, similar to Freddie Green with County Basie. For example, starting on a C chord on the 8th fret, I move down, playing a C chord with the following bass notes: C, B, A, G. (You might or might not view C/B and C/A as inversions of CMaj7 and C6). Or the Texas style fiddle accompiment progression C, C9/E, F, F#dim, C/G, substituting for a measure of 4/4 C chord. We like the motion.

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

First, I want to say that I think playing rhythm is far more challenging than playing lead.

A lot of chord strummers simply play the first position chords with as many open strings as possible. Usually in this case the root is also the lowest note. Not always. (One thing that bothers to me is when I see somebody strumming a D chord and including the low open E string.)

When I play rhythm I usually play little staccato "chinks" up the neck. Usually these occur on the second beat and the off beats following 3 and 4.

one and TWO and three AND four AND.

You can hear this on my recording of Maria. Here is a link.

http://www.pembroke-rise.com/Stringman/Track10.mp3

In this case I actually used two different guitars and a mandolin for the chinks. Obviously one cannot do that when playing live. But the rhythms I played on the recording are very typical of what I did when I played guitar in a gigs (before I switched to steel).

To answer the question, when playing these chinks, I do not concern myself with the root at all. That's the bass player's job.

To those who saw this post before I edited it, I apologise for all the typos and spelling errors.

[This message was edited by Mike Perlowin on 07 May 2003 at 01:08 PM.]

Tony LaCroix · From: Austin, Texas, USA

Mike, your recording of Maria is beautiful! I like the darker tone of your steel.

I don't actually play the root myself in my rhythm playing, but I play the chords in root POSITION (the 3,5, and 7 don't flip around to 7, 3, 5, etc). I feel like I'd really have to rethink my approach to rhythm playing to include first and second inversions of chords. Jazz guys spend a great deal of time on this, but frankly, I don't like modern jazz guitar. Too much stuff. Too 'spacey'.

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

Thanks Tony. I'm glad you like the recording. The CD will hopefully be out sometime this year.

The darker tone you refer to is the sound of my lacquer/maple MSA with a George L 5 way pickup set in the full humbucking position. I've always said that MSA's are more like hollow body jazz guitars, while the Emmons tone is more like that of a telecaster, and the secret to making an MSA sound good is to accentuate the instrument's natural tone, rather than try to make it sound like something it's not.

[This message was edited by Mike Perlowin on 07 May 2003 at 01:08 PM.]

Bengt Erlandsen · From: Brekstad, NORWAY

When playin rhythm on a 6string I constantly aplly different inversions to different chords to avoid large interval jumps. Sometimes all the rhythm playin is done on only the top 3 strings or other times on strings 6 5 4, 6 4 2, 6 4 3, (muting unwanted strings w left hand) for open voiced triads. And sometimes all strings are played either in open position or w barre-chords or w a capo for open strings in a different key. The guitar can be viewed as 6 voices, each with their own range. Then just play 2, 3 or 4part harmony within those ranges.

Bengt

[This message was edited by Bengt Erlandsen on 15 May 2003 at 09:44 AM.]

Frank Estes · From: Huntsville, AL

Hmmm...Why worry about inversions when you can simply Clampit, Jed?

Our lead singer is so intent on playing rhythm guitar while he sings and it is not always the best. Some of us in the band have this scheme to hide his capo!

Ooops, I was not suppose to answer, since I am a lead guitarist in addition to my steel playing!

Ken Lang · From: Simi Valley, Ca

I think it depends on the situation. The more members in the band, the more you can be selective in the chord positions you play.

If it's just you, a bass and a drummer, there is no greater fill than a full open chord that rings loud and clear.

When it's ride time, the drummer has to know to open up on the sizzles to keep the fullness going.

Dave Boothroyd · From: Staffordshire Moorlands

I've played a lot with wind players who like peculiar keys with flats in, so I've got the habit of playing the inversion that is physically nearest on the neck to the last chord, in the direction of the following one.
It covers up for the fact that my stubby little fingers are not good at some of the more stretched chord shapes too. I don't get that problem on steel!
Cheers
Dave

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Ok..My view..if the Bass player cannot play anything other than simplistic root patterns( he's really not a Bass player but rather a Bass owner )and gets lost easily, then you must play root chords or there will be no music..if the Bass player can really play , and I don't mean with rabbit trails..then you can pretty much play anywhere you want..but should you ? ...this is the territory that makes or breaks guitar players.

I like what Mike P says above, he obviously is playing with folks that are in the know...so he can play what he knows and feels...

Strumming generally dosesn't make it..but if the Bass player cannot pretty much play the song by himself then strumming is what it will take to play the song.

Play the song..that always comes first..

Me, I like to listen to the band then play some comping chords over the rhythm section.

IF I stop playing , and then the band stops playing..and looks around like "now what do we do" ..then it's back to the root strum.

But what do I know..I play lead guitar.. we all know lead players just play too loud and too often...it's what we do...How else would the other musicians in the room know that we are the Lead player ?

tp

All times are GMT - 8 Hours	Jump to: