Tips on Playing Guitar in a Three- Piece?

[No Remorse]

My band has just made the decision to be a 3-piece, whereas we had 2 guitars and now just me. I like alot of three pieces, like Motorhead, Rush, Cream, and I was wondering if anybody had any tips on achieving a powerful sound to make up for the other guitar. You're help will be appreciated!

 

By the way I'm in sort of a hard rock/metal/prog band.

[brake]

fill alot of space. it'll take some getting used to if you were in a 2-guitar band for a while, but yeah, fill as much space as you can - use bigger chord voicings, things like that. it's a completely different mindset, really.

[RupertB]

I played in a three-piece band in college, aprox. 3 years, doing classic rock and some alt. ('80s) rock.

 

I did a lot of growing as a player in that format. One of the best things I did was to start experimenting more with chord voicings. In a three piece, nothing but stock power chords punctuated by leads can get old (both to hear and play).

 

The downside was that I got stuck in "fill up the space" mode. Everything had to be busy-busy, lots of notes. Eventually, I started to move away from that, but I established some poor playing habits. Space in the song shouldn't be treated like a problem.

[Guitar Guru]

My band is a three-piece....hard rock/metal style of playing. When we write our music, we consciously think about how it will sound live.

 

I'm lucky that I can still do what's right for the song musically, cause my bass player kicks ass at filling the "space" that has already been mentioned. We spend lots of time trading off each other to fill out the sound.

 

I don't think the responsibility should solely lie on the guitar player.....if you have a tight band, nobody will notice the space in a song.

 

We are often told after performing live that we sound like a 5 piece with the amount of "stuff" happening in our tunes......personally, I think our songs are fairly simple, but again it all comes down to how they are pulled off in a live venue.

[Lee Flier]

I've now been in my 3 piece band for 4 years, but it was my first trio and I did have to adapt some. Luckily my style was already such that I usually don't play "chords during rhythm parts and single notes during solos," which helps. I play a lot of passing notes in my rhythm parts and a lot of double stops and such in solos, and it helps to pay special attention to your timing/rhythmic accuracy during leads. I also use an Echoplex sometimes, and I find that a good delay helps fill things out.

 

Also, don't assume the guitar player is the only one who has to adapt to a trio! I get a LOT of help from the rhythm section in "compensating" for not having two guitars. During a solo our drummer will whale away on the ride cymbal or even ride a crash to fill things out, etc. And having a super solid bass player who's aware of what's happening in the song will really help you feel like you can switch between rhythm and lead without feeling like you're jumping off a cliff. They both also play a bit "busier" than they have in previous bands with 2 guitars. So don't feel like the responsibility is all on your shoulders - the whole band needs to play a bit differently in a trio but it's a lot of fun, and everybody really gets their own "sonic space."

[Lee Flier]

Originally posted by Guitar Guru We are often told after performing live that we sound like a 5 piece with the amount of "stuff" happening in our tunes......

 

Heheh... yeah we get the same comment. 3 people can definitely make a hell of a lot of noise if it's done right!

[JacieFB]

Originally posted by RupertB I did a lot of growing as a player in that format. One of the best things I did was to start experimenting more with chord voicings. In a three piece, nothing but stock power chords punctuated by leads can get old (both to hear and play). The downside was that I got stuck in "fill up the space" mode. Everything had to be busy-busy, lots of notes. Eventually, I started to move away from that, but I established some poor playing habits. Space in the song shouldn't be treated like a problem.

 

 

Think: The Police

 

Use space to your advantage.

This will give the drummer, bassist, and vocalist room to develop their craft as well.

 

Good luck! I personally LOVE playing in a 3-piece band. Not to sound corny, but the energy really flows through the triangle set-up.

[jerrye]

I've found that paying more attention to dynamics helps, too. A common formula is for everyone in the band to lay back on volume during the verses, bump it up a little on pre-choruses, and top out on choruses.

 

Similarly, I find that it helps to use the same approach to the amount of sustain. I vary from sustained to stacatto between the different song sections.

 

To me, these approaches make the less-full parts sound purposeful. This makes the heightened moments seem more heightened and more full.

 

Jerry

[lewie]

a good bassist is the key, to know that you can confidently break into a solo and he`s got your back is essential in a 3 piece.

 

we`re a three piece

 

www.scoperock.co.uk

[HuskerDude]

 

Originally posted by RupertB Space in the song shouldn't be treated like a problem.

 

 

THANK YOU.

 

Space is OK. Space is what makes the notes worth listening to. Even rock music doesn't have to be a constant barrage of noise coming at the listener. Dynamics are what make a song interesting, not just the first time, but the 700 times you're going to play it after that.

That being said, let your bassist and drummer off the "play in the pocket" leash a bit. Not all the time, but varying up rhythms and even letting the bass take the lead melody sometimes keeps things interesting and fun, both for the audience and for you guys.

[No Remorse]

 

"I also use an Echoplex sometimes, and I find that a good delay helps fill things out."

 

 

What is an Echoplex?

[hurricane97006]

I could not agree with RupertB more when he said "Space in the song shouldn't be treated like a problem". You gotta let the song breathe man. I think you definitely need to fill alot of the void, but don't smother the song in the process. Play the song with your ears and you'll get it. Keep on rockin!!

Hurricane

[Lee Flier]

Originally posted by No Remorse What is an Echoplex?

 

It was the precursor to modern day delay boxes. Delay actually used to be an effect that was achieved by going through a reel to reel tape deck. The delay time was the distance between the record head on the tape deck, and the playback head. The Echoplex was born out of guitarists' and vocalists' desire to have a tape deck that was portable, could be looped, and the delay time be variable. So, the Echoplex actually IS a real tape deck, but it uses little cartridges of tape and you can loop it, or vary the delay time by moving a needle which moves the playback head.

 

Here are some pictures of one:

http://www.loopers-delight.com/tools/oldechoplex/tube_echoplex_pic1.html

 

Nowadays there are digital equivalents of course, like the Line 6 Modeling Delay and similar (there are quite a few different recommendations on the looper's delight site I linked to above). They're a heck of a lot easier to maintain than the original Echoplexes! But, I've had my original 'plex forever, and IMO there's nothing like the sound of real tape. A lot of the really wack delay sounds you hear on classic Zeppelin, Hendrix, Cream et al were done with an Echoplex. But you can do all the same things with the digital loopers, they let you loop on the fly, change the delay time with your hand while tapping or doing hammerons, and other "goofy Echoplex tricks."

[No Remorse]

Cool!

[No Remorse]

Well thanks for all your help eveyone, I feel very inspired now. Long live the trio!

[SunRaFan]

I've read Alex Lifeson from Rush say he likes to use a lot of sus4 chords. From playing in a hard rock trio myself, I've fold sus2 also work real well.

 

You can find inversions of those chords which sound big, but can work with a distorted tone better than major or minor chords would.

[worthyjoe]

I'm in a trio and it goes ok. You just have to keep things simple. My bass player knows he has the freedom to do whatever he wants. He takes a lot of melodic leads and in some songs he actually will do a bass groove/solo where the guitar solo should be. It's mostly because I'm a crappy lead guitarist but it also changes things up nicely. I pretty much just play rythm and just do a couple solos and hit the leads that I need to for certain songs. Don't try to do too much.

[jerrye]

 

Alex Lifeson from Rush say he likes to use a lot of sus4 chords. From playing in a hard rock trio myself, I've fold sus2 also work real well.

 

 

yes, he does a great job, and that brings up another tip: Add open strings to chords when it sounds good. A Dsus2 fits this. You can take an F#m, for example, in 2nd position, and leave the two bottom strings open. Of course, the open strings sustain longer.

 

I saw a cat on a tape use the open strings for single note stuff as well. For instance, he played an Am scale, 5th position, descending. And for the E, he used the 1st string, B -- 2nd string, and so on.

Jerry

[MDLMUSIC]

I play in a bunch of different bands of varying sizes, but my favorite is always the trio. Best part is that everyone has a pretty definite idea of their role in the total sound, and there's very little stepping on of toes like there is with two guitarists, or a guitar and a keyboard, or a guitar and a sax, etc., etc.

 

By stepping on of toes I mean when the guitar player is doing his/her lead and the keyboard player is ripping on sixteenth-note arpeggios. Or the sax player is playing his lead and the guitar player is playing some single note ditty that just doesn't fit. In a trio, this is almost never an issue.

 

Plus practices are usually very short and to the point.

 

"I know my part, do you know yours? Do you know yours? Good, we're done.":)

[Doctorx]

 

Originally posted by No Remorse What is an Echoplex?

 

 

An Echoplex is a tape delay device from the late sixties and seventies. 99% of the echo you hear from any record from the seventies is from an Echoplex. I have a Plex,

 

here is a webpage I did on it.

 

Regarding playing in a three piece, I prefer it. Two things: you need a drummer and a bass player that play like madmen, because having two guys that just keep it it the pocket is dullsville. All three of you have to play off each other constantly. Secondly, I use a stereo chorus setup. My rig is two amps through a single stereo cabinet, but dual cabs would sound even larger.

[PJR]

I'm the bass player in a 3 pc band.

 

As mentioned earlier....it shouldn't be just the guitarist's responsibility to keep things full.

 

When my guitarist goes into a lead.....especially single note leads....I'll sometimes use chords , or double-stops to help fill things out.

 

I like the sonic freedom allowed by just having guitar / bass and drums ( yes vox also...)

 

On occasion we've had a 2nd guitar guest sit in......and it takes some getting used to.....

 

PJR

[ethyl glycol]

Here's my tip for you:

 

[ThomasH]

Originally posted by JacieFB Think: The Police Use space to your advantage. This will give the drummer, bassist, and vocalist room to develop their craft as well. Good luck! I personally LOVE playing in a 3-piece band. Not to sound corny, but the energy really flows through the triangle set-up.

 

 

As I was reading through the responses I was starting to form my post in my head. Amazingly I don't even need to type it now because you already posted it to a T.

 

To top it off I am actually listening to The Police right now. I especially like their first records. It's amazing how much they get out of so little. And they really understand the meaning of space in a song. You (the original poster) should try listening to some of it. Even though it might be your cup of tea you will be able to get some good inspiration from picking their stuff apart.

[GWS5987]

If your a bass player, and you want to play in a 3 piece and get so many {censored}ing offers that it'll just blow your mind.... then do what our bass player did. Ditch that piece o'{censored} 4 string slug and learn some keyboard!

 

If you have the desire you can transfer the bass licks to keys in no time. Then you learn some comps and vamps with your right hand.

 

We have a 4 piece sound with 3 men on stage. We're the busiest band in our County. Go figure. Ha ha ha ha I'm drunk tonight!

 

George

[Terry Allan Hall]

 

Originally posted by Lee Flier I've now been in my 3 piece band for 4 years, but it was my first trio and I did have to adapt some. Luckily my style was already such that I usually don't play "chords during rhythm parts and single notes during solos," which helps. I play a lot of passing notes in my rhythm parts and a lot of double stops and such in solos, and it helps to pay special attention to your timing/rhythmic accuracy during leads. I also use an Echoplex sometimes, and I find that a good delay helps fill things out. Also, don't assume the guitar player is the only one who has to adapt to a trio! I get a LOT of help from the rhythm section in "compensating" for not having two guitars. During a solo our drummer will whale away on the ride cymbal or even ride a crash to fill things out, etc. And having a super solid bass player who's aware of what's happening in the song will really help you feel like you can switch between rhythm and lead without feeling like you're jumping off a cliff. They both also play a bit "busier" than they have in previous bands with 2 guitars. So don't feel like the responsibility is all on your shoulders - the whole band needs to play a bit differently in a trio but it's a lot of fun, and everybody really gets their own "sonic space."

 

 

Yup!