What is the simple difference between a rhythm guitar and a lead guitar?

[CTyankee]

Can someone explain it very simply for ignorant me....

Thank you in advance!

[ret5hd]

1. Simplest (and therefor probably technically incorrect):

rhythm: strum chords
lead: pick individual notes

[CTyankee]

3. So the lead guitar actually guides the music and the rhythm guitar embellishes it?

[ret5hd]

4. I don't know...I'm not a musician and also I think...

the lines between rhythm and lead can be blurred.

Now, if someday you want to know the differences between a 3 axis mill and a 5 axis mill, I'm your man!

[CTyankee]

7. I'm waiting for my chance to do that...

[HeartachesNhangovers]

8. ret5hd is correct, but it's maybe misleading to

use words like "guide" versus "embellish". Often, even in the golden age of rock leads guitarists, the rhythm part was the part that stuck in your head.

[unblock]

14. If anything its the other way around

Rhythm guitar is vital during the song itself, it provides the backdrop for the vocals and helps delineate the structure of the song. You usually know if you’re in the verse, chorus, or bridge by listening to the rhythm guitar.

Lead guitar can bring the song to life with a great intro, solo, and/or outro. But lead guitar may even by silent during the singing part of the song.

If the lead guitar is present during the singing parts, it’s often as a “conversation” — lead singer sings a line, lead guitar responds, etc. or it can be a harmony, counter-melody, or just accent notes or other embellishments.

If you’ve only got one guitar, it almost has to be rhythm guitar because most songs just don’t work without that chordal backdrop.

[CTyankee]

16. Ah, I see where I was confused. Thanks so much!

[C_U_L8R]

2. Ego :-)

[emulatorloo]

5. Lead guitar plays a melody (single notes). Rhythm guitar plays chords.

A 'guitar solo' is something a lead guitarist plays.

Rhythm guitarists play/strum the chords of a song.

[CTyankee]

6. OK, so let's take a song and apply that (which makes sense)

How about Ringo Starr's "You know it don't come easy."

How does that break down?

[emulatorloo]

9. Lead guitar part (guitar "solo") starts at 1:38, ends at 1:52

[DoBotherMe]

11. Here's George's Demo

... lots of guitar!

[HeartachesNhangovers]

10. Here, a guitar opens and you can hear this

"phrase" played all the way until about 0:33 when the singers come in. After that, you primarily hear rhythm instruments (piano, horns, and probably a rhythm guitar although it's buried in the mix) until the obligatory solo that runs from about 1:40 to 1:50. I guess Ringo didn't care much for guitar solos - this one is pretty short and workmanlike. Towards the end, the guitar comes back playing the intro phrase to close.

This song includes guitars, but doesn't really emphasize them.

[CTyankee]

13. Very helpful. I have a musician friend who might be interested in being included in

this conversation (but he's not on DU). My son is an avid amateur musician and I wish I could include him in this conversation!

Thanks for the info! I appreciate it.

[Comatose Sphagetti]

12. Picture Hendrix... "Hey Joe".

Hendrix is strumming the guitar (playing rhythm) while singing the "Hey Joe" lyrics.

When he gets to the build up, "I gave her the gun, I shot her"! - That's when the lead comes in.

[CTyankee]

15. I just played it oon youtube. Very clear to me.

Thank you for this...so helpful!

[Iggo]

17. Malcolm Young: Rhythm......Angus Young: Lead. (n/t)

[CTyankee]

18. OK, just watched one of their videos on youtube...I don't know which is which but

their music was painful...