https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/single-guitar-player-sound-filler/ Guitar Noise Discussion Board en-US Fri, 05 Jun 2026 10:35:50 +0000 wpForo 60 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/single-guitar-player-sound-filler/paged/2/#post-146889 Tue, 27 Dec 2005 04:04:52 +0000
1. Turn everyone up . This will fill much of the empty space all by itself . A drummer who overplays a little is essential .

2. I always mike the guitar amp , even if nothing else is being miked . Guitar amps are very directional and someone standing off to the side will hear bass and drums but very little guitar . Miking the amp gives me more coverage through the front end .

3. Accept the fact that in playing a Lynyrd Skynyrd song with a three piece band you're going to have to boil the song down to its most basic ingredients and play those parts that are absolutely essential to it . If you play what you play well the audience will appreciate it .

4. Have fun ! If you're having fun the crowd will see it and they'll want to join in . It is a party after all .]]> Guitar Players Discussion Diceman https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/single-guitar-player-sound-filler/paged/2/#post-146889 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/single-guitar-player-sound-filler/paged/2/#post-146594 Sat, 24 Dec 2005 22:02:35 +0000
Listen to many Nirvana songs, Kurt would simply sing during the verses with the support of bass and drums. Maybe a pretty note here or there. But then, boom! He came on strong with distortion and power chords during the chorus.

A favorite group of mine that used this to great effect was the Pixies. They had two guitar players. But many times during the verses you only hear bass and drums.

Whenever a good bass player and drummer get in a groove together, you really don't need much else. :D]]> Guitar Players Discussion Wes Inman https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/single-guitar-player-sound-filler/paged/2/#post-146594 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/single-guitar-player-sound-filler/paged/2/#post-146522 Sat, 24 Dec 2005 12:10:49 +0000 Guitar Players Discussion Anonymous https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/single-guitar-player-sound-filler/paged/2/#post-146522 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/single-guitar-player-sound-filler/paged/2/#post-146520 Sat, 24 Dec 2005 11:07:08 +0000 Guitar Players Discussion skucker https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/single-guitar-player-sound-filler/paged/2/#post-146520 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/single-guitar-player-sound-filler/#post-146447 Sat, 24 Dec 2005 00:15:50 +0000 Guitar Players Discussion greybeard https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/single-guitar-player-sound-filler/#post-146447 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/single-guitar-player-sound-filler/#post-146438 Fri, 23 Dec 2005 23:45:10 +0000
A big thing I've noticed is how Page switches back and fourth between rhythym and lead based on what sticks out more on the studio track. Also, JPJ often picks up the rythym parts during solos, Black Dog is a good example. On the studio track you have this huge, thunky rhythym part playing underneath the solo, live Jones plays this on bass and Page is free to shred to his heart's content. Jones would also follow the guitar on lead playing quite a bit and then play roots or double stops for the rythym, switching back and fourth like Page or by improv-ing a riff or line in the background.

The vocalist can also help thicken up the song. Plant and Page would do lots of little back and fourth stuff, vocal areobatics and guitar licks. It filled up lulling parts and added a lot of spontinaity to the song.

I think another big part of this is the volume and power that John Bonham could get out of drums and a lot of cymbal use. Play around and see what'll fit!]]> Guitar Players Discussion Metaellihead https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/single-guitar-player-sound-filler/#post-146438 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/single-guitar-player-sound-filler/#post-146409 Fri, 23 Dec 2005 21:56:06 +0000
seriously, funky muted chunks, trills, slides, arpeggiated chords, different levels of distortion/effects, and rhythmic variation can add an element of fullness and dynamics, and prevent your sound from becoming too one dimensional..]]> Guitar Players Discussion Anonymous https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/single-guitar-player-sound-filler/#post-146409 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/single-guitar-player-sound-filler/#post-146403 Fri, 23 Dec 2005 20:56:39 +0000
An octaver?? (isn't this more for single notes?)

A phrase sampler??

And NO... we're not getting another guitar player. We're a 4pc band and solid as is.... I'd caution against using effects to form a fundamental part of your sound. In a lot of cases this can thin out rather than beef up your sound. Instead, try these things:

Turn the bass player up, and let him fill more of the bottom end. Basses can play double stops and chords too ya know.

Rethink what you're doing. Try out chord melodies, pedaling melody lines against a drone string, different inversions and use fills whenever you can.

Pay attention to places where it can increase the impact by NOT playing. Silence can be an effective musical tool.]]> Guitar Players Discussion Moonrider https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/single-guitar-player-sound-filler/#post-146403 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/single-guitar-player-sound-filler/#post-146396 Fri, 23 Dec 2005 19:36:27 +0000
I would say listen to groups that had one guitar player, like Cream, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Rush, RHCP, or even Nirvana. Listen to how they played runs between chords, and the use of arpeggios. Especially listen to live recordings if you can find them.

When you are a single guitar player you have to learn to play both rhythm and lead at the same time. Bass and drums have to contribute to fill the spaces as well. That's something I almost mentioned. I played in a four-piece band for a long time. As time went by, the singer, who play rhythm guitar, wanted to spend more time just singing. Once I became the only guitarist on several songs, I did indeed have to change my approach playing wise. I had always had the pleasure of being the "lead guitarist" meaning my parts could be complimentary to what the rhythm player was doing. Once I was the sole guitarist, that changed. I tended to use open strings more (key of E especially - say during a solo, I'd hit the low string and let it ring before playing a line up the neck).

Once we started playing musically as a three piece, it was hard to go back sometimes. It really gave me a lot of freedom and I really enjoyed the space that was possible. There's an Eric Johnson cut that I think contains my favorite one note of all time and it's pretty much a nod to Hendrix. I don't remember the name of the song (it was a vocal track I think). Seems like the bass and drums are still going, but Johnson stops playing for a few seconds and comes in with this beautiful note...a bend on the 2nd string from the 7th to the root (as in bending from the 15th fret D up to E on the B string in the key of E).]]> Guitar Players Discussion dsparling https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/single-guitar-player-sound-filler/#post-146396 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/single-guitar-player-sound-filler/#post-146390 Fri, 23 Dec 2005 18:04:59 +0000 Guitar Players Discussion slothrob https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/single-guitar-player-sound-filler/#post-146390