How to play electric guitar?

[dasilvasings]

errr... I 'm serious.

A couple of questions:

1. open chords: yes/ no

2. rhythm guitar with other mid-range instruments (piano, etc.). How do I avoid muddy sound? Play less notes? EQ?

3. lead guitar: what's the main difference in terms of sound ("timbre") when comparing with rhythm guitar? EQ? Chorus? Volume? What do I do when I am not soloing? low volume fingerpicking? doubling rhythm guitar?

Do you want to share your tricks?

[Oldrottenhead]

i just hit mine and hope for the best.

[Johnny Robbo]

It can be a tricky one... First thing I'd say is that it depends on the type of music you're playing. One reason a lot of rock based stuff is in keys like A E G & D (both major & minor) is that it allows you to use plenty of open chords and make use of the sustain & "oomph" they bring to the table. If you're using a crunchy overdriven sound, then I'd stay away from having full major & minor chords and opt for power chords instead.

If you're playing with other instruments in the same register, then try and carve space out rhythmically - doing a full-on "campfire" type strum on a 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & count using down/up strumming will take up all the space in a rhythm, and potentially clash with whatever a piano or keyboard is doing.

Have a listen to this demonstration, which starts with a bass part, then a clean open chord comes in. After that you get a chunky palm-muted power chord followed by a slightly crunchy guitar doing "stabs" on a barre chord. Then finally a piano comes in. You'll see that I also panned the instruments so as not to get in each others way too:

Bass - Centre
Open Chord = 30% left
Power Chords = 30% right
Barre Chord Stabs = 50% left
Piano = 50% right

What you end up with is a full sound where nothing sounds muddy or indistinct.

Hope this helps 

[danieldesete]

Nice post JR, certainly helps

[bruno]

Not sure about open chords - but open strings are wonderful - try playing a chord and leaving a couple of open strings - and you get some amazing drones happening

[Hook]

1) If by open chords you mean chords that let some strings ring, kind of drone like...the yes. Play an E chord move it up to the 5th fret and its an A 2 more frets & its a B. Really lush, beautiful chords, also make the bar chord shape on 1st fret (F) but let the B and high E string ring, move it up find the frets it sounds nice that's a great shape.
2) Panning, arrangement & EQ.
3)I just listen & play around with tones until I dig the sound and how it works with the arrangement. As for what to do when your not soloing, if your recording, it doesn't matter. Do nothing or something & mix in what you like. If you have a rhythm guitar playing 1st position chords then perhaps some powerchords like was suggested or a cool counterpoint type lead line that works with or plays around the vocal. Just have fun rocking it out!
On!

[Bluesberry]

If by open chords you mean the standard G, C, D, Am, Em stuff at the end of the neck, the so-called campfire chords (thats what I take it to mean), then by all means YES.  You play these kind of chords, strumming with a pick, similar to how you would play it on an acoustic, with a slightly overdriven tube amp tone, just slightly on the edge, Humbuckers or P90 pickups, thats the classic Neil Young sound that has been copied endlessly.  Thats a huge part of the electric guitar rock and roll sound.  Play your electric like you would be strumming on an acoustic, with the amp cranked, just about to go over the edge into feedback territory.....I love that kind of sound from an electric.....most of Neil's big electric songs are like that.  He wasn't a big barre chord/power chord kind of guy.

[Blooby]

Other than trying to carve out some sonic space by EQ'ing, panning, limiting reverb and modulation effects (IMHO), and arranging (first and foremost), I don't think there are a lot of rules. 

I would advise to limit the harmonic content as you add distortion, but that's just an opinion as well.

Good luck.

Blooby

[Greeny]

If it sounds good, it is good. That's my motto.

I've never used a barre or power chord, no matter how heavy the song gets. I use the same open chords and hybrid picking techniques that I use on an acoustic.

The power of an electric guitar means I sometimes play those open chords differently though. You can let them ring and sustain, or you can chop / stab them for a nice rhythmic effect. I just do what feels good for the song. Every Jemima's Kite track is played in open chords.

As Blooby says, the more distorted you go, the more mushy the chords will sound. So set your gain to fit the style and complexity of the chords you're playing.

Just have fun. That's all that counts!

[dasilvasings]

Thank you all for sharing, and JR for all the trouble! There is nothing like a real example! Thank you!
I will come up to this subject in one week or two.