General Music Chat

I was looking online at guitars and amps etc., when under a review someone put "Great for Melody Guitar." What's the difference between Melody and Lead, if there is one? Or was the person being a tad bit arrogant?

i never liked the term "lead". i think it might have it's origins in orchestras and big bands where you have a "leader" for each section.

a lead trumpet, a lead trombone, etc. who sets the dynamics and phrasing for the rest of their section

it's silly i know, but i never liked solos being referred to as "leads".

on a gig this weekend another musician in the audience complimented me on my bass "leads" and i had to stop myself from pointing out that what he was referring to are "solos".

in jazz, songs or sections of songs are sometimes played "chord melody style". this refers to playing the melody in the top note while harmonizing it w full chords under the melody note (all one gtr).

wes montgomery, johhny smith, kenny burrell, barney kessell are a few gtrsts known for playing in this style.

perhaps that was what he meant by "guitar melody"?

That would make more sense, yeah. What you prefer the lead guitar be called?

That would make more sense, yeah. What you prefer the lead guitar be called?

oh, i dunno..i mean in a R&R band i've no problem w the designations of rhythm gtr and lead gtr.....but when the lead gtrst is going for it.....i'll never say he's "playing a lead". instead he's "soloing' or "taking a solo".

yes...i AM a jazz snob!

Jazz people usually have the right to it. All those maj6 and min7 and maj9 have to end up SOMEWHERE. Why not in ones ego?

Jazz people usually have the right to it. All those maj6 and min7 and maj9 have to end up SOMEWHERE. Why not in ones ego?

ego? it's all relative. just like i don't think geography plays any part in people's behavior ....i don't believe anyone's music genre of choice does ether. i've played all different kinds of music for many a moon. rock, country, bluegrass, blues, jazz and really there are no generalities to be drawn. egos big and small are to be found everywhere.

Fair enough. You played just about every mainly American rooted genre. Know any particularly good melodic players? I'm sort of interested in learning some licks and scales to work on it now since I haven't thought about it much up until now.

Generally speaking, I think most finger pickers are also melodic pickers. It just goes with the style like it does with the chord melody style. For finger pickin ideas and licks try Chet Atkins, Tommy Emanuel, Buster Jones, ..... Actually there are quite a lot of them out there. Any time you watch one of them on YouTube, a dozen more are shown along the side bar.The chord melody guys previously mentioned also tend to lean that way.

... Tyler....Greetings...here is one for you ...whilst in England ... Manchester to be exact, and in a Punker Band ...we had a Lead Guitarist who could play loads of seperate notes like and do it like a machine gun. Tother Getarist was abit of a Dodger aswell. He was technically a Rhtuum player but did actually refer to himself as a "Melodie Guitarist" Straight up. Trouble was he would count some of the songs in 1 2 3 . TRhis caused hours of arguments and beer consumption as we tryed to establish whether the one was on the 4 or on the one. He never seemed to get it.

... I heard later he gave it up and became a Bassist in a Jazz Band called the EgoManics. ( Just teasing a bit here) but he first paragraph is totally true.
Ta Live Well Die Well

I think people have over-analyzed the question-

For me a good 'rhythm' guitar is one where the pickups have balanced mids and can ring entire chords well when strummed, even with overdrive applied. Many 'out of the box' guitars use either cheap pickups, or are designed for power-chords (EMG's are common with that), or designed with scooped mids for soloing.

So to find a good 'rhythm' guitar off the shelf is more rare. I played rhythm for many years before doing leads and struggled with good full-chord tone until I started experimenting with buying better pickups, and then it all made sense.

As for the term "lead", it comes from symphonies, where a horn or wind instrument would have a 'solo'- back then a solo was strictly that.. one instrument with nothing backing them, and thus was invented the term "lead", which was a well-sought after position in any orchestra, because even 500 years ago, the "lead" got the groupies.

Know any particularly good melodic players?

in what genre?


if you're not hip to Johnny A you might check him out. he does instrumental versions of many well known rock and pop tunes as well as his own tunes.

beautiful tone, lots of tasty Bigsby action, great phrasing, and cool straightahead arrangements.

here's his version of "Wichita Lineman"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL3mvkZ6mVk

some nice chord melody from him here on "Walk Away Renee"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=en ... IRetoeEecc

and his take on "The Wind Cries Mary"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikkwSYE_JSY

The guitar and amp combination should be able to do both jobs if you know how to manipulate the controls of both amp and guitar.

"Lead" or "solo" tones must "cut" the mix well, and it is much more than a simple function of volume.

The study of sound wave is very complex.

Any bluesier players outside of the King or Vaughn Family?

Know any particularly good melodic players?

in what genre?


if you're not hip to Johnny A you might check him out. he does instrumental versions of many well known rock and pop tunes as well as his own tunes.

beautiful tone, lots of tasty Bigsby action, great phrasing, and cool straightahead arrangements.

here's his version of "Wichita Lineman"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL3mvkZ6mVk

some nice chord melody from him here on "Walk Away Renee"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=en ... IRetoeEecc

and his take on "The Wind Cries Mary"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikkwSYE_JSY

What impresses me the most, is his clean ability to swap effects and not miss a beat (in addition to his playing) ...Pure magic on his part. That version of Wind Crie mary is sweet and smooth

Any bluesier players outside of the King or Vaughn Family?

Robin Trower? (very hypnotic)
David Gilmour (his own bluesyish style. Master of phrasing.)
Eric Johnson (cliffs of Dover - best git instrumental ever)

New School - John Mayer (no joke)