Playing Lead Guitar

The lead guitarist of a band is typically the one who gets all of the attention. While the rest of the band contributes to the structure of a song, the lead guitarist provides memorable flourishes that are along the same theme as the rest of the song, but are unique or exciting within the framework of the song. Guitarists like Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and Eddie Van Halen are all particularly well known because of their work on lead guitar.

In many bands, the work of the lead guitarist is complimented by the work of the rhythm guitarist. By providing a solid rhythm for the song, the rhythm guitarist sets the pace of the song, and gives the lead guitarist material with which to work. The lead guitarist can then embellish the song with riffs and fills that work in conjunction with the rhythm of the song. In some bands, such as the Rolling Stones, the positions of lead and rhythm guitarist are more mutable, with Keith Richards and Ron Wood (currently) alternating between the two parts, sometimes switching within a single song. In other bands, the two positions remain more distinct, with one guitarist always taking the role of lead guitarist.

Lead guitarists are also known for their use of solos, either improvised or pre-written. On some occasions, pre-written solos are expanded upon, through the use of improvisation, during live performances by a band. As guitar solos tend to occur while the lead singer is not singing, attention is thus focused on the work of the lead guitarist, even though the rest of the band may also continue to play. Some lead guitarists have developed memorable styles of behavior during their solos. For example, Eddie Van Halen has a tendency to adopt an expression of surprise, looking at his hands like he can't believe what they are doing. Interestingly, his style has not always been this flamboyant. When Van Halen was an unknown band, awaiting the release of their first album, Eddie Van Halen would perform his most complex guitar work with his back to the audience, to prevent other guitarists from learning and copying his secrets. In most cases, however, the lead guitarist seems to revel in the limelight during his or her solos.

Improvisation is a key skill necessary for lead guitarists. While a lead guitarist can become well known based solely on the use of pre-written music, the truly great lead guitarists are usually those who improvise well. Artists such as Joe Satriani and Steve Vai are lead guitarists whose work with improvisation is legendary, though they are certainly not the only names that could be mentioned on this point. Satriani and Vai showcase their talents, along with other lead guitar greats, in a tour known as G3, where three lead guitarists perform their own work, and then all three come together for a set of cover songs, where each guitarist's improvisational skills are featured.

Nearly every lead guitarist whose name becomes famous for their guitar playing has some sort of innovation that they bring to their playing style. Whatever their innovation, it becomes their "signature," and young aspiring guitarists often try to emulate the innovative styles of their favored musicians. The best lead guitarists, however, are those who develop their own personal innovations rather than following the lead of a predecessor. Jimi Hendrix is well known for his lengthy improvised guitar solos, but probably better known for his innovation with the use of feedback and guitar effects. Randy Rhoads, former lead guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne, used his classical guitar training to bring a new style to early 80s heavy metal music. Regardless of the exact innovation, if a lead guitarist comes up with something that seems to be new in their genre or style, they will likely be labeled as an innovator, especially if they show great skill.

Most guitarists, but particularly lead guitarists, have favorite guitars that they prefer to play, and with which they become identified. Many of these are custom guitars, such as Jimmy Page's double necked guitar, which allows him to have both a six string and a twelve string guitar at the same time. Other musicians prefer standard guitars, though many of these artists have specific modifications for their guitars. Jimi Hendrix, who was left handed, preferred a standard Fender Stratocaster, but would reverse the strings on a right handed model and basically play it backwards. Many aspiring guitarists will base their choice of a guitar on that which their idol plays, and thus artists who are willing to endorse a specific guitar can often be highly beneficial to guitar manufacturers.

With every generation of musicians, new greats emerge among lead guitarists. Though not all of the greats stand the test of time, those lead guitarists who excel at solos, improvisation, and innovation will typically be remembered well after their retirement or death. Even those lead guitarists who are not remembered still provide an important feature to the songs they play, through their use of musical embellishments that compliment the work of the rest of their band.