What Skills Are You Looking For In A Guitarist?

[timmerman]

So let us imagine this: Your are auditioning a new gtr. for your band, what do you feel he/she would need to be able to do to make the grade?

Do you want to compare this player with yourself, or do you think this player should be your opposite [read, having a totally different approach to the instrument]

Just to give you some more ideas in what kind of field you could think:


#tone

#phrasing

# spontaneity versus technique

# arrangement skills [riffs, chords ect, ect......]

I am shure you can think of lots of other ideas here.................

What would I be looking for in a player?
Well a few months ago a had writing-sessions with an ex-pupil of mine, and it was very enjoyable to play with someone who had a similar approach to the instrument as myself, although I sometimes wished he would go beyound, and of course he had less experience, but forgetting all of that, it was a good thing to do. Generally speaking, I enjoy it that other player has a different vision than myself, makes things more organic, and is also good for getting ideas about different approaches, as in the end you sometimes end up playing as the player next to you.

Eddie

 

[minofifa]

if i was looking for a guitarist, he would probably have to be a lead / phraising guitarist as i like to do backup vocals and what not. I would want somebody that has good soloing technique as well as be able to add nice little licks here and there. He would have to fit into the mix well and not be one of those guys who tries to outdo everybody else. He would have to be good at playing an acoustic guitar (this is a common problem for shredders to not be able to play one properly). Finally he would have to be somebody that i got along with. I hate playing with people that iam not comfortable around

 

[mikeh]

1st - Someone who had experiance - including knowing every song ever recorded (give or take one or two)

2nd - Someone with decent gear in good working order (including a vehicle)

3rd - Someone I could get along with (I'll take a decent player who is easy going any day over a monster player who is an asshole)

4th - Someone who's playing makes me want to play better (I always play better when I'm with good players)

I must say I very much appreciate tone over chops - I've played with guys who could play 1,000 notes but the guitar sounds like crap. I've also played with a few guys who could sustain one note, but the tone was so beautiful, that I could listen to that one note almost all night.

 

[musicsdarkangel]

Unless his songwriting is something really special, I don't need another songwriter.

I would just look for a guitarist who could play basic rhythm guitar really well, as well as quick rhythm guitar with tricky fingerwork, preferably who can solo, solidly.

An ear for tone is always nice as well.

 

[faderbug]

musicality

 

[dragonworks]

versitility
musicianship
level headedness
improvisational skills
sense of humor

 

[foo]

It's a given that he/she would have no drug/alcohol dependency, good equipment and a professional attitude - on time, rehearsal studies done, etc.

1. Great rhythm player

2. Great rhythm player

3. Great rhythm player

4. Good singer, both lead and back-up

5. Listens to the rest of the band

6. Good sense of dynamics

7. Some tasteful solo chops i.e. actually listens to what s/he's playing. No weedly weedly wee crap.

 

[Ed Dixon]

1. Attitude/personality
2. Availability
3. Music ability
4. Gear
5. No drugs/booze

Without good results on (1), most of the rest will only work for short term deals. One wants a team player who will work for the good of the band.

Without good results on (2), the're not available for either rehearsal and/or jobs. The best player is worthless if they can't show up.

They got to be able to play well, whatever that means for each band. Ability to read music, in some form, is a plus.

They need good gear that works, and that they can haul.

They need to be drug and booze problem free. Dealing with members with problems in this area is a show stopper.

Ed

 

[Imaduck]

Most important, I would say, is being able to get along with the band, and for them to enjoy the band. Having a member who's not having a good time is just major lameness for everybody else.

When we got our second guitarist, he was a big fan, and his style is pretty different then mine, and the styles merge well together. I play rock rhythm, with a bassier, more full rock sound and bluesy leads, whereas he plays with a higher, super solo/lead sound. Also, he's creative, and doesn't just do the same boring stuff; it's good to find somebody who ads to the songs, not just plays the same solo over and over again, even if it's good.

But really, getting along is the biggest thing. If you can get along with a guy, and jam well, then everything else should just fall in place.

 

[SuperSkyrocket]

No tone freaks.

We all know that guy who, after five minutes of playing, turns around to fiddle with his amp - strums - steps on some pedals - strums - switches pickups and turns some knobs - strums - plays two notes of a solo - fiddles with his amp again - strums - and although it now sounds exactly the same as it did five minutes ago, he is much happier with it.

For another five minutes.

Yeah,
No tone freaks.

 

[donkeystyle]

i have to be able to get along with the other guitarist. i have to be able to play with him well........i dont really know what i look for with that, but you can feel it. they have to have different guitar tone than i do, but it has to be as good as mine. if the tones ear splitting, i dont want to play with the dude.

i quit my last band after a year of dealing with the other guitar players crappy tone. he finally got a new good amp and ditched the crappy distortion pedals i was letting him use until he got a good amp.......we had the new amp sounding awesome.......then i came to practice one day and he had it all highpitched and crappy sounding with way more distortion than he needed. i tried to help him fix it and he was a major asshole about it. there had been other things pissing me off about him/the band and that was kind of the straw that broke the camels back, so i just picked up my gear and left. he listens to bands like thursday and stuff and has started listening to a bunch of "hardcore" and "post-hardcore" stuff that has the most unbearably crappy tone ever. he's decided that's the tone he likes and wants to emulate.

it pisses me off so bad when a guitar player has to turn up way louder than me and hurt my ears and everyone elses because his tone sucks so bad he cant hear himself over the drums and my guitar.

we've decided to compromise on the tone issue and are going to start jamming again. i could deal with my guitar having a little less punch anyway.

tone is nearly as important as my being able to get along with the guy and it is just as important as technical ability to me.

i'm not as bad a tone freak as superskyrocket described though. i do my fiddling at home or when we record.

 

[timmerman]

Hmmmmmm......some interesting replies, most of you mentioned the "human"factor: Being Able To Get Along, well I would have thought that in any professional situation you swallow your own pride and just do what is needed, and of couse trying to get along with people is part of that too. But yes the music bus. is not always like that, so it is important to have a good feel for each other and to get along [but than where is that not the case in this life here on this planet?]

Messing with someone else's tone can be tricky. Best thing is that any bandmember understands the music and tries to accommodate their tone accordingly. I know it is easy in theory, but the real world works differently. I have also been told at times to change my tone, and did not always like it. It also matters who is telling it, and how they will ask you. I do not really appreciate it when folks start swearing and yelling, then the whole feel of what you are trying to do is being spoilt by the argument. Of course it is not always plain sailing.......

The booze/drugs thing is another one. In what kind of job can you turn up completely stoned out of your eyes? So I would have thought that that one counts in music as well. I know you get the ones who claim that they play better when under influence. Well it is hard to proof to them the opposite, so sometimes it is better to leave those types all together.

Need to be able to listen to the band.........Well of course what else are we trying to do here, making a porn movie or. ..what.....? No leave all the nonsense here but again all too obvious eh? Making Music you do with your ears [and yes you may use your hands to make certain movements] so you need to listen, as all the info comes through your ears.

So I guess some of the problems we are experiencing just reflect our day to day lives, with all its confusion and communicationproblems, but still we keep at it .....well I hope so, 'cause there is always room for improvement.


In the meantime have a ball playing and recording and thanks to all of you for your response so far.....

Eddie