For those that are not familiar with the inner workings of a band and guitars, seeing two guitarists on stage may arise some questions. I know it certainly did for me when I first started playing guitar and learning about music.
Why do bands have two guitarists? Bands have two guitarists because it allows for a fuller sound and the ability to experiment musically further. Having two guitarists enables them to collaborate and harmonize on guitar parts, creating a different sound than if there was only one guitarist.
Continue reading to learn more on why bands have two guitarists, what each of their roles are, and which guitarist you may be.
Why Do Bands Have Two Guitarists?
Having two guitarists in a band is a great way to fill out the sound, give the guitarists room to breathe, and collaborate both on stage and in the studio.
Typically, there is a rhythm guitarist and a lead guitarist in a band with two guitarists. The lead guitarists is responsible for the solo and added flare to the song. Take a listen to the song Call Me The Breeze, the Lynyrd Skynyrd version. In the beginning of this song, one guitarist is playing the rhythm section (the main riff) and the other is adding the lead touch. Without either element, the song would not be nearly as good, and one guitarist would not be able to do both parts live.
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Another great example, in the funk genre, is Vulfpeck. In this live performance of Cory Wong at the 3:30 minute mark, the two guitarists feed off of each other’s playing and create a complex funk sound with each guitarist playing a different part. One guitarist would not be able to do this by themselves.
Let’s dig further into the benefits and negatives of a band with two guitarists below.
3 Benefits of a Band with Two Guitarists
The three benefits of having two guitarists in a band are:
- Room to Breathe
- Variety and Complexity
- More Collaboration
Let’s dive into each of these benefits to learn more.
1. Room to Breathe
With two guitar players filling out the sound, there are a lot more possibilities. The guitarists can harmonize guitar parts together and play off each other’s riffs.
Compared to one guitarist in a band, it is much more laid back. The responsibility of keeping the sound together does not fall on one person. Since the guitars sound make up a large portion of the sound, this is a big change from one guitarist.
Because there is more room to breathe, this means there is also more room to experiment more. As a lead guitarist, you do not need to worry about filling the sound with rhythm as this is already covered by the second guitarist. This gives the lead guitarist more room to try and push the envelope on the solo or try out a new riff without worrying that the song would halt if they messed up slightly.
2. Adds Variety and Further Complexity
With two guitarists, variety and complexity can be introduced. This could include harmonizing, alternate chord patterns, etc. The possibilities are endless with two guitarists. For this to work well with one guitarist, that guitarist would need to be top notch and at the height of their skills for every performance.
Two guitarists allow for the song to go in multiple directions with more complex chord patterns and riffs that complete the sound.
3. More Collaboration
Dual-guitar bands get the benefit of collaboration. Ideas can be bounced off one another when formulating guitar parts for songs or just jamming. With a solo guitarist in a band, this is much more difficult as this guitarist is on their own to decide on the guitar part for the song.
Having another guitarist alongside you can stir up new ideas that you never thought of based on the riffs they create themselves.
2 Cons of a Band with Two Guitarists
The two negatives of having two guitarists in a band are:
- Clashing Personalities
- Differing Opinions on the Direction of the Band
Let’s look into each of these negatives to learn more.
1. Clashing Personalities
Guitarists like myself can often have egos and strong personalities. The rhythm guitarist can sometimes feel like a step down from lead guitarist. It is not, but it can feel that way.
Because of this, chemistry and understanding between the two guitarists needs to be established. If not, their personalities will clash, and disagreements will break out when deciding who plays lead and who plays rhythm.
Deciding who gets to play the solo and who gets to play certain riffs has the potential to cause a ripple effect through the band if no solution or compromise can be made between the two guitarists.
There can also just be no musical chemistry between the two guitar players. Instead of helping the sound by filling it with two guitar parts, lack of musical chemistry will hurt the sound and changes will need to be made.
2. Differing Opinions on the Direction of the Band
When a band is started, the direction and genre of the band is not always set outright. With each added member comes an added opinion on where and who the band should be. Often, this is fine as all the band members are aligned. Other times, not so much.
Adding a second guitarist increases the chances of disagreements in the music. This famously happened to Stevie Ray Vaughan before Double Trouble. Stevie wanted to go in a strictly blues direction and other members of the band wanted some forms of jazz as well. They broke up.
With two guitarists, there is this same chance. One guitarist may be extremely blues heavy and focused. The other may be interersted in the blues, but wants to play new age rock, funk, jazz, etc. as well. These disagreements between the guitarists can create turmoil for the band and ultimately the music.
Do You Need Two Guitarists?
No, a band does not need two guitarists to be successful and sound good. There are many legendary bands like The White Stripes, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble, John Mayer Trio, and Led Zeppelin, who only have one guitarist.
The above bands are just a few that dominated the blues and rock world with only one guitarist. Of course, these are also some of the best guitarists in the world like Jimmy Page, SRV, Hendrix, and John Mayer. That being said, a band does not need to have the best guitarist in their state to sound great.
Early Black Keys is a great example of this. Dan Auerbach is a great guitarist, although he is not considered one of the all-time greats. If you listen to early Black Keys albums, they are extremely blues heavy but also relatively simple to play. Dan was just great at filling out the sound via his guitar alone. His sound is very attainable for those who want a one guitar band.
Recording with one guitarist is even more doable than performing. When recording, you can overlay multiple guitar riffs by yourself to fill out the sound. Jimmy Page was famous for this. He would record intricate guitar overlays on songs. He was also an expert producer and sound engineer.
Why Do Some Bands Have 3 Guitarists?
Bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd are known for having three guitarists when fully outfitted. Having three guitarists allows the band to add more variety and complexity to the song. Although, that is if this is done correctly. Each guitarist needs a straight line of what their task is otherwise it can get messy fast.
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