We're debating whether we wanna remain a four-piece or not (I'm pretty much hell bent on it), so what does everyone think? What are the pros and cons of having one guitarist?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ooQgtgpCw0

Two guitars are good for some obvious things, but since we started my new band it is kind of a releif to not have to worry about another person. It just sucks trying to book shows when you have to talk to 4 other people. It always seemed harder to get things done.

So Rev, what's the strangest thing you've stuck up your ass?

I don't really talk to the other guys when I book shows hahah. I just book, and I tell them to check the myspace once in a while for the dates because I can't always remember when we're playing.

Sacreligion uses one guitarist, it has its ups and downs. there are certain parts that would sound so much better with a second guitarist, and vice versa. but it does allow the one guitarist to handle it all. we try to utilize the bass as an occasional backing guitar feel.

immortal13 said:

Thats one of the main reasons why I left Zircon, not being asked if I was gonna be able to play certain shows before they were booked.

One less asshole is the way I see it.

Big fan of the "power trio"

Pro -- one less asshole to deal with.
Con -- less full sound live, no harmonics, no help with song-writing.

I definitely would not want to go back to being a four piece with this band. I don't think a 2nd guitar would be as critical with a less technical project though.

goatcatalyst said:

HA -- you beat me to it!

goatcatalyst said:

good enough for Billy, Dusty and Frank

... good enough for me

Well, they're pretty much used to me not mentioning it, especially with the fact that we just got signed to Respawn Records and we're getting a booking agent, so that's more shows I'm not gonna remember to mention. A lot of people say we sound real good as a four piece, the only thing one person said is if I put a bit more midrange in my bass sound, then I'll stand out with the guitars more and not just sit in with the drums.

I dont want anyone else writing music any way so its just easier for my band.

you can do a lot more musically with a second guitarist. in the end though, the second guitarist has to accept his role... even if that means just being rhythm. it is pretty damn annoying being in a band with 2 guitarists hell bent on one-upping the other one with leads.

also, if one of the guitarist isn't that good of a rhythm player it REALLY takes away from the band.

More mid-range in the bass will help the bass cut through the mix.

As far as a 4 piece, vs having 2 guitarists. As everyone mentioned, it's a catch 22 and they are absolutely right.

2 guitars do thicken the sound, especially if you have guitar solos. It also helps with band rent and band bills if they have the ability to pay their share.

However, if it is always a revolving door, you have to help bring someone up to speed, get used to him/her, then if he/she leaves, get used to him/her no longer being there and re-learn how to play live again as a 4 piece.

It comes down to your sound. If you're playing a style of music that really calls for 2 guitarists then no question you should have one.

Obviously it fills out your sound and allows you to do more. If you're going to be at all serious about your band you should care about your sound enough to make the effort to get a second guitarist. Yeah, it's one more phone call, one more knucklehead to worry about. But when all the stress is on one guitarist to write everything, and fill everything out, that's the kind of thing that eventually breaks up bands.

the trick is a good bass player with a good tone....look at Decapitated, one guitarist and one bassist and they still manage to smash your face in

just get a second guitar cab, put it on the other side of the stage. get another guitar head eventually.

xmikex said:

L O fuckin L. this is such a load of crap

blue, are you really losing much by using two cabs off the same head?

i have the mesa simul 295 (the sexy old one with the 6L6's and EL34's) and i run my 4 ohm mono cab off of Channel A. planning on getting a second cab (also 4 ohms, mono) for Channel B. that sound right/optimal?

timjohn said:

haha yeah I'm really slinging the BS here. Which part struck you as the least probable... that bands should give a shit what they sound like, or that putting too much stress on one guy to write everything can lead to problems down the line?

total lube job. I know.

Pro's... Fuller sound, harmony, more input and insight on writing, cheaper band expenses.

Con's... eisier to be sloppy, harder to work around scheduals, more gear to move for far away shows

there's no "least probable." (improbable) it's just a dumb way of thinking.

hmmm, so basically you are saying that dime was lazy and didn't care about his band's sound because he didn't take the time to find a second guitarist? hmmm, i guess what you said above doesn't really apply here because we all know that pantera wasn't "at all serious." LOL

maybe the reason a band breaks up like the one you described isn't because "oh we're such great musicians but all this stress on the guitarist to write everything and fill everything out is too hard." ummm yeah maybe you're just a bunch of talentless hacks trying to keep a band together that really should be relegated to nothing more than playing third rate in flames covers off clayman in your parents' basement?

now i am not saying this is you or whatever bands you are in necessarily, just saying that it is possible given the example you provided.

one more quick point - just because you have one guitarist doesn't mean that everyone else in the band can't write riffs and songs and contribute material. i know, i know, this is probably an extremely foreign and novel concept to you, but think about it, it might work. at least that way your sole guitarist doesn't have to expend too much energy stressing over coming up with edgy, new material and can instead focus intently on "filling everything out."

yea... l o fucking l

bands with single guitarists should always track more then one guitar track in recording.

and live, as long as youre rig pushes enough air, one guitarist sounds fine.

I like drum/guitar/vocal trios.

timjohn said:

Least probable is a perfectly acceptable notion. Consider the following:

I show up to school without my homework. What happened?
A. I didn't do it.
B. I did it, and misplaced it.
C. Tim John's wife ate it.

A & B are both probable situations. However, depending on my personality (work ethic towards school, academic success, organizational skills) a likely situation is that one is more probable, and the other less probable. Meanwhile C is of course the improbable because Tim John's wife was way too busy checking up on her Hotornot.com account to eat anyone's homework.



I actually think that's a great example. haha I think I got a little carried away with the whole "being serious about your music" crap. Anyone who knows me knows I'm the least serious dude about anything... starting with music. Word up for calling me on it.

For the record however, Pantera did have a lot of second guitar tracks on their recordings.

xmikex said:

Well, I play a lot of guitar too and write a lot of shit too, so it's not just him doing it.

fair enough

This thread makes me miss Hoser.
Well, in theory.

I say one string player period

xmikex, I agree with you a lot. And about Pantera, you're absolutely right. There was never a point where there was only one guitar all the time, live or recorded. Same with great one guitar bands like Van Halen, Sam Black Church, etc...., all used additional tracks and offstage musicians or tape to duplicate it live.

However, there are some bands that DO sound amazing with just one guitar. I think a lot of it is style/genre. While I consider metal bands, very few examples stick out. But when I think of guitar wankery stuff, I think of millions.

Either way you argue, you need to relent some to the other side. While a band like Freak Kitchen proves you can have an enormous sound with one guitar, a band like dragonforce can show that no matter how good your one guitarist is, another can make it sound so much better.


As for the guy who books gigs and doesn't check with the band members: I hope you get punched in the face for this sometime. Seriously, it's like bragging about going into the drummers basement after every practice and flipping on all the amps with no one noticing, and then laughing at the poor guy's electric bill. It's the most basic and obvious common courtesy, both to the band members and to the club when you end up having to cancel the day you book a show when they cannot be there.

I guess, however, it does go as a good argument for why 2 guitarist would be better. If one can't make a gig, you can still play it......

And personally, if I ever decided to gig with the music I'm currently writing, I'll be looking at up to four guitar players onstage.

Guitarmy

'Two less arms'

heyaoo

It's definately one of those arguments that no side is right it's more like each side just has their points.

I want a 2nd guitarist because it'll be a much fuller sound plus I miss our harmonies and overlaying riffs.

However we've been writing some really good shit lately and that I'd be worry if someone new coming in the band and throwing in their 2 cents. Could be good, could be bad.

We've been searching for a guitarist for a little over a month now and have only tried out 1 kid, another fell through, and we're trying out another tomorrow night "supposibly".

I don't want to give up the guitarist search but if the rest of the guys are down for just 1 guitarist then it's kindof a majority rule no matter how much they say "it's not a majority rule" because I'll eventually stop trying to find one and stop trying to push my point of view and just want to play some metal.

my band has one guitarist, so i crank up the overdrive on my bass to fill it out more. works well for us

the_taste_of_cigarettes said:

gotta love the one-string players!

budum bump

motorhead sounds great with one guitarist. likey likey

Beneath the Massacre sounds awesome with one guitarist.

Like I said Steve, something like that is a full band decision.

And Arrowhead, they don't mind me just booking shows and not saying anything. I mean, sometimes if I remember I'll say something, but other times if I don't remember they don't care. Plus, we pretty much always mention dates we know we can't play because of what you just said.