Writing Songs for Two Guitars – Part 2
If you haven’t read it yet you can click here to find the first part of the two rhythm guitars lesson. Today we will continue to examine more ways to use creatively two rhythm guitars in the same band. While last time we focused in arranging the song for one clean and one distorted guitar, today we will work with two distorted guitar.
Different Voicing for the Power Chords
A first idea is to have both guitars play power chords, but with different voicings or in different octaves. Check out the following example (click HERE to hear it):
Using Other Dyads
To understand this example you may want to review our previous lesson on power chords. The idea here is to have one guitar play “standard” power chord, while the other plays a different part of the full chord (click HERE to hear it).
Power Chords and Sixths
An easy and spicy possibility is to employ intervals of sixth in one guitar. Sixths are easy to remember and recognize if you visualize the bar chords as in the following diagrams (the sixths are in red). All you need to do is to imagine the position of the bar chord you need to play and finger only the two red notes.
And here we see them applied to our example (click HERE to hear it):
Harmonized Solo Lines
The last option we are going to see today is to use two harmonized solo lines that are playing the notes of the chords used. The two guitars are of course playing different notes, but both of them are “in” the chord. Here is the example (click HERE to hear it):
That’s everything for today, and remember: double the guitars, double the fun!
Your next stop is to learn how to use scales and modes on guitar to create great melodies and solos! Click on the button below to find out:
