[Guitarbite1985]

Timhsu87, if you want some techniques to work on and play you can view some of my threads that I have shared for people who want ideas. They are located in this section "Theroy and Technique" so they shouldn't be hard to find. Some of the titles are "Slick Licks"; "More Licks"; "Sweep Arpeggios"; just to name a few. All that they really require is practice and creativity. If you want more ideas you can email me at my personal email address. Hopefully you find what you're looking for.

[timhsu87]

Hi,

Sorry about the misunderstanding. I am specifically asking for some help on the techniques and theory of playing the electric guitar, not acoustic guitar. Thanks Zjaan Meyer (sorry if I spell your name wrong) for the clarification! Right now I am just trying to figure if there is any way I can use any theory and technique to approach a song. For example, if I want to play some of the Hillsong songs and Chris Tomlin songs, what are some general techniques that electric guitarists use? With techniques I mean triads, power chords, intervals, arpeggios, etc.

[timhsu87]

I notice that there are these "chimey" chords:

xxx8 11 11 (C power chord)
xxx8 9 11
xxx 8 8 11
I am not sure when to play these chords in a song

I also find that Hillsong like to play in intervals and triads. Are triads normally played by the lead guitarist?

Are there other general techniques that lead or rhythm players typically use?

Thanks
Tim

[timhsu87]

Thanks for all your response!

Now I know what I am going to do. I will be doing what I was doing in the past which is learning the riffs/chords for each individual song and trying to figure out the theory behind it so I can use it in other songs for improvisation.

[Rainer.]

Originally Posted by timhsu87

xxx8 11 11 (C power chord)
xxx8 9 11
xxx 8 8 11
I am not sure when to play these chords in a song

All those chords fit into the key of Eb, so I will assume that this is either in Eb major or C minor.

That first one contains the notes Eb, Bb, and another Eb, making that chord suitable for use over an Eb chord or Cm7. (Notice that it is the top three notes of a G form Eb barre chord [G moved up 11 frets]: 11/10/8/8/11/11)

The second one contains Ebs and an Ab, I'd use it when the chord changes to a Ab or Fm7.

The third one contains Ebs and a G. I'd use it when the chord changes to Gm or Cm.

You can also move these chords up and down the neck to use them in different keys. For example, move them onr fret higher to use them in songs in the key of E.

I also find that Hillsong like to play in intervals and triads. Are triads normally played by the lead guitarist?

Are there other general techniques that lead or rhythm players typically use?

I'm not sure what you mean by this. These guitarists use a lot of techniques, playing in octaves, playing arpeggios, fingerpicking, slides, legato techniques (hammer ons, pull offs), tremolo picking, strumming, vibrato, power chords, full chords, drone strings, scale runs, blues harmony, volume swells, open tunings, use of effect pedals...

[gtrdave]

Originally Posted by timhsu87

Thanks for all your response!

Now I know what I am going to do. I will be doing what I was doing in the past which is learning the riffs/chords for each individual song and trying to figure out the theory behind it so I can use it in other songs for improvisation.

That is a good plan and it's how I have learned a lot of what I currently know regarding music theory.

Just an fyi: theory and technique are two separate things with theory being the nuts and bolts and building blocks of music and technique being the displaying of those nuts, bolts and blocks from your instrument.

[Guitarbite1985]

I guess I'm really not understanding what you're asking, most of what is played on the acoustic can be played on the electric. The only real difference is "moving electrons" or...in other words, electricity. There are lots of electric guitar music books to point you in the direction you are wanting to go. I'd suggest going to the local music store and ask for electric guitar technique books to get you started.

[Mr.GuitarTheory]

Check out this praise and worship instructional DVD for electric guitar. It's taught by Paul Baloche and Ben Gowell. I met Ben at a Seminars4Worship guitar class. He knows this style of music, and the electric guitar's role, as well as anyone.

http://bengowell.com

[Darrell999]

+1 to the Baloche/Gowell DVD recommendation.

One thing that may help is to use different chordal voicings--maybe you already know this, but just in case...

Take the G chord, for example. The acoustic player will often play an open G chord.

You could play the G chord like:

3-5-5-x-x-x (G5 power chord)--or

x-x-x-5-4-3-3 (like an F chord on the 3rd fret)--or

x-x-x-7-8-7 (like a D chord moved up to the 7th fret)--or

x-x-x-9-7-8-x --or

x10-12-12-x-x (another G5 power chord)--or

x-x-12-12-12-x --or

x-x-x-12-12-10 --or

x-x-x-12-15-15 (you could barre the 12th fret with your index finger and use your pinky to bar the notes on the 15th fret).

I highly recommend this site for figuring out triads and notes: http://www.cyberfret.com/scales/guitar-codex/index.php

These sound good with a touch of delay, and you can arpeggiate them.
Hope this helps!

[Leviathon]

Listen to Lincoln Brewster or check out some of his vids on Youtube.
How you play electric depends on many things. Do you have an acoustic player, Keyboard player etc..

I will give an example. Tonight we are having a short new years eve service. We are doing 3-4 songs. However we are not going to have our keyboardist. So I am going to be playing the songs a little differently than I would if she were playing with us tonight. On sundays we both share duties of leading the songs and being the one instrument that carries the songs. Some songs I am chugging the rhythm parts and she is playing some fills and not playing as much and other songs she is setting the tonal base of the song and I play some fills and lead parts or arppegios. But tonight I am going to be more of a Jimmy Page type of person where it is mostly riffs and chords and some fills.

How you play electric depends on everyone in the band. Watch these two videos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RMdPu0N7Ho
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5DDCxjeQZw