• From: Wales
  • Registered: 2009-01-09
  • Posts: 220

Topic: One's company, two's a crowd...

Ok, the situation, a mate and me have both been playing 10 months and even though I say so myself, we’re both reasonable taking into account the short time we’ve been playing.  We can both play quite a few songs, both play F’s and Bm and few other barre chords pretty ok at slower tempo’s and we both blag it on quicker songs.

Anyway we get together a few times a month for a beer and a jam and because we play the same chords and strumming pattern we sound rubbish together, it’s like the timing only has to be a little out and we may as well be playing different songs.

So anyway, we’ve promised ourselves in the new year that we’ll commit to more regular sessions together and try to get 4 or 5 songs nailed for the summer BBQ season but neither of us are too keen on learning lead guitar.  What other options are there for two beginner guitarists to play the same songs together but without playing the exact dame chords or strumming patterns and clashing.

A few ideas I’ve had is for one to use a capo and the other not, one play barre chords and the other open chords, also there are a triads?

Any help greatly appreciated.   

PS I expect we'll be looking at Beatles songs

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crevs.1972's Website

  • From: derbyshire
  • Registered: 2007-05-17
  • Posts: 2,844

Re: One's company, two's a crowd...

hi ryan another idea is if one strums the chords and the other picks the chords,that way you can play the same chords but sound different,have fun.....stay cool

love is life ,life is for love,keep a true heart and live life to the full....stay cool

daddycool's Website

  • From: Texas
  • Registered: 2009-10-11
  • Posts: 40

Re: One's company, two's a crowd...

Have one strum to keep the beat and the other practice simple picking patterns (or just pick around with your left hand on the chord you can't possibly hit a wrong note).

  • From: Renfrewshire, Scotland
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 1,359

Re: One's company, two's a crowd...

I asked a similar question a while ago and never really got an answer. Is it possible to each play different chords but be in harmony with each other? Or is that just silly? And if so what chords go together? My theory isn't up to doing the leg work.

Is anything really made up of zeros and ones??

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  • From: Tooele Ut
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 4,049

Re: One's company, two's a crowd...

I do think you can harmonize with chords, but not sure how.  That would sound great I think.

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6 Reply by wlbaye (edited by wlbaye 2009-12-17 16:12:11)

  • wlbaye
  • Honoured Member
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  • From: Black Hills So Dak
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 1,284

Re: One's company, two's a crowd...

Al,

If you are playing a C F G progression in the first position and I was to play along with you I might throw my capo on the fifth fret and play a G C D shape chord progression and we would sound great together as long as we were in time and on the beat.

Don't know if that answers your question or not. But you would be in the key of C and I would also.

I would be going 5 steps up with the capo  From G to C

Later, Wayne P

wlbaye's Website

  • From: Renfrewshire, Scotland
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 1,359

Re: One's company, two's a crowd...

Cool. I may try this out this Christmas.

I think you mean you would sound great. I would sound my usual very average self.

Cheers.

Is anything really made up of zeros and ones??

alvee33's Website

  • From: Bellevue, WA
  • Registered: 2006-06-15
  • Posts: 3,336

Re: One's company, two's a crowd...

There's a number of different things you can do, but the 1st thing you have to do is quiet down your playing.  If both of you are banging away full throttle, neither of you is going to sound good.

Once thats done, there are a number of things to do.

Finger picking
One of you play a harmony.  This is easy to figure out if you know what key you're in.
Change your instrumentation.  Turn one of those guitars into a dobro or a mandolin or a bass.

Or alternatively, practice your scales so you can play lead lines in key.

Someday we'll win this thing...

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  • From: Alabama Gulf Coast
  • Registered: 2008-06-24
  • Posts: 1,819

Re: One's company, two's a crowd...

All of the above is correct. Two guitars playing the same chords, same fret, same shape will show differences in rhythm and tuning that are not good.
Do anything to avoid this. A capo is good, barre chords made up higher on the neck work as well.
Pros divide it up into solo guitar and rhythm lines.
One could play chords while the other sings and plays fill in the gaps that occur in the melody.

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tubatooter1940's Website

  • Registered: 2009-11-25
  • Posts: 2

Re: One's company, two's a crowd...

or one of you can take up the bass smile

  • From: Renfrewshire, Scotland
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 1,359

Re: One's company, two's a crowd...

Loving this! Any more?

Is anything really made up of zeros and ones??

alvee33's Website

  • From: Chesapeake,VA
  • Registered: 2008-11-12
  • Posts: 332

Re: One's company, two's a crowd...

Yep, try Clapton's Wonderful Tonight.   One of you does the strumming and the other does arpeggio's.

The capo is your solution.  If you're a Buffet fan, It's Five O'clock Somewhere works good with two guys.

Don't give up, because if you'll bear it out the two of you both get some learning you won't get otherwise.  And hard as it is to take criticism you'll do well to learn how to share that.

Steve

AccoustikNoyz's Website

  • G S E
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  • From: Detroit Lakes , Mn , USA
  • Registered: 2008-01-30
  • Posts: 330

Re: One's company, two's a crowd...

Hi Crevs ,
    Just saw this post so have to reiterate what some other folks have said ... My guitar partner and I have this issue also ... He likes to play the songs he sings in D or A , so I capo and use the chord voicings that I prefer in the key of C or G respectively and it works very well for us since each guitar is producing a totally diferent sound even though they're perfectly in tune ... Also a lot of songs I will flatpick while he is strumming and that makes it easier for me to put in the little base runs that we both like ...
                                                         Jerry

" Just reading the lyrics , it's hard to hear the song , but if the words tug at the heartstrings......it's enough for now........... "
  • From: Wales
  • Registered: 2009-01-09
  • Posts: 220

Re: One's company, two's a crowd...

Thanks everyone, some great advice. 

Can't wait for our next get together! 

Cheers

Epiphone EJ200  -  Epiphone SG400  -  Fender Strat Blacktop.
Blackstar HT 40 Club  -  Vox VT30 - Behringer ACX ultracoustic 1000

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