Style Sheet #1 Rock

1. Instrumentation – The Rock sound is driven by a steady, solid rhythm from the drums, tied down Bass guitar (not too busy), electric rhythm guitar playing power chords using overdrive or a steel strung acoustic guitar for the power rock ballad classics, electric lead guitar (plenty of overdrive & reverb & often uses either an electronic keyboard or organ.

2. Rhythms – Driving rhythm where the whole band often play on accents and make use of synchronized lead riffs with two guitars or between a guitar & bass. Light & shade are commonly used where the sound will slow and quiet down only to come back often louder and more intense.

3. Scales – Major Pentatonic, Minor Pentatonic, Blues, Ionian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Dorian, Harmonic Minor, Phrygian (popular with speed metal).

4. Chords – Power Chords (1st & 5th notes), & basic chord patterns such as major, minor, 6th & 7th.

5. Technique – For rhythm guitar the emphasis is largely placed on basic chord shapes using distortion. Lead guitar riffs are mixed in with power chords. Some guitarists will want no reverb where others will go for it. For lead guitarists, techniques include: slides, hammer on, pull off, bend, pre-bend, tapping, harmonics.

6. Effects – Overdrive, distortion, Fuzz, reverb, echo, wah wah.

7. Sound & Tone – Bright tone will cut through the other instruments using the bridge pick up for lead guitar & neck for the chords or mellow sounding guitar riffs & solo's.

8. Amplification – Valve amplifiers such as Marshall amps are very common, offering rich sound, reverb and overdrive built in. Many modern amplifiers offer the best of both valve & transistors & are great for both stage & studio.