Rhythm guitar

More developed rhythm techniques include arpeggios, damping, riffs, chord solos, and complex strums.

In big band music, the guitarist is considered part of the rhythm section, alongside bass and drums.

In some musical situations, such as a solo singer-guitarist, the guitar accompaniment provides all the rhythmic drive; in large ensembles it may be only a small part (perhaps one element in a polyrhythm).

In the most commercially available and consumed genres, electric guitars tend to dominate their acoustic cousins in both the recording studio and live venues.

Harmonically, in rock music, the most common way to construct chord progressions is to play major and minor "triads", each comprising a root, third and fifth note of a given scale.

In heavy metal music, this is typically expanded to more complex sequences comprising a combination of chords, single notes and palm muting.

In some genres, especially metal, the audio signal from the rhythm guitar's output is often subsequently run through some form of effect pedal or overdriven guitar amplifier in order to create a thicker, crunchier sound for the palm-muted rhythms.

For instance Jimi Hendrix combined full chords with solo licks, double stops and arpeggios.

In recent years, "looping pedals" have been used to supply chord sequences or riffs over which musicians can then play the lead line, simulating the sound achieved by having two guitarists.

Whereas the lead guitarist in a metal band is trying to make the solo tone more prominent, and thus uses a range of colorful effects, the rhythm guitarist is typically trying to provide a thick, solid supporting sound that blends in with the overall sound of the group.

Early jazz guitarists like Freddie Green tended to emphasize the percussive quality of the instrument.

In jazz big bands, popular during the 1930s and 1940s, the guitarist is considered an integral part of the rhythm section (guitar, drums and bass).

When jazz guitarists play chords underneath a song's melody or another musician's solo improvisations, it is called comping, short for accompanying.

In many popular styles of music, such as rock and pop, the rhythm guitarist usually performs the chords in rhythmic fashion which sets out the beat or groove of a tune.

Rhythm guitar in gypsy jazz uses a special form of strumming known as "la pompe", i.e. "the pump".

This form of percussive rhythm is similar to the "boom-chick" in bluegrass styles; it is what gives the music its fast swinging feeling.

The chords used in funk songs typically imply a dorian or mixolydian mode, as opposed to the major or natural minor tonalities of most popular music.

Jimmy Nolen and Phelps Collins are famous funk rhythm guitarists who both worked with James Brown.

The guitar in reggae usually plays the chords on beats two and four, a musical figure known as skank or the 'bang'.

Depending on the amount of swing or groove, this next secondary stab is often the 16th note sounding closer to an 8th placement in the rhythm.

Artist and producer Derrick Harriott says, "What happened was the musical thing was real widespread, but only among a certain sort of people.