Every great song consists of varying dynamics and intensity levels. This could depend on the sections in the song like the verse, chorus, where each section has a specific dynamic range, or the intensity of the dynamics could simply follow the natural progression of a song. This is usually steered by the rhythm bass and drums. In a live situation, the vocalist or lead guitarist has to pick up on these cues and match the intensity level of the song with their voice or lead lines.

Without these varying levels of intensity, songs would sound really dull and monotonous. Most listeners would lose interest before the song even ends. Having varying levels of intensity keeps a song interesting and leaves the listener in a state of anticipation.

Here we will look at some simple ways you can change up the intensity of a song as a rhythm guitarist.

Arpeggios

Arpeggios are a great way to change up the dynamics of a song. There are no right or wrong ways to use them. However there are some general ways guitar players use them for specific sections of a song.

One great way is to use arpeggios as part of an intro. Simply arpeggiate the chord progression of the verse or chorus as part of an intro before moving on to the following section. Note that this can be done anywhere throughout the song. Using arpeggios as part of an outro section is also common. Mixing arpeggios with regular strumming is also a great way to define a particular section of a song.

Palm Muting

Another great way to define a particular section of a song is by using palm muting. Palm muting can either intensify or tone down a part of a song depending on how you use it. Keep in mind that changing the position of your palm mute either close or away from the bridge will produce different effects. Palm muting sounds great on both acoustic and electric guitar (especially with distortion). Mixing palm mutes with regular open strumming sounds great too.

Changing Strumming Dynamics

Changing the dynamics of the rhythm guitar is probably the most common way to change up the intensity of a song. It simply means changing the volume. You can do this by strumming harder or softer by changing how much of the guitar pick you are using to strum the strings. The more the pick digs in on the guitar strings the louder the guitar sounds. The less of the pick you use produces a softer sound. Although on an electric guitar through and amp, the change of volume would not be as dynamic as an acoustic guitar. However the difference in tone is still very obvious. On an electric guitar, this is best done with a clean or mildly crunchy amp setting.

These are just a few easily executable examples of how you can change the intensity of the rhythm guitar. Incorporate these ideas whenever you are playing the role of rhythm guitarist and create some great variation in terms of intensity of what you’re playing.

Learning to play guitar on your own can be frustrating and challenging, especially if you don’t know what to do. Having a great teacher makes the whole process more fun, enjoyable and gets you real results fast.

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