So, what is lead guitar? And why is it so important to have in any musician’s toolbox?

A lot of music doesn’t really have a main theme or chorus, it goes more like “da da DA DA!” You know those songs. A lot of people may know the lyrics but they can’t seem to get the song stuck in their head.

That’s because there isn’t anything special happening — nothing that grabs your attention and keeps pulling you back- there’s no lead melody or riff.

It sounds boring, right? Like talking to someone who has never learned how to talk. Or watching a movie without getting an exciting plot.

Music works similarly. There are parts where the rhythm section (bass, drums) take over and keep the beat, and then some lines or riffs that come together as one big thing. But not every minute segment of a piece is leading somewhere else.

It takes practice to recognize this part of the music as integral to the whole, but once you do, it makes for much more interesting listening.