Question about playing rhythm guitar versus lead guitar...?

Question:About a year ago, I picked up a guitar for the first time in my 37 years to attempt to learn playing. I played a few months, and then put it away, dusting it off again last night. I have found the ability to play lead parts relatively easy, but have struggled *mightily* with learning rythym.

My question is : how much benefit would I gain from picking up a metronome, to teach myself? Or should I just stick with learning lead? I honestly thought I had rythym until I started this.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: About a year ago, I picked up a guitar for the first time in my 37 years to attempt to learn playing. I played a few months, and then put it away, dusting it off again last night. I have found the ability to play lead parts relatively easy, but have struggled *mightily* with learning rythym.

My question is : how much benefit would I gain from picking up a metronome, to teach myself? Or should I just stick with learning lead? I honestly thought I had rythym until I started this.

Even lead guitarists have to play rhythm most of the time -- when someone else (keyboard, sax, etc) is soloing, or behind the singer, for example. IMO, if you can't play good solid backup rhythm guitar, you can't play guitar -- I don't care how good you are at replicating someone else's recorded solos that you learned from tabs.

And even when you play lead riffs and solos, you need to be able to play with rock-solid timing and rhythm if you ever hope to play with other people.

And as a previous poster pointed out, there's a lot more to playing lead guitar than memorizing someone else's solos from tabs.

The Metronome is only just so you can leanr to keep in time....that's all. I have trouble playing leads, but I do very well playing riffs. If you have better success with playing leads....you might be better off a Lead Guitarist. Nothing wrong with that at all. Look at Slash, Jimmy Page, etc.

you'll still need to play in time playing leads so a metronome cannot hurt you. Most guitarist start with rythym and then go to lead work...there's a lot more to playing leads than just memorizing some tablature...you'll need to learn scales, music theory and improvisation to be a good lead guitarist

Establishing a strong sense of timing and rhythm is really really important. Just about anyone can play sloppy leads - but making sure that your timing doesn't wander will establish you with the ability to play both rhythm and lead with equal confidence and professionalism.

It's boring stuff, honestly. Just hack at it for 10 minutes a day, then play something more fun. Even that much practice will improve your sense of timing dramatically.

Once you've internalized that sense of timing it doesn't leave you!

Saul