Many of the alternative rock bands i’ve seen have 3 guitars and a drummer. Why do you need 3 guitars? I don’t know much about the subject, but I assume one is a base guitar but what are the other 2 for? Why not just one guitar like folk singers used?
Here’s a recent thread (from the first page) about the benefits of having two guitars in a rock band: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=316950 .
Basically, it allows a fuller sound: one guitarist plays lead, with single-note melodies, solos, etc., and the second guitarist plays rhythmic chords. Almost every rock band has a bass player laying down a bassline, much like a song’s heartbeat. The bassist works closely with the drummer, and together they are considered the “rhythm section”–very few bands have bassists that take lead roles, solos, etc: Primus, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Morphine, Rush, and the jazz-fusion group Bela Fleck and the Flecktones are all known for monster bassists who can solo as good or better than most guitarists.
Of course, bands can do just as well with one guitar plus bass, and other groups have experimented with even more stripped-down line-ups. Ben Folds Five featured piano, bass, and drums (a “power trio”), the aforementioned Morphine got a very full sound from bass, saxophone, and drums, Mates of State have keyboard and drums (plus male and female vocals), and the White Stripes and the Raveonettes both have a single guitarist plus drums.
This is a concurrent duplicate thread. Try here.
And it’s bass guitar.
Wesley Clark - just a quick check in: was your question answered by either BBVLou’s post or the link to the Two Guitars thread? If not, please restate what you still want to know and I (and no doubt others) would be happy to give it a shot.
Because it sounds better than a guitarist and 3 drummers.