guitarist
gb/ɡˌɪtˈɑɹɪst/ us/ɡˌɪtˈɑɹɪst/
B1
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
role
1
person who plays the guitar
A person who plays a guitar.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a guitarist; the guitarist in/of [a band]
Common mistake:
Don’t confuse guitarist (guitar player) with bassist (bass player).
Synonyms
guitar player (More general and slightly more informal; not always professional.)
Collocations
talented guitarist
|skilled guitarist
|lead guitarist
|rhythm guitarist
|session guitarist
|classical guitarist
|jazz guitarist
|acoustic guitarist
|electric guitarist
|the band's guitarist
Themes
music
|performing_arts
Examples
- She’s the guitarist in an indie rock band.
- The guitarist took a long solo near the end of the song.
- He started as a drummer but later became a guitarist.
Learner examples
- My brother is a guitarist.
- The guitarist plays an electric guitar.
Grammar
Dictionary form
guitarist
IPA
GB/ɡˌɪtˈɑɹɪst/
US/ɡˌɪtˈɑɹɪst/
Syllables & stress
gui - tar - ist (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (tar)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: guitarist
- Plural: guitarists
Word family
Forms
guitarists
noun
Core family
guitar
noun A1
Expressions
acoustic guitarist
1/əkˈustɪk ɡˌɪtˈɑɹɪst/
fixed phrase
guitarist who plays acoustic guitar
A guitarist who plays an acoustic guitar.
Examples
- The acoustic guitarist opened the set with a quiet ballad.
- She works as an acoustic guitarist in local cafés.
- They wanted an acoustic guitarist for the unplugged version.
air guitarist
1/ˈɛɹ ɡˌɪtˈɑɹɪst/
fixed phrase
informal
person who mimics playing guitar
Someone who pretends to play guitar without a real guitar.
Examples
- He turned up the volume and started acting like an air guitarist.
- The crowd was full of air guitarists during the chorus.
- She joked that she’s a better air guitarist than a real one.
classical guitarist
1/klˈæsɪkəl ɡˌɪtˈɑɹɪst/
fixed phrase
guitarist trained in classical style
A guitarist who plays classical music.
Examples
- She trained as a classical guitarist before joining a pop band.
- The concert featured a solo classical guitarist.
- As a classical guitarist, he focuses on fingerstyle technique.
electric guitarist
1/ɪlˈɛktɹɪk ɡˌɪtˈɑɹɪst/
fixed phrase
guitarist who plays electric guitar
A guitarist who plays an electric guitar.
Examples
- The electric guitarist tested a new distortion pedal.
- He’s an electric guitarist known for huge stadium solos.
- They replaced the acoustic part with an electric guitarist.
jazz guitarist
1/d͡ʒˈæz ɡˌɪtˈɑɹɪst/
fixed phrase
guitarist who plays jazz
A guitarist who plays jazz.
Examples
- He’s a jazz guitarist who loves complex chords.
- The trio added a jazz guitarist for the festival set.
- As a jazz guitarist, she improvises over the changes.
lead guitarist
1/lˈid ɡˌɪtˈɑɹɪst/
fixed phrase
main guitarist who plays solos
The main guitarist who often plays solos.
Examples
- Their lead guitarist wrote the opening riff.
- After the chorus, the lead guitarist plays a short solo.
- The band is looking for a new lead guitarist.
rhythm guitarist
1/ɹˈɪðəm ɡˌɪtˈɑɹɪst/
fixed phrase
guitarist who plays chords
A guitarist who mainly plays the rhythm and chords.
Examples
- The rhythm guitarist keeps the groove steady during the verses.
- In this band, the singer is also the rhythm guitarist.
- They added a second rhythm guitarist for the tour.
session guitarist
1/sˈɛʃən ɡˌɪtˈɑɹɪst/
fixed phrase
hired guitarist for recordings
A guitarist paid to play for different artists, often for recordings.
Examples
- They hired a session guitarist to record the solos.
- As a session guitarist, he plays on dozens of albums a year.
- The producer brought in a session guitarist for a cleaner sound.