Power trio
Rock band format having a lineup of electric guitar, bass, and drums / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A power trio is a rock band format that has a three-musician lineup of electric guitar, bass guitar and drum kit. It leaves out a fourth member, dedicated vocalist, and an additional rhythm guitar or keyboard instrument that are often used in other rock bands such as quartets and quintets. Notable examples of power trios include ZZ Top, Nirvana, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Motörhead, Grand Funk Railroad, the Police, Rush, Cream, Blink-182 and Green Day.
Most power trios in hard rock and heavy metal music use the electric guitar player in two roles; during much of the song, they play rhythm guitar, playing the chord progression for the song and performing the song's important riffs, and then switching to a lead guitar role during the guitar solo. While one or more band members typically sing while playing their instruments, power trios in hard rock and heavy metal music generally emphasize instrumental performance and overall sonic impact over vocals and lyrics.[1] One prominent power trio is Motörhead, whose lead vocalist, Lemmy, played bass and sang lead vocals. In the case of power trio ZZ Top, lead vocalist Billy Gibbons plays guitar and sings lead vocals. Although four-piece bands such as the Who or Led Zeppelin may function instrumentally as a power trio, with three instrumentalists and a dedicated lead vocalist, these bands are not usually considered as power trios. Larger rock bands often use one or more additional rhythm sections to fill out the sound with chords and harmony parts.