ilovefuzz.com

if i were to do a two-person project, i'd play guitar because IMO it's possible to do more in terms of leads/chords/drones/filling space; on the other hand, i'm primarily a guitarist. if i had a looper, i'd use it. since i don't, i'd use multiple delays: a fairly short kind of slapback-y thing just to fill space, a mid-length one with repeats to spread out single chords, and a long one with modulation i could hit and then let repeat in the background while i played over it. i'd have to tapdance to trip them in and out. i'd also use gobs of reverb to give the illusion of expanded space.

one thing i've always done as a single guitarist, either in a group or solo, is to hit a low open string, let it ring as a drone, and then solo over it. this is really good with distortion. if you have any fingerpicking chops, better yet...get some delay, some modulation, and some Travis picking and the post-rockers won't know what to think.

Isn't Big Business a duo?
The Kills is my fav.
How do they do it?
Cheap, creatively-used drum machine (see also: Sleigh Bells) plus POG. Done. <3
Or even consider [early!] Yeah Yeah Yeahs; Karen just sings.
Badass drummer + octave fuzz + rip the shit out of that guitar and layer it a bit.
See also: early Gossip

oh, and +3000 on Death From Above 1979.
In my mind, every band should be 2 or 7.

I have been in two two-man bands. While it is easier on the guitar, wider playing range mainly, I think it would be quite good with a drum and bass setup. Looping is a must and some kind of keys, cheap is great, I used this yamaha dx11 that I got for free and it was great. The 'electric guitar' sound was fantastic like a cross between an organ and a honky tonk piano.

Fiery Furnaces are my favorite two man band check out blueberry boat

I just remembered Big Black are another noise-y two piece. They just used a heavy fucking drum machine. Apparently a lot of times the sound guy at the venue they were playing didn't have a fucking clue what to do with it, but that was the 80's

wfs1234 wrote:
Fiery Furnaces are my favorite two man band check out blueberry boat

You're alriight!

I've never seen/heard them play as a duo live though...

I'm probably gonna get ripped to shreds for this one..but... The White Stripes?

But, c'mon..."Blue Orchid"? How can that song not score major ILF points for the riff/fuzz use?

StudioShutIn wrote:I'm probably gonna get ripped to shreds for this one..but... The White Stripes?

But, c'mon..."Blue Orchid"? How can that song not score major ILF points for the riff/fuzz use?

I guess no one said it because it was in the very first post

hclapp219 wrote:I guess no one said it because it was in the very first post

Oops my bad I guess that's what I get for not reading the previous posts and just impulsively answering...

StudioShutIn wrote:

hclapp219 wrote:I guess no one said it because it was in the very first post

Oops my bad I guess that's what I get for not reading the previous posts and just impulsively answering...

Hey no worries You inspired me to go listen to some White Stripes. Elephant was probably the album that made me want to learn guitar.

Thanks for all the input guys.

Looping is a definite. My friend is thinking about getting an RC-3/20/Jamman or using his laptop to do it. There will definitely be some fuzz going down on my part. My next purchase is also going to be a heavy cab anyway
I don't know about vocals...I'm not a singer or too keen on writing lyrics...that may change but I'm thinking mostly instrumental. If there are lyrics it's probably going to be a washy use of them, like in shoegaze.

I forgot JAPANDROIDS!!!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skr1NFMRf-4[/youtube]
Warning: Carson Daly content

Not a two piece if you count the singer but still I have always dug this song...
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKul3nXLdig[/youtube]

ever heard of Load Records?

snipelfritz wrote:I just remembered Big Black are another noise-y two piece. They just used a heavy fucking drum machine. Apparently a lot of times the sound guy at the venue they were playing didn't have a fucking clue what to do with it, but that was the 80's

Actually, Big Black was a 3-piece + drum machine... 2 guitarists and a bass player. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Black

Still, they probably could have done it as a 2-piece...

jfrey wrote:Duos I know of:
Time Columns, Pivixki, Old One

If I think of any others I'll add to this post.

Yeah I know Time Columns. The guy is a master of using the Gibson Echoplex, which is how he is able to do the nifty layering. He goes back and forth between using synths and guitar through the looper. It's crazy to learn, but you can achieve a lot of killer stuff in a duo.

You could also do some preprogrammed synth stuff and run live instrumentation over it, if you don't want to be stuck with someone always doing percussion.