Learning Guitar as Accompaniment By John Sulzbach, Killingworth CT

Introduction• An arborist by profession, John Sulzbach of Killingworth,

CT, enjoys playing the guitar and singing in his free time. John Sulzbach of Killingworth, CT, played in bands throughout his high school and college years, and he continues to play and sing.

While playing guitar to accompany one's own singing, the novice musician can find himself or herself challenged by the need to remember chords and finger correctly while also delivering the song on pitch, with the correct lyrics, and in the spirit of the music. To simplify the process, the musician needs to become proficient enough on the instrument so that chord changes and technique become automatic.

Guitar as Accompaniment

•It is possible to simplify the accompaniment pattern for the developing player. Some experts recommend reducing the strum to a single down strum per chord, which requires less activity and thought than a full continuing strum. As the musician becomes more skilled, he or she can resume the full strum and later can introduce some fingerstyle picking to add interest to the accompaniment.