Guitar skills for singer/songwriters

[KCharlesD]

Just had a listen to your Soundcloud track. Sounds really good and that's a wonderful old song. A suggestion for that song is to play a run-down when you play the chord change G to Em. In simple terms that means playing the note (F#) on the 2nd fret of the bottom string in between the 2 chords. Play downstrokes with the pick on G, and play just the bottom string, not the full chords; pick up the strumming again after you have played the bottom E string on Em.

Hope this makes sense. It fits with the advice already given about picking bass notes in strumming, and actually if you start to learn fingerpicking, it fits with that too as the bass note in each chord is the first, vital note, and these run-downs sound great in that style.

[highvibrational]

Thank you very much.

[mattbn73]

There's a lot to be done with the levels of intensity /dynamics etc., even when playing the same chords throughout. Most of us don't have a problem with loud . It's more like our default throughout as acoustic strummers most of the time. The place to really work on things is with softer.

If you can develop lower intensity feels for verses, you create the illusion of your chorus basically being huge for example. One of the best ways is to develop your "single string strumming" . You basically use the same "strum pattern" , but you only pick one or two strings etc.

Also, work with your inner bass player to lay out on sections or play less. If you were playing with an actual band, you'd have the bass player play diamonds or whole notes etc. on the first verse etc. Do the same for your guitar. Only include the bass note of the chord on certain beats etc. Or have the bass completely lay out on the first verse etc.

Usually, some kind of palm mute on the second verse kind of works as a default for continuing to raise the intensity level , while also "bringing things back down " from the first chorus etc.

Develop simple lead lines for later choruses and verses. Simplest examples are sus chord type movement. Anyway, there's a ton you can do in this area , and it will all make you a better player. It will also make your singing pop , and nonmusicians will swear you're singing better probably. It's difficult for people to pin down exactly what is going on with some of this. But it's some of the best part of playing music on solo guitar.

One of my favorite topics.

[jwing]

Originally Posted by SunnyDee

I listened to your recordings on soundcloud (didn't notice the link earlier). Your voice is lovely. I was thinking you might start by incorporating more dynamics, seems like most of what you're playing is all pretty much the same volume and full-on strumming. Adjusting dynamics would be an pretty easy first technique to work with.

I listened to your recordings before I read the rest of this thread. Lots of good advice here, but SunnyDee's #12 was almost verbatim of my first impression.

Tips on how to achieve some of the other recommendations given:

Listen to other singer/guitar players that you like. I mean really listen. What makes their music interesting? Emulate - just to teach yourself new musical vocabulary.

Listen to many people singing/playing the same song. Youtube is good for that. That will show you that there are many ways to approach a song.

[Mbroady]

It’s already been said but I think it can’t be said enough.
LESS is more. Let the melody Shine. The guitar is there to hold it up.


I think a good example would be Cliff Eberhardt
Check out some of his live YouTube gigs.
He has a different voice then you but the concept of less is more is what makes him stay interesting