The Guitar Accompanist is dedicated to the art and the craft of playing guitar as an enhancement to songs and singers. Somewhere between the blazing guitar soloist and the singer strumming chords on the guitar is the under appreciated skill of adding just the right fills, highlights, complementary chords and harmony.
The Guitar Accompanist offers some thoughts on the make-up of successful accompaniment techniques. It offers some suggestions of recordings that highlight guitar playing in a variety of musical styles. The Blog page is designed as a place to discuss some of the guitar players we appreciate and suggest others to listen to.
Players who aspire to be better accompanists tend to listen carefully to how others practice that craft. We are always seeking the unique and subtle ways that accomplished guitarists employ their skills in order to make the music sound the best it can.
Please wander around the site. If you find something useful or interesting, let me know. If you think there is something missing, something you would like to see, let me know. Read the blog and join the discussions. There is a lot to share.
The Four Stages of Guitar Playing
- You get a guitar and learn how to play a couple of songs. You take the guitar to parties and people may roll their eyes or smile condescendingly, but they let you play and sing. Now you want to practice more and expand the repertoire.
- People call you up and invite you to bring your guitar to the party. They are glad to see you when you come in carrying the case. They appreciate your playing and singing and tell you so. Now you want to practice more and learn how to play guitar better.
- Other musicians invite you to their parties. They know that you will add to their own performances and make them sound really good. Now you want to practice more and get folks to come to see you.
- You don’t go to parties anymore. You’re too busy gigging or in the studio or touring. Now you want to practice more but it’s a struggle to find the time.