Stagecraft, Wednesday, 24 May 2006

Plectrum "Rhythm" Guitar: accompanying singing - notes

Guitar top

Guitars are made out of many different types of wood, (and other materials too), but the most important part for sound quality is the top (the bit with the sound hole!)
The four most common types are:
Ply. Cheap to produce, bright, but can be poorer sound quality and are quite quiet.
Spruce. (probably THE most common) Good all round quality and sound.
Mahogany. Rich earthy sound, expensive, and are usually quite quiet.
Red Cedar. Rich warm sound, loud, but a soft wood so quite easily damaged.

Strings sets

String gauge used to be (1970s): Heavy / Medium / Light
Then they became (1980s): Heavy / Medium / Light / Extra Light
Now they are (1990s on): Medium / Light / Extra Light
(For folk they are usually made of "phosphor bronze")
And various others hybrids.
(I use a "Bluegrass" mix - heavy bass strings, medium to light treble strings. I also prefer plain "bronze" not "phosphor bronze", I think they sound a little better, but they don’t last as long. Coated strings are very popular as they don’t tarnish easily and therefore have good staying power – I don’t like them because I feel they don’t have the metalic quality typical of a new heavy gauge string – at this level it’s personal choice).
Lighter gauge strings are easier to play, especially if you are coming from using a nylon strung "classical" guitar. However they can be quite noisy, particularly for a beginner, as they are thinner they vibrate more, which means buzzes and twangs! They also produce less volume. Extra Light strings should only be used on electric guitars because they can be played lightly - the tone and volume is then enhanced electronically.
Heavier gauge strings are harder to play – at least initially – and develop a strong grip and hard fingertips on the left hand. They are easier for the plectrum hand as their position is more reliable (they don’t vibrate so far), they are much louder, but less noisy, almost no buzzes or twangs!

End pegs: Plastic, Brass or Ebony

Plastic are bog standard and fine for beginners and intermediate players.
Brass pegs transmit the highest percentage of vibration to the "top" but can sound a little harsh.
Ebony is the best compromise for quality of sound.

Plectrum (pick)

Size and thickness

Thickness
The thickness of the plectrum is crucial to the quality of "your" sound.
A thin plectrum will be louder and more piercing, with a tendency to accidental "clicks".
A thick plectrum makes your sound softer and "warmer" and is more forgiving of accidental hits.
Size
The size of the plectrum you use will depend mainly on the size of your thumb and finger on your right hand, and how you hold it. So long as it is the right size for you
size should make little difference to the quality of the sound you make.

Shape
Comfort is all here, again, so long as it is the right shape for you it should make little difference to the quality of the sound you make.

Position in hand
Between thumb and forefinger. More of the plectrum should be held than exposed, to make maximum volume and minimum noise.

Position on guitar
Playing near the bridge makes a harder brighter sound.
Over the soundhole is the best compromise for quality of sound.
Near the harmonic "middle" of the strings for a warmer, richer but quieter sound.
NB A capo changes the location of the harmonic "middle".

Playing
Down strokes for a long ringing full sound (e.g. Western – but not Country & Western)
Up strokes for a short "choppy" sound (e.g. Reggae)
Up and down across all strings for a simple sound (e.g. Sheryl Crow / Wall of Sound)
Fingerstyle uses each string on its merits, at its best creating a counterpoint melody and bass line.
C&W (Country and Western) style (sometimes known as the Carter Family brush style) uses the E & A (and occasionally the D) strings to provide a simple bass line for the chords played on the treble strings – this is to facilitate singing and is possibly the most common style of guitar playing around at the moment.
It’s used for far more than just C&W and is the easiest style to move to from plain chords, and I recommend it to beginners.
If C&W style doesn’t suit you though, at least try to think of your guitar as having three bass strings and three treble strings. Play the bass strings to ring, and the treble to provide interest.
If you are a good strong singer, you can get away with a simple guitar style.
If your voice needs the support of a guitar, the guitar will draw more attention from the audience, and it then needs to sound as good as you can make it!

Advanced features/styles of plectrum guitar playing.
C&W playing has developed two "threads" of playing:
The first is where the other fingers of the right hand playing a sort of "finger style" accompaniment augmenting the plectrum, this style is know as hybrid.
The second is called "Flat-picking" and is characterised by the guitarists playing the complete melody of the song using just the plectrum and mostly single notes, at break-neck speed!
However, just because you use a plectrum doesn’t mean that that’s all you should use.
Devices such as "hammer-ons" and "pull offs" using your left hand are one way of providing more rhythmic interest.
Right hand "Damping" can also provide rhythmic interest.
This is achieved by muffling or killing the sound created by the plectrum by bringing
the heel or edge of the right hand down onto the strings near the bridge a split second after the strings are played.

Other fingers
You can provide a double strike (per beat) on an up or a down stroke, or you may
want a less clean chord than your plectrum makes. Just use your free right hand fingers, developing a pattern that works for you.

Conclusion

I hope I have shown that playing "rhythm" guitar doesn’t have to be as plain as it it often perceived to be.
Instead of learning dozens of chords, experimenting with the way you play simple major, minor and seventh chords can add more to your performance than learning
the C#maj7add9 type chords!
Below are the most common "sets" of chords for you to experiment with.

Three Chord Tricks / Twelve Bar Blues / Simple ballads

With very few exceptions most common songs in the western hemisphere take the three note/chord form:
i.e. Dominant, Sub-dominant, Tonic.
Additional Chords and key changes are frequently added, but the three chord form is almost always fundamental.
In simple terms this is:
G, C and D (Typically C&W)
C, F and G (Typically Folk) and
E, A and B or;
A, D and E (Typically Blues and Rock & Roll)
The first note or chord is usually the "Dominant" which will inform the Key of the tune or song.

Y diweddaraf • Last updated 23.9.2006 Wefeistr • Webmaster: Tony Franks - www.tony-franks.co.uk