For the sake of the song: accompaniment tips and techniques

Learn more about playing better accompaniment in Beyond Strumming.

Great accompaniment is an art that an audience may feel but not notice. The guitar work behind a vocal or another lead instrument can be sophisticated, for sure, but it’s not ultimately about dazzling anyone, scoring applause, or even drawing attention to itself. Instead, the best accompaniment is about serving the song—so that it grooves more, the melody shines brighter, and the listener gets pulled deeper into the emotions and the story.

That’s what the guitarists featured here—Mark Erelli, Shawn Colvin, Anaïs Mitchell, Martin Sexton, and Anthony da Costa—accomplish in song after song. All five are top-flight singer-songwriters and distinctive players whose guitar styles are inextricably linked to the character of their songwriting. Though they perform sometimes with bands, all have also spent years learning to hold their own onstage with one voice and one guitar. In that solo setting, the guitar needs not only to lock in with each individual song, but to provide variety and dynamic contrast over the course of a whole night. In other words, the guitar has to be the band—and a versatile band, too.

I spoke with these musicians to find out more about how they forged their accompaniment styles and about the tools they use, and to glean advice on playing effective backup and bringing out the heart of a song. And they all generously shared examples of their craft in the videos above.

Find the full text and transcriptions in the January 2018 issue of Acoustic Guitar and online.