Chapter 13:Accompanying Melodies
Once you’ve figured out the chords, you have to play them. In most instances,
you can get by with simple strumming. You can strum on the first beat of every
measure, you can strum on every beat, you can strum a backbeat on two and
four, or you can strum in a more complex rhythm. Depending on the song, you
can even break up the chords by playing one string at a time in an arpeggiated
pattern. The important thing is to use your ears and play what fits the music.
And make sure you keep up with the chord changes!
The Least You Need to Know
◆If you’re given a lead sheet with chord notation, play the chords as written.
◆If you’re given a melody sheet with no chords noted—or no music at all—
you have to figure out the chords before you play.
◆When accompanying other musicians, play the chord with your right hand
and the root of the chord with your left.
◆You can play many different types of accompaniment—block chords, sim-
ple rhythms, broken chords, and so on—depending on the mood and
tempo of the song itself.
◆Before you play a new song, make sure you sketch out the form of the
song (verse, chorus, and so forth) so that you don’t get lost in the middle
of things.Exercises
Exercise 13-1
Play a block chord accompaniment based on the following lead sheet.
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