Which techniques are used on the guitar?

Common approaches to guitar playing include:

• Chord accompaniment (“pop guitar”)

The approach often called “pop guitar” usually refers to chordal accompaniment, also called rhythm or folk-guitar playing. A singer performing with one guitar may support the voice with strummed chords or arpeggios. The right hand supplies the rhythm or broken-chord pattern, while the left changes chord shapes. The vocal line carries the lyrics and melody, with the guitar providing a harmonic and rhythmic foundation. Such accompaniment can also support another singer or instrument; it does not require the guitarist personally to sing.

• Solo melodic playing

In melodic solo playing, we play successive notes to bring out a tune. Instruments such as clarinet, flute and violin often carry this role. With two guitarists, one may play chord accompaniment while the other plays the melody. Oud and bağlama players also frequently lead with melodic lines, though they can provide rhythmic accompaniment too. On guitar, a melody may move across several strings; it is not confined to one string.

• Polyphonic playing and classical guitar

Polyphonic playing means bringing more than one musical voice together. On the guitar it can combine melody, bass, chords and arpeggios, allowing two or more lines to be heard at once. It appears in many styles and is especially important in classical guitar repertoire. Polyphony is not exclusive to classical music, and a solo guitar recital need not be classical. If you want to develop this approach, structured classical-guitar study is one useful route. Learning notation helps you understand and coordinate the separate voices, and sustained, systematic practice develops the technique.

Onur Severgün
Rekor Sanat – Guitar Teacher