How To Arrange Songs For Fingerstyle Guitar

[@unclecheese323]

This is a fantastic video. Thank you. My current obsession on guitar, particularly with arrangements of songs, is phrasing like a vocalist. I’d encourage players to really listen closely to what subtleties the vocalist is expressing beyond what you can see on the lead sheet. Are there approach notes? Blue notes? Slides? Etc. Unison is another great technique we can use as guitar players to get just a very slight variation between notes to emulate a real vocal line. I’d love to see in a follow up video more on counterpoint and voice leading. It’s so easy on guitar to get stuck into comfortable chord shapes that put the melody on top, and we completely ignore what’s happening in the middle voices. Anyway, thanks again, Dylan. Always love your videos.

[@dylanryche]

Appreciate the kind words and detailed comment. Voice leading would probably make for a good video!

[@wannamartinD45]

Would like to have a lesson on how to best, what I call, color a song. Meaning, adding in hammer offs, hammer ons, slides, other techniques that add personality to a song beyond the flat sounding chords and notes of the original song. Hope that makes sense for what I am after. Thanks.

[@wannamartinD45]

I have played by myself for years, and I think having someone else's style or techniques introduced to me showing how they do it would help advance my playing.

[@dylanryche]

Great suggestion. Did you watch the video? I do talk about that exact topic. 👍👍

[@wannamartinD45]

Exactly what I was needing. Sorry I didn't get to see the video fully before I requested a lesson. You are amazing! Thank you! @@dylanryche

[@dylanryche]

My pleasure 👊👊

[@andretrim6419]

@Dylan Ryche Thanks for taking the suggestion Dylan. I was glad to see this video pop up. Good choice of song .I also liked hearing the different voices. I've decided to do an arrangement of "You're the Inspiration" by Chicago, I was also working on one for Uptown Girl by Billy Joel. Are you open to receiving recordings so that at some point in time you can review them or critique ?

[@dylanryche]

Glad you enjoyed the lesson and song choice! Unfortunately I don’t have time for song critiques, but I do teach lessons online if you’re ever up for it. Good luck with your own arrangements and hopefully this lesson helped!

[@andretrim6419]

@@dylanryche Thanks man

[@RobertoColombo]

Great lesson! The last tip about learning the lyrics is pure gold! Thanks

[@dylanryche]

Happy to help!

[@williamwood1886]

Great insight into arranging! Got a few songs on the list to arrange and will be using this video as a guide, thanks again for the content!

[@dylanryche]

Glad it was helpful! 👊

[@martinjesbuus91]

Thank you Dylan. Amazing content as always! 👏

[@dylanryche]

You’re welcome!!

[@stevesilva6478]

Thanks Dylan! Good stuff.

[@dylanryche]

Cheers!!

[@ShinichiShimahara]

The tone of the guitar you played was amazing and I enjoyed it till the end. thank you. If you don't mind, please tell me the manufacturer and specifications of the guitar used in this video.

[@dylanryche]

The guitar in this video is a Stonebridge/Furch OM32SM. It has a deeper body than usual and I don’t think that option is available anymore.

[@ShinichiShimahara]

@@dylanryche さん・ Thank you for your kindness 🎵

[@IvayloNikolov]

Happy New Year, man :-) Wish you all the best!

[@dylanryche]

Same to you 👊👊

[@mustafakaratas7326]

You are a treasure. I think Contrary motion is really helpful.

[@dylanryche]

Glad you enjoyed it. I agree! Contrary motion is a very useful tool

[@jcbbluesman]

Great lesson Dylan. You have a great way of making it easily to follow and understand. Thanks!

[@dylanryche]

Appreciate that! Glad you found it helpful!

[@Floydandsome]

Hi Dylan I was wondering do you use metronome and overdubs when recording? I found that extremely annoying to use one and sometimes it ruins the groove for me But is it necessary?

[@dylanryche]

Depends on the song. Sometimes I prefer no click track and I can just let the tempo change as I feel it. Any collaborations or anything that you anticipate doing a lot of edits on will be way easier with a click track. You can even program your click track anyway you like. Eg. A slight tempo increase. I just take it one song at a time.

[@Floydandsome]

@@dylanryche Thank you so much!