Below is the lesson for “The Sound of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel.

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A timeless melody that flows elegantly onto the ukulele. This arrangement is perfect for the budding intermediate player. The key word from our opening sentence was, “flow”; but what exactly does that mean? How does an arrangement flow?

There are two ways that this is accomplished; the first is via rhythm, while the second is through movement. Beginning with the former, this piece is almost entirely written with a steady eighth note rhythm. By keeping the rhythm steady, harmony (chords) and melody takes on the appearance that it moves effortlessly from one to the next.

And when you add “movement”, which means you’ll be playing throughout the span of the neck (in this case, frets 0-8), it makes the piece sound like it’s developing; similar to if we were telling a story (i.e. there is a beginning, middle, and end).

Movement can also be tied to dynamics. This arrangement plays through the (17 bar) form twice. The first time is entirely fingerpicked, while the second time adds strumming to the mix to help build the dynamics.

Part 1 – Performance & Free Lesson

Part 2 – For Premium Members

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