FORMATTED FOR TWO-SIDED PRINTING: Internationally acclaimed acoustic guitarist Ellsworth ("El") McMeen has been arranging hymns and other spiritual music for guitar for over 30 years. He started in standard guitar tuning, but moved away from that tuning into various so-called "open" tunings. He has been called the "King of CGDGAD tuning," in light of his prolific arrangements and compositions in that lush and evocative tuning. This major work of spiritual music contains 26 guitar settings of hymns, spirituals, and gospel songs, all lovingly arranged for solo fingerstyle guitar in the CGDGAD tuning. This book contains a chord chart for the aid of the reader. El is included in the Digitaldreamdoor listing of the 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists. https://tinyurl.com/GreatestGuitarists Many of El's recordings are described here: https://store.cdbaby.com/Artist/ElMcMeen

The audio sampler contains excerpts from these 10 songs, all in CGDGAD tuning:

1. Alleluia, Sing to Jesus
2. In Christ There is No East or West
3. Jacob's Ladder
4. Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho
5. Kingsfold (Tune: "Star of the County Down")
6. Poor Wayfaring Stranger
7. Praise to the Lord
8. Simple Gifts
9. This Is My Father's World
10. When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (Tune:
"Water is Wide")

El's double-length recording called "Gospel Guitar Treasures" can be found here: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/elmcmeen7

TheSound of Silence isPaul Simon?s masterpiece. Released in 1965, Simon had written the track duringthe two previous years. It was well worth the wait.

Itis an obvious choice as a piece of repertoire to arrange for the intermediateguitarist, yet I have found that many arrangements include real technicaldifficulties for the learner. This is often because of the choice of key. Ifset in A minor, an F barre chord is encountered. Similarly, in D minor, a Bflat barre chord crops up. After much trial and error, I have created a versionin F sharp minor which is playable for younger and less experienced hands,without, I believe, losing any musical effect.



Ihave tried to make this arrangement flexible. Therefore, it is set in 2sections. A grade 1-2 guitarist can play just the first half, twice for acomplete performance. The second half has a thicker texture, with a ?flatpicking? technique applied to the thumb. Here, the thumb plays the lower notes onall four beats of the bar.



This downloadprovides one version with only notes, and a second in notes and TAB (in this singledownload). I am aware that many teachers dislike TAB, so you are given the choice.

Professionalplayers looking for light repertoire ? perhaps for restaurant or wedding work ?can fill out the parts spontaneously. The chord sequence is obvious to those withmore experience.

Personally speaking, I sometimes play the arrangement with a capo at fret 3 or 4 to vary the timbres heard in a concert programme.

I hope very muchthat you enjoy playing this version of The Sound of Silence. To see andhear my arrangements for learners, professionals, and ensembles, please visit www.danjonesguitarist.com.I have also written a memoir of working as a guitarist in rural France. Pleasesee www.danjonesauthor.com.

I will upload a YouTube video and lesson before the end of February 2021.

THANK YOU! DanJones, Perthshire, Scotland, February 2021