Sound Of Silence Guitar Lesson (Simon and Garfunkel)

Behold a magnificent song every fingerstyle guitar player should know.

The story behind it is quite interesting, and the melody and chords have stood the test of time.

So grab your guitar and let’s dive into this “Sound of Silence” guitar lesson.

Who wrote Sound of Silence?

“Sound of Silence" was written by Paul Simon, one half of the iconic American folk-rock duo Simon & Garfunkel. He wrote it in February 1964 and it was first released on the album "Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M." in the same year.

It’s a haunting song that has lyrics about isolation, alienation, and the lack of communication in society. While the actual meaning of the tune is unknown.

The story behind "Sound of Silence" is quite interesting. Simon wrote it when he was only 21 years old and was feeling disillusioned with the state of the world. He wrote the song in his bathroom at his parent's house while they were out. He turned off the lights so he could focus.

Initially, the song didn't gain much attention, and the album it was on, "Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.", didn't perform well. However, after the album's release, producer Tom Wilson added electric guitar, bass, and drums to "Sound of Silence" without Simon & Garfunkel's knowledge or approval, giving the song a more contemporary, folk-rock sound. This remix of the song was released as a single in September 1965, and it quickly climbed the charts, eventually reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1966.

“Sound of Silence” was recorded at Columbia Records' Studio A in New York City. It has received many accolades over the years like:

• It won the Grammy Award for Best Engineered Recording, Non-Classical in 1967.
• In 1999, BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) named it as one of the most performed songs of the 20th century.
• It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998.
• In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it #157 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
• It has been covered by countless artists in various genres, including heavy metal band Disturbed, whose cover version became a major hit in its own right, introducing the song to a new generation.

Overall, "Sound of Silence" remains a timeless classic still to this day.

Is Sound of Silence hard to play?

I would rate this a strong intermediate-level song. If you want to play it just like Paul Simon then you are going to need to be pretty adept at playing fingerstyle guitar. If you want to make it easier then just string the whole thing. 

What key is Sound of Silence in?

The original key for “Sound of Silence” as recorded by Simon and Garfunkel is Ebm. The guitar part is played in the key of Am but Paul uses a capo on the 6th fret which transposes it to Ebm concert pitch. 

Sound Of Silence Iconic Intro

The intro picking to “Sound of Silence” is an epic riff. It uses a capo on the 6th fret and is based on an Am chord. However, instead of fretting down the entire Am chord. Just play the 2nd fret on the 3rd string, then the rest of the notes are played open.

What chords are used in Sound of Silence?

To play “Sound of Silence” you’ll only need to know 4 chords Am, G, C, and F. These can all be played in open position, except for F. For F, I use a thumb chord. If that is uncomfortable you can alternatively play a smaller 4 note F chord I will share below as well.

The first chord you’ll need to know is Am and I play this from the 5th string down like so:

G I play with just two fingers. My ring finger on the 3rd fret of the low E string, and pinky finger on the 1st string. This chord shape is a common folk style chord:

C is played from the 5th string down like this:

However, keep in mind that as we play the song, we’ll use an alternating bass note on this chord. This means at times the root note on the 5th string is going to be switched to a root note on the 6th string like this:

Finally, for the F chord, I’ll share two chord voicings. The first is a thumb chord like this:

Alternatively, you can replace the low F notes in the song with F up the octave and use this shape if the thumb chord is uncomfortable:

Now that you’ve got the chord shapes let’s talk about… 

How to strum the Sound of Silence?

The basic groove for “Sound of Silence” is an eighth-note feel. This means you can strum down and then up through the entire song. Just go back and forth and count eighth notes all the way like this:

1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

D u d u d u d u

Just be careful there are a few times in the song where 2/4 bars sneak in. These happen in bars 6 and 14. For these bars just count to 2 and then reset like this:

1 + 2 + 

D u d u

Sound Of Silence Electric Guitar Lesson

Here is a quick lesson on the electric guitar part producer Tom Wilson added to the "Sound Of Silence". It's a brilliant part that melds in with the main acoustic played by Paul Simon.

The Graduate Sound of Silence

"The Sound of Silence" by Simon & Garfunkel is featured prominently in the film "The Graduate." The song was used in several key scenes of the movie and became a vital part of the soundtrack. It contributed significantly to the film's vibe and emotional impact.

One of the most memorable scenes is when Benjamin Braddock, played by Dustin Hoffman, is seen floating in the family swimming pool, lost in his own thoughts. The melancholic lyrics of "The Sound of Silence" capture Benjamin's sense of alienation and uncertainty about his future.

The use of the song in "The Graduate" helped to popularize it further and solidify its status as an iconic piece of music. The combination of the song's heartfelt lyrics and the film's themes of youth, disillusionment, and societal expectations created a powerful cinematic moment that has remained etched in the minds of audiences for decades.

Conclusion: 

In conclusion, "Sound of Silence" is a brilliant song that every fingerstyle guitar player should know. Written by Paul Simon, one half of the legendary duo Simon & Garfunkel, the song was born out of his feelings of disillusionment with the world. 

Learning to play "Sound of Silence" on the guitar is a ton of fun. Take it slow and work it out step-by-step. And if you liked this lesson, I think you’ll love this free fingerstyle guitar here: