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Simon & Garfunkel

2 guitar songs · Tabs, Lessons & Tone Guide Folk Rock

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Band Overview

Simon and Garfunkel emerged from the mid-1960s New York folk scene as Paul Simon (songwriter, vocals, guitar) and Art Garfunkel (vocals) formed one of the most commercially successful acoustic duos in rock history. Unlike their electric rock contemporaries, Simon and Garfunkel built their sound on fingerstyle acoustic guitar, intricate vocal harmonies, and sophisticated songwriting that bridged folk, pop, and art rock. The duo's peak years (1966-1970) produced five studio albums and countless radio hits that defined an era. For guitarists, Simon and Garfunkel represent a masterclass in fingerpicking technique, open tunings, and how to make acoustic guitar the centerpiece of a production rather than a supporting instrument. Paul Simon is the technical driver here: his fingerstyle approach combines folk fingerpicking vocabulary with jazz-influenced chord voicings and unexpected harmonic movements. What makes them essential learning is that their songs demand accuracy, finger independence, and understanding how melody and bass line work simultaneously within a single guitar part. The difficulty level for guitarists is moderate to advanced depending on the song, but the payoff is high. "Mrs. Robinson" teaches riff-based thinking on acoustic guitar, while "The Sound of Silence" demands fluid fingerpicking with complex chord changes and the ability to play with dynamics and restraint. Many modern indie and folk guitarists cite Simon and Garfunkel as formative influences precisely because the band proved that technical guitar work could coexist with mainstream popularity.

What Makes Simon & Garfunkel Essential for Guitar Players

  • Paul Simon's fingerstyle combines folk fingerpicking fundamentals with jazz voicings: he plays the bass line on lower strings while maintaining melody on higher strings, requiring serious finger independence and coordination. Listen to how the bass and melody move independently in "The Sound of Silence" rather than strumming block chords.
  • Open and alternate tunings appear throughout their catalog, especially on deeper album cuts. Simon experimented with dropped-D, open-G, and other tunings to achieve richer harmonic textures unavailable in standard tuning. This is a key lesson: changing tuning unlocks new voicings and textures, not just novelty sounds.
  • Dynamics and touch control define their acoustic tone. There are no distortion pedals, no cranked tube amps, only the guitarist's ability to control volume through finger pressure and pick position. Songs like "The Boxer" require dynamic range from whisper-quiet to full volume on the same take.
  • Counterpoint and voice-leading in arrangements: Simon often wrote guitar parts where multiple melodic lines weave together (guitar plays one melody while vocals sing another). This creates sophisticated arrangements without overdubs, teaching guitarists to think compositionally rather than just rhythmically.
  • Hybrid picking and right-hand technique: Simon uses both fingerstyle and pick-and-finger hybrid techniques throughout albums, switching approaches based on what the song needs. This demands comfort with multiple right-hand tools and the discipline to choose the right one for each passage.

Did You Know?

Paul Simon recorded much of the early catalog on a Martin D-28 acoustic guitar, one of the gold standard folk guitars. The D-28's natural projection and warm tone became inseparable from the duo's signature sound. Martin has even released Paul Simon signature models inspired by his original.

"The Sound of Silence" was originally a folk acoustic number, but producer Tom Wilson added overdubbed electric guitars and drums without Simon's initial approval. Simon was furious, but the electric version became the massive hit. The lesson: acoustic can be layered with electric for production magic, though purists still prefer the original.

Simon's songwriting process often started with unusual guitar tunings and chord shapes. He would sit with a guitar in a non-standard tuning and let the tuning suggest melodic and harmonic ideas. This is the opposite of many songwriters who work out lyrics first and fit music around them.

The Bridge Over Troubled Water album features Simon and Garfunkel's most ambitious guitar work, including session players and orchestration, yet the acoustic guitar remains the foundation. Guitarists often overlook this album thinking it's too produced, but the underlying guitar parts are sophisticated.

Paul Simon's left-hand technique involves very clean, quick finger placement and release. He doesn't wrestle with barre chords unnecessarily; instead, he uses open positions, partial barres, and voicings that allow fingers to be light and efficient. This approach reduces fatigue and allows for the dynamic touch control his style demands.

Art Garfunkel's role was strictly vocal, but this freed Simon to develop increasingly complex guitar arrangements knowing someone else would anchor the melody. This band division of labor taught a generation of songwriters that the best arrangements often come from collaboration and specialization.

Essential Albums for Guitarists

The Sound of Silence 1966

Simon's foundational fingerstyle work appears here in its purest form. The title track teaches fingerpicking coordination and how to build tension through sparse, well-placed notes. "Homeward Bound" demonstrates open-G tuning work and song arrangement around a central guitar riff.

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Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme album cover
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme 1966

This is the advanced fingerpicking album. Tracks like "Scarborough Fair" use alternate tunings and intricate counterpoint between guitar lines and vocals. The guitar work is nearly classical in its complexity, teaching guitarists how folk traditions can accommodate advanced harmonic thinking.

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Bridge Over Troubled Water album cover
Bridge Over Troubled Water 1970

The duo's masterpiece from a production standpoint, featuring both stripped-down acoustic moments and richly orchestrated numbers. "The Boxer" is essential learning: open-G tuning, dynamic control across a 5+ minute arc, and how to maintain interest with minimal chord changes. Guitarists learn economy and space here.

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Tone & Gear

Guitar

Martin D-28 acoustic guitar (natural wood, no cutaway) was Paul Simon's primary instrument throughout the classic period. The D-28 is a dreadnought with a warm, balanced tone and strong projection. Simon also used various Martin models and occasionally a Fender acoustic during the Bridge Over Troubled Water sessions. The key is the acoustic guitar remained the star; no electrics or effects defined the core sound.

Amp

Early recordings were captured with minimal amplification, often just microphones placed near the acoustic guitar in a studio setting. For live performances, Simon would play unamplified or through very subtle PA reinforcement. The duo did not use guitar amplifiers in the traditional sense; acoustic projection and studio microphone placement were the amplification strategy.

Pickups

No pickups in the electric sense, only the acoustic guitar's natural wood resonance and vibration. If Simon used a pickup for live or session work, it would have been a simple magnetic or piezo contact microphone mounted inside the acoustic body to capture the instrument's natural tone without coloration.

Effects & Chain

Virtually no effects pedals or signal processing on the guitar itself. Simon's tone came entirely from his fingerstyle technique, guitar selection, and studio microphone placement. The only exception: session overdubs on some album tracks where electric guitars were added by studio musicians, but these were production embellishments, not core to Simon's playing approach.

How to Practice Simon & Garfunkel on GuitarZone

Every Simon & Garfunkel song page on GuitarZone includes a built-in Practice Toolbar. No app to download, no account needed. Open any song, then use the toolbar to slow the video to 0.5× speed, set an A/B loop around the exact riff you're working on, and jump between song sections instantly.

The toolbar appears automatically on every guitar tab, lesson, and cover page. Pick a song below, hit play, and start practicing at your own pace.

Practice Mrs. Robinson - Guitar LessonPractice The Sound of Silence - Guitar Lesson