I sing unaccompanied ballads and a few other folkie things too,for example....Lord Randal, Binourie, Bleacherlassie o' Kelvinhaugh, Bound tae be a row, The wee toun clerk etc etc etc. I have tried singing to an accompniament,but I never sing a song the same way twice. I don't play an instument. In 20 years of singing I have been lucky to hear some of the greats. Belle Stewart,Lizzie Higgans,Willie Scott all sadly gone. I am privilaged to count among my friends and mentors singers Gordeanna McCulloch and Cy Laurie. Through Cy I got to hear the late Sean McDonnagh (sp) of Carna, my first experience of the sean nos style. I don't speak any Gaelic,Irish or Scots but I got the gist of it and it was wonderful. And I got to sing in his company too and he was comlimentary about my singing.....WOW. So big ballads are the business. I love 'em