Check the demanding phrases first
Begin with the singer's most demanding phrase rather than the introduction. Try the melody with a plain accompaniment and ask whether the upper and lower notes feel comfortable for this arrangement. Use transposed chord labels to explore another key when needed, then confirm the whole vocal range. Do not assume changing the displayed chords also changes the reference audio. If the recording remains in its original key, test the new key without it. Write down the agreed performance key before anyone learns additional fills or prepares a complicated instrumental introduction.
Give the vocal room to lead
Play one gentle chord at each verified change while the singer works through a verse. Watch where they breathe and where a phrase finishes after the next chord arrives. Use the synchronized lyric display as an orientation aid, but listen to the person in the room instead of treating the recording's phrasing as a command. Agree which moments keep strict time and which, if any, allow flexibility. Add a basic rhythm only after those decisions are clear. If a fill competes with an important word or breath, remove it for the next run.
Make two-way cues explicit
Choose a visible cue for the opening, a shared landmark before the chorus, and a clear signal for the ending. Rehearse each cue separately, including what happens if one person misses it. Then perform a complete song without stopping and discuss only two questions: where did you feel supported, and where did you feel uncertain? Translate those answers into specific changes rather than general requests to play better. Reverse attention on the next pass by asking the singer to watch your entrance cue. Good accompaniment is a shared timing agreement, not simply accurate chord shapes played underneath a voice.
Before finishing, ask whether the accompaniment leaves enough room at the quietest lyric. A balanced chorus can hide a verse that feels crowded, so test support at both ends of the song's dynamic range.