Singing while playing Guitar...

[Vintage_Burster]

Anyone got tips? I cant do it

Thanks

[djwilbanks]

Two things I did:

I hummed the vocal parts as I played. For the most part when you change notes on the guitar you change notes in your voice... so the humming takes out the "forming words" problem, and allows you to focus on staying in rythym with yourself.

Second, and I'll get chastised for this I'm sure, I played Rock band with the Guitar on Expert and vocals on hard... Rock Band looks at the pitch and the rythym and the sustain, doesn't matter if you sing the right words or not, but it helps you learn to do two rythymic things at once... and sorta tells you if you're doing it right.

Now I can sing and play after a couple of months of practice.

[Deftone]

I can only do some simple tunes, like "Make it Last" by Montrose.

Singing while playing IMHO is a real talent. I once saw a guy down in Venice Beach playing guitar, singing and playing a bass with his toes.

[easyrock]

Originally Posted by Deftone

Singing while playing IMHO is a real talent. I once saw a guy down in Venice Beach playing guitar, singing and playing a bass with his toes.

Have you seen the guy singing, jamming on his strat with an amp strapped to his back all the while skating around on rollerblades? I always take a sec to appreciate the talent. Gotta love the red, white and blue tassles, haha

[mobprop667]

i can't do it either. never could.

[b-squared]

SRV couldn't for the most part, either. On most songs he stops chording and mutes the strings while keeping the strum pattern.

Don't feel bad...but it does come with practice.

BB

[Jeryk17]

Learn songs that are meant to be played and sung at the same time. Think of bands whose guitarists sing as well, and learn their music.

I know I say this all too often, but start with something simple like Green Day. First song I ever learned to play was GD's "Poprocks and Coke", and I could play and sing it simultaneously almost immediately. Then just go from there. Learn rhythm parts to Metallica songs, and try to learn it as it comes. As B said, it comes with practice.

[JasonC]

One thing to add here: It's really impossible to have 2 thoughts at the same time, the human brain doesn't work that way. So basically you get used to switching your attention back and forth between playing and singing. You know what I mean? It's just like when you were first learning to play and you'd have to switch your attention back and forth between your pick hand and your fret hand. Eventually it all becomes automatic, but just have that same attitude and it will come to you.

Oh and by "automatic", I mean a reflex... basically that part of what you're doing eventually becomes controlled by the muscles and the spine, as opposed to the brain.. therefore no thought is required! In the Guitar Cookbook, it's stated that something only has to be repeated 50-100 times or so to become a reflex.

[Vintage_Burster]

Originally Posted by Jeryk17

Learn songs that are meant to be played and sung at the same time. Think of bands whose guitarists sing as well, and learn their music.

I know I say this all too often, but start with something simple like Green Day. First song I ever learned to play was GD's "Poprocks and Coke", and I could play and sing it simultaneously almost immediately. Then just go from there. Learn rhythm parts to Metallica songs, and try to learn it as it comes. As B said, it comes with practice.

LOL Thats why I wanna learn to play and sing! I cant even do GD songs!

I thought Waiting would be easy, but I cant even do that!

Thanks for your tips guys!

[VictorLazarus]

I've never had much of a problem singing while playing (just my vocals / voice sucks lol) I'd advise getting the guitar part down uber well so you can play it without thinking - they you should be able to put the words to it.

MVL.

[Lampens]

Yeah, I'm trying it myself. Not just the playing and singing but also the singing in tune. Sometimes it's ok but on some songs I just can't sing in tune. I can't sing along with a bruce springsteen song to save my life but others i can sing fairly in tune.
I'm wondering how those old blues players could do their thing, playing bass and melody, tapping the rhythm with their feet and sing along. People like mississippi john hurt. It's hard to do just the alternating bass with simple melodies.

Man I'm going back to bed, I suck.

[Blues Power]

I cant do it at all even after 30 some odd years.


there must be a way to separate your fingers from your mind but i havent figured it out and at this point dont care anymore.

[lp_junkie]

there are some things i can sing lead vocals and play guitar on, but i tend to be the lead player in most of the bands I have been in. I have only fronted 2 bands, singing and playing just takes practice some get it others just can't do it.

[PunkerJon]

I can do it though I will mess up the words or the guitar or both at times. I write and play my own songs so I think it makes it easier. I just learned by necessity and practice, practice, practice. Plus I've been singing as long as I can remember. My parents made my siblings and I perform all the time. Guitar came later.

[ruddy]

im no expert! i mean i write sing and play my own stuff and covers! all i can really say is im a lot better now than i was 12 months ago! practice is the key! you need to find your voice and find your limits! im at the point now were i can sing better with a guitar in my hand than if i just tried to sing! you seem to vibrate with the guitar when you get it right! im no vocalist though really! just like to have a go!

[Electric_Sunshine]

I can sing very well, but I can't play guitar. Go figure. But when I play I just stop strumming and start singing then keep going.

[Harpozep]

If I ever do get it, the out of tune howl I make will make others wish I was mute! Nah, after 30 plus years of failure, I'm with the poster above, don't care any more.

[Splattle101]

Slow it down. Then slow it down more, so you're sitting in between quarter notes an looking around at the scenery.

Get the feel of the guitar part. Play it. VVVEEERRRYYY slowly.

Get the feel of the vocal part. Slow. Feel for the accents of the vocal: I mean the parts where the lyrics have a natural rhythm.

Hook those parts to the slow guitar part.

Now do it again, but right. Do it syllable by syllable if necessary, because that's the scale at which music lives. Keep trying!!!

No, again...

...and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again...

...until you're getting it right and you can feel it. Then you can speed it up a little. Rinse and repeat until you make a mistake. Then you're going too fast and you don't yet have the feel of it. Start again.

It's hard.

Splat

[jonesy]

Originally Posted by Vintage_Burster

Anyone got tips? I cant do it

Thanks

I have always sang and played guitar right from start with out to many problems. Playing bass guitar an singing seems to be a lot harder for me to do than playing guitar because of the timing. I learned a lot of simple acoustic stuff and have always written a lot of original material, so my own songs were easier for me than other peoples sometimes.

Try working on both parts separately before trying them at the same time. Learn your guitar part so you have it down really good. Then get the words to what your are singing and either memorize them by singing along with CD or write them down so you have then right in front of you.

Certain songs have timing issues, some don't. I grew up on Roots Rock and started singing to a lot of 50's & 60's stuff, simple songs like "Louie Louie" Whole lotta shaking" "Johnny B Good" etc. and that really helped me get the basics down.

Later it was Jimmy Hendrix and the Doors, my voice seemed to fit that stuff better. I still have to be careful singing "Pride & Joy" with all the up strum's it is easy to get off track.

Peace, jonesy

[Texas07R8]

it's too hard to do both, so I just play BLACK DOG... *G*

[specflec]

All the above posts are stuff I found myself doing, but in the end, you will be wholistic and hear the music in total - voice, guitar, etc - so the parts sort of become one thing and you just make music. But, that said, there is no substitute for practice. I am with jonsey in that bass is much more difficult for me to add voice to. I think it may be the single line stuff in the instrument. Not sure. Luckily I don't have to play bass!

[brianbzed]

OK:Tips from and old ex-Pro...
1.Learn the rhythm part of the song and play it until it is second nature(this will vary from guitarist to guitarist).
2.Simplfy the strumming of the rhythm part ( mute the Hell out of it! ) but keep the rhythm steady!
3.Worry more about your vocal delivery more than your simplified strumming.
4.The crowd will NOT know the difference, and you will be MORE musical, because you came down on volume to sing!
5.Very experienced musicians will pick up on this, but Hell, they were once new at this game too!
Hang in there and keep it up!

[badco_67]

Newbie here, just lurking for the past couple of weeks....used to play, well at least try, in my younger days but put down guitar for about 15 years. I was never able to play and sing any song.... Well wife bought me a entry level fender acoustic for fathers day last year, over the past few months I actually picked it up started out a couple of easier country songs, Jason Aldeen "Hicktown", and another artist, forget his name, song is "Livin' our love song", found that I could play and sing both, so been practising on them....last week decided to try TOAD's Bad Girlfriend, song is pretty easy to pick up although lead on my acoustic is not quite fluid yet....but can't for the life of me sing it and play together...

[v8ko]

First off YOU CAN DO IT!

Either learn the guitar part first or the vocals first depending on the song either way will work. Ok so your a guitar player now you have to really break down the singing this was the hardest part for me.

Dont play your guitar just sing to the cd. Sing in your car in the shower wherever just have the vocals down pat. Listen to the different tones and breathing patterns. You might be going high when you should be going low. YOU might think you are following but really study this.

Once you get that far grab your guitar and strum the song out a little slower at first and stick with the verse for now. Work out the timing and then add the next part. If your playing Green Day stuff maybe consider going up or down half a step or changing the key altogether.

I know this seems like a hassle but after you get a couple songs under your belt this process will speed up. If you can record yourself even early on and play it back youll hear your mistakes and then get to fixing them.

If need be play guitar and sing to the cd. I was always shy/modest about my voice because when you sing live its all you brother haha but theres nothing quite like the feeling of singing in front of a crowd man...maybe better than a kiler solo even. The work will pay off and if you have someone that can be honest with you get there feedback. My gal is BRUTALLY honest with me but it made me a better player and singer.

oh yeah and jonesy had some great advice imo.

specflec also mentioned hearing all the music soak it in...its harder than it sounds at first.

My bass player doesnt hear anything anyone else is playing when we first learn a song it might not be until the fourth or fifth practice that it clicks in his head.

[Splattle101]

Well, I have had success with the slow down method. The last time I did it was learning ‘Heard it On the X’ by ZZ Top. I am playing guitar and doing lead vocal in a three-piece, so I have to have both parts down and nailed. They both have to swing, so it is not an option to back off on the guitar while I sing, or vice versa.

The way I learned it was by learning the guitar part. Easy peesey. It’s a boogie rhythm, in A. Then I learned the vocal. I did this just walking around the house, doing stuff (cleaning up, annoying the kids, frightening the neighbours, etc) and singing away. I now had two parts (guitar and vocal) swingin’ the way they’d have to on stage. Now to put them together.

I simply played them together. Most of it was fine. The choruses were easy. Good. The verses were a little harder. Practice. Slow down get the rhythm, then lay the vocal on. Good.

After a while, there were only the problem parts left. These were little bits where the natural rhythm of the vocal did not match the rhythm of the guitar part. For these bits the options were to change the vocal – which would detract from it – or learn it the hard way. I chose the latter.

That’s when I slowed it right down. Right to down to sub-atomic particle level, so slow you could have a bite to eat and a ciggie in between strums. The point was to get the tiny little fast beats far enough apart that I could hear how the clashing guitar and vocal rhythms would feel when done at the same time. Getting the ‘feel’ is the key part for me, because until I can feel it, it’s not swingin’. If it’s not swingin’ it’s just some yobbo shouting into a mic.

It took me perhaps five to ten minutes of slow-down time to get two little lines. But it was worth it. They sound and feel natural and right, now. There’s no sensation of wrong-footedness. It swings.

I hope that explanation helps.

cheers,
Splat