Singing and playing the guitar . . .do you?

[dcooper830]

I search for "hints" as to where the lyrics fall. Does the word land on a certain chord, note, beat or extend past two or more beats, notes, chords, etc? Using your example, "Sister Golden Hair." "Well I tried to make it Sunday" -- I hit the E on "tried" "But I got so damn depressed" -- I hit the G#m on "got" The phrasing of the lyrics is the same as any melody. There's a rhyme and reason for the most part. It may or may not be different from the guitar but there's points that the two will mesh. Sleuthing this out is really fun, imo Good luck with yours!!!

Excellent advice!

[Phil051300]

I search for "hints" as to where the lyrics fall. Does the word land on a certain chord, note, beat or extend past two or more beats, notes, chords, etc? Using your example, "Sister Golden Hair." "Well I tried to make it Sunday" -- I hit the E on "tried" "But I got so damn depressed" -- I hit the G#m on "got" The phrasing of the lyrics is the same as any melody. There's a rhyme and reason for the most part. It may or may not be different from the guitar but there's points that the two will mesh. Sleuthing this out is really fun, imo Good luck with yours!!!

Thanks man, i'll do that when i get home today! I guess just take some time and analyze it.

[Fendercaster]

I've been singing while playing for years. I started out on easy songs and it became second nature after a while. I can't riff too much while singing, but can throw in a fill here and there. On the other hand, I had to turn down a job playing bass for a band recently, I haven't played the bass enough to do both at the same time.

[mike.sartori]

I've been singing while playing for years. I started out on easy songs and it became second nature after a while. I can't riff too much while singing, but can throw in a fill here and there. On the other hand, I had to turn down a job playing bass for a band recently, I haven't played the bass enough to do both at the same time.

 

 

Playing bass and singing is much harder than the guitar! I remember for me it definitely just "clicked" and I could do it one day. Perhaps you will have a similar experience. It's a lot of fun. Learn some Eagles songs.

[mrbrown49]

Drinking helps loosen you up too.

[DaveAronow]

Cause i just freakin' can't. Anyone have advice on how to work on this? When i concentrate on singing, i screw up my strumming. When i focus on guitar playing i . tend . to . sing . when . i .strum. So, i have pretty much given up. maybe its just one of those things you either got it or you dont.

 

 

Yes I do it, and Although I do it well( not claIming my voice is good, just that I can sing and play very easily) it definitely was not natural AT ALL for me.

So there is definitely hope for you. The trick is, to first know the music and vocal parts seperately very well, obviously, but Ill tell you how I cracked it. Its funny, because after struggling with it for a long time, I sat down one day to see if I could figure out some sort of system and, lo and behold, I did and it worked. After that it came pretty easily. I was a bass player at the time and ended up fronting alot of songs that I couldnt have done only weeks before.

Im really not sure if doint it on bass is any harder. I think it just depends on whats happening musically while you are singing, on any instrument.

 

Anyway, All I did was broke the thing down to individual sylables and would sing the vocal notethatwas occurring at that moment(one sylable) and then I would play what ever note/notes/chord/chords that were occuring at that time. Then I would add another syllable, and another, and soon I was singing words and then whole lines and verses. If this seems extremely tedious, the good news is, at least for me, I only had to do this for a week or so and then it started to go really quickly. Now I can sing and play most stuff instantly, but I do have to still workout some really heavily syncopated stuff when the rythm of what Im singing is nothing like what Im playing. In that case, I am right back to memorizing the parts one syllable at a time. But honestly, The times I need to do that are few and far between these days.

 

Aside from that, my voice sux. Just give me a nice wet loud P.A., loud band, and a room full of drunks and I guess I sing about as good as anybody.

 

Under those circumstances, the tonal quality of you voice becomes much less important, AS LONG AS you are singing on key! Especially if there are backup vocals involved.

Anyway, I cant offer any suggestions on how NOT to have a crappy voice. I just hope that my experience will at least help you be able to sing and play with whatever voice you may have, comfortably and accurately at the same time.

Good luck, I hope this helps a little.

[Monkeyman Joe]

Cause i just freakin' can't. Anyone have advice on how to work on this? When i concentrate on singing, i screw up my strumming. When i focus on guitar playing i . tend . to . sing . when . i .strum. So, i have pretty much given up. maybe its just one of those things you either got it or you dont.

 

 

I remember that at first. Just go a bit slower, maybe simpler. it comes second nature after just a few hours if you can stick to it and believe in yourself

[Phil051300]

Yes I do it, and Although I do it well( not claIming my voice is good, just that I can sing and play very easily) it definitely was not natural AT ALL for me. So there is definitely hope for you. The trick is, to first know the music and vocal parts seperately very well, obviously, but Ill tell you how I cracked it. Its funny, because after struggling with it for a long time, I sat down one day to see if I could figure out some sort of system and, lo and behold, I did and it worked. After that it came pretty easily. All I did was broke the thing down to individual sylables and would sing the vocal part that was occurring at that moment(one sylable) and then I would play what ever note/notes/chord/chords that were occuring at that time. Then I would add another syllable, and another, and soon I was singing words and then whole lines and verses. If this seems extremely tedious, the good news is, at least for me, I only had to do this for a week or so and then it started to go really quickly. Now I can sing and play most stuff instantly, but I do have to still workout some really heavily syncopated stuff when the rythm of what Im singing is nothing like what Im playing. In that case, I am right back to memorizing the parts one syllable at a time. But honestly, The times I need to do that are few and far between these days. Good luck. I had very good success with this method and I hope it will be as easy for you.

Thanks dude, thoughtful post, i appreciate it. Sounds like similar advice i have been getting, i just need more patience and tenacity, take my time and break it down. after time im sure its almost like muscle memory when learning to chord.

and to mrbrown, been there done that.

[DenverDave]

Practice, practice, and more practice....

 

 

That is the key. I do it all the time - several times a week in fact - and it does get easier. The one key for me to do this my very best is to have the song memorized, words and music. I lead worship at a church and I'm much more effective as a singer when I don't have to look at the chord charts for anything. I usually have them there in case I space out a chord or two, but really knowing the material makes a huge difference in the quality of the performance...

[Collapse]

I look for where words fall on the beat and keep those in mind.

Like most guitar related things for me, I could never do it for the longest time, and then one day it clicked. Now it's just second nature.

Just practice. A lot. And don't feel bad about failing and stop halfway through. Just work through it until you can do it.

[Fendercaster]

Posted by mike.sartori:

Playing bass and singing is much harder than the guitar! I remember for me it definitely just "clicked" and I could do it one day. Perhaps you will have a similar experience. It's a lot of fun. Learn some Eagles songs.

It's funny you should say that. I'm just getting settled in from moving, but I figured that when I get straightened out, I'll set up the bass rig, pop the Farewell 1 Tour DVD in and go to town. Learning with the Eagles is my best bet, since I know the words to most of the songs already.

[Burningleaves]

For some people it's simply second nature. KT Tunstall recently gave an interview admitting that studio work was tough because her singing really suffered if she wasn't playing guitar at the same time. And in early Clash days Joe S had the same prob: he had to strum his unplugged Tele while he cut his vocals or else the vocals simply weren't happening. Since most of my electric gigging during the last few years of my band was trio, and since most of my current work is solo acoustic, I've had to deal with the simultaneous singing/playing issue for quite a while, and the solution is the most strenuous, boring and tedious one: practice. A LOT.

 

 

 

 

:cop:I agree.

[fuzzball]

I just practice them alot, learn one part then move on to the next. I tend to stay away from leads when I sing.

[steve_man]

Cause i just freakin' can't. Anyone have advice on how to work on this? When i concentrate on singing, i screw up my strumming. When i focus on guitar playing i . tend . to . sing . when . i .strum. So, i have pretty much given up. maybe its just one of those things you either got it or you dont.

 

 

Yes, and what I can tell you is that you need to know the song REALLY well on the guitar, and vocally. I mean that you could play the chords without even looking at what you are doing. That way, you can focus on vocals. It's kind of like learning to play two different beat patterns on the drums...one with your feet, and the other with your drumsticks. Just takes practice...and I'm STILL working on that one!

 

Just keep at it. Some songs are harder than others.

[DaveAronow]

Thanks dude, thoughtful post, i appreciate it. Sounds like similar advice i have been getting, i just need more patience and tenacity, take my time and break it down. after time im sure its almost like muscle memory when learning to chord. and to mrbrown, been there done that.

Yes, just about like most of the other posts here, it definitely wasnt natural for me, and id sortoff DID just click whith what seemed almost overnight. The point I tried to make is that I kinda forced it to click. I dont know what would have happened if I hadnt have tried to work it out methodically.

anyway, other great advice as mentioned by others here, is it really helps to sing something you are really familiar with (and like to sing) and you should start off with something simple in as many categories as you can get.
Both rythms follow each other fairly closely, but not exactly, you do want to learn it after all.
Fairly uncomplicated musical parts
Fairly simple vocal parts.
Just keep it as simple as possible aT first.
It will happen, and it will happen very fast if you work at it a little.

[zatoichi]

too many thoughts, Mozart: just find a song that you can play just fine that is *also* a song you can sing just fine - and make it a song you actually LIKE. Probably be easier to add the vocal to the guitar-playing, but it might be the reverse.

THEN practice, until you've got your motions & actions co-ordinated.

It's kinda like learning to rub your stomach while patting your head - you'll get, just keep at it!

[zatoichi]

Excellent advice!

++ FTW

[twofoolsaminute]

I can't imagine doing one without the other.

[BlackHatHunter]

Cause i just freakin' can't. Anyone have advice on how to work on this? When i concentrate on singing, i screw up my strumming. When i focus on guitar playing i . tend . to . sing . when . i .strum. So, i have pretty much given up. maybe its just one of those things you either got it or you dont.

 

 

Do I? Yes.

Should I? No.

Could I always do it? Nope, had to work at it... and there are still songs I can't play and sing at the same time. Example: La Grange.

[DaveAronow]

Do I? Yes. Should I? No. Could I always do it? Nope, had to work at it... and there are still songs I can't play and sing at the same time. Example: La Grange.

 

 

I hear you; being a bass player, you can Imagine what a struggle trying to do Rush was for me.

 

Geddy lee is just a freak of nature when it comes to this.

He doesnt split his brain for the two parts, he simply has two seperate brains.

[Brian Krashpad]

Just always have. Started learning cowboy chords and campfire songs, even with my crap voice how could I not sing along?

I've actually got to the point where I can do some backup vox while playing bass. Now there's a challenge!

[BlackHatHunter]

I hear you; being a bass player, you can Imagine what a struggle trying to do Rush was for me. Geddy lee is just a freak of nature when it comes to this. He doesnt split his brain for the two parts, he simply has two seperate brains.

yes, that's my understanding as well - that he has two brains, that is

[guitarcapo]

I can't play bass and sing...or play lead while singing like a Santana lead over the vocals. I can strum chords or fingerpick arpegios when singing but that's about it. Watching Paul McCartney or Sting play bass while singing has always amazed me.

[dcindc]

yes, very badly.

I'll use this thread to try and get better at it.

[hdshff]

I have enough trouble talking and playing