singing and playing at the same time

[mercury2]

will this come with time?

playing more complicated stuff and singing along with it usually ends up with my vocals matching the notes im playing or the notes going in time with my singing

basically everything just goes tits up

 

started playing piano again recently too and it's even worse trying to play with both hands and sing

 

simple chords with melodies that actually match the vocals are fine but say there's 8 beats in a bar, the vocals start about 6 but the bassline starts at beat 5, totally throws me, I end up starting to play the bassline late so it runs in to the next bar, then nothing matches and bleughhhh lol

 

should I just keep practising ?

any tips ?

tnx

[sumpm1]

Definitely keep practicing. For getting more complicated passages while singing: Isolate the parts that you see giving you trouble and practice them more, but this is the key; Take the guitar passage that conflicts with the vocals timing, and boil the right hand timing to a TECHNIQUE. So this technique can be internalized. If the chord changes come on the upstroke, internalize this as a technique. If there are hammer ons in the chords, internalize this right hand timing as a technique. It is usually the right hand (the rhythm hand for right handed drummers) that causes conflicts with the vocal timing.

 

This is something that I thought would never come to me; adding melodies to chords while singing. But after learning ENOUGH SONGS, after a couple of years, I can play and sing almost ANYTHING that I can play on guitar alone, and do it on the first try. So it does come down to practice, and learn songs!!!

[AzraelsWings]

For me, knowing both of the vocal and the guitar parts inside and out helped. I would also play guitar and think through the vocal, or play along to the track but listen to the vocal, to try and make the guitar part happen less consciously. Learning more and more challenging songs, songs that entail riffs rather than just chord progressions (Ex: many songs by Dave Matthews), also helped.

[herbie d]

I am a guitar player/singer. My trick is.... I sit and practice guitar, playing scales, and vamps, and stuff, while reading aloud from a book. (no singing, juts talking) Lately I've been into reading Terry Brooks. I know it sounds strange, but for me, it's detaching myself from the guitar while singing. The playing while reading aloud helps me do this. Its really hard to do at first. Give it a try. Everyone will look at you like your nuts, but you won't look any crazier than those people jabbering away on those hands free phones.

[Jkater]

Muscle memory helps.

[jonPhillips]

Fortunately, I can't even remotely begin to sing, so this isn't a problem for me

[b10101]

Hehe, well I sing very badly and play the guitar even worse, so none but the shower hear me sing...sadly

[victory08]

Hehe, well I sing very badly and play the guitar even worse, so none but the shower hear me sing...sadly

lol))))
you're very honest-minded

[ChrisAlbertson]

I am a guitar player/singer. My trick is.... I sit and practice guitar, playing scales, and vamps, and stuff, while reading aloud from a book. (no singing, juts talking)....

 

 

I just stumbled on something like this, but at a lower skill level the other day. I'm trying to learn bass. I certainly can't read aloud while playing but I did find I could look out the window and listen to other people talking. I think you can start doing other very simple tasks while playing and over time work up to complex tasks (like singing)

[fenderbender66]

I am a guitar player/singer. My trick is.... I sit and practice guitar, playing scales, and vamps, and stuff, while reading aloud from a book. (no singing, juts talking) Lately I've been into reading Terry Brooks. I know it sounds strange, but for me, it's detaching myself from the guitar while singing. The playing while reading aloud helps me do this. Its really hard to do at first. Give it a try. Everyone will look at you like your nuts, but you won't look any crazier than those people jabbering away on those hands free phones.

 

 

This is a fantastic idea. I read somewhere that if you really want to learn a part, practice while watching tv. It detaches your brain from what should become second nature. But reading a book while practicing takes that to a whole new level.

I HAVE to try this:)

[Lost_Cause]

I talked about this in another thread. Sometimes it is easy and sometimes it is difficult. Some songs require more and longer work to make fluid. The more I play the better I am at it. My issue is practice practice practice. I need to do more on the guitar by itself and more doing both. After a long time of not really playing I have in the last 8 months really put more emphasis in playing but it is still not enough to make significant improvement. I can play but I need to learn more, practice more and make some things second nature. The things that I do I do well enough for me, but I need to add more to my mental repertoire.