playing and singing

boyakabo · #1 May 8th, 2006

hey everyone! my name's andy, from lincoln uk. i'm new to this site, been playing about 4 years but i'm such a slow learner i'm not really getting anywhere. it's ok tho, i still love playing: it used to be a chore putting in the practise but now i can't get enough! glad i found this site, i can see myself spending hours a day here!

i was wondering about playing and singing at the same time. to me, it seems like something you can either do or you can't. even the most basic songs like wonderwall, that i could play in my sleep, turn to crap if i try to sing along. it's like my brain is physically incapable. does anyone else find this? or do you find it comes with practise?

6string · #2 May 8th, 2006

Welcome Boyakabo
I think that if you can sing without playing you should be able to sing while playing,
that it would only be a matter of practise, but I could be wrong because I can't sing....yet (implied hope)

Fong · #3 May 8th, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by boyakabo

hey everyone! my name's andy, from lincoln uk. i'm new to this site, been playing about 4 years but i'm such a slow learner i'm not really getting anywhere. it's ok tho, i still love playing: it used to be a chore putting in the practise but now i can't get enough! glad i found this site, i can see myself spending hours a day here!

i was wondering about playing and singing at the same time. to me, it seems like something you can either do or you can't. even the most basic songs like wonderwall, that i could play in my sleep, turn to crap if i try to sing along. it's like my brain is physically incapable. does anyone else find this? or do you find it comes with practise?

I been playing 16 years and its only recently I found I can actually, well lets call it singing when really its more like making an appalling noise with my voice.

But I did never try until recently.

Its hard at the start cause you thinking so much about playing. Once you get really comfortable with a song, to the point where you can play it with your eyes closed, it gets a little easier.

There are only a few I can sing tho, like RadioHead - Nice Dreams, cause the chords don't require a lot of bar work and there aren't many, and Street Spirit, cause its only 3 chords for the entire song.

Lcjones · #4 May 8th, 2006

... Here's an important thing to remember, especially for folks just starting out singing and playing at the same time. You're hearing the song in your head as you hear it from an LP/CD/Radio. Don't get caught up in trying to emulate the orginal master right off the bat. Take your time and learn the song your way.

Bob Dylan once sang, "I'll know my song well". And that is a key factor. In order to play and sing well, you must know your song well. You must be initmate with the lyric and the melody. To be at ease with the song.

I don't want to discourage anyone, but it's a fact. And as relentlessly stated as it is, it's practice, practice, practice. Rhythms, timings, accentuations, nuances. All practice, practice, practice.

On the other hand George Harrison said during the heyday of the Beatles, they rarely sang their songs to a live audience. (how many live concerts did they do ?) They would hammer out a tune in the studio, record it and forget it.

Les

nagukush · #5 May 9th, 2006

Hi Andy

Welcome to the Family, Pal !!! Cant comment about Singing (not very good at it myself

), anyways have a great time, Buddy !!!

Regds
Kush

Bennett · #6 May 9th, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by lcjones

... Here's an important thing to remember, especially for folks just starting out singing and playing at the same time. You're hearing the song in your head as you hear it from an LP/CD/Radio. Don't get caught up in trying to emulate the orginal master right off the bat. Take your time and learn the song your way.

I agree totally that you should make the song your own, however what I found actually helped me was to listen to the recording as I played along. I found that this helped me understand how the lyrics fit the chord progressions.

Next I would then sing along with the recording while still playing. Following this I would remove the recording altogether. I could then work on making it my own.

Now having said that, since I've done this for the first few songs, I'm now finding I don't necessarily need to do it for new songs. But it did certainly help me get over that initial singing - playing at the same time hump.

USGold · #7 May 9th, 2006

Ever see one of these--I would really like to know if anyone has one or has tried it out? Scott

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...ols?sku=241255

toryst · #8 May 9th, 2006

I too am afflicted with the curse of not being able to sing and play
at the same time. I can do one or the other (I go to karaoke and
do not bad) but as soon as I try with the guitar I fail miserably.
My brother says I become to monotonal. It's probably because
I am concentrating too much on playing the guitar. It may be also
that I have such a hard time with rhythm and timing. The guys I
jam with say I'm a natural lead player but I want so bad to
GET RHYTHM (RIP Johnny Cash)!!!!! It's extremely frustrating.

crazymammas · #9 May 9th, 2006

Hi Andy. Glad to see I'm not the only one. That guitar trainer that USGold showed the link to looks pretty cool. Wish my birthday wasn't so far away.....Lis

powe6563 · #10 May 13th, 2006

Hey, I used to have that same problem. I would completely screw up the rhythm if I tried to sing along. It's almost like one has to be second nature to you. Either singing or the guitar. I eventually found "my rhythm"- (you'll know it when you find it, it's like a comfort zone.) and began to play and sing songs that were similar to that rhythm pattern. After much practice I can say that I do pretty well with basic rhythm songs like "Jack and Diane" or "You and Me" by Lifehouse, but I still find myself stumbling on songs with more complex strumming patterns or finger picking. One thing's for sure, the guitar is second nature while I'm singing. I have to consentrate on my voice a lot so the guitar just becomes part of the background to me. It's kinda like driving or riding a bike, if you do it enough you'll be able to do it w/o thinking.

GuitarJim · #11 May 13th, 2006

I would have to agree. It will all of a sudden just come to you. I tried for quite a long time to play and sing at the same time. One song I can do very well with is Bob Dylans Knockin on Heavens Door. Simple progression and the rythm is the same all through the song. The other thing I found that helps is that you have to be comfortable with the sound of your own voice. Once you learn that you don't sound all that bad, it comes easier.

JC

boyakabo · #12 May 13th, 2006

hey everyone, thanks a lot for all your hospitality! it's good to know im not the only one and you've given me some useful advice. the thing about having to be comfortable with your own voice, that's probably where im going wrong. i do have the worst voice ever, and i just wanted to do it for fun really. but i'm gonna spend the next few weeks practising hard at wonderwall and see if i can forget about my awful voice and nail it!