I know that part of my problem is that I'm still new at the guitar and concentrating pretty hard on forming the chords and doing the picking pattern at the same time, so I'm hoping maybe later I'll be able to sing along. But I'm wondering if it's common for some people to have trouble singing and playing at the same time?
difficulty singing while playing
I'm going through Lisa's fingerpicking tutorials, and it's fun when she throws a song with words in there. While I'm not having any trouble playing the music, I can't do it while singing at the same time. I had that same problem whenever I tried to sing and play the piano together too. When I was in 6th grade, my class did a Charlie Brown Christmas play and I played Schroder, the piano playing kid. The only hard part of the role was when I was supposed to play a few bars of Fur Elise and say "It's Beethoven Christmas music" at the same time. I'd learned Fur Elise many year before, so I could play it without thinking. I practiced for hours trying to say the line along with the music, but I never could do it. I think I ended up just stopping playing and then said the line.
I know that part of my problem is that I'm still new at the guitar and concentrating pretty hard on forming the chords and doing the picking pattern at the same time, so I'm hoping maybe later I'll be able to sing along. But I'm wondering if it's common for some people to have trouble singing and playing at the same time?
I know that part of my problem is that I'm still new at the guitar and concentrating pretty hard on forming the chords and doing the picking pattern at the same time, so I'm hoping maybe later I'll be able to sing along. But I'm wondering if it's common for some people to have trouble singing and playing at the same time?
# 1
Hi Gary,
Singing and playing is rough to get down at first, it took me awhile too. What worked for me was practicing each part separately until I had them down and then trying them together. I think it's a matter of getting your brain to processes two seperate rhythm and melody patterns at the same time, drummers have to do this when they play (without the melody part), playing on rhythm with the right hand, another with the left and another with the feet, etc.
I would try to ease into it by simplifying the guitar part enough so that you can do both at the same time just to get used to it. Maybe strum the first beat of each measure or every other measure as you sing and work your way into it from there.
Singing and playing is rough to get down at first, it took me awhile too. What worked for me was practicing each part separately until I had them down and then trying them together. I think it's a matter of getting your brain to processes two seperate rhythm and melody patterns at the same time, drummers have to do this when they play (without the melody part), playing on rhythm with the right hand, another with the left and another with the feet, etc.
I would try to ease into it by simplifying the guitar part enough so that you can do both at the same time just to get used to it. Maybe strum the first beat of each measure or every other measure as you sing and work your way into it from there.
[FONT=Book Antiqua][FONT=Arial][FONT=Tahoma]Neal
GT Channel Host[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]
http://www.guitartricks.com/channel/
GT Channel Host[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]
http://www.guitartricks.com/channel/
# 2
Yeah, this has been a major problem for me as well. Thanks for the advice, Neal. I do hope it gets easier!
# 3
Gary: you might this. Break the song down into parts and play it bit a slower till you have it. Then you can speed up. I've tried this method and it seems to work even if it takes me longer to play the song up to speed. You would be surprised how some songs sound when slowed a bit. Like me just keep on with the practice.
# 4
Great discussion and good suggestions Neal. I haven't even progressed in my playing enough to get to that point, but I'm dreading it nonetheless. The few times I've tried it, it just hasn't gone well.
I do agree it's training one's brain to process both parts separately.
I do agree it's training one's brain to process both parts separately.
# 5
It's like that 'rubbing your belly and tapping your head' deal. Always seemed so unnatural to me and I never did get comfortable with it. I'd like to think of it in terms of having survived doing it.
# 6
Dont be too hard on yourself.....
you are talking about 2 different parts of the brain and its a matter of training...not an easy task at all.
For me I could hold a great rhythem and god for bid I opened my mouth to say ANYTHING let alone singing....I lost my rhythem...evem if it was only a 3 chord pattern....you just have to start small
Try doing something like two chord changes....or heck even one chord if you need....and start by trying to hum or just talk....maybe sing the alphabet. Right now it doesnt have to be the best thing in the world...just let your brain know that it needs to get the two areas working together...youll get there.
like with all of it....practice and time
you are talking about 2 different parts of the brain and its a matter of training...not an easy task at all.
For me I could hold a great rhythem and god for bid I opened my mouth to say ANYTHING let alone singing....I lost my rhythem...evem if it was only a 3 chord pattern....you just have to start small
Try doing something like two chord changes....or heck even one chord if you need....and start by trying to hum or just talk....maybe sing the alphabet. Right now it doesnt have to be the best thing in the world...just let your brain know that it needs to get the two areas working together...youll get there.
like with all of it....practice and time
# 7
Well, I faced teh same problem with singing along with playing, and what worked for me is not breaking up process in two, but instead integrating singing and playing into one solid process.
What I mean is, for example, you strum a chord and start singing your first note, then sing some more, while that chord is ringing, then simultaneously switch to the next chord and sing the next note along with it. It should feel not like you are doing two different things at a time, but like you play a single melody using your guitar and voice. The simplest analogy is the guitar playing itself: you always use both your hands, though not every note requires a simultaneous movement of both hands.
I don't know if this is gonna be helpful for you particularly, but this is how it works for me.
What I mean is, for example, you strum a chord and start singing your first note, then sing some more, while that chord is ringing, then simultaneously switch to the next chord and sing the next note along with it. It should feel not like you are doing two different things at a time, but like you play a single melody using your guitar and voice. The simplest analogy is the guitar playing itself: you always use both your hands, though not every note requires a simultaneous movement of both hands.
I don't know if this is gonna be helpful for you particularly, but this is how it works for me.
# 8
