Playing guitar and singing simultaneously

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rombsix

Posts: 7808
Joined: Jan. 11 2006
From: Beirut, Lebanon

Playing guitar and singing simultane...

Can any of you do that? I have been trying to do that recently (trying to play Nirvana's Come as You Are while singing it simultaneously), and I seem to either screw up the words (by singing them only when I play notes with my right hand), or the playing (by playing only when singing the words). I can't seem to get my brain to separate the two things, and end up with a smooth overall song (that sounds like the actual recorded song).

Any words of wisdom?

PS: A couple of classmates want me to play in a rock concert with them, and that is why I got interested in trying to sing + play this song (which we will be performing - me as the guitarist, and a classmate as the vocalist, along with the other band members). I haven't digressed from flamenco, in case you thought I did!

_____________________________

Ramzi

http://www.youtube.com/rombsix

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 2 2008 5:09:07

veet

Posts: 231
Joined: Nov. 29 2004
From: L.A.

RE: Playing guitar and singing simul... (in reply to rombsix)

yeah, I'm an old folkie and rocker, I remember how hard it was at first. Work on the strumming so you can do the guitar part automatically, like while reading the paper or watching tv. Practice singing while walking down the street accenting the rhythm in your stride. or clapping in rhythm while you sing.

Know exactly when you're going to breathe between phrases. Breathe the same places every time.

Just a matter of agonizing boring hours of practice, at some point you'll be pleased to find it's working!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 2 2008 5:28:38

guitarbuddha

Posts: 2970
Joined: Jan. 4 2007

RE: Playing guitar and singing simul... (in reply to rombsix)

Giving yourself time to relax will be a big help.

The first line is a two bar phrase so play the first two bars and then play it again this time singing. Do this over and over and over.

Also do the opposite, sing the first line and then sing it again whilst playing. Over and over and over.

This will give you time to notice exactly where things are going wrong and since your are taking the time to relax (by doing only one thing at a time regularly) your unconscious will leap in and fix things for you. The enemy here is impatience.

If you spend a whole practice session doing just this you will be amazed by how the rest will just fit into place. But it will be fixed just for a day or so so you need to be just as patient and methodical the next day and the day after that. The great thing is that if you do this for maybe an hour a day for a week you will become really confident and relaxed as you will know that you have nothing to hide from in the music. You will also learn A LOT about rhythm because the melody (like almost all pop music since the Beatles) is very very syncopated, you will naturally be able to incorporate these syncopations into your guitar playing.

Go on and try it, you will be amazed how much fun it is to play after such a disciplined approach.

D.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 2 2008 5:55:50

rombsix

Posts: 7808
Joined: Jan. 11 2006
From: Beirut, Lebanon

RE: Playing guitar and singing simul... (in reply to rombsix)

Thanks for the advice mates.

I can sing and play / strum chords easily and well, but it's when I have to play non-repetitive arpeggios or melodies (like One Last Breath by Creed for example) that I start to stumble the most ...

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Ramzi

http://www.youtube.com/rombsix

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 2 2008 6:59:19

Ron.M

Posts: 7051
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Scotland

RE: Playing guitar and singing simul... (in reply to guitarbuddha)

Ooops!
Wrong thread..

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 2 2008 7:56:44

duende

Posts: 3053
Joined: Dec. 15 2003
From: Sweden

RE: Playing guitar and singing simul... (in reply to rombsix)

I never had any problems with that, for some reason. But for some reason i cant play bass and sing. on guitar i can play anything between simon and garfunkle to metallica
and sing. on bass i cant sync

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This is hard stuff!
Don't give up...
And don't make it a race.
Enjoy the ray of sunshine that comes with every new step in knowledge.

RON

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 2 2008 8:03:28