vocaling and guitaring

ive been trying to play guitar and sing at the same time, its somthing i allways wanted to do but i can either get one or the other i cant seem to focus on both things simuntaneouly, anyone else ever have that problem if so what can i do?

 

I used to have that problem. Part of it might be you're playing guitar parts that are too complicated. If you listen to Cat Stevens or James Taylor you'll notice that when they're singing they're ususally strumming or playing an easy pattern. I can't sing and fingerpick at the same time. Another thing is maybe you're trying to sing out of your range or too difficult parts. Here's something that might help: just finger the chords you're playing without strumming or playing anything while you sing. The more you do that the better at it you'll be. Start slowly, we can't all be overnight stars or anything. Once you have the fret-hand thing down, start doing basic strumming patterns. If you gradually work up the level of complexity you should be able to do it. That's how I learned.
Let me know if anything develops.

 

the way i do it is i perfect the guitar part first. get so you don't even have to think about it anymore, so it just comes naturally out of your hands, then work on the singing.

 

You just get the hang of it after awhile.

 

It takes practice. It's easy to do now, and I can easily sing and play a song just from playing a few times, but when I was first learning it helped to know all the lyrics like the back of my hand, and play along with the recording of what I was learning over and over til I got it.

 

get a pen and paper and write down the words. then write the changes above the word it changes on. then sing the song and make the right changes on the right words, after a few times through, you feel for the rythm will smooth everything out.

 

i try to sing whenever playing a song, if that part invovles singing. it helps me keep track of where i need to be in playing the song

 

its all about the rhythm. if you know where the words go then its usually easy. but if you arent sure which words do on which beat exactly then it can get confusing. if your really stuck, i suggest going over each bar slowly and working out the beats and syncopation.

but as said, its usually strumming or chords while singing which isnt toohard. try playing simple riffs like the whitestripes one 7 nation army. or day tripper by the beatles.

 

i cant sing very well so i dont even try...

 

Practice! I used to have a horrible voice, so I'd drink tons of honey and suck on lots of those throat lossenge things... still do, sometimes, but for the most part I don't need any of that stuff. The more you sing, the better you'll get.

 

My thing is, I can sing quite well when I really want to, but I don't usually open up with a bunch of people around me. It's just higly irritating, in my opinion. I don't know why, it's not really embarassing or anything... haha, just irritating for some odd reason. And yes, as Bill said, it's all about the rhythm. If you can't do it, you just have to learn... that's how everyone else does it. You have to start somewhere. Some people are naturally good at it and have a great voice on top of it, some don't, but you can still learn how to and you can learn how to improve your singing.

 

yeah i could but i get embarrased about singing....

 

wow i just found out i can kind of sing with guitar but cant at all without...strange

 

It depends on the singer, the song, and the practise!
Some songs are tough to impossible to sing AND play, not matter how its arranged.

I do find it way easier to sing with an instrument. As for singing in front of people, you have to get over it, or noone will hear you!

 

I have to be holding something, be it my guitar or my harmonica, or I end up mumbling....

 

I can do it pretty good, I just have to work on switching riffs on guitar while doing it.

 

it may just be that i cant hear myself as well

 

sing louder

 

It's what I've done for a living for thirty years now and only packed my guitar away for the 'FINAL TIME' last week.

If you can do it and do it well there's nothing on earth like it! Samson is correct though, no-one can teach you how to stare down an audience and let them know you're in charge. But do it you must or they'll walk all over you.

Ben

 

the reason you thinkyou can sing with guitar is prolly just that the guitar backs up the notes your singing in. often a single vocal recording will sound not that good but when mixed 1-6 other notes at the same time will just sound more prper.

but theres a limit to how much better it makes it sound lol