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Singing while playing guitar

feathersfeathers Posts: 84
edited December 2003 in Musicians and Gearheads
Does anyone know a way to help me learn how to sing and play guitar at the same time? I can play the song, but once I start singing I just start to mess up. It's as if once I get my mind off of the guitar it just goes wherever it wants to. I'd like any advice I could get. Thank you.
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Comments

  • casper leblanccasper leblanc Posts: 1,246
    The more you play the song, the better it will get. It came pretty natural to me, although I can imagine it working faster for some than others.
  • VesagralemVesagralem Posts: 2
    Know the song and your guitar lines by hart. Practice a lot. Good luck!
    "Speed is one thing, Balance is another" - Zorro
    http://www.rathergood.com/moon_song/ ==> try it, it rocks!
  • JudasJudas Posts: 1
    I find it easy to sing and do a few things at once, i concentrate on music, as singing is secondary, you back up the singing with quality of Lyrics.
    Killer Bee's!
  • LotusLotus Posts: 5
    i'm sorry i cannot help you, i've got the same problem :-)
  • sayang_annabelsayang_annabel Posts: 20
    well i think as u build up confidence on the guitar, your sense of rhythm gradually improves so you'll get better at fitting the lyrics in appropriately. i never really had that problem but i can imagine it's frustrating :s good luck with it
    and so castles made of sand fall in the sea eventually...
  • BrotherBrother Posts: 63
    Practice. Start with an easy song to sing along to like "Iron Man" then move up to songs like "Animal".
  • Doug RDoug R Posts: 34
    BB King cant do it either....
  • BinFrogBinFrog MA Posts: 7,309
    Originally posted by Brother
    Practice. Start with an easy song to sing along to like "Iron Man" then move up to songs like "Animal".

    Animal is not a good choice...Eddie does not play guitar on it.
    Bright eyed kid: "Wow Typo Man, you're the best!"
    Typo Man: "Thanks kidz, but remembir, stay in skool!"
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    Originally posted by feathers
    Does anyone know a way to help me learn how to sing and play guitar at the same time? I can play the song, but once I start singing I just start to mess up. It's as if once I get my mind off of the guitar it just goes wherever it wants to. I'd like any advice I could get. Thank you.

    i have no idea. it just happened one day. i still can't play piano and sing though.

    i think once the instrument becomes instinctual and you don't have to think about what your hands are doing on the guitar, it's easier to sing at the same time.
  • JBuck31JBuck31 Posts: 10
    Originally posted by BinFrog
    Animal is not a good choice...Eddie does not play guitar on it.

    Actually eddie does play guitar on animal. Ive seen it live. He may not on the studio version but it doesnt matter. Animal would be a good choice though b/c you have to work on your quick pull offs and hammer ons while you sing, keeping rhythm. The chorus would be easy though.
  • JBuck31JBuck31 Posts: 10
    I was going through the same problem you were when i first started out. Practice. Pick a simple song and practice singing. I think once you can really nail a song, you can devote more effort to singing and not have to worry about what you are playing. It'll become second nature. Also maybe try keeping a rhythm by stomping your foot, dave grohl style. Try Hide your love away or Elderly woman--easy to learn, you'll be able to do them in ur sleep. Then sing w/ the chord changes. Hope this helps.
  • gotz idgotz id Posts: 125
    Wishlist is a good beginer, so are nothingman and long road.

    I actually learned to sing and play by playing ben harper and some folk tunes, since its what the music's major focus is.... besides, thats what ben's mom told me to do ;)
    I wish I was the 10Club holiday single, the one that never showed up...

  • BinFrogBinFrog MA Posts: 7,309
    Originally posted by WouldYaHitMe
    Actually eddie does play guitar on animal. Ive seen it live. He may not on the studio version but it doesnt matter. Animal would be a good choice though b/c you have to work on your quick pull offs and hammer ons while you sing, keeping rhythm. The chorus would be easy though.


    what show? I've seen animal probably a dozen times, and I have never seen Eddie play guitar on it...
    Bright eyed kid: "Wow Typo Man, you're the best!"
    Typo Man: "Thanks kidz, but remembir, stay in skool!"
  • JBuck31JBuck31 Posts: 10
    Originally posted by BinFrog
    what show? I've seen animal probably a dozen times, and I have never seen Eddie play guitar on it...


    Yeah, ur right, i was thinking rvm.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    Elderly Woman would be my recommendation... Wishlist is another good one... with good, steady rhythm.


    PRACTICE! That's about all there is to it.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • WiLL75WiLL75 Posts: 415
    I was that way at first, but all it takes is time and practice. Good songs to start with...Polly and About A Girl by nirvana. Then move on to Hide Your Love Away...
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  • alice_mudgardenalice_mudgarden Posts: 3
    what i found helps is either just try saying the lyrics you wanna sing....either that or just get comfortable talking while playing guitar...either that or start out by humming...i actually picked it up within 3 weeks of trying..its great fun once you got it
  • MissYouAllDayMissYouAllDay Posts: 939
    Not that I can sing and play at o9nce yet....but I wouls say RVM is the ultimate test of your ability to sing and play at once. the riff is going like 4x faster than the singing and is tricky to maintain on its own
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  • bambi girlbambi girl Posts: 406
    i think its one of those things that you either find it comes to you naturally, or you need to work on it....


    i generally just always sing, am always singing....sing sing sing, so i tend to find it easy enough, but i suggest you learn the song really really well, then start to hum along to it, gradually putting in a line here, a line there and soon you'll be able to sing and play im sure.

    good luck!
  • waldo22waldo22 Posts: 12
    one step up once you're ready to get past generic chords may be light years... i'm moving on this road too, and i just learned this one and it's fun to jam out to...

    peace
    "I cut my hair and got really depressed and became a Republican. Then I did acid a couple of months later and realized I was an idiot." ~Mike
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