Any tips on learning to sing?

[Andre S]

and play guitar at the same time?

 

Usually I can't talk much when playing guitar...either I say something noone can understand or my guitar playing deteriorates fast...

 

 

But I need to learn to sing first before doing both

[milod]

When I was a "kid," I wanted to sing like folks I heard on the radio. When I started playing guitar, I dunno, it didn't seem that hard, but I kept getting told, "your voice just doesn't make it." So I'd do Roy Orbison in the showers and kinda whatever I felt like sounding like singing with family.

 

My Dad told me I was trying too hard. Hmmm. I think in retrospect he was right, and the same outlook probably even damaged my guitar playing into being perhaps too mechanical.

 

I was pretty self conscious. Everybody else, it seemed, had an idea of how a "singer" should sound.

 

In my first "rock days," I was told the voice was so outa whack I should just do the Bob Dylan copies.

 

Finally when I was doing country I was with one group where my voice was horrid 'cuz it didn't sound like the stars, and then another group where it was, "Who the hell cares, go ahead and sing..."

 

I think that latter was the best thing to happen to me.

 

The folkie thing was a good deal 'cuz you just did your basic whatever on the guitar and sang along. Since I'd been playing music or singing harmony one way or another as long as I can remember, it just didn't seem that odd or that much of a problem. Vocal quality was, but mostly because I kept thinking I should sound like somebody else.

 

Bottom line is just do it if you like the idea and want to. Do it for you.

 

Start with some reeeally simple stuff you could sing in your sleep and it's only got a couple of chords to do "rhythm" with. Maybe the kid stuff you've heard forever. Think of singing first and just a basic guitar chording second. Start singing, then add a little guitar.

 

Play a chord to figure what key you're singing in and fits your range. Start singing, then just do something with the guitar, but just enough strums to help keep on key and in time. See if that helps...

 

If you're the only one who likes it? So what? Some folks can sound like somebody else to do covers. I can't. That really used to bother me. Now? I guess I don't care so much that I just sound like me. Ditto guitar playing.

 

m

[daveinspain]

Try singing Silent Night and playing... It's real easy. Least you will know it is possible

[freak show]

If you're just starting out, I think it helps to learn from a real master:

 

[YOUTUBE]

[/YOUTUBE]

[retrosurfer1959]

Practice and a metronome it's important to be able to keep proper time especially if your trying to sing and play guitar at the same time.

[Silenced Fred]

Just do it. I couldn't sing and play guitar, its still a bit of a struggle now, but I'm getting better.

 

Do some chords, and just talk or make up lyrics. Once you do that, make it harder, play a song you know then sing it at the same time. It gets easier over time.

 

Practicing with a metronome will help keep you in time

[Notes_Norton]

I learned to sing and play bass, which IMHO is more difficult than singing and playing the guitar. It was tough at first, but in time it got easier. Here's how:

 

1) Learn and practice the guitar part until it is both memorized and easy to play without paying much attention to it.

 

2) Learn and practice the vocals until you are very comfortable with them

 

3) Put the two together.

 

Remember, from the audience's perception the vocals are more important than the guitar (sad to say) so the guitar part should be "automatic" and the bulk of your focus should be on expressiveness of the vocals.

 

Insights and incites by Notes ?

[DanvillRob]

Listen to Ringo.....do the opposite.....

[ChanMan]

Your voice is an instrument, too.

 

How did you improve your guitar playing?

 

 

 

 

 

[Andre S]

Your voice is an instrument' date=' too.

 

How did you improve your guitar playing?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I got a Gibson !!!! [lol][lol]

 

so an easy song....like 21 guns....hmm

 

cool thanks guys, will try it out.

[ChanMan]

I got a Gibson !!!! [lol]

 

so an easy song....like 21 guns....hmm

 

cool thanks guys' date=' will try it out.[/quote']

 

 

/chuckle

 

Actually, me too!

[jimmiJAMM]

Practice and technique help but you either "got it" or you don't. You can't learn natural talent. Some people are simply tone deaf.

[milod]

I think the advantage of starting to play guitar during the folkie days is that you simply figured you'd naturally play the chords somehow and that you'd naturally be singing along. Most of the stuff was pretty simple, too.

 

So... I don't think many people considered singing and playing as separate efforts.

 

I started, believe it or not, first learning some chords and figuring how to get from one to the other, and then doing an alternating thumb bass while "up-picking" with three fingers... The timing stank at first, but... within a few weeks of practice it started to work on simple stuff. Of course... my fingers hurt a bit...

 

m

[DanvillRob]

I think the advantage of starting to play guitar during the folkie days is that you simply figured you'd naturally play the chords somehow and that you'd naturally be singing along. Most of the stuff was pretty simple' date=' too.

 

So... I don't think many people considered singing and playing as separate efforts.

 

I started, believe it or not, first learning some chords and figuring how to get from one to the other, and then doing an alternating thumb bass while "up-picking" with three fingers... The timing stank at first, but... within a few weeks of practice it started to work on simple stuff. Of course... my fingers hurt a bit...

 

m

[/quote']

 

Like you, I started at "Hootenannies", but I sang like crap.... many people say my singing hasn't gotten worse over the years!

[Notes_Norton]

1) Learn how to breathe properly. As a wind instrument player I was taught how to breathe.

 

When you inhale, your chest should not expand, instead your lower abdomen should expand as your diaphragm moves straight down like a piston.

 

Relax your neck and shoulders.

 

Eight breathing wrong or tensing your neck and shoulders can give you nodules, and you will end up with distortion (like Stevie Nicks).

 

Take a few vocal lessons from a qualified teacher to get started with the basics.

 

Notes ?

[milod]

The "hoots" were okay...

 

But what I really remember was hauling laundry - this was before being dirty was "cool" - and instruments to the town laundromat from the dorm. Great reverb for bluegrassy stuff...

 

That was back in the days when the girls were all locked into their dorms at 10 on weekdays. Sheesh, have times changed. <grin>

 

Anyway, then we'd pack up again and stop for coffee and a huge carmel roll en route back to the dorm.

 

Hmmmm.... the thought just hit me that maybe the electric guitar is a lot harder to get started singing and picking on 'cuz we'd just haul the acoustics around and play whenever and whatever. Heck, I seldom was more than a cupla hundred yards away from my guitar for over two and a half years... and no amp.

 

m

[DanvillRob]

 

Hmmmm.... the thought just hit me that maybe the electric guitar is a lot harder to get started singing and picking on 'cuz we'd just haul the acoustics around and play whenever and whatever. Heck' date=' I seldom was more than a cupla hundred yards away from my guitar for over two and a half years... and no amp.

 

m

[/quote']

 

I think you've hit on something not yet considered..... learning to sing playing an acoustic makes a LOT more sense than learning to sing with a solid body electric....just the convenience factor alone, not to mention the part about barely being able to hear a voice over an electrified guitar.

[fortcon]

Bourbon, black coffee and Camel wide lights.

[Silenced Fred]

I think the advantage of starting to play guitar during the folkie days is that you simply figured you'd naturally play the chords somehow and that you'd naturally be singing along. Most of the stuff was pretty simple' date=' too.

 

So... I don't think many people considered singing and playing as separate efforts.

 

I started, believe it or not, first learning some chords and figuring how to get from one to the other, and then doing an alternating thumb bass while "up-picking" with three fingers... The timing stank at first, but... within a few weeks of practice it started to work on simple stuff. Of course... my fingers hurt a bit...

 

m

[/quote']

 

Seriously, this is the way to go. Chords and singing go hand in hand. Work on this stuff first. Simple chords and lyrics

 

GLP- look up Hurt by Johnny Cash, I posted the video a little while ago. Its like 5 chords, you can learn it in a couple of minutes (look up the chords if you want) and the lyrics are just as easy. I have been practicing playing that to work on my singing and playing. It isn't impossible to do, and will help you out.