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Ok... so actual real advice.  Let me see here.... if you need help with your breath control aka "breathing properly" or from the diaphram ... here's my memory of an actual lesson from my private voice lesson days.

First... lay on the floor on your back.  Yes... get down there ON YOUR BACK on the floor.  Put one hand on your chest (like you're gonna say the pledge) and the other on your ribcage (on the side ... thumb down fingers up... it's a bit uncomfortable, but you should get the gist).  Now, you're going to just breathe normally.  Don't think about your breathing just breathe and pay attention to what's going on.  What you should notice is that your chest is not heaving up and down (that pledge hand on top is staying pretty stable) ... but instead your ribcage is moving in and out (that side hand is moving with your body).  This is the "proper" way to breathe.  Your belly is not really supposed to move.  Some people think you are supposed to "breathe from your belly" and your belly should be expanding and contracting... NOT TRUE.  Your lungs are NOT located in your belly, they are located in your ribcage. read edit below if you don't agree with this... TUBA do you have any advice to add in here? Practice deep breathing for a little while on the floor.

Next... stand up (slowly... and even slower if you had a few beers before laying on the floor!! ) ... place your arms out in the air palms up (like on the Titanic "I'm on top of the world!") ... gently ease your arms down to your side KEEPING your posture as it was with your arms out in the air.  This is the "correct singing posture" ...  you should now feel like your shooting your chest out there for the entire world to see (oh yeah... look at that chest... hmmm... maybe some pectoral exercises are in order?).  Ok... now keep that posture and place your hands on your chest as they were when you were laying down.  One on your heart, one on your ribcage.  BREATHE ... pay attention... remember how you were breathing when you were on the floor.  Do not heave your chest up and down but instead expand and contract your ribcage sideways.  Take some deep breaths.

Ok... now that you're all relaxed, try singing a little.  Pick a note (got a pitch pipe or something?) take a nice deep breath (from your ribcage no heaving allowed) and try to hold that note out nice and steady.  When you start to falter in pitch, it's time to stop and take another breath. 

It's possible you're having a hard time staying in tune, or in pitch because you aren't breathing well.  When your pitch starts to diminish are you noticing that you're about out of breath?  I think your original post really did address this.  Strength of voice, loss of pitch, and the fact that you're talking about breathing all tell me that this could be the problem.  I know it's not really possible to SIT in this position and play guitar, BUT once you can remember how to "breathe properly" you'll have an easier time when you are seated.  Of course... you are a "pro" with that strap and all so you COULD play standing up and sing!

Good luck!  Hope this helps (and if not... please do video yourself doing this, because I always thought it would be amusing to watch someone ELSE doing these breathing exercises!!  LOL)

.... disclaimer.... I am NOT a voice instructor and the information given here could be totally bogus, but it's how I was taught during private voice lessons...  if it is bogus, I'd like my parents to receive a refund!  I do have to say that even as a smoker of too many years, I have better breath control than quite a few people I know (my son regularly tries to have a "sing off" holding a note out until the other can't do it any longer... he refuses to take my advice on how to breathe) ... I attribute it to my lessons, course I could just have lucky lungs?  I don't think I'm an awesome singer... but when I try, I can hold a note, and I probably sound much worse when drinking even if I think I sound better.  In high school choir people either wanted to stand next to me because I would drown them out or they wanted to stand far away from me because I sang too loud and they couldn't hear themselves.  I enjoy singing Italian Arias (opera) more than any other type of music.

I do really like GSE's advice tho too... that could come in pretty handy!!  LOL!

edit: after writing all this I looked up info on breath control... all I could find is people telling you to expand and contract your belly... so, take it for what it is - maybe my teacher was wrong?  The above works for me tho!

Thanks Pix!  Helpful indeed!  That will go into my "theory notebook"!  Now if only I could learn all the different notes on the strings, I could find a way to explain some of this to my husband and my son.  I "get" theory, but without the power to back it up I'm lacking in being able to explain it to them!  Eventually we'll get there!

Congrats on your NGD Cam!  Good to hear you're gonna keep the wifey too and not pass her around to all these guys that are jealous!  LOL! 

I was in the local guitar shop the other day and purchased myself a few finger picks to try out (and I am in LOVE with the thumb pick) ... bought my hubby about 5 different thickness picks for his steel string to try out and one huge one that looks like a tortilla chip (triangle), a chord encyclopedia (which could come in handy for me too LOL) and checked out all the electrics they had there... of course, I couldn't help staring at all the beautiful older acousitcs as well.  I wish I'd have had my camera on me!  I talked to the guy in there and he said they could make a "package" of ANYTHING for my husband if he'd like to purchase an electric there... so... we'll be heading back in there before X-mas for sure!  I really want to get him one since he's been beating on that crappy starter steel string for years and was so kind to let me pick out what I wanted for our anniversary this year (just after my playing of a whopping 2 weeks). 

Moral to the story... Make sure you find out what it is your wife LOVES and return the love back on her with a nice special gift this year!  Give and you shall receive!

Hey, if it hasn't already been done... WELCOME to Chordie!!

Riddler... I was JUST about to say that!  Yeah... I think if you bought it within the past year of win 7 coming out then you're eligible for the free upgrade (although please make sure you check out what Zurf said about the processors and make sure you're not going to end up with a dog if it can't handle it!  I had that problem with an older computer years ago that I tried to upgrade from ME to XP).

I avoided Vista too... everyone else ran out and got one despite everything I told them!  LOL!  Of course, THEN they all wanted me to fix their little issues and I happily said, "I don't have that version, I know nothing about it... I can't help you" ... tho of course I COULD have, I used ignorance as an excuse since they didn't listen to me in the first place.  The biggest complaint I hear is that they have a horrid time updating Vista... can't configure the auto update to work properly, or the built in firewall to STOP asking the same thing over and over again.  I'm glad you don't have any issues with yours Ken!  Thus far, I haven't heard anything negative about Win 7 ... I generally get a new computer every 2-3 years ... I've had this one ... well it'll be 4 years in the spring so I'm due.  I know, I know, they can last way longer than that... but I have a strong techie drive (even if I don't know what to do with it... mostly... I just can't afford to stay on top of the latest tech). 

Keep us updated... those of you with the new Win 7 ... cuz when it's tax time, I'll be looking into a new puter (tho... I'll make this one last if I have to if I hear too many bad win 7 stories).

ZURF - your info on the processors is VERY IMPORTANT ... THANK YOU so much!

Welcome to Chordie!  I love Zurf's explanation the best for strumming patterns!  I find that I start everything out with the same pattern (must be my heartbeat!  LOL) ... and then once I can change chords pretty well and sing along a little... then I look up on youtube the "real" way to strum and try that out... eventually it sounds something like it should ... tho probably I won't ever do a "true cover"!  Just ENJOY!

Ahhh... well then I will work on that bikini ready body... and make my way south soon I hope!  Maybe Alabama wouldn't be a bad idea!  I think central NC is similar in that every 20 years or so plan.  I imagine after THIS winter I'll be ready to give up the winter boots anyhow... it "feels" like we're in for a bad one this year!  It's already in the 20's and 30's at night with frost on the ground every morning, and chilly all day, has already snowed gently in a few areas.  The fire in the furnace add on (wood stove hooked up to the plenum of the oil burning furnace) has been going for several days to keep it comfortable in the house.  Ahhh... what I wouldn't give for a nice 70 degrees outside right now!

Besides... cool jazz, hot rock, mild winters... AND sweet tea, homemade biscuits, watermelon, and home grown tomato's all sound good to me.  I can pass on the grits ... but then I've only ever had them the few times I've been South of the Boarder.  Plus, I could get used to saying "Ya'll" and not having such high taxes and laws about EVERYTHING!  LOL!  Oh, and I LOVE country music!  ha ha!

Wishing you and yours well tuba!

I can't comment personally... especially since I've only been playing for a couple months (and only with low end guitars at that).  BUT... there was an interesting thread on here about different woods... etc... if you're interested in doing a little research into THAT end of it.

http://www.chordie.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=13101

I know when I hit my one year mark there's a good chance that I'll be looking for a new guitar too... as mine is really a low end beginner model (tho I did pick it out based on feel and sound, and I love it right now!).  I've heard a LOT of good stuff about Epiphone... and since you're looking at an elect/acousitc you might want to make a point to check out online reviews especially of the electro portion of it.  I've read a lot of bad stuff about that end of name brand guitars.  I just did a quick search for reviews and didn't find anything bad... if that helps at all!  I'm sure the GUYS that know their stuff will be here soon to comment!!

Welcome to the forums!  Not too far... I'm in the "Leather Stocking" region, or at the "thumb" of the fingerlakes (Oneida Lake)... I'd rather be in the heart of the fingerlakes drinking your wine!  Hmmm... sounds like a road trip in the making.  Enjoy the forums and know that there's folks across the lakes and across the ocean ready to help ya out, or just chat!  Enjoy!

well.. here ya go... I did actually dress up (and do every year) with the kids to go out ... no, I did not collect candy myself!  LOL!
Here's me and Steph

And here's Kate

The hubster won't like me putting his pic up, but he was in full Skeleton makeup... and the 13 yr old just wore all black with a black mask.  We had fun tho!  AND... it was done raining by the time we went out YAY!

Zurf... you are so funny!

AccoustikNoyz... what is the dog supposed to be?  LOL... it's cute that you dressed him(her?) up!