Topic: How do I learn to play guitar and sing at the same time?
Just looking for some advice on how to strum and sing the guitar together.
Also is ther any good sites
1 2011-11-06 13:38:35 (edited by guitargenuius 2011-11-06 13:40:59)
- Baldguitardude
- El Modarino
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Re: How do I learn to play guitar and sing at the same time?
i would start by just strumming single down strokes while singing your tune. Get comfortable with the singing then add complexity to your strumming.
3 2011-11-06 21:39:53 (edited by zguitar 2011-11-06 21:40:24)
Re: How do I learn to play guitar and sing at the same time?
You MUST be able to strum without thinking about it. It has to be second nature. You can't think about chords, strumming, and singing at the same time. Just as you had to learn chords so they are automatic, strumming is the same. Get your foundation built then build on top of it.
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- bensonp
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Re: How do I learn to play guitar and sing at the same time?
And practice, practice, practice. It'll come.
You can see all my video covers on [url]http://www.youtube.com/bensonp1000[/url]
I have finally found happiness in my life. Guitars, singing, beer and camping. And they all intertwine wonderfully.
I have finally found happiness in my life. Guitars, singing, beer and camping. And they all intertwine wonderfully.
Re: How do I learn to play guitar and sing at the same time?
Still, There are some tunes that seem impossible to me.. I'd love to be able to do all of "Alice's Restaurant" but that seems to be outside of my talents. Took me long enough to be able to do "4 and 20" (Stills) but that one Arlo tune has me stumped. Sure, the chorus is easy. It's the verses that kill me.
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- Roger Guppy
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Re: How do I learn to play guitar and sing at the same time?
Not knowing the song Alice's Reastaurant, I have just looked and found it on YouTube but every version I heard was spoken and not sung. Can you give me a link to the version you are trying to sing?
Roger
"Do, or do not; there is no try"
Re: How do I learn to play guitar and sing at the same time?
It's a "talking blues" number - basically practice the bass line, and speak the words in rythm. Easy, right? (ha!)
Hank's prosepctive gutiar player said: "Mr Williams, I'm not sure I can play for you, the onliest chords I know are C D & G"
Hank repleis, after a short pause: "Well, what else is there?"
Hank repleis, after a short pause: "Well, what else is there?"
- dguyton
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Re: How do I learn to play guitar and sing at the same time?
Getting a talking blues down, especially a really long one like Alice's Restaurant is one of the most difficult things you can learn. The natural flow of the vocals is a bit arrythmic, so you don't get any real "help" with your playing rhythm from there.
One consolation for you: I play Alice's Restaurant fingerstyle (which I picked up in the last 6 months or so), and though I've know the lyrics for over 30 years, I still have trouble fitting it into the playing. Keep after it and you'll get it. We both will.
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- Zurf
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Re: How do I learn to play guitar and sing at the same time?
Back to the original question - you learn by doing.
Sorry it isn't any more complicated sounding, or easier in implementation than that.
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If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
- Roger Guppy
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Re: How do I learn to play guitar and sing at the same time?
The only way to master this is to be able to play the music without thinking about it.
One of the exercises I go through with my students is to get them to play a simple chord progression, say G, Em, C and D, whist holding a conversation about anything at all. I will play along with them to start off with but drop out when they seem to be coping. Not the easiest of exercises but it is fun.
Roger
"Do, or do not; there is no try"
Re: How do I learn to play guitar and sing at the same time?
It's faster if you learn to play and sing a new song all together.
Work out the chords, write them in red above the lyric syllable where they hit. Then figure the phrasing of the lyrics - usually accents in lyrics occur where the chord changes. Mark extra accents as well.
Then start singing and strumming along with the video. Repeat as necessary.
We pronounce it "Guf Coast".
Ya'll wanna go down to the Guf?
Ya'll wanna go down to the Guf?
- Roger Guppy
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Re: How do I learn to play guitar and sing at the same time?
tubatooter1940 wrote:
It's faster if you learn to play and sing a new song all together.
Work out the chords, write them in red above the lyric syllable where they hit. Then figure the phrasing of the lyrics - usually accents in lyrics occur where the chord changes. Mark extra accents as well.
Then start singing and strumming along with the video. Repeat as necessary.
Toots, with respect I have to disagree with your comment. This is a spoken vocal and the phrasing is not in sync with the music, he has tried and has not been able to learn them together.
Roger
"Do, or do not; there is no try"
Re: How do I learn to play guitar and sing at the same time?
You're absolutely right. Roger. I was addressing a general approach to most any song.
I do some recitations that involve putting the guitar line on "automatic" to free up the vocal line to speak in rhythms not in sync with the music.
Example - Dr. John's "How Come My Dog Don't Bark When YOU Come 'Round".
This means drilling the guitar line enough times to have it become second nature.
toots
We pronounce it "Guf Coast".
Ya'll wanna go down to the Guf?
Ya'll wanna go down to the Guf?
- Baldguitardude
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Re: How do I learn to play guitar and sing at the same time?
Metronome?
Re: How do I learn to play guitar and sing at the same time?
I spent about 6 months learning "Talkin' WWIII Blues", until I just stopped trying to do the vocals, and concentrated on the bass line, playing along with the recording, with the vocals filtered out. Lo and behold, I had it nailed in about 2 weeks of daily practice. When I added the vocals, I found that I could keep that bass line rythm without thinking about it, and the vocals were then dead easy.
Hank's prosepctive gutiar player said: "Mr Williams, I'm not sure I can play for you, the onliest chords I know are C D & G"
Hank repleis, after a short pause: "Well, what else is there?"
Hank repleis, after a short pause: "Well, what else is there?"
Re: How do I learn to play guitar and sing at the same time?
Yes practise will make perfect! but, what should you practise....how will going wrong every time you try the same song make you perfect? It won't, it will just hack you off. We can all sing, we have been doing it since we were tots. But guitar is new. So the two together are new and hard! Pick a simple song that you know off by heart...something you can sing without even thinking about....get the chords, hopefully you picked a song with an easy progression. then practise practise and practise. If you still can't get it...put the guitar down and sing the song and keep time by clapping. But even then there will still be songs that you will just never be abe to get right...I can sing (badly) and play for hours, but i can't get Cry Like A Man.....
Pat
My ambition far exceeds my ability
Re: How do I learn to play guitar and sing at the same time?
How about trying out some shorter songs,if I remember right alices restaurant is around twenty some odd minetes,and most of it is talking.
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Re: How do I learn to play guitar and sing at the same time?
I agree with Pat here. There are some songs you just can't get.
I can play and sing a whole lot of songs but there are some that beat you no matter how you try. For years I tried to nail Louie Louie by Richard Berry (and a whole lot of other artists) but can't do it for love or money. I can sing it and I can play it but can't do both at the same time. I think it's like patting your head and rubbing your tummy at the same time.
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- bensonp
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Re: How do I learn to play guitar and sing at the same time?
I'm the same way. There are some songs that I have known how to sing for 30 years, but when I try them with the guitar, I just can't seem to get anything right. I do find that if I practice them for awhile, then come back to them ocassionly, sometimes I can do them better. Sometimes I repeat this many times, then at some point I find myself doing them better. I keep such songs in my list and go back to them once in awhile to see if something clicks.
You can see all my video covers on [url]http://www.youtube.com/bensonp1000[/url]
I have finally found happiness in my life. Guitars, singing, beer and camping. And they all intertwine wonderfully.
I have finally found happiness in my life. Guitars, singing, beer and camping. And they all intertwine wonderfully.
Re: How do I learn to play guitar and sing at the same time?
Baldguitardude wrote:
i would start by just strumming single down strokes while singing your tune. Get comfortable with the singing then add complexity to your strumming.
I second this advice. Baby steps. This is how I learned. Start throwing in fancier right hand techniques and fills between your vocals, then try them together. Same thing with playing a harmonica. Baby steps.