Learn How To Sing And Play Guitar at the Same Time
Learning how to sing and play guitar simultaneously is quite tricky and requires loads of practice.
Each word is denoted with a note on the guitar, and therefore it actually amounts to coping up with different rhythms for the same song.
It is a difficult situation to be in and requires a lot of practice to combine the two.
You will have to tackle several issues that musicians and singers commonly come across during vocal training exercises – especially when you add a musical instrument to the mix.
Here is a list of some of them.
- Synchronizing the song rhythm
- Establishing a match between a particular guitar note and song syllable
- Singing while establishing the right strumming pattern on the guitar
- Learn How to Sing and Play Guitar by Sustaining a pitch
- Establishing the same timing throughout the song
- Coordinating with the processes of singing and playing the guitar simultaneously
You may feel handling two separate rhythms simultaneously is a very difficult task.
However, consider the fact that many people have successfully learned how to sing and play guitar simultaneously.
Some simple guidelines have been outlined that will make the process easier for you.
Keep It Simple
Use Simple Singing and Playing Techniques for Your Musical Instrument
People often attempt too many things at the same time, which is a big mistake. They attempt a song that is difficult to sing or play the guitar, and sometimes both.
The process adversely affects either the song or playing the guitar. Some are able to sing the song well; however, not much can be said about strumming the guitar. A simple strumming pattern would be attempted where interesting variations are possible.
Start Off Easy
The ideal way to go about it is to choose an easy song that can be played on the guitar easily as well. Choose a song that suits the range of your voice accompanied by an easy beat.
The odds of you being able to sing and play the guitar simultaneously increase greatly.
Humming a Tune
A simple process would be to strum the guitar while you hum the song at first.
The idea when learning how to sing and play guitar is to get used to playing the guitar chords without actually watching your finger movements over the fret.
Once you master the technique, the brain has more time to focus on singing.
Count People Count (from my old high school band director)
People often find it difficult to keep up with the timing of a song. Mismatch in the timing would result in guitar notes moving ahead while the words of the song lag behind.
Effectively, it amounts to establishing a precise match between certain syllables or words and the musical notes during a song recital.
It cannot be stressed enough that simplicity is warranted. Learn to sing one verse at the time before moving on to the next. An easy song will allow you to learn the starting words in very little time.
You could also select a song where the rhythm of the guitar and the song are ideally synchronized with each other. It will ensure that you do not lose sync with the song while you strum the guitar.
Imagine The Ideal Situation
If you have just started singing, learning how to imagine the pitch is probably one of the most vital skills you will master along with training your voice to produce the right note in alignment with your body.
The same imaginative strategy will have to be used while you learn how to sing and play guitar.
Picture It – Then Play It!
A good example of the technique is to create a picture in your mind singing the song while strumming the guitar.
You will be able to watch your fingers move over the chords in your head, provided you can sing this song well enough.
A few singers begin practice by listening to the song recording before actually trying to sing or play the guitar.
Not without Practice
You must rehearse your singing when the actual music is being played back through a recording. It will improve your sense of timing, which in turn will help you synchronize the guitar rhythm with the song rhythm.
Finally, just use your imagination to learn how to sing and play guitar, as there are really no fixed rules for it.
You need to, however, devote quality time for practice. Learn how to sing better, set your singing and playing goals, then stick to them to become a guitarist and singer.