how to sing and play simaltaniously?

[emilio]

ok, so i got a gig in my school this wednesday and the singers can't go. so, i decided maybe i could sing. this is somehthing i tried in vain a few times before so i gave up. now i think i have a chance though because i tired it today at home and it sort of worked. any tips for me to get better faster?

thank you!

btw it's my fist gig!

[Tor]

Re: how to sing and play simaltaniously?

Hm, if it was on such short notice, I'd work really hard on playing the guitar, so that you could practically play it on autopilot and almost have a conversation while you're playing the piece. Practice simultaneously with singing when you're happy with how the playing turns out..

[Dru Edwards]

Re: how to sing and play simaltaniously?

If you currently have difficulty playing and singing at the same time I think it's going to be very difficult to do it live on such short notice. Like Tor said, know the guitar parts inside out. Then you just have to practice. The last thing you want is to go up there for your first gig is have everything fall apart, play wrong notes because you're concentrating on singing. You may be nervous enough without that extra baggage.

My suggestion ... honestly, find another singer.

[kcrknp]

Re: how to sing and play simaltaniously?

If you currently have difficulty playing and singing at the same time I think it's going to be very difficult to do it live on such short notice. Like Tor said, know the guitar parts inside out. Then you just have to practice. The last thing you want is to go up there for your first gig is have everything fall apart, play wrong notes because you're concentrating on singing. You may be nervous enough without that extra baggage.

My suggestion ... honestly, find another singer.

What he said. If you haven't practiced and got it down you might just end up making a fool of yourself. Singing and playing isn't something you learn overnight it takes quite a lot of practice.

[emilio]

Re: how to sing and play simaltaniously?

i can play all these songs without looking, and i can have a conversation. maybe if i practice a lot and make my decision until the end of the line?

[Dru Edwards]

Re: how to sing and play simaltaniously?

i can play all these songs without looking, and i can have a conversation. maybe if i practice a lot and make my decision until the end of the line?

You can always make your decision 'at the end of the line' however that's probably too late to find someone. It sounds like you're feeling more comfortable with the playing/singing. If you can do it then go ahead. But I stick to my original post ... if you're having difficulty doing both then you better find someone to sing. Only you can decide. Good luck and let us know what you do!

[d1dsj]

Re: how to sing and play simaltaniously?

As long as you're somewhat comfortable I say go for it! You can practise and practise all you like... you've got to live it... make a few mistakes so that you know next time. Do it once and you'll know whether it's for you or not. Good luck bro... let us know what you decide. All the best.

[Zhangliqun]

Re: how to sing and play simaltaniously?

Some songs are easy to sing and play because the rhythm of the vocals and the guitar part are the same or similar. Other songs are next to impossible without a lot of practice.

[rashayritto]

Re: how to sing and play simaltaniously?

singing while playing was something i started working on early when i picked up guitar. Here are some tips on splitting your brain in two!

start out by singing along to a simple rhythm that youre playing. strum out a chord progression and sing some stupid line to follow it. then try subdividing your vocals on a chord or two, changing the vocal rhythm over the same guitar part.as these steps become easier, play increasingly complex or demanding guitar riffs while doing vocals.

eventually (usually by necessity) you'll be able to sing pretty much anything over your usual guitar work. of course it wont be so easy if the vocals are way out of sync with the guitar, but then thats just bad composition so it wont crop up most likely

[weisserj]

Re: how to sing and play simaltaniously?

if you are just doing rhythm and chords it shouldnt be too hard but if you are playing lots of lead lines while singing it could be very hard...

[alex1fly]

Re: how to sing and play simaltaniously?

You can also fake it a little, like focus more on the vocals and if you miss the exact strumming pattern or have to play barre chords instead of full chords, no big deal. Most people pay a lot more attention to vocals than guitar anyways, and even the ones that listen to your guitar won't be picking apart your every stroke.

[guitfiddle]

Re: how to sing and play simaltaniously?

Just remember that talking and singing come from different parts of the brain...if you can have a conversation while playing, that'sall fine, but you might go to sing and find it's different enough to throw you for a loop. I'd suggest finding the way the guitar rhythms of the songs line up with the words if you're determined to go through with it.

[alex1fly]

Re: how to sing and play simaltaniously?

No guts, no glory... no balls, no bonanza.

[Zhangliqun]

Re: how to sing and play simaltaniously?

On a difficult-to-sing-and-play song, I just take it apart piece by piece like learning anything. Start slow and gradually speed up.

Then I apply my general music learning philosophy: Find out what the very hardest part is and then pound on it -- day after day, week after week, even years if that's what it takes -- until it becomes the part you play best. Even if it's so difficult that you never quite get there, you still learn a lot that can be applied elsewhere.

[emilio]

Re: how to sing and play simaltaniously?

well thank all of you for your help and support!

i went through with it, i sang two of the four songs. i had to read them so i moved from the mic a lot. it went much better than expected.

for my first gig in my first band i think i did ok and, to my surprise, i wasn't nervous.

a bra was thrown and i wore it as a hat. when i screamed, "scream for me!!!!!!" the crowd went nuts. to pits were started though they stopped them the first time. complents everywhere! i almost didn't do it but in the end we triumphed!

although we messed up a couple of times, it was one of the happiest moments in my life. :satisfied: