Singing & Playing

I have this problem too, so you're not alone. I don't have too much trouble during verses or chorus but bridges and solos are just evil. What I did during the solos and bridges when I got stuck was start singing a word or syllable in between strums. Not sure if that makes sense, it's kind of hard to explain. That's for a non chorded song though. I have no idea how I sing and play chorded songs. I just picked up the guitar one day and just did it.

You should try to match the syllables to the beat. So try to remember on what beat you say this part of a word or the whole word and work through the whole song like that. It makes a lot easier to play and sing at the same time.

I've heard folks here say something to the effect that you have to get good enough at one or the other so that you dont have to think about it. Takes ALOT of the P word but yes it does work. The only time I can truely sound like the song is when I know either the words or strumming to not have to think about it. I've managed this now on a few songs.

Also kind of has to do with the type of song. Some songs seem to have a rythem that sort of goes off on its own while the singing seems to go in a different direction. I dont even mess with those. :D Not yet anyway.

Common problem.. your in the norm

Geoo

Hey guys, I really feel your pain. I started playing the guitar 5 months ago, I am still slow changing chords but I am getting better some days and not so good other days... I am playing Neil Young "Heart of Gold", I memorized the song so well that I can sing it in my sleep but forget about singing and playing at the same time..
"rparker".. I have exactly the same problem, my brian gets over loaded and it gets worst the second and third time.. :-(

Try practicing along with the recording. Pick a nice easy song that you can easily match the strumming. It gets easier with time and it will become more natural with harder songs.

I couldn't do it for the longest time too. It does just take practice. I think practicing chord changes & strumming patterns while talking, or wathing tv, etc. might help. You need to get to the point of being able to move around on the guitar without much thought so that you can concentrate on other things too.

Slow down.

Slow down to one strum every thirty seconds if necessary. Work the speed up, singing and playing no faster than you can comfortably do both together. Try it.

For more on this topic, go read "If I only had another brain"

So, I've got quite a few songs that I could do in front of people not expecting a skilled musician. I'll spare you the list, suffice to say that David Hodge is my hero. I've got this little shrine set up......The patron saint of the unskilled musician?

Or of the unexpectedly skilled one?
:lol:

I never had trouble concentrating on singing and playing, except when 32nd notes come in, then it gets hard. Hardest thing for me is breathing. I always end up finishing the song out of breath. I'm not sure if I need to work on breathing excerises or if it's because I have trouble breathing to begin with, probably both.

According to a lesson on here

https://www.guitarnoise.com/article.php?id=138

A lot of times singers who play instruments will play chord lines instead while singing............what's a chord line?

A lot of times singers who play instruments will play chord lines instead while singing............what's a chord line?
Just strumming chords.

Slow down.

Slow down to one strum every thirty seconds if necessary.

Although not if you also want to keep time, eh? If I slow down too much, I lose all sense of timing!

The best tip I can give you is don't practice in front of the wife and kid. Even if they're kind enough to keep quiet, the look on their faces is enough to discourage you for life :D

My wife often compliments my playing, and the only reason I know she isn't just being nice is that she isn't quite so sweet when when I try and sing, too. I just wish she would sing along herself more often, she's a great help when it comes to figuring out the strumming

You need to get to the point of being able to move around on the guitar without much thought so that you can concentrate on other things too.

The thing I have trouble with isn't moving around the guitar. Often, I used when I have to move as a check to see if I'm singing in tune with my playing. It's when I don't have to change chords or move around that I get lost.

D|----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------------------------------|
F|----------------------------------------------------------------|
C|4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-0-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-0-|
G|4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-0-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-0-|
C|4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-0-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-0-|


The song I'm having trouble with looks like that. So often I don't know if I'm in tune or lose count of how many strums I've done. Anyone have any ideas how to solve this?

I've been working my way through Summer of '69, which has a couple of similar runs. I gave up trying to count (it's 12, by the way) and resorted to adjusting my strumming to the song. I know when the next change is supposed to come, so I just keep going until the rhythm says "CHANGE!!!"
Work on where the changes occur, not "I've got to strum E#min9add17 37 times ......................".

I am getting better at most strumming patterns when singing but have found that as long as you get the chord changes on time patterns really don't matter very much when singing.
This only counts for a strumming song, if you are playing arpeggios or fingerstyle that is a whole other matter.
Alot of artist change strumming patterns often during a song and sound a bit different live. I think they really don't pay a whole lot of attention to it and just go with the flow.