Strumming and Singing

Hello and welcome!

There are some lessons here at Guitar Noise on this topic that you can find on our "singing" page:

https://www.guitarnoise.com/singing.php

I'd highly recommend Singing In The New Year as well as If I Only Had (Another) Brain to start with.

And we've also a whole forum page here dedicated to the topic. You'll find some discussion already going on about this particular subject.

Hope this helps.

Peace

Hello all, This is my first post, so bear w/me. I have been "playing" my acoustic guitar for about 6 months. I have the basic cowboy chords and can progress between them fairly well. I am attempting to play country, but I am having a heck of a time singing and strumming a the same time. I can pick out basic strum patterns, but when I try to sing the lyrics, I start to strum with the words and my strum pattern goes out the window. I am on the verge of being able to have some real fun with this, so somebody please help me out! Thanx

don't panic!

I had this problem when i first started to play... which was only about eight months ago now....

I also posted a thread about it.... i'm sure you could look it up... i think it was called something like "strumming and singing... you gotta help me!" i'll see if i can find it for you when i've posted this...

anyway... here's what i found helped...

firstly... choose a very very very simple song... with a maxium of say 3 really easy chords.... D, G, A... i started with Corrina Corrina... http://video.download.com/3800-11162_53-7591.html here's the link for it if you want to give it a go... practice the song (or whatever song you choose) strumming only with a very simple strum pattern... something like DUDU/UDU.... (no picking! it's harder to sing over picking than strumming!) until you can play it with your eyes closed upside down and in your sleep.... also if you're not playing the song i recommend then whatever you choose make sure the song is in 4/4 time... most are... singing "over" 6/8 time for example is a bit harder until you can sing over a song in 4/4 time...

then... when you can strum the song upside down and in your sleep... try just humming over the song as you strum... and when you can do that i'm sure you'll be ready to sing it through too...

my theory is your guitaring has to be so automatic that your brain is free to sing... (a bit like driving and putting on your makeup. :wink: )

don't give up...

it will come.... i promise!

ah... here it is...

http://forums.guitarnoise.com/viewtopic.php?t=22078&highlight=

let us know how you get on!

I totally agree with amira here
my theory is your guitaring has to be so automatic that your brain is free to sing... (a bit like driving and putting on your makeup. )

Although I've never put make up on, and I don't drive lol

Its not that your playing has to be automatic, it's just that you need to know the whole structure of the song before you start to play it. It's no good trying to remember what chord leads into the chorus while you are trying to sing, as your brain will just let you down, on both fronts!

Like a lot of things, you will find it gets easier with practice, although only to a certain point. Every time you try to learn a new song in this fashion you are going to have to go slow, and play/sing over and over and over.

Good luck!

Pete

All of this is great advice, but what if your singing would scare small children?!? :lol:

I wish I COULD sing, but I know better. I will let the guitar sing for me.

I am mostly here to just doubly reenforce what has already been said. Singing and playing is really difficult. It reminds me of that deal where you rub your tummy and pat your head or maybe you pat your head and rub your tummy... Anways.. You have to be very comfortable with both parts.. the singing and strumming. Starting VERY VERY slowly. I also agree with starting on a very basic song, even if it isnt country.

Main thing is never give up. If you give up its instant failure and if you keep at it then you'll have gradual success. I know which one I would choose.

Geoo

This is something I've only recently begun to do. By "do", I don't mean I do it well either. I am getting better though. It's been just plain practice and as someone else mentioned, easy strum patterns.

A side effect of this is that I've been able to learn a little about keeping in time even when messing up a chord or something. My strumming has to keep pace with my big mouth.

Amira wrote

then... when you can strum the song upside down and in your sleep... try just humming over the song as you strum... and when you can do that i'm sure you'll be ready to sing it through too...

Humming what a great idea its like singing without the words................I just gave it a go and my brain didn't crash :shock: ....sweeeeet :)

The other technique I use is to play along with a recording of the song and let the artist sing for me. As I get more comfortable with playing the song then I begin to sing along WITH the artist. Then remove the recording from the picture and voila! you're playing and singing! :)

I must add that I think humming is a great technique too. I used this particularly when trying to learn to sing a tune to a fingerpicked song.