Sing and play

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Hi everyone,

I have been playing guitar for a few years now but only electric. I bought myself a acoustic guitar and want to learn how to play and sing at the same time. I cannot sing but there is something to playing a acoustic and singing that relaxes me.

Do you have tips for me?
What songs are the best for learning this skill?
I am at the frustrating point that if i start singing i stop playing.

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Gino
Not sure where you are but this is in Grade 2 and the second one in Grade 3

First of all there is no point in hiding the fact that is not easy, but with practice I am sure you can do it.
In terms of songs I would start with those in Grade 1 as they have simple and often repetitive chords and in terms of choice of song go for simple lyrics, they may not be your cup of tea but at the early stages that’s not the point.
Michael

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Hi Gino…
find songs that you really love. The easier the better… if they are not easy, break them down to be easy. and just have a go for it…

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Thanks for the lesson links. I am now starting at grade 2. I can play most of the stuff from the beginner course but i want to make sure that I didn’t miss anything.

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I like Justin’s lessons on singing, yet for me it was easier than that. I didn’t expect to sing and play with my acoustic because others said it was a lot harder than just playing.

When I learned my first song, my wife would have sung it probably 50 or 60 times and quite by accident I started singing along in the chorus. And since then I’ve kept on singing heaps.

It’s such fun.

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Gino @Gino0603
I see where you and no doubt you can play a few strumming patterns like OF. But I suggest you do what Justin says when learning a song just do a down strum on each beat, you can come back at a later date and incorporate a more involved pattern. I made a mistake early on in not heading that advice and found it very difficult for myself.
I will be interested to hear how you get on.
Michael

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Hi Gino,
I started singing many years after beginning to play guitar. I would agree with MAT1953 that those lessons by Justin offer excellent advise to get started. All the ear training lessons really helped me too. Justin got Chris Liepe involved to do a few free lessons too and that also was a great introduction to singing.
Regarding song choices to start, I would recommend focusing on songs that fit with your comfortable range and identify which keys work for you. This will let you get practicing singing and playing in an easy context. You will soon feel which songs come easily and which are a struggle in terms of pitch. Just focus on the ones that come more naturally to start.
Also, I would go for songs where the singing notes are on the beats. I have come accross many songs in which the singing starts on an off-beat or is quite syncopated. I love that but it takes ages to get a hang on the rythmic aspect of the singing before working on the pitches.
Definitely record yourself, (just on your phone will do), and listen out for the phrases that make you winch. Then work on improving them as a priority, playing the melody on the guitar first then singing it.
Little by little it will come.
Regards
Greg

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in my experience, you practice the singing and guitar parts separately. When you know the guitar part well, you start putting them together. Then you have to see where the words and and rhythm work together in the song. You can also start singing and playing the song using a very simple strumming pattern like one note per measure and go from there.

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I 2nd this. Karaoke is very popular in East Asian culture and it’s definitely helped me sing + play (at a beginner level) within months of picking up the guitar. I know of peers who feel the same way. I only stopped singing because I want to focus on improving my guitar playing, but whenever I’m in the mood I’ll play and sing songs I’m very familiar with (more sloppily).

Also, some songs are rhythmically harder to sing+play at the same time, even if they appear simple. Oasis’ “Songbird” comes to mind.

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I’ve written a “Approved Teacher’s Tip” on a layered approach that will help people working on singing and playing:

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