Tip: Is singing for you?

[jjw]

This topic has come up a few times before and I’ve tried to give some advice based on my own experiences. Here are two of my posts on the subject:

Songs, strumming & bored

HI @JDR_allthumbs , I have found myself in your situation over the years, so let me tell you how I tried to address it. My biggest limitation is that I don’t sing. I think if you sing, then basic strumming arrangements can be fine and the “performance” can be rewarding. If you don’t sing … not so much. Here are the different “solutions” I have found at various points in time (in order of difficulty). Find songs that have identifiable riffs, little lead parts, bass runs, etc. Melodic elements…

I Survived My First "Performance"

I have struggled with this for a long time. One solution is to find somebody to sing while you play. A spouse, a friend, a son or daughter. This is really very rewarding. Lacking a singing partner (like me), another approach is to find songs that have distinctive riffs or single note runs that make the song recognizable. Like “Needle and the Damage Done” or “Heart of Gold” (lots of Neil Young songs fit this mold). It can be pretty satisfying to play something that others (and you!) can recogn…

Have a look (and also at the complete threads) for some ideas.