What's an excellent way to learn how to sing and play guitar at the same time? Read my details:?

Question

I've been playing guitar for almost five years, and I've had a good voice most of my lifetime, but I need some work when it comes to singing and playing at the same time without messing up or doing the wrong rhythm. Any ways to help?

Answer 1

Take it slow play parts at a time slower then you normally would... about half pace...

It really helps.. and slowly get faster

Answer 2

Perfect practice makes perfect...have to burn in those old neural pathways. Break up the song you want to play and sing and master it one segment at a time.

Putting yourself in front of a hot mic and a recorder is good, but a live audience is better. Nothing like a little good stress to push you in the right direction, or either prove to you that it's not your cup of tea.

Answer 3

I had major problems doing that same thing!  I always would either stumble and forget to sing some words, or the guitar would go in rhythm with the vocals.  So, I really wanted to learn how to sing and play Smells Like Teen Spirit, by Nirvana, because I was tired of our band doing only instrumentals.  What worked for me for learning the chorus was to play that short riff over and over until I could do it with my eyes closed, or with my focus on something else, like watching TV as I played to have 2 things in my mind at once.  Once I could naturally do it, I just started singing and it worked!  Best of luck to you!

Answer 4

Its really hard to do two separate things at once.  So you really have to have each part practiced separately until you can do them both really well before you put them together.

But I consider myself a better instrumentalist than I am a singer, so what I find works for me is this -- I learn the guitar part by itself until I can almost play it in my sleep without thinking about it.  Then I can sort of put my hands on autopilot to play the guitar part and devote most of my attention to singing as well as I can.

But if you're a better singer than you are a guitar player, you might want to try that in reverse -- learn the vocal part until you can sing it flawlessly without having to think about it too much, then you can devote most of your attention to getting the guitar part right -- doing the right rhythm, etc.

Answer 5

One piece of advice is to learn to sing **through** your guitar.  Anyone who plays any kind of instrument will sound better if they do this.  Start off by singing the song in your head as you play through.  Record your playing and critique it.  Eventually you'll sing out loud.

Perhaps the most important advice though is to not stop playing when you make a mistake, you've got to play through and keep time.  When you're done, you can go back to your trouble spots and work on them. Having trouble keeping time? It helps me to tap it out on my foot.  If its the vocal timing thats throwing you off, perhaps voice lessons would help.

I don't know if you read music, buy it is very helpful to have the sheet music while your playing, if just for the vocals.

Another piece of advice is that you should practice only the one song until you can play it while having a conversation, eating breakfast, playing golf... you get the idea.  You've been playing for 5 years, but perhaps you haven't been this focused.  

Good Luck.