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Singing and playing guitar

Rembrant

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK

Joined: Aug 12 2007

I always had trouble with this.

Everytime I open my mouth while playing, my guitar just sort of... loses beat.

How am I supposed to play and sign at perfect time. I mean, Dave Mustaine can play at 300 BPM and sing insanely fast lyrics (proof on the song "liar") and he doesn't miss a beat.
Submitted on Thu, 05/01/2008 - 17:18

Re: Singing and playing guitar

Joined: Dec 31 1969

I had trouble doing this too, but I eventually got pretty good at it. Oddly enough, the first I was competent was Like a Rolling Stone, which is surprisingly hard due to the music being in 4/4 while the vocals are in 3/4. Or maybe the other way around.
Submitted on Thu, 05/01/2008 - 17:45

Re: Singing and playing guitar

Zelos

Location: Germany

Joined: Jan 31 2008

I don't think you can do anything but pratice playing and singing at the same time.
Maybe you could start with melodies without text and just say "na-na-na-na" or something like that. :P

I never had problems singing and playing at the same time...but my voice sounds awful. :)
Submitted on Sun, 05/04/2008 - 09:51

Re: Singing and playing guitar

PlasticDragon

Die Ubermensch

Location: Alabama

Joined: May 03 2008

As you get better at the guitar and you have to concentrate less and less to form chords and play notes, you'll be able to stay in time while singing. You should start by practicing a song in which the vocal line fits more or less with the guitar part, and work up from there. You also memorize strumming patterns as you learn new songs, which let you think less about what you're playing and concentrate on singing. There are some songs that are extremely difficult to sing and play at the same time due to syncopation, or some other differentiation in rhythm, but the key is to learn the guitar part as well as you can before practicing it along with the vocals.
Submitted on Sun, 05/04/2008 - 22:09

Re: Singing and playing guitar

Takoon

Section Leader

Location: Home

Joined: Jun 11 2008

Plastic Dragon's completely right. You have to know the instrumental really well before you can commit the vocals to it. Or if you know the vocals really well, then that will help your instrumental if you try to sing half-heartedly with it.

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"Opera is when a guy gets stabbed in the back and, instead of bleeding, he sings."
Submitted on Sun, 06/15/2008 - 00:20