The TOP Reason Guitarists Struggle to Sing While Playing
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- Опубликовано: 5 июл 2024
- Two reasons and the one MOST likely causing difficulty in singing while playing is easy to overlook. It can be a big hurdle for beginners and songwriters - so here's a simple explanation and way to check
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I was a professional rock guitarist in the '80s (albeit in cover bands) and always had problems singing and playing on stage unless the guitar part I was playing was absolutely basic and straightforward. If the vocals didn't follow the groove, I was all over the place. Decades later I stumbled on the solution and that was singer-songwriting. Apparently when the brain has a say in creating both the vocal melody and the rhythmic and chordal structure of a song, it miraculously works things out. Added bonus: cover songs aren't a problem for me anymore.
I tell people I can sing OR play guitar. I can not sing AND play guitar unless the songs are just kid sing along songs. Row Row Row Your Boat...
Lol. One chord song. 😂
I’ve been a Buckethead fan for years, but i gotta say I’m pretty impressed with Baghead too…
A big reason I've seen people get hung up while trying to sing while playing is that the part they're playing doesn't match what they hear on the radio.
They know how its supposed to go, but if they're not playing the licks and such that usually signal where the voice should come in, they get lost.
An easy way to fix this is to record yourself playing the chords all the way through, then listen to that to sing along first and train yourself to sing off of the way you play.
The second big reason is that although the person can play they song, they can't play it in time. They rush or slow down and that messes up where they think they should be singing, snagging them along the way. Using a metronome while playing and singing, independently, at the same tempo can help this. Then when they put the two together the two parts should literally "Click" together.
I find a single strum per chord while singing is good to get you started you internalise where the chords change in relation to the lyrics
When I write a song I'm humming the melody along with the guitar parts. They are both fixed in my mind together, so it's easier to remember the vocals when I play the guitar.
summer in japan is a humid nightmare stay safe trooper
No kidding. I think the Cicadas and Dragon Flies are the only ones happy about it. I'm probably gonna pack it up and move to Hokkaido by next summer. The nature there is killer.
First time I’ve come across this channel and i instantly thought his apartment was like the one I had in Kumamoto!
I love chopping mangos!
I didn't know why I couldn't for years. Humming is what worked for me. Once you have the strumming pattern and chords mastered it's easier. It also helps if you have song vocals memorized. Just start humming and eventually replace with lyrics.
Hey! I also live in Japan :)) thank you though, I just started out with guitar and found that certain parts of a song are difficult to sing. I’ll try it out!
I learned to sing and play after many years of guitar practice and self doubt vocally. I remember just using less of my brain power to do it. I simplified the psychological anatomy of singing and playing by telling myself it had to be done and many people do it, so i thought it shoudnt be hard if i put in some practice. But in more simplified words...it just came to me.
The bag trick grant you another subscriber 😊 Well done.
I don't have any trouble singing while playing. But my singing is awful! 😂
Always struggled with this. So much respect for Alexi Laiho and his singing and playing ability.
Thx for the advice i'll try
My biggest problem is I always end up strumming to the articulation of the lyrics. if the strumming pattern matches the articulation (or syllables?) i do fine
That usually gets me too. On some songs I’ve ended up tweaking the strumming slightly to better fit with how I need to sing it. I’ve also tried to prioritize getting the vocals right, because that’s what most listeners are focused on. If I have to simplify the guitar part slightly or maybe play it a bit softer during the vocal parts, I can live with that, as long as I still nail the vocal.
Tempo is a big issue for me too. When it’s just guitar, my rhythm is pretty rock solid, but as soon as I have to throw vocals into the equation also, things start to get rough
This is so helpful thank you!! Hope everything well there in Japan
I think I am also the kind of learner who learns things when we want to. So I think fragment content like this is totally fine.
My problem is that i can't sing without playing!
Same, I cannot sing a cappella by myself. I only feel comfortable singing when I’m either playing the guitar or singing along with someone else.
Same!
Especially on stage, I just need a guitar to hide behind.
I just feel naked with only a microphone
@@mightypigeon836”a guitar to hide behind”!!! I used to say this exact same thing!! Even better with a band too.
Lucky! Lol 😂
Yep! I find it helps with pitch control. I’m also able to hit higher notes if I’m playing along
Cool! - You're looking good, glad to see you made your way out of the frozen sea.
Can't wait to hear the new song.- I hope you include a translation 4 us, I always dig your lyrics and poetry.
Always excited to hear from my OG commenter! Still some chunks of ice in the sea, but I'll keep swimming.
Very much appreciated,
My biggest challenge is variances in timing, ie; if I strum fast, I tend to rush the vocals. I need to figure out how to disconnect the two tasks. It's like when I try to play the drums; if my hands go fast, my legs want to go fast.
Try a metronome, your mind will remeber tempos, to a degree, like you muscle memory remembers movements.
Thank you!
I’ve doing it for more than 30 years and still haven’t figured out if it is easier to play along with my singing or sing along with my playing?
I keep telling my brother , just sing it talk it out , cookie monster it
i think you doing fine. thats how i learned.and your honest
I learned it by somehow pulling back in my mind. So im like watching over how I sing and play. But both happen almost automatically. I just follow then both at this mastermind position. It's like walking or driving bicycle and watching it. Hey im doing it. But I think in all of these are possible because your subconsious can do those automatically and your own mind is free to follow it.
My Covid project was to learn to sing and play at the same time. I basically took your approach. I'm terrible at remembering lyrics, so that's my hang up. So I get the guitar part down cold first and read the lyrics and play until they sink in. Strangely it's often easier, for me, to sing along with a lot of chords than if a song is simple The rhythm always gets me. Next step. Write songs! I'll be checking out your other vids. :) Former Seoul expat here btw.
For me its because my brain cant handle two things at once. When i start playing guitar its finr but as soon as i start singing its like brain forgets what to do and my fingers stop moving but as soon as i stop singing i can play again. Although iv only been learning guitar for around 8 months but yeah.
I had the same problem but just practice. You’ll get. I’m still working on it but it’s coming along. I dont play as much as i uses to tho. Pick one sone you know very well and practice with that to start. Good luck
Works when the rhythm and melody are intuitive, but doesn’t help much when it comes to complex arrangements.
Thank yu Joe Duplantier!
Whenever I try to sing along to my playing I find that I lose the rhythm and my strum begins to follow the melody
My problem is when I start to sing my hand will start following my vocals I can’t stop it it’s so natural for me to do this. Do you have any tips to stop this?
Actually I have to say this video was a big help, by zoning out and almost disassociating I let my body just operate and I managed a complete if kind of shitty sounding run through of Sweet Jane although I mostly miss out the b minor as that's just asking for trouble, instead I do an occasional note bend on the 3rd fret of the b string before the A and it sort of works lol
Trying to play the theme fragile by Sting, is actually hard for me, I mean trying to play the same arpeggio and singing at the sam e time. !
I often find it difficult to simultaneously play guitar and sing songs that were originally sung by the bass guitarist... e.g... Sting, Thin Lizzy, Rush
I am trying to play and sing whilst riding a uni-cycle, Its super difficult, strange feeling splitting your brain off in so many areas, balance hazards,off balance ,crushed nuts guitar strum, holding guitar chords sing and timing, I will get it eventually
i can strum and sing but can't pick and sing. maybe it's the same concept though, just have to practice picking the song more. I'll have try it, thanks for the video.
The third part occurs when the vocals and guitar are rhythmically complex.
It depends on the song, when the vocal line doesn't fit with the rhythm of the chord changes I can't do it. Sweet Jane is one I find impossible. If there's like I set word in the phrasing where the chord changes happen I'm fine.
HI, I only play covers, and usually am able to play and sing songs without any probs. Occasionally I come accross a song that throws me when I start singing and I loose all rhythm in my playing and mess it up. Often in the same spot every time. I have found that humming the song first helps a lot, but its weird that some songs still mess with me like that.
For me its confidence
You got it. My guitar teacher says I dont know the guitar part good enough. I am the only guy that spent 4 lessons learning to sign Margaritville while playing. I block it for some reason. Thanks
Most of the cover songs I play I can also sing, the 1 song I can never sing and play is Come as You Are by Nirvana 😂 sometimes I can get a few words in but never on time, the chorus is simple but the verses are impossible for some reason.
@hendriksevecke761
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One neglected point more:
If you strumm or pick your guitar not with your rhythmic hand, because that hand is wasting pure energy with holding Chords , you got to change the way to hold the guitar.
Experts explained: the difference between activ Hand and assisting hand. The active hand is responsible for movement, what includes rhythm.
If you play the rhythmic pattern not with your rhythmic hand (for instance a left hand person play guitar as an right hand) your natural rhythm pass to the holding, not moving (in fact assisting) hand.
You need very much energy to control the genuine assisting Hand, or be lost.
If your genuine rhythmic hand stays responsible for your rhythmic pattern, there wouldn’t be any efforts anymore.
If you one of the many who need to shake your head like an insane dude, or tip the rhythm with your left foot (while strumming with the right) you are most probably a congenital lefty.
A self test can work like that:
Clap a beat on your thigh with one of your hands, while singing to that beat, and see which one is more comfortable, after changing hands from time to time.
Next step: make a rhythm with alternate clapping on your thighs , (Bodypercussion)feel the beat in one or the other side, and sing to it. Which side was possibly or felt more comfortable. Or musically!
Previous example is also a good way to practice for innocence.
If you’ve been honest to your self (only fewest are) and found your congenital side practice like this:
Play an always repeated rhythmic pattern (guitar or legs both) and start singing one of the claps, then… up to all. Start with the one then 3 then 4and then the 2. Then the offbeat, one after another up to all. Then believe me, you got it for all.
If you want to sing triplets or other polyrhythms and Syncopated, follow the same way. And strumming or pick hand will stay steady in rhythm and keep the time.
Have fun after been honest to your self 🥳
Today I was working in singing / playing Paranoid Android, Tough!
See my problem isnt playing the peices and singing, i CAN do it with enough practice for simple songs bc i routinely play in a pitch black room, my problems begin when the singing starts at a wierd part in the song, like during the changes, been trying to play "need 2" and sing it by pinegrove and its EXTREMELY simple chords and rhythm but he starts singing right on the changes and my brain just cant do both at the same time while keeping proper rhythm i will always either forget which lyric im on or stop/bunk the rythm while singing
I can sing holy wars while playing the main riff 😂 but i cant sing and play fade to black AT ALL
That hood was hilarious.... The little ears at the corners.....
It's all about muscle memory.
Duuude I’ve missed your music tutorial videos! Interesting to hear that you live in Japan too - how is life there? I live in Italy and it’s really hot here too 🤣.
I’m sorry you’ve had some difficult times lately; I hope things improve for you soon.
Looking forward to your next video!
Thanks buddy! The humidity is killer. Things will get better, they always do.
baby, im batman! 🦇
Every song feels a bit like skipping rope to me. To find the right cadence in tough ones, i suggest reading the lyrics as you play, and sing the words that you can plant in the right spot. Then with repetition, your voice just slowly seems to finds all of the rest of them.
I did this and I got robbed
I can sing while playing, but not when the chords/riff bear zero relationship to the melody. It's like trying to pat your head and rub your tummy at the same time. E.g. Playing the AC/DC TNT riff while trying sing a differernt melody over it.
exactly my problem too
Could alway sing and play at same time ,but only chords .cant do any sort of lead at same time .i think BB king said he had same problem .
And some singers have trouble playing while singing.
i’ve always been able to sing while playing 💀
I don't think rock music is dying. Its going underground. It will never go away. I think it might have stagnated, but we will eventually see a resurgence in popularity when a musician comes along that brings something new to the genre.
In my experience as a grumpy 45 yr old metalhead, the people who claim "x genre is dying" ACTUALLY mean "x genre is changing and I'm no longer comfortable with the new stuff."
It happens every generation, and almost every decade. Yet when we stop and look back in ten years time, we'll realise nothing was dying after all, it just evolved into different sub-genres that we weren't used to.
Now try with Little Wing. Play and Sing.
Where's the moustache?
I honestly miss it, but decided to make it limited to the cooler months - same goes for the long hair.
this is awesome haha kidnap myself
It's the Zodiac Killer! ...and he plays and has a YT channel. Crazy, I tell ya! 😊
Just learn Acoustic Neon by John Mayer and sing it. Everything else will be a cake walk. 😂
The reason is no one learns to sing the song first, nor properly. Most people don't know (how to sing) the song as well as they think they do. Learn to sing it first ... properly, as if you are going to perform it (solo, no instruments), when you have that sorted out, bring the guitar to the song. Most do it the other (wrong) way around.
That's right, mechanical and proper, not with feeling and emotion getting in the way!
Mmm, I'm a vocalist and know the lyrics well enough, but adding an instrument on top degrades the quality I can put into the vocals because now my attention is split. I do play a number of instruments and found its an entirely different part of the brain that handles the instrument than the vocals. Having ADHD also makes certain kinds of simultaneous executive function thinking very tough. My best performances happen when I'm focused on either vocals or an instrument but not both.
First master rhythm and speaking at the same time. Take a moderately complex strum pattern with ghost strum on some downbeats, it's hard to play it and just say 1,2,3,4. If you can't say 1,2,3,4 while you strum it, how are you ever going to sing lyrics?
Start with using your voice over strumming patterns in simple ways.
I don't think this has anything to do with the guitar part being hard. It is a strange coordination thing to use your voice while playing.
Humm your notes ...then you'll just start ...
Do NOT try to replicate EXACTLY how it was written, do it YOUR way… your arrangement… make it your own, sort of… if you get my drift.
U use the same side of the brain 🧠 when u focus and talk.
If you're a neurotypical brain maybe. If you're neurodivergent it doesn't work that way.
If you can't sing when you're playing you don't know how to play well enough, you shouldn't need to think your hands should just move (as you demonstrate by being blindfolded) and your brain is free to think about singing
You play simple music
@@sixthgatebass if I play simple music I play it well enough to not need to think so I can sing over it
Good point, I think I've heard it in a video I've seen not too long ago
For me it was timing. I ended up having to think about certain words landing on certain chords.
way to be a negative Nancy
Try humming first