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GMC Forum _ PRACTICE ROOM _ Singing While Playing

Posted by: GrindGuer Aug 26 2012, 09:31 AM

Hi,
I've been playing a lot lately, thanks to Ben's Bushido Temple.
I would like to learn some tunes to play on an acoustic guitar and would like to sing too. I'm working on "Drive" of Incubus. I know the guitar part. I know the voice melody. But of course, when I want to to both things at the same time, it's Armageddon ! (that's for Ben )
So the question is : How do you usually learn to sing while playing guitar ?
Do you start really slowly, do you play it over and over wishing that all of a sudden it will be "in place" ?
Cheers.

Posted by: PosterBoy Aug 26 2012, 11:28 AM

If it's just strumming or fingerstyle then I'm fine, with it, I've been doing since I started learning to play.

Riffing is different, definitely have to get the riffs under your fingers and be able to play without thinking, then concentrate on the singing.

Just listened to the song, and you just need to get that groove into you, get your right hand working without thinking, then work on the vocals.

It's all very 2nd nature to me now, so I don't need to go through much of a process anymore.

Posted by: The Uncreator Aug 26 2012, 04:15 PM

I treat syllables as melodies. Each syllable is a note and its just placing them right on top of the riff to make it musically pleasing, then practicing both together and increasing the speed to get it all right.

Posted by: Marcus Siepen Aug 27 2012, 12:22 PM

Practice, practice and a bit of practice I am only singing the BG choir parts, but it can be VERY tricky when your vocal line is totally going against your guitar line, the only thing I found so far to make things easier is practice. My fingers run on auto pilot anyway, so I don't really have to think about what I am playing (as soon as I satrt to think about what I am actually playing I get lost ) so I can mentally focus on the vocal part.

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Aug 27 2012, 12:30 PM

Since I am preparing myself for this task, my approach is the following:

1) Learn my guitar parts VERY WELL and because I can, choose the parts which are most convenient, to play the guitar and vocals.
2) Write them down in the GP and then over that, I write the vocal line in a separate track
3) Analyze each bar and see how the melody is superimposed over the riffs
4) Sing slowly and play the guitar, taking each bar at a time.
5) Once you get the hang of it, increase speed.

You need to find all sorts of elements which help you - a certain note which you know will help a certain verse - stuff like that. It's all a matter of exploring

Posted by: GrindGuer Aug 27 2012, 07:17 PM

Thank you all for your answers. I'll practice as much as possible and will try to improve

Posted by: sumitnxt Aug 27 2012, 07:49 PM

singing while playing the guitar is very easy and natural. just that the guitar playing has to be taken over by the automatic mind ( subconscious mind ) and you just need to be conscious of your singing. its just like learning to drive. once it happens for you, just like driving it will become effortless.