How to play and sing at the same time

[Jeff]

Playing and singing acoustic is a very good skill because it essentially makes up a one-man band. I'm having trouble playing and singing at the same time though, so does anyone have any tips? The song I'm trying to learn is Blackest Eyes by Porcupine Tree. It's not a very hard song, and you can play the verse and chorus on acoustic (the rest is too heavy to sound very good) Any tips?

[the.godfather]

Playing and Singing at the same time is alot harder than it looks isnt it! lol, it is rediculously difficult. Thats why I have respect for all frontmen that play and sing at the same time (e.g. Hetfield). But I think the key to it is being able to play the song you want in your sleep.

You really need to know how to play the song like the back of your hand, with your eyes closed. Then its just a case of the old "practise" thing. But my friend (who used to be a frontman in his band) said that he found it easier to play the song and sing the words over the playing "quietly", at first. And then gradually raise the volume once you have memorized the lyrics and playing the song.

Eventually it must become second-nature.

[bpd111]

You should really try it with easy songs--songs, as was said by the.godfather, that you're quite familiar with. I did it with songs that were typed out in a simple format (the words with the chords above them), so I could read both. I didn't have to think about what was coming next. That's how I started. I'm even getting to the point where I can play leads and sing a little. That's tricky.

[Devine]

Use a metronome at 1/2 the song's normal speed. Get used to playing in time and figure out which beat the vocals start on; not everyone begins singing on the 1 and it can get tricky if they don't. Starting with a prog song is not the easiest task, either, because they tend to do tricky things. Try "Wish You Were Here" or "Red House".

-Devin

[LonePhantom]

I don't think it's something that can be really taught. I play in a band and am also the singer. I found that playing covers is really difficult, especially when you try to lpay it just like the original if it doesn't somehow "fit" with you (hard to explain I don't think there's really a term for it).

When it came to writing my own songs and performing live I write within my own "rhythm". This as well as just play fairly basic chordal structures when singing and leave the more complex stuff for inbetween.

Also when covering songs try to play them a bit different, so they sit with your own unique style and rhythm. My band plays a couple of covers and we change them a bit (or a lot in some cases) to fit with my singing style and rhythm, and to make it soud fresh.

[slugman]

Santana's Evil Ways is pretty easy too. Two chords for most of the song. I get really comfortable singing it and playing it seperately, then mix the two slowly. I find it a lot easier to sing in key when playing, but it takes a few days of practicing the same song over and over before I can do both at the same time. I usually record myself and play it back too.

Oh and I have to second the thing about having your own rhythm. I drove myself nuts trying to sing and play some songs, got disappointed, wrote two of my own songs and found it was really easy then. Trying to do songs that just seem to confuse you is good practice.

[LonePhantom]

The thing is once you can do it with your own stuff or by changing the feel of a song even slightly just so it sits with your personal rhythm (as I call it) you may find it slightly easier with stuff that you found impossible before hand.

This may not be because you've mastered the whole singing and playing at the same time thing, but because you've stopped trying to play everything exactly as the creator played and started applying your own "rhythm" or style to it. I personally find this a lot more satisfying at times as you are putting your own mark on a song.

[guitarshredder7]

there once was a thing called practice