Singing & Playing Concurrently

[Butch Snyder]

It's been very difficult to play and sing lead at the same time. I don't just strum. I do all kinds of rhythmic fills and stuff while the vocals are going on.

Any thoughts or insight?

 

[SFK]

I have a really hard time as well.

Looking forward to some insight..

 

[Vic Vega]

Practice?



:lol1

 

[jono]

I play and sing Zep stuff and I'm looking forward to some insight...

 

[55Custom]

I thought it was easy back when I was learning Beatle songs and just playing chords. Then I tried singing Day Tripper while playing that riff. Crashed and burned horribly.

 

[Butch Snyder]

Practice?



:lol1

Oh hohoho hahaha yeah, uh duh...:duh

 

[Alex]

I have a tough time doing both at once. It made me realize how badass Hendrix really was.

 

[Butch Snyder]

The best advice I have been given thus far, was by my coudin's husband. He said that in order for him to sing and play at the same time, one, playing or singing, had to be subconcious. It had to be just automatic. For him, it was the playing. Since, he's a vocalist and a strummer, it makes sense.

 

[TT100]

For me, it depends on what the tune demands. Some I can do rhythm and sing easily while others there's no way. If the melody is in the same groove as the rhythm it's pretty easy.

Since I rarely sing, this is just something I discovered along the way. Something like "All Along the Watchtower" is a good one to try. If you can do it then move to something a little more demanding.

 

[rayh]

I thought it was easy back when I was learning Beatle songs and just playing chords. Then I tried singing Day Tripper while playing that riff. Crashed and burned horribly.

I can sing and play "Day Tripper" at the same time. I don't know how good it sounds, but I can do it. I haven't recorded myself, although I have a digital recorder.
Some songs are easier than others. Just keep at it is the answer, I guess.

 

[Dave Paetow]

I have a friend who plays in a top 40 band, he has a wireless and a few times he has jumped off stage and ambled back to the bar, and carried on a conversation with me while he was playing, even the solos. It was like he didn't even have to think about what he was playing, auto pilot I guess.

 

[PatentAppliedFor]

Yup, auto-pilot is the key. And it's tough to get to that place!

 

[Joneye]

Geddy Lee is amazing to watch.

I could hurt myself doing that!

 

[grito]

Dave is right. You have to develop that auto-pilot. It comes from practice, practice, practice!

 

[bigconig]

I have a tough time doing both at once. It made me realize how badass Hendrix really was.

X2-seeing him play little wing while singing it always amazes me. Of course I can't sing, so I don't usually try.

 

[OrangeFlavorBeef]

Practice, yes...and when you hit a spot that's difficult (like the day tripper riff mentioned above, for example), slow it w-a-y down and break it into pieces. It's not that different from left and right hands working independently on a piano...just a more complex implementation of the same kind of skill.

Now, *improvising*...like an actual off-the-cuff solo while singing...forget it. That's god-level.spin

But if you know *exactly* what you need to play and sing (well, with *some* wiggle room for expression), it's just slowing it down, breaking it into pieces and working working working until you get it. And the satisfaction is great when you nail it.

 

[Butch Snyder]

Geddy Lee is amazing to watch.

I could hurt myself doing that!

Yes, he's got to be the epidome of playing/singing at the same time.

 

[sundaypunch]

I'm not good at this by any means but have gotten much better over time. As Dave says, the key is auto pilot. Your hands have to play the guitar part w/o thinking. My biggest problem is remembering vocals as it's not something I enjoy.

Before getting to the auto-pilot stage in a song or for songs with difficulty rhythms, one trick that helped me was to remember what word a chord or note fell on.

 

[Lars]

I've seen Geddy playing those Taurus pedals.keyboards,a doubleneck Rick (6 string on top 4 string on the bottom) AND singing during the same song! :wow
That's pretty damn good.

 

[amirderakh]

Rush are amazing, no doubt. Geddy does make it a little easier on himself by phrasing his vocals along with the riff- listen to freewill as an example. Every time ive seen them live, it sounds like theres 10 people in the band..