Punk.of.Ages

This one is for the guitar players who also sing. Playing and singing is proving to be a very difficult task for me. I just can't keep my picking rhythm going while I try to sing. I'm looking for any helpful tips or advice. Thanks.

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Martian

I think this is a problem for a lot of beginning guitarists. It was for me, anyway. Basically, keep drilling the picking patterns until they're second nature. After a while it gets to be automatic and you won't have to concentrate on what your hands are doing.

I drill pickwork daily, although I'm currently putting it off in favour of watching hockey. A man has to have priorities, after all.

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I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

ironpham

One of the things that helped me learn to sing and play at the same time was to learn with songs from bands that have the lead singer also play guitar. You'll find that the lyrics and the rhythm patterns match up better (of course this isn't always true).

As a matter of fact, I think the first song that I learned to sing and play at the same time was Waiting by Green Day.

Martian

There's also that garage band perennial, Brain Stew. It's a pretty simple song on guitar, just a series of power chords, two hits on each. Add in the muted strumming between verses and you've basically got the entire song down.

The first song I sang and played at the same time was Free Falling, by Tom Petty. It's dmaj, dsus, dmaj, amaj and the strumming matches up to the vocals fairly well. Once you've the basic pattern down you can elaborate on it a little in the choruses to give the song a bit more movement and make it more interesting.

But yeah. Drills! Do em. Learn em. Love em. They will make you better at your craft.

__________________
I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

Derwood

play songs that you know so well that you can sing them without having to think about it. then you can concentrate on the guitar work. when i do this, it sometimes feels strangely disconnected, like someone else is singing and not me.

thespian86

yeah, It's all about being comfortable with playing first. Playing, like anything, becomes second nature with practice. After that you'll have no problem with it.

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divagrrrl

Practice like you want to play. When you are learning a new song where you want to sing and play, PRACTICE it that way right from the start. Always play while you are singing the song (or vice versa if you prefer to think of it that way). It gets your brain and grey matter accustomed to multi-tasking in that way.