I need a better brain...

[k5koy]

Ok, I got this dillemma. I can play a few songs now, and am having a blast doing the whole guitar thing. I think I am advancing quite nicely. Maybe even way ahead of where I should be just 8 weeks into this journey. I have been learning a few Eagles tunes, the easier ones, and after a week of practice, I am finding that I can do "Peaceful Easy Feeling" all the way through with little or no mistakes, even able to jazz up the simple tab version quite a bit. So then I thought I would try to sing along with my playing. BRICK WALL! I dont know how anybody does this! Even with the dumbed down, simple tab version, Its very difficult to do! I either crap out on the playing and forget whats next, or do the same with the words. Is this something that not everybody can do? Will I ever be able to conquer this obstacle, or am I destined to just do one or the other?
I know a guy that frets with one hand, plays keyboard with the other and sings all simultaneously! I am AMAZED! He must have 3 brains! Any tips you guys willing to share?
Thanks,


Koy Carson
West Texas

**60th Anniversary American Strat
**Carvin AC175 Thinline Acoustic
**Ibanez EW20ZW Electric/Acoustic
**Arbor AJ145CR Jazz
**Fender Marcus Miller 5 String Bass
**Fender Geddy Lee Signature Bass
**Warwick Corvette 4 string Bass
**Tradition Fretless Bass
**Takamine Hollow body Bass
**Digitech JamMan

http://www.myspace.com/k5koy

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The "PickPocket" (http://www.waxpatterns.com/customguitarpick.htm) The ORIGINAL Guitar Accessory

[Spudman]

It can certainly be difficult in the beginning. Persistence is your best friend for overcoming this brick wall.

What I have found to be useful is to try to change or adapt my vocal phrasing to go with the rhythmic things my right hand is doing. Get out of the whole trying to copy the record deal and try to make your own version. Once you get comfortable with that then you can move into changing to be more like the record.

Persistence - and don't keep doing the same thing over and over if you are hitting the wall. Change your methods until you get over the wall.

[k5koy]

It can certainly be difficult in the beginning. Persistence is your best friend for overcoming this brick wall.

What I have found to be useful is to try to change or adapt my vocal phrasing to go with the rhythmic things my right hand is doing. Get out of the whole trying to copy the record deal and try to make your own version. Once you get comfortable with that then you can move into changing to be more like the record.

Persistence - and don't keep doing the same thing over and over if you are hitting the wall. Change your methods until you get over the wall.

Thanks Spud,
Yes that seems to be the general consensus. I dont even have the record! So I guess Im doing my own arrangement anyway! Ha! I printed out the chord tab, and watched the video on youtube a couple of times to get the feel. Now, I have reached a point where I have developed my own strumming pattern, and I got to say, it sounds pretty decent. But when I go to put vocals to it (despite the fact that I sing like a dyin' calf in a hailstorm anyway,) I have to revert back to the plain vanilla 2 strum pattern and stuble all over the place.. I guess it just takes time.. Not too bad for a west Texas hick that never even held a guitar til about 8 weeks ago..

Koy Carson
West Texas

**60th Anniversary American Strat
**Carvin AC175 Thinline Acoustic
**Ibanez EW20ZW Electric/Acoustic
**Arbor AJ145CR Jazz
**Fender Marcus Miller 5 String Bass
**Fender Geddy Lee Signature Bass
**Warwick Corvette 4 string Bass
**Tradition Fretless Bass
**Takamine Hollow body Bass
**Digitech JamMan

http://www.myspace.com/k5koy

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h34/k5koy/14kpickthumb.jpg
The "PickPocket" (http://www.waxpatterns.com/customguitarpick.htm) The ORIGINAL Guitar Accessory

[evenkeel]

I asked a similar question a while back. I was having trouble playing and singing a specific tune. I could do one, or the other. Put it together and wada ya got??? Yeech!!! :thwap:

I got lots of good advice, but the one that really worked for me was to hum along and just "imagine" the words. Get the guitar bits down pat so you play them w/o even thinking about it. Eventually the singing will become second nature just like the guitar playing. :D

[pes_laul]

yeah Some people its natural and most people can pick it up with alot of practice

watch you wanna do is just get the song down where you can play it without even thinking then just the singing piece by piece .

[Duff]

I heard the same thing about humming. Maybe Spud told me.

My cousin can play and sing really well. She just sang a song to me on the phone that she wrote about her daughter going away to college. It was folky and full of feeling and she can sing excellently. I admire her.

Duff

[kiteman]

For just 8 weeks of playing the guitar I think you're doing pretty damn good.

It all takes practice, practice, practice. Most important of all, just have fun.

Don't be a copycat.

EDIT: I tried singing while playing and that's pretty tough for me but then I'm no singer. When I play I go oooh and ahhh in my head. :)

[Glacies]

Awesome thread.

I'm having this same exact problem and spent the weekend working on this to no avail. Will try some of the methods listed here this week. Thanks for asking the question man.

[marnold]

I find that it's much easier to play guitar and sing than it is to play bass and sing. Basically I have to have the chord changes or whatever down so cold that it requires 0% brain function. I think my problem with bass is that suddenly you have two "melody" lines as it were. Plus in choir I always sang bass so that's where my brain tends to gravitate. For whatever reason, I find it much easier to nail a chord progression than I do a series of bass riffs.

In a related story, I was always amazed at how Geddy Lee could sing, play such complicated bass lines, and play keyboards. I sat down one day and tried to analyze a bunch of Rush tunes. I noticed that his bass lines often mirror the vocal lines in some way. I noticed that in a most pronounced way on "Tom Sawyer" and "Time Stand Still." There are also exceptions to that rule like "Distant Early Warning."

[Spudman]

For just 8 weeks of playing the guitar I think you're doing pretty damn good.



No kidding. I didn't realize that you were so new to it. :AOK:
You do know about the painful guitarist initiation don't you? Oh never mind. ;) :D

Just keep at it. You'll change over time. It sounds as if you can be constructively self critical and that is a big plus over the defeatist attitude that "I'll never be able to do this." Just keep going but changing.

[R_of_G]

I've been playing 8 years and still can't figure out how to sing and play at the same time. I think it's some kind of magic trick or something. :D

It's partially what draws my playing towards instrumental versions of songs. I can figure out the vocal melody lines and then just "sing" them with my guitar.