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Second post - joined forum today - love it already. I've been playing for about 6 years, off and on, all on an Martin imitation "Sigma" acoustic. I taught myself while in college, (tabs online) inspired by licks from Kirk Hammet of Metallica. Nothing else Matters got me into it, and that's all I wanted to learn...until I actually learned my first few beats. Then I wanted to learn everything and anything that involved guitar!
So the reason for this post is...I want to start singing and playing. After you get pretty good, you can start playing some cool songs for a groups of friends - it's a rush when people recognize what your playing and can get into it...but it's so much more so when you can sing along with it.
There's a guy that plays at our local bar every Wednesday - he does mostly folk-rock stuff: Cat Stevens, Croce, Beatles..he throws in some Audio Slave and newer stuff from time to time. He rocks. It's amazing how after you learn to play guitar you listen to music in a new way. You really start paying attention to guitar in songs and you have a whole new level of respect for the performer. Even though I can play all the songs this guy at the bar plays, him being able to sing along while he plays brings it to a whole new level. Anyone know what I'm talking about?
So if anyone does sing, where do I even start? Tunes that are good to start with, tips for practicing, focusing when lyrics are not with beat, i.e. Dave Matthews songs. Help me out. Thanks
So the reason for this post is...I want to start singing and playing. After you get pretty good, you can start playing some cool songs for a groups of friends - it's a rush when people recognize what your playing and can get into it...but it's so much more so when you can sing along with it.
There's a guy that plays at our local bar every Wednesday - he does mostly folk-rock stuff: Cat Stevens, Croce, Beatles..he throws in some Audio Slave and newer stuff from time to time. He rocks. It's amazing how after you learn to play guitar you listen to music in a new way. You really start paying attention to guitar in songs and you have a whole new level of respect for the performer. Even though I can play all the songs this guy at the bar plays, him being able to sing along while he plays brings it to a whole new level. Anyone know what I'm talking about?
So if anyone does sing, where do I even start? Tunes that are good to start with, tips for practicing, focusing when lyrics are not with beat, i.e. Dave Matthews songs. Help me out. Thanks
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Re: Singing and Playing
Mon, May 15, 2006 - 4:05 PMStart with songs you like. I remember the first song I ever figured out on my own. I started playing on Christmas day, 1972. I got a guitar for christmas. A few months later, after learning some chords and working my way through some easy Lennon-McCartney songs from a songbook I bought, I was doing my homework one night with the radio on, and Loudon Wainwright's "Dead Skunk" came on. After the intro gave way to the words, it dawned on me: G, D, C, G. I got out my guitar and played with the radio. This led to my getting out my 45s to find songs I could figure out and I went from there.
Don't start with anything too hard.
TT -
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Re: Singing and Playing
Mon, May 15, 2006 - 4:18 PMGood advice Tom. I do a lot of solo work, playing and singing. everything from Buddy Holly to Green Day. I find that the songs which are easiest for me to learn are ones I am already familiar with and mean something to me personally. It helps to pick songs which were obviously wriiten on guitar, rather than say piano.
There are some great sources for songs online.. www.harmony-central.com is one. Thousands of chords and lyrics by nearly anyone you can think of.
Best of luck. -
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Re: Singing and Playing
Mon, May 15, 2006 - 6:59 PMI think the biggest mistake people make is trying to sing in someone else's voice. You hear the original in your head, so naturally you sing like that. But what comes out is entirely different. Learn to sing, loud and clear, with your own voice. Sing without the guitar. Learn to keep time, very important. The guitar, believe it or not, is the least important element. Just keep time and don't play louder than your vocals. Don't be affraid to take a voice lesson or two, there are some very important elements of voice that will make a huge difference.
I could go on and on and on... Mainly, enjoy your art and practice like crazy and it will come. -
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Re: Singing and Playing
Mon, May 15, 2006 - 7:39 PMit's the struggle to do two things at the same time. this was what seemed like an impossible struggle to me then all of a sudden one day i got it. you have to simplify and take a few baby steps and then bam! your in the front door.
take a traditional blues tune that you love, now instead of playing the tune just strum the progression in as simple a rythmic pattern as possible, now hum the melody in a symplified "on the beat" manner, now sing the words and keep singing it over and over until you feel more in control. then you can start messing with you vocal phrasing try singing it lazy and fall behind the beat. if you can do that then try singing and jumping ahead here and there. when you get to this stage you are ready to express the song the way you feel it and you'l be able to step up your guitar parts with what ever flourishes and syncopations you like.
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