Quote:
Originally Posted by Chas007
I'm a beginner teaching myself Bad Moon Rising from the Justin guitar series on the internet. D, A, G chords no capo, strumming pattern is down down down up down up. Strumming the pattern while changing chords is tough, but if I start out slow and then build up speed I can get into a rhythm, but then if I open my mouth to sing it all goes to crap. It's worse than rubbing your belly and patting your head at the same time.
Suggestions welcome.......
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Hello, and welcome to guitar playing, the ultimate multi-tasking adventure!
The more automatic the chords and strumming become, the easier it will be to sing along. Right now, when you're having to use so many brain cycles just to change from chord to chord and keep up the strumming pattern, you don't have any cycles left over for singing.
You could try all down strums, 1-2-3-4. Keep it as simple as possible then try to sing along with that. You have to free up some processing cycles for the words and for your voice until the other part is totally automatic. When you are teaching yourself the chord changes, you don't necessarily have to strum the whole thing. You can just hit the bass note of the chord to learn where to emphasize the beat, as you're learning the words to sing. You would start by singing the lyrics, then hitting just the bass note at the chord change, to figure out where to put the emphasis. If that makes sense. Then when you understand the structure, and how the chord changes fit with the lyrics, start strumming the whole chord, down strums. Then when you can do that, mix it up with the strumming.
I can strum, change chords and sing after just a few months, but when I try finger pick and sing, I suddenly become mute again and my brain short circuits!
It just takes time, and practice. You're doing it right by starting with the easiest possible songs. Bad Moon Rising is a good one.
