Is it just me or is learning to sing along strumming a alien language?

[VJP5]

As others have said, getting the strumming down so you do not have to think about it is key. It allows you to add feeling (subconsciously) while you start to sing over them. I still struggle with more complex songs or ones with different patterns in them. But I have a good laugh and start over again.

[MartinGibsonFan]

Originally Posted by Silvereagles

I agree you have to master one because it has to be on auto pilot. I start off with getting the rhythm of the words down. Then I master the words with the timing of the chord changes within the song. Then i add the rhythm strumming between chord changes..

Hope this makes sense..

Dennis

This makes total sense.

Take Amazing Grace as an example.

You get the words down, you get the chords down, you get the rhythm down.

And then you have a song you can play and sing along.

MGF

[rllink]

For me it is just a matter of approach. To me the guitar is accompaniment to the singing. Most of the people I have run into who say that they can't sing and strum at the same time are doing just the opposite, singing to accompany the strumming. That's backwards. Try switching your thinking around and it might work better. Just sing your heart out and let the guitar come along for the ride.

[reeve21]

Dave,

I think you’ve been playing for a few months now? It was probably a couple of years before I had a few songs down where I could play them all the way through and match the singing up with the guitar part. I just kept trying, no hidden tips or shortcuts to offer you

In fact I’m going through the same thing right now many decades later, trying to sync fingerpicking with vocals.

So hang in there. It gets better, SLOWLY! (As in it takes a long time, and the slower you practice the faster things will improve).

[LeDave]

Thanks guys! All great tips. Also yep, been playing for almost 3 months now.

[Tferg]

A lot of folks find it a challenge. For some reason I did not. Of course I am talking about simple playing and singing but evidently I am some kind of exception. When I want to learn a song I work to memorize lyrics when I’m driving for example but once I have them in mind I’ll put them right together with the progression. But I certainly will say that sometimes getting it all right comes about the same time you can’t stand the song anymore!

[Chipotle]

Practice, like everyone says.

I've been singing ever since I could vocalize, and playing guitar since age 7, so if it's "learning a new language" it's one I picked up as a kid. A friend of mine marvels that I can keep a steady rhythm with the guitar, and yet vary the timing of my singing simultaneously.

But guess what? Even I had to go back to square one when I recently started adding harmonica. Trying to strum evenly--heck, even hit the right chords sometimes--while playing harmonica is a challenge. It's like starting all over again. So I get it.

[diego]

My only advice is that the strumming become your second nature - playing without even thinking about it. After that, singing will be easier.

[BlueStarfish]

Lots of excellent tips so far!

One tip that helps me when learning a new song: I learn the changes first. Then I practice playing through the guitar part to the point where I can play them perfectly with my eyes closed (literally ... close your eyes). And then while having a conversation with my wife (literally ... it’s a good test). You get the idea. I need to be at the point where my fingers play the guitar part without my conscious brain having to be involved. Once I have that down, I break it down again and bring in the vocal starting with the first verse. There will be a regression for a bit until I get my brain and fingers in the groove to sing and play at the same time. Once I’ve got that happening, I can finally move on to things like tempo and dynamics and the other “musical” stuff.

The hardest part for me is actually memorizing the lyrics. My early musical training was all instrumental, not vocal, so my brain still isn’t fully wired for lyrics. It can take me a couple of weeks of focused effort to learn the lyrics to the point I don’t have to think about them anymore. I’ve got more than one song right now where I can do a bang-up job on the first verse or two but the last verses aren’t so great. Pre-Covid, I would use my commute to help with lyrics — I would put a song onto the car stereo from my phone and loop it endlessly for the entire 30 minute commute. That helped a bit. No commute right now though.

[Mystery123]

I also have this issue, specially when trying new songs but I can sing a lot of songs now.
Practice practice practice... Of course ☺️.
But that's not the only thing.
There are techniques to improve quickly and these below is my experience that helped me quite a bit.
1. Start with humming, no lyrics. Just humming. This helps with strumming and chord changes as you don't have to think about lyrics.
You can also play the song and strum.
2. If above is difficult, just hum the song and strum without chord changes, mute the strings or just strum on one chord.
3. Find what chord change/s in the song is messing up. For example, you can play the song fine except you mess the parts that switches from D to Bm.
Forget the song and just practice switching D and Bm with a beat or metronome until your fingers can automatically switch at faster beat than the song.
4. Acknowledge the chord change few beats before. While singing, I sometimes get carried away and forget about the chord change. Then try to switch at the last moment. That takes everything out of whack so think about next chord to let the left hand switch at the right time.
5. Slow down the song if speed is the issue.
If you can play it at slow speed, it's just a matter of practice time.
6. If a certain portion of the song is harder than others, just practice that part over and over instead of whole song.
7. Try capo if Barre chords in the song is the issue.

That's all I can remember for now.
It's too early and I haven't had a coffee yet.

[nowgypsy]

Think in terms of rhythm instead of patterns. Just give the song what it needs. No more no less.

[gustywinz]

If you can find a track you like, try to learn the guitar part and lyrics and play along. That way you have a roadmap for what you should be doing on both fronts. I agree with everyone who says you need to know the guitar parts. You need to know first and foremost the chords, secondly the style of strumming. If the song can’t easily be classified into these parts I’d like to recommend a genre of music that can be: FOLK!

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by rllink

For me it is just a matter of approach. To me the guitar is accompaniment to the singing. Most of the people I have run into who say that they can't sing and strum at the same time are doing just the opposite, singing to accompany the strumming. That's backwards. Try switching your thinking around and it might work better. Just sing your heart out and let the guitar come along for the ride.

This !!!

Your guitar playing is the accompaniment! Just sing the lyrics and the melody.
The melody should show yu where the chord changes go.

I've offered a zoom meeting already.