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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Surf Musician »

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Okay, when I first started playing guitar many moons ago, i figured that singing and playing guitar simultaneously would come when you get to be more experienced at guitar. 10 years later, i still can’t sing and play at the same time. I am no great vocalist, but i thought it would have been cool to be able to do both at the same time. What is wrong in my brain that I can't? I can sing, I can play guitar, just can’t seem to do them at the same time, unless it’s a real simple melody that the lyrics just right to.

Is this a natural or acquired ability? Or, it just normal that doing both at the same time is difficult? Am I only the person who can't do this?

EDITED FOR SPELLING! Singing- Sining I guess to surf music their is not much of a difference Smile

Last edited: Jun 27, 2006 19:54:35

i figured that sining and playing guitar simultaniously would come when you get to be more expierenced at guitar.

You can sin all you want, but it won't make you any better at guitar.

Yeah, I have trouble whenever the guitar's rhythm is different from the singing rhythm, if that even makes sense.

<img src="klzzwxh:0000"></img>

I'm in the same boat as you Stigger. I think some people have a natural ability to play and sing at the same time. I used to hang out with a folk fingerstyle guy named Willy and he could play and sing the most amazing things at the same time.

I've found that I have to practice singing and playing songs together a lot to get them down and this includes stuff I've written. Some songs are easier than others depending on rhythms.

A lot of it is practice I think, but I can practice until blood comes out of my ears and I'll never be able to go onstage, sing and play as loosely as this dude :

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Rtko1qKqnYo&search=jimi%20hendrix

I learned to sing and play at the same time by doing Ramones songs. They're so easy to play, once you learn whatever three chords you need you can just sort of ignore that part and concentrate on singing.

I'm in your boat too, Stigger. I just have this mental/physical block when it comes to moving my hands and mouth in unison in any kind of rhythm. I've tried doing the country song thing, the Ramones thing, the rockabilly thing....no use. Now I play surf, solved that problem.

Besides, trust me, no one wants to hear me sing. No one.

The Disasternauts

playing bass and trying to sing is even weirder...often the bass rhythm is syncopated against the drum and/or rhythm guitar and/or the vocal melody.

about the best I could manage was a few yelps here and there in support of the lead singer. I don't know how people like geddy lee, jack bruce and sting do it...

i like mike watt's bass/singing style...he plays a while, then barks out a few words, then plays some more...sort of chuck berry-like...

-dp

Dave,

My older brother saw Rush a long while back, and he said it was amazing how he thumped out those bass lines and sang at the same time. Not like I want to sound like someone is stepping on my crotch while playing like Geddy, but he is quite remarkable and I know what you mean. I guess that is why you see so few bass players that are lead singers.

Y'know who's awesome, though? Les Claypool. Cool

Singing is just a fad... It will go away...
I wouldn't worry about it...

Fez

Jon
Y'know who's awesome, though? Les Claypool. Cool

"...hit 'em upside of the head with an aluminum baseball bat...my name is MUD!"

Les is More!

Wink
-dp

I've been doing the rock'billy thing for a long time and seem to be able to sing and play at the same time, although it is just three chord music for the most part. I find playing instrumentals more of a challenge because you can't rely on singing or improvising if you get lost or fall off. All you've got is your technique and memory. I'm much more intimidated by the instros.

dp

Jon
Y'know who's awesome, though? Les Claypool. Cool

"...hit 'em upside of the head with an aluminum baseball bat...my name is MUD!"

Les is More!

Wink
-dp

I was a huge fan of Primus back in the day, used to get everything
that they or Les Put out. But I've gotten so into surf, that i've lost track of what they've done recently.
I'd love to hear Primus take on a surf song.
Shit they already did John The Fisherman, and Sailing the Seas of Cheese.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Hell yeah, I love Sailing the Seas of Cheese! That and the idea that his bass has a whammy bar on it.

Bass with a whammy bar? Are there any pictures?

<img src="klzzwxh:0000"></img>

bigtikidude
I was a huge fan of Primus back in the day, used to get everything that they or Les Put out. But I've gotten so into surf, that i've lost track of what they've done recently.
I'd love to hear Primus take on a surf song.
Shit they already did John The Fisherman, and Sailing the Seas of Cheese.

Whatever you do, do NOT buy Antipop. It's terrible. Their new/reunion album was pretty good, though. "John the Fisherman" is great--Sailing the Seas of Cheese is definitely one of my favorite albums, regardless of genre.

-Warren

That was excessively violent and completely unnecessary. I loved it.

In my younger days I could play and sing. It was punk and grunge type stuff and my worries about singing we not there. Now I am so self conscience of one or the other that I get the two to mix.

this may sound silly, but it worked for me. If you want to get over your fear of singing in front of people or just to practice being in front of people, go to karaoke. It's fun, it's practice and there's booze there. I've gone from band practice straight to karaoke before, and I think I did better at karaoke. As for the playing and singing, it took me to get used to it. Whenever I learned a new song I had to really get the guitar down first and practice the siging while not playing,(shower, car, KARAOKE..) and then eventually the two would fuse together. I guess everyone is different though. anyhow, happy surfing.
matt

'Never could get the two going at the same time, so 'gave up, decades ago.

As a melody-line guitarist, it's actually much better that way. 'Get to hear and dig the guitar and amp without any verbal squawking.

'Wanna hear talking; go to the supermarket and stand by the 8 of 10 people with cell phones or headsets in the produce aisle.

'Perfectly happy to never utter a peep while playing. Instrmental music is this picker's soul-match.

If you can do two or more independently scheduled things at once God intended you to be a drummer.

I can drive a car and sing.

The Exotic Guitar of Kahuna Kawentzmann

You can get the boy out of the Keynes era, but you can’t get the Keynes era out of the boy.

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