How To Sing And Play Guitar At The Same Time? ( In 11 Steps )

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A lot of singers find that they get better at singing if they play the guitar at the same time, although if you have to learn how to play the guitar as well then your progress will be somewhat slower. Singers who already know how to play the guitar at least at the beginner level have a much easier and faster time in improving their singing. If you do not know how to play the guitar then don’t worry as it is fairly easy to learn.

You can sing and play the guitar at the same time by picking an easy song and focusing on developing your muscle memory for playing guitar. Once you know how to sing the song then it is time to play it on guitar. From there you will have to combine singing and playing guitar at the same time and the easiest ways on achieving this are by using a metronome or by counting beats.

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You do not have to be the world’s best guitarist in order to play and sing at the same time. A lot of singers feel extremely reluctant on picking up a guitar, this is usually the case for beginner singers, but in some cases, established singers will also avoid playing the guitar and singing at the same time. If you have never picked up a guitar then this is normal behavior, most likely you already know how difficult and time consuming it can be to get better at singing.

Adding another instrument to the equation and you will definitely struggle the first couple of weeks. You need to do some mental gymnastics in order to play the guitar correctly and to sing correctly. Most beginner singers are so focused on one aspect of singing that the instant they start singing they forget almost everything, some focus on hitting the higher notes, while others focus on breathing.

Singing and playing the guitar will be a challenge at first, you most likely will not be able to do both of them correctly. What your main goal should be is to be in sync with your singing and your guitar, this is also called the sweet spot. Once you hit this sweet spot you will find it extremely easy to sing any song while you are playing the guitar. Generally speaking, if you are new to playing the guitar you will hit this sweet spot in around 2-4 weeks. If you want to get better at singing then check out my recent article How to sing better ( Top 47 Tips and Industry Secrets ).

How To Sing And Play Guitar At The Same Time?

Learning how to sing and play guitar simultaneously can be a challenging yet rewarding skill for any aspiring musician. To effectively sing and play guitar at the same time, it’s important to start with songs that have relatively simple chord progressions and strumming patterns. Begin by mastering each component separately, focusing on developing solid guitar skills and vocal techniques. Once you’re comfortable with both individually, start practicing coordinating the two together.

This involves paying attention to the rhythm and timing, ensuring that your guitar playing doesn’t overpower your vocals. Break down the song into smaller sections and gradually build up to playing and singing the entire song. It’s also helpful to practice with a metronome or backing track to improve your timing and synchronization.

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Sing And Play Guitar By Multitasking

In order to sing and play the guitar at the same time, you will need to learn how to multitask. Multitasking is basically doing two different things at the same time, although both of them have to be challenging. For most of our lives we are multitasking without even noticing, like singing in the shower, we are able to do this because one of the tasks doesn’t need a lot of focus so we do it almost automatically.

If you have never picked up a guitar and you try to sing and play the guitar at the same time then you will struggle. A lot of singers actually have such a bad experience with it that most of the time they simply ditch the guitar. There is a simple trick that I teach my students in order to learn how to multitask efficiently and it doesn’t even involve a guitar. You will need either a deck of cards or a puzzle to be able to do this.

The reason why I chose a deck of cards or a puzzle is that both of them need a lot of mental focus, this is the same way when you would play the guitar and sing at the same time. Grab the deck of cards and start building a castle from the cards, and slowly start singing. It will be difficult at first but in a couple of days, you will be able to multitask and do it almost effortlessly. Breathing and singing are already multitasking as breathing correctly while singing needs a lot of effort for more information check out my recent article Breathing exercises for singing ( Top 11 Exercises ).

Learn To Play Guitar

This part is where most singers get discouraged, the truth is that if you have learned how to sing then you can easily learn how to play the guitar. Playing guitar is all about rhythm, and guess what, as a singer, you already know everything about rhythm. You do not have to learn how to play as a professional guitar player, just learn a couple of songs to play, and from then on it will be easy. Generally speaking, the first couple of songs will be the hardest to learn but I will teach you how to pick songs that are extremely easy to play.

There are some excellent online guitar lessons, and most of them are on YouTube, find a couple that are aimed at beginners. If you choose to take a paid course then stick to one which is not online, online lessons tend to drag on forever in order for the creator to give as much info as possible and you will most likely be overwhelmed.

Choose An Easy Song

The easier the song is to play with a guitar the faster you will learn it. No need to jump on some complex song as this will only slow your progress down significantly. My personal recommendation is to pick a couple of songs but not more than 3, this way you can focus on mastering them. Generally speaking, it will take you between 1-2 weeks of practicing until you get the hang of it, during this time do not sing while you are playing the guitar.

The easiest songs to learn how to sing and play the guitar are the ones that have 3-4 chords if you struggle with a song with 4 chords then stick to the 3 chord song. There is simply no need for going over the 4 chords, if you do, you will only complicate things. If you are an alto singer and you want to know which songs are the easiest to sing then check out my recent article Good audition songs for altos ( Top 150 Alto Songs ).

By Building Muscle Memory

Have you ever wondered how you can sing and shower at the same time effortlessly? This is because of muscle memory, and this is your main goal to reach if you want to play the guitar and sing at the same time. Muscle memory can be developed in only one way, with practice, the more you practice the faster the muscles will memorize the pattern. Ideally, you should have the muscle memory for a couple of songs.

This way while you are playing the guitar and singing at the same time you will not have to focus on playing the guitar as much because you already have the muscle memory for it. Singing is a lot more complex than playing the guitar, so most of your focus will be on singing and letting your muscle memory play the song with the guitar.

Start Humming A Song While Playing The Guitar

Humming is an excellent exercise to synchronize your voice with your guitar playing ability. If you are a singer then humming will come extremely easy and natural for you. Once you have the muscle memory of a song for your guitar then you should start humming while you are playing the guitar. Do this for a couple of days, just keep in mind to use only one song at first, this way you will get better significantly faster.

Use A Metronome

Using a metronome will allow you to hear the beats constantly, this way you will improve significantly faster and you will be able to simultaneously sing and play the guitar. As a singer you most likely will start tapping your feet while you are practicing with the guitar, this is normal and you should keep on doing it. Advanced singers will not need a metronome even if they are new to playing the guitar but I do highly recommend using a metronome for beginner singers. You don’t actually need to buy a metronome, there are plenty of online apps and websites that mimic a metronome and most of them are free.

Counting Beats

Counting beats is by far the most efficient way to synchronize your singing and playing the guitar, you are at a new level at this point. The trick with counting beats is to do it loudly, this way you get used to not only hearing your voice while you are playing the guitar but also staying in sync with the actual beats. My personal recommendation is to record yourself, this way you can analyze the recording to check if you made mistakes, after the first couple of days counting beats you will be significantly better.

Be Able To Sing The Song And Play It On Your Guitar As Well

Some singers make the mistake of just focusing on the guitar playing aspect and they do not even know how to sing the song without a guitar. It is vital that you know how to sing the song as correctly as possible before picking up the guitar. The last thing you would want is to focus on playing the guitar, focus on singing, and also trying to remember the song. Don’t overwhelm yourself keep it simple both with the guitar and the singing.

Sing Slowly

Now that you can play the song with the guitar and you can also sing it you will notice that you will stumble for a bit. This is normal as your brain is not used to doing two complex things at the same time. Some singers are naturally inclined in singing and basically use any instrument they want without any previous practice. The odds of you being that gifted is fairly low, so my personal recommendation at this point is to slow down both your singing and playing the guitar.

Adapt The Guitar To Your Singing Style

Everybody has a unique voice, there is no arguing about that. Oftentimes singers who both sing and play the guitar will find that they either sing off the key or are out of tune, even though they are perfectly capable of singing the song if they are not playing the guitar at the same time. This is normal and sooner or later you will hit this wall, the problem is not with your singing but with how you play guitar.

How you play guitar dictates how you will sing, if you know that you can sing the song correctly then you will need to adjust the guitar to your voice. You will need to find the correct tempo for your guitar in such a way that it doesn’t make you sound out of tune. Basically, you either increase or decrease the tempo, just record yourself, and sooner or later you will find the sweet spot.

Practice singing And Playing Guitar Every Day

In order to sing and play guitar at the same time, you will have to practice a lot. My personal recommendation is to take it with baby steps, go through the above-mentioned steps one at a time, and only progress to the next step once you have mastered the previous one. There is no need to hurry, take as much time as you need, and most importantly learn to sing and play the guitar at the same time correctly.

Key Takeaways

  • Begin by choosing songs that have straightforward chord progressions and relatively easy strumming patterns. This will help you focus on coordinating your singing and guitar playing without feeling overwhelmed.
  • Break down the song into its individual components – the vocals and the guitar parts. Practice each part separately until you feel comfortable and confident with them. Once you have a good grasp of each part, you can start combining them.
  • Take your time and start at a slower tempo. This allows you to get comfortable with the coordination between your singing and playing. As you become more proficient, gradually increase the speed until you can play and sing at the desired tempo.

FAQ

Is it hard to sing and play guitar at the same time?

Singing and playing guitar simultaneously can be challenging initially, as it requires coordinating two different skills. However, with practice and proper technique, many people can develop the ability to sing and play guitar together effectively.

Can anyone learn to sing and play guitar at the same time?

Yes, with dedication and practice, anyone can learn to sing and play guitar simultaneously. It may take time to develop the necessary coordination, but with consistent effort, it is a skill that can be acquired.

Can we sing with the guitar?

Yes, singing with the guitar is a common practice among musicians. Playing the guitar provides accompaniment while the singer sings the melody, creating a harmonious combination.

What is it called when you sing while playing guitar?

Singing while playing guitar is commonly referred to as “singing and playing guitar,” “guitar and vocal performance,” or “singer-songwriter style,” where the performer combines both guitar playing and singing.