JPF Home Page Forums Musician Gear and Techniques Microphone and Vocalist Forum Singing while playing the guitar??

Jamie,

you have to learn the pieces so well that you don't have to think about where your fretting fingers are going or the other hand as it picks or strums. Practice the songs until the movements are automatic and you don't even look at your hands.

Then practice singing the song with the pieces you've practiced. When I was first leaning to sing with my guitar, someone mentioned that I sang like my guitar was playing. Wherever there was emphasis or a break, that would appear in my singing. That's a common thing to happen I think. After a while I was able to sing independently of my playing.

I think it's easier to finger picking patterns while singing. Strumming is a bigger muscle movement and unless it's a laid back strum, it makes it harder to sing to.