How to sing while playing guitar? Complete guide to mastering coordination
Singing is a technical skill. So is mastering the guitar. So when you want to sing and play guitar at the same time, you have to be very well trained. While some guitarists are capable of playing solos to perfection, once you add their voice on top of that... it immediately becomes more complicated.
Why? Beyond playing the right notes and reading tablature, coordinating singing and guitar playing requires another skill: mastery of rythm.
Techniques, exercises, and tips: find all our advice on how to learn to sing while playing the guitar and perform your favorite songs more easily.
Why is it difficult to sing while playing the guitar?
Singing and playing guitar at the same time may seem like genius, but in reality, our brains are already used to handling multiple actions at once.
Talking while walking or singing in the shower requires no thought. And yet these actions require the same brain capacity as singing while playing the guitar.
However, when it comes to synchronizing vocals and instrumental playing, many musicians feel stuck. Loss of rythm, melody slipping, difficulty placing the voice on the chords , or feeling like you've lost control of your hands and your singing: singing while playing the guitar doesn't come naturally.
The reason? The brain has to manage two different tasks simultaneously (rhythmic and motor control of the hands on one side, and vocal production on the other), which engage different areas of your brain. And this requires conscious attention at first.
The good news is that these difficulties are not due to a lack of talent, but rather a lack of method and practice. With a few tailored exercises, singing while playing guitar is within reach.
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Synchronizing singing and guitar: how to practice?
Master singing and guitar separately
Before attempting to sing and play guitar at the same time, it is best to learn a piece of music by heart. If you don't have to concentrate on reading the notes, your brain can focus freely on coordinating your movements chord the placement of your voice.
To be able to play and sing at the same time, you need to work on each separately. Start by learning your sheet music by heart so you can play it first with your voice, then on the guitar (or vice versa).
Singing: find your voice, learn the lyrics choruses/verses), then manage the variations and tempo of the entire song. Then sing the song repeatedly until you have mastered it perfectly. Your goal: to be able to sing the song without thinking about lyrics the rhythm.
On the guitar: learn the tablature, place your fingers correctly on the strings, play the piece once with the help of the tablature, then try to play the chords without looking at the tabs.
Once you have mastered both exercises individually, you will be ready to begin synchronization training.
💡 While technical training is essential for learning coordination, listening is also very important. Developing your musical ear helps you improve your musical recognition.
Work on the rhythm of a melody and practice your voice
The beginner's mistake is tosystematically match the voice to the rythm the guitar. The result: the melody is jerky, the singing is no longer fluid, and the guitar playing becomes out of tune as soon as your attention shifts to the voice. It is therefore essential to make the guitar rhythm as stable as possible.
After that, you need to separate your voice from the original melody. Don't try to sing in tune at all costs. Your goal? To be able to maintain a continuous vocal flow without disrupting the instrumental playing. Vocalize simple sounds (la, ou, na) while keeping the guitar rhythm intact. Gradually, you will be able to integrate the lyrics your guitar playing, phrase by phrase.
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This intuitive featuredisplays song lyrics chords in a dynamic format where you can:
transposeyour chords,
viewchord diagrams,
synchronize lyrics with YouTube videos or audio files,
addannotationsto the tablature or score (text, symbols, drawings),
Scroll through the file at your desired speed.
Singing while playing the guitar: 3 exercises to follow
1. Establish the rhythm of the instrument
This training is surely the most important for coordinating your vocal melody with your guitar playing.
To work on your rythm, practice the following exercises:
Play your piece on the guitar while tapping rythm foot to rythm . This exercise engages your body in doing something else while playing and allows your brain to memorize a tempo.
Count the rhythm aloud while playing.Start with quarter notes (1, 2, 3, 4) and then continue with eighth notes (1 and 2 and 3 and 4).
Keep up a conversation while playing the guitar. Say whatever comes to mind, tell a joke, or chat with someone.
Play the rhythm over the music while listening to the song, without playing the notes. You can place your hand on the strings of your guitar to mute the sound. This is a good exercise for working on your auditory and motor memory.
2. Practice placing your voice
Once you have assimilated the rythm , try to interweave it with the vocal melody. Here are a few exercises to help you place your voice more easily on the song you are working on:
Listen to the original song several times to help your brain memorize its melody and overall structure.
Master the lyrics the song, this will prevent you from getting lost when you start accompanying yourself on the guitar.
Start playing the song, then sing along without reading the lyrics.
Identify the syllables where you will need to changechord. You can add a note to your tablature to identify their exact location in the song.
Record your guitar playing with a recorder, then practice singing along with it.
🎼 Practice using a digital tool!
Use Newzik to record your practice sessions or annotate your tablature directly from your tablet or computer.
3. Work on the nuances of the chords
Can you finally sing while keeping the rythm? All you have to do now is add your chords and nuances, and your song will take shape. But to fully interpret and master your piece, you also need to add intensity to your playing:
Play and sing at the same time in a monotone manner (without any nuance).
Repeat the exercise, but play and sing fortissimo (very loudly).
Start again, but this time playing and singing pianissimo (very softly).
Then vary the intensity:
Play and sing crescendo (softly, then gradually louder).
Play and sing decrescendo (very loudly, then gradually softer).
Finally, mix everything together, combining the different nuances: play your instrument crescendo while singing decrescendo.
🎵Practice the lyrics chords of the song Hallelujah.
This very famous song by Jeff Buckley is an excellent exercise in coordination. The steady rhythm and repetitive chord progression allow youto quickly automate the accompaniment. As for the vocal melody, it is simple, which helps you work on your voice placement without disrupting the instrumental playing.
📩Download the lyrics chords sheet for Hallelujah
💡Want to create your own lyrics chords directly in Newzik? Go to the "Lyrics & Chords" section in the context menu and select the add button (+). You can then write your lyrics chords directly in the editor.
Our technical tips for improving guitar/vocal synchronization
Work slowly, then speed up
Always start at a slow tempo, even if the piece seems simple. Stable coordination at a slow speed is the key to success at the actual tempo. For the vocal part, sing without trying to project power at first: a calm, relaxed voice is easier to coordinate with the guitar. If your voice is strained, slow down the tempo and return to a comfortable vocal range.
Rely on rythm
rythm the common link between guitar and singing: if it is steady, synchronization will follow. During your practice sessions, keep a steady rythm ( with your foot, a metronome, or by snapping your fingers) and then let your voice or instrument settle into it.
Practice diaphragmatic breathing
Good breathing is essential for controlling your voice when playing a musical instrument. Before playing, take a few deep breaths, filling your belly with air, then exhale slowly. While playing, try to maintain this steady breathing to avoid tension and stabilize your voice during accompaniment.
⛔ 3 mistakes to avoid
Lack of consistency: Memory is very important for mastering vocal and instrumental coordination. Practice your exercises every day to facilitate your learning.
Neglecting rythm if this is difficult for you at first, use a metronome to help you stabilize your timing.
Working without a goal: don't practice everything at once; be methodical. Define your program for each stage of training: rythm, isolated voice, nuances, etc.
✨ Have you become a master of coordinating guitar and vocals? In music, talent takes work: improve your skills by practicing new sheet music!
✅ Use Newzik to organize your sheet music libraries, annotate your lyrics chords, and find all your work documents in one place.
