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Joined:
May 2006
Posts: 4232
Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | I've been playing guitar longer than some, not as long as others, so let's just say a pretty good while. But as many of you know, my left arm is slung up and out of commission for a while, and said injury led me unexpectedly into a revelation at church yesterday.
As I couldn't play, I got to church about five minutes before mass started, walked up to say "Hi" to my choir, and started back to sit down and just listen for once.
The leader caught me halfway there and said they were really short, doing songs that I knew, and could I just sing?
"I didn't even look at the song list this week." says I.
"Don't worry about it. You know this stuff." She says back.
It's been a LONG time since I just sang without an instrument strapped across my left shoulder, and I realized about halfway through the first verse that I was starting to struggle. That realization made me more nervous being "up front" than I've been for quite a while; a time better measured in decades than years. And it suddenly hit me:
For me, it is now harder to just sing than it is to sing and play simultaneously! How weird is that?!
Through the entire service I found myself constantly working for the proper posture, breath control, tone, volume, you name it. I even found myself taking advantage of the crutch that is my sling as my left hand was held in place at the top of my diaphragm as a constant reminder to breath properly and keep that all-important singing muscle firm. (Especially since I had by then managed to scan the music list and realized I had several tenor-stretching harmonies coming my way.) I was sweating from the effort in minutes!
Everything went fine of course. I've sung (while playing) all of the music numerous times. I'm certain that most performers, volunteer or otherwise, typically are far more critical of themselves than the people on the receiving end. I am now mostly just surprised by my unexpected discomfiture.
Before yesterday, I would have thought that just singing or just playing would always be simpler than doing both at once. I now know that, for me at least, that is not the case. Like I said before, weird. :cool: |
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Joined:
February 2003
Posts: 2178
Location: the BIG Metropolis of TR | Like you, I too find it hard to sing without the guitar (crutch) in my arms....
I use the guitar for my timing and because I'd feel naked without it! |
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Joined:
February 2003
Posts: 2178
Location: the BIG Metropolis of TR | ...Double Post... ;) |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 5331
Location: Cicero, NY | ...and nobody needs that.
(Same here) |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 7233
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | One of the reasons I really don't do well at "Jam" sessions is I generally don't sing and play at the same time. Most of the songs I can sing, I have no idea how to play on guitar for the most part. The songs I play, for the most part, I have no real idea what most of the words are. |
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Joined:
May 2003
Posts: 425
Location: SE Michigan | I am the opposite. I do a lot of singing and playing at the same time. On those rare occasions when I can sing without playing, I think I sing better because I can really focus on my singing without thinking about my guitar parts. Same holds true of playing guitar only without singing.
There is a folk song out there where this guy comments that BB King never plays guitar and sings at the same time. It's true, watch his videos. He plays guitar for awhile, then stops and sings a verse, then stops singing and goes back to guitar. Never both at the same time.
Think about it, a lot of the really great guitar work is done by guitar players behind a front-man lead singer, in other words the lead guitarist primarily focuses on his guitar work. Same is true of the really great out-front singers, most of them do not have an instrument in their arms (or they actually play very little). I recall seeing Eric Clapton in concert a few years ago, I was rather appalled to see that he had several “hired gun” studio musician-type guitar players who were playing a lot of the intricate parts, While EC was out front doing most of the vocals (and he did an excellent job at that).
I can attest as one of the poor slobs who tries to both sing and do some lead guitar that it is very challenging. When you multi-task you tend to not be at your best. |
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Joined:
July 2010
Posts: 53
Location: USA | I'm not a great player, I can hold my own though I think, but when it comes to playing & singing I only do it at home, haha. I enjoy doing it, and don't struggle with it too much as long as I practice the song enough. I prefer to just play and not sing when I'm around other people, unless someone asks me to sing. Playing the guitar is my main passion, singing is sort of an after thought, but I enjoy it still.
There are some guitar players I really love who are also great frontman. I don't know if anyone here has heard of The Jam or Manic Street Preachers but both bands had/have great frontman who sing and play some interesting stuff on guitar at the same time. Of course there is also Jimi Hendrix, perhaps one of the best "singing & playing" guitar players?
When it comes to famous musicians though, I like to see people who challenge themselves, but at the same time I understand they can't do it all or keep it up forever. |
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Joined:
October 2007
Posts: 283
Location: Portland, OR | I think it's in the mind. The guitar is not only a prop, but an adjunct to what you are as a member of the group. I remember Elvis slung on a guitar at times he wasn't really playing much. Is it a crutch? Maybe. But I like to think of the guitar as a facilitator of your voice. When it's not there, it requires more focus on singing, which is not a bad thing. But different. Hence the uneasiness. Personally, I'd rather have it and play a little less, concentrating on the vocals and the harmonies. It's all a matter of comfort. |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | I was a singer first and then learned to play clarinet. One of the things I didn't like about it was I couldn't sing at the same time. I was decent and advanced to other reed instruments until we moved and the new school didn't have the instrument I played, so I joined the choir and met up with a couple of decent guitar players who got me started. The guitar was always an instrument to accompany the voice for me. |
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Joined:
July 2010
Posts: 7
Location: T-Town | I've sang in Choirs since Jr High School. A couple of years ago my High School Choir got together for a concert to raise funds to save the choral program. I am not really a soloist and do much better singing in a group. Same with playing guitar. If I am in a group I'm good. On my own I tend to get nervous and can freeze up. Finally at 55 I've been able to do a few get together's and survive. |
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Singing or Playing or Singing and Playing
