How to Play Guitar and Sing at the Same Time

Nothing is more romantic than wooing the woman of your dreams with her favorite song while strumming its chords on the guitar. Whether you want to just emulate your idol, or master the art of playing the guitar and singing simultaneously, the tricks of the trade have been presented here for you.

Music may be your heart and soul, and you may think you know it all, but before you jump in and pick up a guitar and start singing, you need to familiarize yourself with a few basics.

• If you think you need to tame your voice and learn how to sing well, you could sign up for some singing lessons.
• Examine your guitar and make sure you know it inside out. Learn how to tune your guitar and how to change chords. Again, you can opt for some lessons to polish your skills.

• Be patient. Singing and playing an instrument at the same time requires tremendous practice. Don't give up. It is not an impossible task. Give it your best shot and you will be able to do it, just like the rest you have seen.

Pick the Right Song
Choosing the right song is of prime importance. It should be a simple song that you can easily sing as well as strum on the guitar, and one that has a pitch similar to yours. Choosing a difficult song, or one that has a pitch you are unable to match, will probably demoralize you, and probably make you give up on your endeavor.

Don't Try to Walk Before You can Crawl
This proverb applies to every aspect of life, including this one. First learn the song. Listen to its tune, the lyrics, and how both of them complement each other. Learn the lyrics of the song. Try to attain the right pitch while singing. Master the song in its entirety.

Now move on to the guitar. As you listen to the song, note the intricacies, and how the tunes change. Start playing it on the guitar. Keep practicing. Master the changes of the chords. You need to practice as much as it takes, to be able to change the chords involuntarily. Practicing singing and playing separately will make the entire process easier.

Hum While You Strum
After you have learned to sing and play separately, start practicing by the two acts together. However, when you start playing on the guitar, don't start singing immediately. First, hum the song as you play it.

This will establish a connection between the lyrics and the tune. Because playing the guitar and singing along requires a lot of focus, you need to take it slow. Singing as soon as you start playing is likely to confuse you.

Sing Along 
Slowly progress to singing along while you play. When you begin singing with the lyrics, start practicing with the first verse till you're comfortable with it. Then move on to the next verse. Every time you start a new verse, start singing from the beginning and ease in to the new verse. This will make the transition smooth and the song complete.

Master of the Game
Start picking more complex songs, but not extremely difficult ones. With practice you will be able to master the art of singing and playing at the same time. You will know you have succeeded when your chord changes while singing are automatic and involuntary.

You will also know you have succeeded, when you can sing and play at the same time in front of a noisy crowd (perhaps a group of your friends), impeccably! Slowly you will be able to sing songs that you previously perceived as difficult, but are now easy enough for you.

So yes, it does take some time and patience, but once you put your heart and soul to it, nothing can stop you from your desire to play the guitar while singing along.