So what are you waiting for? Carry on reading and get ready to pick your guitar up and start belting out some banging tunes!
How to sing while playing guitar
Start with a very simple song
No matter if you’re an experienced guitarist or a complete beginner or someone trying to learn how to become a singer at 17, starting with an easy song is an essential first step. The goal is to be able to multitask. Playing the guitar is hard enough on its own, but add singing on top and that’s a whole different story.
Try to choose a song with easy chords, probably three or four in total, to help you get the hang of playing and singing simultaneously.
Practice the guitar chords
It’s a lot easier to play and sing at the same time if you learn the guitar and vocal parts separately. The best way to improve your guitar playing skills is to practice the same chords over and over again. This will build up muscle memory.
Print a copy of the chords and play the song together with the recording. Don’t worry if you can’t play it perfectly yet – that’s not the aim. You’re just teaching your hands where they need to go.
Aim to play the song around 10 times to memorize the chords. If you do this, you won’t even have to think about them after a while!
Memorize the entire song
Before you jump into singing the lyrics to the song, make sure you’ve memorized them. Then, whether you are playing the intro riff or a bunch of open chords, the lyrics of the song would be a stressor. As you progress in your guitar journey this will become less important, but it will help you a lot as a beginner.
You’ll be able to focus on singing the correct melody and maintaining the beat instead of reading the lyrics. Sing along to your chosen song in the car and learn the lyrics so you know each word off by heart.
The 8 best easy songs to learn to sing and play the guitar
1. Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
Not only is this a great song, but it’s one where all of the chords can be played without altering your hand position too much.
If you’re a complete beginner, this is an excellent first song to learn as it only has three chords (D major, C, and G major).
2. Stir It Up – Bob Marley
Another great song, “stir it up” is a catchy but easy-to-play song with a simple strumming pattern. It only uses the chords A, D, and E so it’s uncomplicated and easy to learn.
This is one of my favorite songs as it’s a slow but upbeat song and the lyrics are super simple and easy to memorize.
3. Hurt – Johnny Cash
Originally sung by Nine Inch Nails, this version of “hurt” is a beautiful and moving piece of music. It may sound like an intimidating song for beginners, but it actually only uses four chords so it’s perfectly doable.
4. Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd
This is a song that’s probably more suited to the more experienced guitar player who already has that basic foundation. With that said, even if you’re a complete beginner you could have a bash at it if you’re up for the challenge!
5. Knocking on Heaven’s Door – Bob Dylan
This is a classic tune that only has four simple chords (G, D, C, and A minor). It’s very easy to play and it has a comfortable vocal range – not too high or low.
6. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction – The Rolling Stones
Probably one of the most popular songs ever, you really can’t go wrong with a Rolling Stones track. It’s upbeat, catchy, and the acoustic version is very easy to learn, making it perfect for beginners.
7. Boulevard Of Broken Dreams – Green Day
A classic song from the early noughties, “boulevard of broken dreams” will have all of your friends jamming along with you! The lyrics are simple and easy to learn, and it only uses a few chords so it won’t be too complicated.
8. Leaving On A Jet Plane – John Denver
This is another really easy acoustic song that only uses the chords A, D, and E. It’s mostly A and D with E being thrown in occasionally to mix it up, so it’s perfect for beginners!
Final thoughts
Hopefully, I’ve given you some good tips and advice on how to get started! Remember to take it slow and don’t rush yourself, especially if you’re a beginner. Everyone learns at a different pace so keep that in mind.
The most important thing is to have fun learning! Remember that even the best multi-talented musicians started as beginners just like you. I highly recommend making the most of your skill level. This means choosing songs that suit your singing ability to make starting as smooth as possible.
Simplify the chords and stay within your singing range. Don’t force yourself to sing in a certain range if you can’t do it! Above all else, remember to learn the song off by heart.
FAQs
How hard is it to sing and play guitar at the same time?
Learning to play the guitar and sing takes hard work, consistency, and time. Being able to play the guitar and sing simultaneously makes your performance a much more engaging experience for your audience. For this reason, it’s well worth the effort to learn.
Not only that but if you’re a working musician, getting gigs will be a lot easier if you can sing and play. The difficulty of singing and playing at the same time will depend on how experienced you are. For some people, it comes naturally, whereas others take a little longer to pick it up.
It comes down to being able to focus less on the guitar playing so that you’re able to concentrate on the melody of your vocals. No matter which stage in the learning process you’re at, being able to play and sing at the same time will be challenging.
But if you’re up for the challenge, the process will be super rewarding and you’ll have your audience singing along with you in no time!
How can I introduce singing into guitar playing?
If you want to start singing and playing simultaneously, start with easy guitar songs to sing along to. This holds true whether you’re an experienced guitar player or you’ve never even held a pick between your fingers.
For song inspiration, be sure to check out the 8 great songs I’ve picked out! They’re all super easy to learn and only involve a few chords with easy strumming patterns.
From Pink Floyd’s “wish you were here” to Bob Dylan’s “knocking on heavens door”, I’ve picked some real banging tunes for you to practice and jam along to!
How can I learn to play easy guitar songs?
The first step is to get yourself a good guitar! If you’ve got that you can jump straight in. Then, it’s a good idea to pick one song and stick to it. Trying to learn two or three songs at the same time will only end up confusing you, especially as a beginner.
Once you’ve chosen a good song, start learning the lyrics until you’re sick of them! This will enable you to focus on the task of singing the correct tune while keeping the beat steady and consistent.