I can't sing and play at the same time!

Like the title says^. I very recently started learning, and I already have the chords and strum pattern and everything for a couple songs (with a lot of pausing and fumbling, but still!) but the second I try to sing along, my fingers just... stop working, basically, haha. I completely lose the strum pattern and just can't do it. It's like having my fingers spontaneously become useless.
People say "it just takes practice" but it hasn't really gotten better and it's bugging me, because I do really love to sing and I always want to sing along with the pretty songs I learn! What do I do to help make it work?

Aldrine made a few videos for the main website recently, you should go have a look at those and see if they help! Best of luck

Another frequently asked question and here are a few previous threads out of the many similar postings. Two things; 1. You have to know the song lyrics as well as the melody and 2. You have to know the rhythm as well as the chords changes.

http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/f...g-and-playing-at-the-same-time..-whaaat!-HALP!
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?34174-Oh-my-god-singing-and-playing.-HELP!!!
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?592-Playing-and-singing
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?20967-singing-AND-playing..

don't try to sing. that has been my solution--to focus on instrumentals and chord progressions. i am glad i made that decision, because my poor dear mother, who started to learn the ukulele at the same time i did, focused on trying to play and sing, and i am scads further along than she is.

i decided not to overly focus on what was too difficult for me, with good results. for instance, just yesterday i was able to chnk for the first time--this is a technique that had escaped me previously.

anyway, nothing is worse than listening to bad singing on top of bad playing (i will record my mummy if you don't believe me). unless you have a very good voice, then i would simply strum a chord once per bar and fill in the rest with your beautiful voice. next, you will be able to work up to two strums, and so on...of course, this is all theory for me, as i have not done it yet (ok, i have done the one and two strum techniques), but it is my six-month-to-a-year master plan!

laurenwithoutsound said:

(with a lot of pausing and fumbling, but still!) but the second I try to sing along, my fingers just... stop working,

Click to expand...

This is the problem - you aren't ready to sing yet because your brain is too occupied with those chord changes. The same part of the brain is used for forming words and thinking things like, "okay, now, change from C to G7..." Until you can do the chord changes seamlessly without thinking about them, don't try to sing! Once the common chord changes come automatically to you I think you'll find that singing along is really not a problem.

John

well same with me with walking and chewing gum so go figure... but once you learn it better, then it should be easier.

Kanaka916 said:

Another frequently asked question and here are a few previous threads out of the many similar postings. Two things; 1. You have to know the song lyrics as well as the melody and 2. You have to know the rhythm as well as the chords changes.

http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/f...g-and-playing-at-the-same-time..-whaaat!-HALP!
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?34174-Oh-my-god-singing-and-playing.-HELP!!!
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?592-Playing-and-singing
http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?20967-singing-AND-playing..

Click to expand...

Aloha Laurenwithoutsound,
I agree with Kanaka916, that why I always say to start off on children nursery rhymes...because everybody know them...http://www.baby-patch.com/guitar.html http://www.baby-patch.com/guitar.html
Have fun and enjoy, the chords are easy so it's a good and basic start off point....Have fun and enjoy..Happy strummings..MM Stan

The answer is easy, Grasshopper....

Practice.


Practice.


Practice.


Practice.


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And have a glass of wine to relax.

Don't worry, neither can I.. and I have the embarrassment of having majored in voice. I'm also one of those that just concentrates on chord+pick-within-chord type stuff. It's fun.

I mostly just sing the words in me head I think I sound wondermous.

I'm gradually getting the hang of it. First, as has been mentioned previously, you really do need to the the chord changes so that they're automatic. It's kind of like doing math problems... once you see how to do one of them, all the others (of that type, at least) are suddenly do-able. The other thing I usually do is hum the song as I play it before I try to sing words. It's easier (for me) to get the melody and the strumming down before I start worrying about getting the words right.
If you think it's hard to play uke and sing, you should try playing BASS and singing! Single notes which aren't necessarily what you're singing, and might not even have the same rhythm! Whew! I don't know how people like Paul McCartney and Geddy Lee do it! I'm getting better at that, too. So far though, I just sing some backup when I play bass.