Introduction to Singing Guitar Lesson
Introduction to Singing
Mark introduces you to the wonderful world of singing.
Taught by Mark Lincoln in Guitar Performance seriesLength: 15:12Difficulty: 0.5 of 5
Welcome to the Guitar and Vocal Performance Series with Mark Lincoln! In this series, Mark will start you on your way to becoming an accomplished vocalist.
In the first scene of this lesson, Mark introduces himself and the lesson series.
Chapter 2: (05:38) Reason People Don't Sing Most people really can sing but may not because of…What Is Your Experience With Singing?1. Fear-many people are so overwhelmed with fear of crowd rejection, fear of peer rejection, fear of glass-breaking and general chaos, that they won’t try to sing or won’t give the process the necessary energy it takes to do it right.
2. Unfamiliarity- many people are unfamiliar with what good singing actually entails and the necessary steps to becoming a good singer.
3. False Fans- many people have faithful but often dishonest critics who tell them they're amazing singers. Although it’s incredibly nice to hear positive feedback (especially in a cruel world where that’s hard to find sometimes), it can also reinforce bad singing habits!
4. Bad Experience- some people have had bad experiences (maybe as a child) where singing wasn’t allowed in their home, or wasn’t “appreciated” by significant others, and have hence avoided singing since their traumatic experience with it.
1. Shower
2. Car
3. Church
4. Accompanying other musicians
5) Singing/Playing Guitar or Piano
In general, singing is a fun, relaxing, and often cleansing experience that can help to calm us during stressful times, or may help to energize us when we need a lift. It can also be an incredibly powerful way to express feelings (like anger, sadness) that may not be as easily or readily accepted in everyday society. Despite how simple becoming a proficient singer may seem, there are some important steps to take in order to avoid hurting your voice, avoid scaring away your friends and your family, and to become the best singer you can be. So what’s the first step?
Chapter 3: (04:06) Note Identification ExerciseI’m assuming that most of you have an instrument - at least a guitar that you have access to. If not, you can always buy an inexpensive whistle or tuning fork that can help with this process. If you do have a guitar, hopefully you also have a tuner so you can make sure that the note you are going to play is in tune. Pluck a note on the guitar, one that is going to be comfortable for you to hum. Try to sing the note that you played. Keep in mind that you always want to begin singing quietly and slowly so that you warm up your vocal chords gradually. Next, you should play two different notes and hum them. Pay close attention to whether you can tell the difference between the two. This may sound silly, but people suffering from tone deafness (congenital amusia) may not be able to tell the difference between two tones. You may want to enlist a friend or loved one (hopefully an honest one) to tell you if you are in fact singing the note(s) that you played on the guitar. There are other tests for tone deafness available online if you are interested in thoroughly testing yourself.
Chapter 4: (02:27) Tone Matching Exercise In scene 4, Mark demonstrates the tone matching exercise. Chapter 5: (01:18) Setting Goals Whether your experience with singing up to this point has been singing along with the radio, or you have been singing and accompanying your own playing for years, it’s always helpful to set achievable goals for yourself. If you plan to sing the national anthem at the spring opener this season but have never sung in front of anybody but yourself in the mirror, you may need to realistically re-evaluate your goals. I’m not suggesting that you sell yourself short and avoid the experience of singing because it’s difficult. I’m just recommending that you set attainable goals that can be modified as you learn and get better. Remember: nothing good comes easy.
Supplemental Learning Material
Guitar Performance
Found in our Beginner Lesson SetsPerforming live or in a studio situation is a goal of many aspiring guitarists. Vocal training and the ability to sing and play at the same time are skills that will help in this endeavor.
Lesson 1
Introduction to Singing
Mark introduces you to the wonderful world of singing.
Length: 15:12 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
Vocal Exercises
Mark Lincoln guides you through stretches and vocal exercises to warm up the voice.
Length: 23:12 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Vocal Vibrato
Mark continues to discuss vocal warm-ups and exercises. Then, he moves on to explain vibrato.
Length: 23:42 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Warming the Breath
Mark covers some singing terms and teaches an exercise that is used to "warm the breath."
Length: 19:10 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Singing and Guitar
Mark Lincoln talks more about vocal exercise and warm-up. Then, he moves on to discuss singing and playing at the same time.
Length: 26:12 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Singing Exercises
Mark Lincoln provides more singing exercises to practice while playing your guitar.
Length: 26:15 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Singing and Playing Revisited
Mark returns to singing and playing. Mark teaches proper form while singing and playing, cognitive exercises, and chord progression basics.
Length: 17:54 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Anatomy and Dynamics
Mark Lincoln discusses song dynamics and the anatomy of songs. He also explains more about singing and playing.
Length: 23:19 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Rhythm in Music
Mark Lincoln explains how rhythm is used in music.
Length: 15:16 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Technique Applied
Mark Lincoln applies singing and playing techniques to the Doors song "Riders on the Storm."
Length: 17:19 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Palm Muting and Separation
In lesson 11 of his performance series, Mark discusses the palm muting technique and how to separate your singing from your playing.
Length: 23:30 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Picking Vs. Strumming
Mark discusses how alternating between arpeggios and strummed chords can add contrast and flair to your music.
Length: 15:02 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Silence Is Golden
Mark discusses silence in music and how it can transform a piece. Additionally, he explains how to use silence effectively in your playing.
Length: 16:40 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Warm-up and Practice
In this lesson, Mark Lincoln talks more about warming up your voice and walks you through a few exercises that will aid this process.
Length: 16:14 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Preparations for Playing Live
Mark provides a lecture on items you should do and think about to become a proficient live player.
Length: 20:57 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Voice and Guitar
In this lesson, Mark delves into the concept of combining both your voice and guitar into one neat little package you can deliver to your listener.
Length: 21:47 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
A Day in the Life
Mark Brings us Lesson 17 today to explain the preparation that goes into a performance. Mark tracks back up to 36 hours in advance, and shows us some routines to prepare for a great show.
Length: 19:09 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
The Dynamics of a Song
In this lesson, Mark teaches all of the diverse parts to a song with regards to dynamics.
Length: 20:17 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Proper Breathing Routines
In this episode, Mark talks about proper breathing techniques and routines. He gives us eight points to work off of when singing and playing together.
Length: 23:34 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Play Along with Mark Lincoln
Mark Lincoln brings us a great play along opportunity. Mark provides lyrics as well as the chord progression for this play along. He also breaks down key elements such as palm muting, hammer-ons, bending,...
Length: 24:06 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Palm Muting Technique
Lesson 21 is a repeat of lesson 20's content only with a whole new set of chords and techniques. The"chords de jour" will be a little simpler than lesson 20's and will also include a much more in depth...
Length: 20:05 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
About Mark Lincoln
View Full Biography
Mark Lincoln was born in S. California but was raised near Portland Oregon in a town called Beaverton. When he was twelve years old, he began his journey into the realm of the creative by composing poetry and was later published in a journal called "In Dappled Sunlight." He wrote for four years until his older sister blessed him with his first guitar, an old beat-up nylon stringed classical guitar. Mark played that guitar for five years, continuing to compose his own lyrics and starting the process of matching his own words with chords that he was learning on the guitar. He learned to play chords from his friends and from music books that he both bought and borrowed. Mark cited his four biggest influences, at that point at least, as The Who, Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, The Rolling Stones.
Mark cites his most current influences as Radiohead, U2, older music by REM, and Peter Gabriel amongst others. He performs with two acoustic guitars, one being a six-string M-36 Martin with a three-pieced back for increased bass response, and a Guild Twelve-string which is his most recent acquisition. Mark is fond of saying that the twelve-string guitar is better because you get two guitars for the price of one, but he still plays his Martin equally as much and with the same passion.
Mark ended up in Fort Collins Colorado where he currently lives, works as a Marriage and Family Therapist, and continues to write, teach and perform music. He currently performs with a group called "Black Nelson" as well as with a number of other seasoned professional musicians including his cousin David, a virtuoso lead-guitar player. Mark has performed in many of the smaller venues in Denver and Boulder, as well as some of the larger ones including the Fox Theatre, The Boulder Theatre, Herman's Hideaway, and also at The Soiled Dove where he opened for Jefferson Starship as a soloist. Some of Mark's originals are also available for your listening pleasure on MySpace.
Acoustic Guitar Lessons
Our acoustic guitar lessons are taught by qualified instructors with various backgrounds with the instrument.
Nick Amodeo
Nick explains how to play some of the most commonly used chords in the bluegrass genre.
Free LessonSeries Details
Mitch Reed
Mitch teaches his interpretation of the classic "Cannonball Rag." This song provides beginning and intermediate guitarists...
Free LessonSeries Details
Jim Deeming
Jim Deeming discusses how to use a metronome for practice, skill building, and speed building.
Free LessonSeries Details
Orville Johnson
Orville Johnson introduces turnarounds and provides great ideas and techniques.
Free LessonSeries Details
Pamela Goldsmith
Pamela brings a cap to her first 13 JamPlay lessons with another original etude inspired by the great Leo Brouwer. This is...
Free LessonSeries Details
Randall Williams
In this lesson Randall introduces the partial capo (using a short-cut capo by Kyser) and talks about how it can make the...
Free LessonSeries Details
Miche Fambro
Miche introduces several new chord concepts that add color and excitement to any progression.
Free LessonSeries Details
Kaki King
In lesson 6, Kaki discusses how the left and right hands can work together or independently of each other to create different...
Free LessonSeries Details
Trace Bundy
Trace Bundy talks about the different ways you can use multiple capos to enhance your playing.
Free LessonSeries DetailsElectric Guitar Lesson Samples
Our electric guitar lessons are taught by instructors with an incredible amount of teaching experience.
Lisa Pursell
Lisa breaks into the very basics of the electric guitar. She starts by explaining the parts of the guitar. Then, she dives...
Free LessonSeries Details
Emil Werstler
Emil takes you through some techniques that he uses frequently in his style of playing. Topics include neck bending, percussive...
Free LessonSeries Details
DJ Phillips
Learn a handful of new blues techniques while learning to play Stevie Ray Vaughn's "The House Is Rockin'".
Free LessonSeries Details
Eric Madis
In this lesson Eric talks about playing basic lead in the Memphis Blues style.
Free LessonSeries Details
Lauren Passarelli
Lauren Passarelli offers up her wisdom on purchasing a guitar. She also includes information regarding proper setup and care....
Free LessonSeries Details
James Malone
James explains how to tap arpeggios for extended musical reach.
Free LessonSeries Details
Allen Van Wert
Allen shows you the 24 rudiments crucial to developing finger dexterity. This is a short lesson but the exercises here can...
Free LessonSeries Details
Mark Brennan
Mark Brennan teaches this classic rock song by Jethro Tull. Released on the album of the same name in 1971, this song features...
Free LessonSeries Details
Brendan Burns
Brendan demonstrates the tiny triad shapes derived from the form 1 barre chord.
Free LessonSeries Details
Nick Greathouse
Nick starts his series with Alternate Picking part 1. Improve your timing, speed, and execution with this important lesson.
Free LessonSeries DetailsAdditional Lesson Features Available to Members
While we have attempted to provide you with an accurate rendition of our video lesson experience, there are some features which
require a membership with us!
Custom Progress Reporting
At JamPlay, we give you the ability to monitor your own progress for any lesson! If you watch one of our lessons and feel as though you understand around half of it, mark your progress at 50%. This adds the lesson to your customized Progress Report, and gives you an incredible ability to document what you need to work on, and where you left off.
Progressive Bookmarking
With thousands of lessons at your fingertips, JamPlay can be a touch intimidating to a first-time user. With Progressive Bookmarking, we give you the ability to systematically bookmark sections of any lessons you are working on to quickly access later. After all, what is the point of all this content if it isn't easy to use?
Save Your Notes
JamPlay also gives you the ability to leave notes for yourself on any lesson. Just like in any educational system, taking your own notes while learning gives you the ability to highlight the instruction that is important to you. Leave your notes, and we store them in our database for you to reference each and everytime you come back to the lesson.
Join the Thousands of Members at JamPlay
Signup today to enjoy access to our entire database of video lessons, along with our exclusive set of learning tools and features.
Unlimited Lesson Viewing
A JamPlay membership gives you access to every lesson, from every teacher on our staff. Additionally, there is no restriction on how many times you watch a lesson. Watch as many times as you need.Live Lessons
Exclusive only to JamPlay, we currently broadcast 8-10 hours of steaming lesson services directly to you! Enjoy the benefits of in-person instructors and the conveniences of our community.Interactive Community
Create your own profile, manage your friends list, and contact users with your own JamPlay Mailbox. JamPlay also features live chat with teachers and members, and an active Forum.Chord Library
Each chord in our library contains a full chart, related tablature, and a photograph of how the chord is played. A comprehensive learning resource for any guitarist.Scale Library
Our software allows you to document your progress for any lesson, including notes and percent of the lesson completed. This gives you the ability to document what you need to work on, and where you left off.Custom Chord Sheets
At JamPlay, not only can you reference our Chord Library, but you can also select any variety of chords you need to work on, and generate your own printable chord sheet.Backing Tracks
Jam-along backing tracks give the guitarist a platform for improvising and soloing. Our backing tracks provide a wide variety of tracks from different genres of music, and serves as a great learning tool.Interactive Games
We have teachers covering beginner lessons, rock, classic rock, jazz, bluegrass, fingerstyle, slack key and more. Learn how to play the guitar from experienced players, in a casual environment.Beginners Welcome.. and Up
Unlike a lot of guitar websites and DVDs, we start our Beginner Lessons at the VERY start of the learning process, as if you just picked up a guitar for the first time.Our teaching is structured for all players.
Member Comments about this Lesson
Discussions with our instructors are just one of the many benefits of becoming a member of JamPlay.Great comments about the value of singing. I'm just learning this. According to Oliver Sacks MD, the famous neurologist, there is much research to support the medicinal value of music. (See his book "Musicophilia") People with traumatic injuries recover much more quickly when music is involved. Singing is currently being used to help Rep. Gabby Giffords recover her language skills after her traumatic brain injury. And your comments on emotions like anger in song are so true. This really encourages me to work more on vocals no matter how uncomfortable I am with it. Thanks, Mark.
Love this series. When I was in about 8th grade, a music teacher told me that I "could NOT sing at all!". I never sang after that. Now I'd love to be able to sing along with my guitar playing... Thx.
Yes it's terrible when trusted teachers tell us we cant do something...I'm glad you are telling yourself otherwise now! Good luck, Mark
Mark Your lesson series is intriguing. I like to sing American Songbook standards and know scores of them. I learned to read notation and fingerstyle well enough to do easy classical pieces then discovered theguitarguy.com who has 100s of my favorite songs from the 1930/1940's. I started to learn many new chords from that web page and have been acccompanying myself with melodic strumming. theguitarguy.com is strickly chords - no notation - but it is very satisfying to practice with that material. I can switch to my songbooks and play the melodies fingerstyle but it is stilted and simplistic. My goal is to be able to sing and play by combining melodic stumming, fingerstyle melody but enhance it with the fillers and appeggios that are characteristic of 'cocktail piano' Is there a genre for cocktail guitar? I would like to play hospices or my own nursing home - I'm a late starter! Thank you
Hey Gharrington nice to hear from you! I really don't know if there is a specific genre for what you're interested in but it sounds like you've got a pretty good bead on what you want to do with your playing. If you have time, check out my live chats as we cover some of the areas that you're looking at including arpeggios and using licks and runs to complete chord passages. Hope to see you soon! Mark
do I need one of those hats?
Yes, you definitely need a beanie to sing properly!
I've just started to use jamplay. I would love to write my own songs and sing them on the guitar. I'm going through your phase 1 guitar lessons and noticed these and your songwriting lessons too. It will be great to go through the three sets of lessons with the same tutor. Thanks for your hard work, to have private lessons for all of these things would cost thousands of £'s. Cheers mate!
Hey Anthony! It's been great getting to know you and have you as a member on the site! I'm glad you're enjoying the lessons and the live chats as well, see you in the New Year! Mark
Hey Mark - great stuff - had signed myself up for group singing lessons for $189 but luckily found your great lesson set here on JamPlay (where have you been all my life). One minor quibble - is your guitar tuned down a half step in Ch4? - no biggie if it is - but something to watch out for in future to avoid confusion.
Hey MD thanks for writing in! Yes I think I am tuned down in that lesson and thanks for letting me know. Most of the lessons are in standard tuning but there is an occasional one that has half-step down tuning. Thanks for the heads-up though I appreciate it! Mark
Hey Mark just wanted to say thanks for letting me know about this section of lessons and that I could take it in conjuction with your phase 1 lesson set. Can't wait to get deeper into the lessons! Thanks again Mark!
Hey Dave no worries my friend! Just glad I can help you to get your singing/playing skills movin' along! Peace!!Mark
for anyone who wants it this a link to website that gives a free online test to screen for tone deafness http://jakemandell.com/tonedeaf/ its simple to use they play two pieces of music one after the other and have to decide if there the same or diffrent this is repeated a 36 times and then at the end you get your percentage.
I learned some songs on guitar, but when i try to play and sing at the same time, I can't strum the song, I compleatly lose the strum pattern. How can i sing and play at the same time????????????
Hey Jerry thanks for writing in! Many people have the same problem as you where once they start to sing the strum falls apart. One of the ways to improve this facet of your playing is by starting very simply, even perhaps humming while you strum. Start simple and then work your way into singing notes. Have you been checking out my voice and performance series? There's some helpful stuff in there as well. Let me know how you're progressing! Mark
Are you able to play guitar if you're tone deaf?
Hey Strat! I think "true" tone deafness is rare and would probably make learning more difficult but....there are people who are completely deaf who have mastered instruments so I would say that anything is possible even with tone deafness. Thanx for writing! Mark
I'm going to take the leap and try to sing and play at the same time. Presently I play my music abd record it. Then I sing over it. My voice isn't bad; it's actually pretty good. I just can't do both at the same time; I either get lost in the playing or lose words of what I'm singing. i'm going to have to practice enough that they become more automatic. I hope the series will improve my learning curve.
I have been playing guitar and singing in church for a couple years now. I play and sing at the same time. I don't even think about if I am singing in tune and just go with it. I believe this lesson set is going to give me a lot to work on and think about. I am glad to see this series, THANKS.
Is it possible to post your singing series in a podcast? I have an hour drive to work every day and I like to hone my singing skills in the car. If I could download each lessons to my Ipod that would be great.
Hi Method thanks for the interest in my performance series. I don't know the answer to that question though and will have to research it. I'll get back to you!
I would like to be able to sing and play guitar. My goal is to learn a few cover songs and go to an open mic. I can play well enough to do that and I think sing wll enough. But I am really afraid of doing it. It seems silly because an open mic is no big deal.
Hey Stik how are you? I know it can be a daunting and sometimes frightening task to get up and perform in front of people (even an open mic) but think about how small risks often equate with small rewards or even more than small rewards. Open mics are just a way to get your feet wet and everybody, me included, gets nervous about stepping up in front of a crowd of people so relax and enjoy it! Also, sorry if some of the terminology is a little unclear Ill try to clarify better in the future. Thanks for the input! Mark
wow i just found this section for the 1st time
I second what Greeno said. It is good to see this lesson set going up. although I am no real singer I have often thought what is the point of learning to perform if you have no intention of performing. I can hold a tune vocally, with a bit of effort, but playing at the same time, now that is a mystery I would love to have unlocked.
Hey Mav, hopefully I can help to unlock some of those mysteries for you in my performance series. Thanks for writing in! Mark Lincoln
Hey Greeno, I hope the lesson set will help you to become a better singer/performer! Thanks for writing in, Mark Lincoln
Great lesson. This is what makes JamPlay so great.
Hey Mark, what you're offering on this site will be in big demand as new members come along. I just wanted to say, even the late Jim Morrison with The Doors didn't think he could sing when he first started out, he was like Dylan, but Morrison has one of the best voices in rock history, in my opinion. This is an area I've really wanted to learn more about, and I appreciate your lessons tremendously! Thanks, Crisco
Kudos for this lesson set! I'm eagerly looking forward to the rest of the series and any tips you can provide us. Thanks Mark!
Keep it coming. Good Stuff.
JUST WHAT JAMPLAY NEEDED! NICE LESSON
Glad to see this lesson set. I have been singing various types of music (church, rock groups, barbershop, etc) as well as playing guitar most of my life. Doing both is sometimes a daunting task. I hope this set will provide the instruction needed to explore the relationship of the two for the average recreational singer/player. Keep up the good work.