A rising request for students in an in home music lesson in Baltimore is to learn how to sing and play guitar or piano at the same time.  As a teacher who has the exact same interest as a teenager, I can relate to why: with singing and accompaniment combined, you have created a multi-layer piece that sounds full and complete.  The singing part is the melody/tune of the piece, and the accompaniment provides a musical foundation for the melody.  Also, many pop songs can be performed or adapted to piano and guitar with voice, and most students enjoy playing songs with which they are familiar.  A student at any level past the introductory stages of learning an instrument can start incorporating singing and playing, usually after several months to a year of taking lessons.

Different Types of Accompaniment

The type of accompaniment best suited for a student at their current level depends on the genres and types of notation they have studied thus far.  If the student is most comfortable with traditional notation, or are still using the first few levels of method books, singing can be incorporated with reading fully notated music.  The more advanced the student, the more advanced the notated part can be, even including the full written version of a song that is performed by an artist.
If a student has been studying chord accompaniments through reading lead sheets, an accompaniment part can be a scalable, simple to advanced improvisation, depending on the student’s level of comfort.  This can range from singing along with root position chords on piano or guitar for beginning students, or expand to more complex keyboard and guitar figurations that include inversions for more advanced students.  Whatever the student’s level, if there is an interest in learning to sing and play at the same time during an in home music lesson Baltimore, it can be incorporated and serve as a great motivator.

Genres That Can Be Explored with Singing & Playing

Any popular style can be tailored to guitar and keyboard accompaniment.  Certain songs will have their limitations, but with a little creativity, an in home music lesson Baltimore teacher can aid in adapting a song for a student.  However, there are other genres that can also be explored easily, which include musical theater songs and even classical pieces.  Especially on piano, if a student also studies voice, he or she could go so far as to learn to accompany their classical repertoire pieces while singing.

How to Get Started Singing & Playing

Some helpful tips for the teacher include making sure that songs selected by the student are within their voice range and playing ability.  Personally (especially if studying a pop music) I like to use songs that can be kept in the same key as the recording, so that when a student is practicing and listening to the original version, the two can translate well and not be confusing for the student.
Another tip is to make sure that both the singing and accompaniment parts are well-prepared individually before challenging a student to do both at the same time.  It is very true that doing both simultaneously makes the singing and playing components more challenging, as attention must be divided between the two.  The end goal is to reach a point where the student is able to have a natural, undistracted flow and musical communication between both parts.  A great way for the teacher to help the student achieve this fluency is to take turns accompanying and filling in the voice parts for them as they practice the opposite melody or accompaniment.  Not only is this beneficial to the student’s end result, it is also a fun way to practice with a student during an in home music lesson Baltimore.

Conclusion  

Many students enjoy learning to sing while playing guitar or piano, and this study can serve as an excellent motivator during lessons.  It is open to all genres and most levels of playing after the basics of an instrument have been established.  From rock to country to classical repertoire, this goal can be quite broad as far as level of difficulty is concerned, but a great in home music lesson Baltimore teacher can customize the experience to each individual student and bring fun into weekly lessons.
To get started with in home music lessons Baltimore,contact us, and have a great instructor come to you! Our teachers will come right to your home for every lesson, plus we offer virtual music lessons, too. However, our online music lessons are being taught by local music teachers with live lessons tailored to your child! Contact us today to learn more.