Sing what you play and play what you sing

There’s a video of Guthrie Govan talking about George Benson, and he says that George Benson was asked in an interview about his soloing. George Benson often sings and solos on guitar at the same time. The person asked him if he was playing what he was singing or singing what he was playing and his answer was, “Yes.”

He was thinking of a musical idea and using two different means to communicate that idea. He was using his voice to express the musical idea and the guitar.

But the idea was first in his head. He just used two different instruments to play it at the same time.

I always liked this idea and would often joke with a friend of mine, who’s a piano player about this. Thinking of a musical idea and then figuring it out on your instrument creates a solo that often sounds more melodic and vocal because you have to think of an idea that you’ll be able to play. You’ll be thinking more musically because your fingers won’t be on auto pilot.

It can be difficult if you’ve never done this before because you might not be able to figure out the line quickly enough.

But give yourself some practice in thinking of lines and playing them, or start with simple lines, and you’ll soon be able to play more complicated lines on your instrument.

The more you do this the more easily you’ll be able to think of lines and the more easily you’ll be able to communicate them.

Another great way to practice this is by actually singing what you’re playing and playing what you’re singing. Try to be George Benson for a little bit. Sing and solo at the same time. It’ll force you to think of an idea that you fully understand because you’ll notice right away whether or not you’re singing and playing the same thing.

It’s a great exercise to work on ear training because in order to sing and play the same thing you’ll need to know, intuitively, what scale degrees and notes you’re playing. You’ll also need to know where those notes are on your instrument.

ISJ