Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Do you play and sing simultaneously?

For some reason, I get the feeling that classical pianists don't do much singing, unless lyrics has been made for a classical piece, like Beethoven's Ode To Joy (with Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee).

Do you play and sing at the same time?
Does singing make playing easier, harder, more fun, etc.?

I notice some music have lyrics with piano accompaniment, while other music have vocals but no separate vocal treble clef staff. First of all, is there a formal term to describe the two different types of music sheets? And which type do you play, if you sing?

I don't sing along, but my teacher does, big time. Anything he's playing for the first time he sings and hums. No words needed, just a lot of singing. He's not a great singer, (very accurate, but little resonance) and knows it, but that does not slow him down at all. It seems to really help him sight read the piece.

Sometimes if I'm leading the choir, I will do my best to play the accompaniment and sing one of the parts. Not an easy thing to do at all but most choral pieces have a decent amount of doubling.

There are lots of classical songs with piano accompaniment by composers ranging from Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert etc to....... the present day.

I do sing and accompany myself occasionally. Something like this :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdmoxlqQQ4c

I had a teacher that was very picky about how she wanted me to learn Bach pieces. She would have me learn every line so I could sing it on solfege. Then I'd have to play and sing in different variations. So I would play 1 line and sing another line. Or play 2 lines and sing the third line. Or play one line, sing, another line, and tap the rhythm of the third line...etc. I learned pieces very well like this.

I have an annoying habit of humming along, specially during more tense sections...

at least I'm not recording like Gould

Never never never. My singing voice is massively worse than my playing, which is mediocre at best.... ;-)

Rehearsing with a singer/pianist taking voice lessons can be contentious!

Singer/pianist: "If you don't play like I want, I'll just accompany myself!"

Moi: "Well then, have at it!"

Here's my favorite performance of a composer-singer-pianist, obviously enjoying himself in a way which he couldn't if he had to kowtow to a singer or pianist :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10pqluMwgXQ

?

Oops! Wrong link!

This is the one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10pqluMwgXQ

yes.

Seems like one's playing has to go on "auto-pilot."

Lyrics??!!?? I just Ls La La along with the music. I love to hear the resonance of the notes in my body, along with what I'm playing. Sometimes I sing along with the melody, sometimes the bass, or something in between. On tricky rhythmic spots, I'll sing the counting. 1 and uh 2 and uh 3 and.... It really helps me get the rhythm right.

Classical singing is quite demanding as itself so I think it's no wonder few people would actually try to accompany themselves in such music. I also find it difficult to sing while sitting down. Singing helps me a lot while learning my pieces and I sing them or parts of them a lot while not at the piano. But I could never properly sing aloud while playing. The parts of my brain dedicated to those two activities just cannot seem to function at the same time. I do sing in my head though, with or without lyrics, also often the counting as the above poster. But if I try to sing aloud I forget to play. I guess I could manage something like Gould, but prefer not to...

Yes, I sing & play at the same time when I'm playing for church, as I'm often the lead cantor. I'm not a trained singer, but people seem to like my voice, so I do it.

Hmm no, I find it makes it more difficult to listen fully to what you're actually doing. I sing plenty away from the piano, though.. I mean try.. you must (or conduct it, etc, something)... at least for me, it helps me internalize everything I'm playing.

Yes both sing along with the melody as singing other lines as counterpoint. Also sometimes try to sing real text but usually that does not work well. Humming seems easier than reading both text and music at the same time

It's the wrong genre for that. Check out the Pop recital in June in the ABF.

"Does singing make playing easier, harder, more fun, etc.?"

Mostly harder ... can be more fun.

That's how I study my choral music. Play all parts but one, and sing the missing part.

Yes, most of the time when practicing, unless there are people around. (Mercy rule)
Mostly melody, buy also just humming the harmony. No words usually, just nonsense la-la-la's.
Sometimes sing counting. Sometimes other voices, especially Bach.

It helps me internalize the music. I find it neither hard nor easy, requiring some effort to stay with it, but basically feeling pretty natural... at least to me. My teacher encourages it.