Just finished an hour long virtual lesson with a student. The first half-hour we worked on a song he is working up. The second half-hour we began working on Blackberry blossom. He has been working with me on the G Major scale, so Black Berry Blossom is essentially an Etude in the key of G. He was struggling with it a bit, so I asked him to close his eyes. I played it for him, and then asked him to sing the first phrase back to me… which he did. So I asked him to sing it WHILE he played the first phrase… and he played the first 4 measures - slowly - nearly perfect, singing and playing it at the same time. The improvement was almost instantaneous. Sing what you play, play what you sing… there is magic there, folks.
Sing what you play... play what you sing
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Sorry to reveal your intermediate level lesson, moving on… (sounds like you already revealed it…) 
Sing while you play, play while you sing.
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The most important music lesson ever for me.
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I agree. Yes, you have to practice separately first before doing it together. Especially when rhythm beats go in a different direction than melody. Some sing parts while they play and that makes it even more difficult. For example, Joseph Larson sings and plays rock of ages… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipOVmv23qlQ
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Jens Kruger ( a banjo player I greatly admire) says the same thing, a lot!
So I’m trying to do it, but my singing skills are two steps behind my banjo skills, which are still in their infancy. I’m not even sure what key is my key for singing. I have a naturally deep voice, and can usually hit all six notes of an octave. (wink, wink).
When I start thinking I’ll never hit those high notes, I go and listen to John Hartford. He couldn’t hit those high notes, either, but that didn’t stop him from singing!
“Don’t leave your records in the sun-uh-un! They’ll warp and they won’t be good for any one.”
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Oh… I get it … I am referring to singing the exercises that you play on the guitar while you play them. You’re talking about singing the lyrics while you play the song.
For example, I will sing the guitar solo Ben has Tabbed out while I play it on my guitar. Singing single-note exercises while you play them is INCREDIBLE ear and voice training.
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Great tip! I’ve heard Tommy Emmanuel do this a ton… everything just seems so natural when he plays.
Seems like at that level, you’re no longer “playing the guitar”… you’re just communicating with it it exactly how you would use your voice to communicate. Like an extra appendage… you just think and it plays.
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I think I see what you mean. Gotto try it…