How difficult is playing and singing at the same time?

[kjk]

I can play the piano reasonably, let's say I am able to play the pianopart of Schubert's Erlkonig.
Now comes the difficult part, I don't know if I have the proper voice for singing to begin with. Let's get a few vocal lessons first, but...
how difficult would it be to sing the voice part as well to an acceptable level? This song is probably too difficult to begin with. Most definitely. 'Auf der Bruck' D853 is another song I would like to sing as well, only one player involved there.
I was just wondering to what level this would be possible, perhaps you would have to excel on both levels; an extreme version of multitasking this would be. I will undertake Liszt's version later on in case I have a sore throat (just kidding).

[pianisten1989]

Sorry, but these questions are impossible to answer. Some people just do it (sing and play) without a single problem, and some ppl have to practice a lot before singing the easiest song. So the only thing is to try, and if it works - well, good for you - and if it don't - practise, practise etc.

[beethoven_fan]

Is singing and playing at the same time difficult ? I don't know, but Glenn Gould did it.

[kjk]

I don't think GG is an example to follow, and it indeed depends largely on your personal skills, but I was wondering if there are (amateur) pianists that have done this at a certain level. I've never witnessed it anyway. Standing is the best posture for singing, but that can't be said for playing the piano, and  that is also a reason one doesn't see this combination, but I don't to attempt to reach a professional level in singing anyway.
I'll give the Erlkonig (villain that is) part of the song a go first. That at least should be manageable, but not before my voice has had some fine tuning

[dan101]

The more at ease you are technically in both singing and piano playing, the easier the task is. Because singing and piano techniques are separate skills, the job of self-accompaniment is difficult for most.

As a final thought, moderating the difficulty of piano passages during singing is advisable. Your voice will have an easier time if your not bouncing up and down the keyboard at the same time. Good luck.

[Bob]

It's another part to add in.  Lots of concentrate on.  It's doable.  I found it challenging.  But the voice part is related to everything else usually so there is that.  I found it difficult to read the words.  For the stuff I did, the melody was in the piano part RH, and if it wasn't I would put it in anyway.  That just leaves the bass part.  Not so bad.  But to have to jump down and read the words too?  That's trickier. 

You can learn it as a piece, just like anything else. 

What's tricky is if there are several completely different things going on at once.  Tricky rhythms.  Lines that should be shaped. 

Just try it and find out.  I don't think it hurts at all and will push you in a good way.

[concerto_love]

it's very very very hard!!!! I never can do it!!!

[timothy42b]

It is a skill that few people practice.

I'm not convinced it is anywhere near as hard as, say, playing the pedals with your feet and two different manuals with your hands on the organ.  But you put quite a few hours into practicing organ before you got the hang of that. 

[Yui Vo]

If you have a desire to accomplish the task, you will succeed. I could play a drum beat with my feet, play the piano with my hands and sing with my voice all at the same time. I'm nowhere as good as I'd like to be but it's very fun and I keep on trying. You should too.

[allthumbs]

Elton John is very good at singing and playing the piano. You could ask him

[Bob]

Look closely at what the pop piano-singers are actually playing on the piano.  If it's just chords with rhythm, that's not so difficult.

[Petter]

I´ve always been impressed by Stevie Wonders ability to sing and play patterns at the same time.