Any Singers??

ehinkley · #1 08-31-2007, 07:58 AM

I've been playing bass for awhile, but have been a singer longer. Though I'm just fine doing one or the other, I've always had coordination problems while doing both at the same time. I would imagine there's nothing that can be done about that other than practice, but wondered if anyone else out there has experienced some of the same difficulties, and if so, would any of you have suggestions?

funkybassinator · #2 08-31-2007, 08:04 AM

just keep practicing the riff till you you can do it while sleeping. or singing for that matter

ehinkley · #3 08-31-2007, 08:08 AM

Thank you. That's kind of what I figured. It's really a rythm thing with me. I instictively want to sing the same rythms that I'm playing.

James Casey · #4 08-31-2007, 08:12 AM

It is indeed a matter of practice; there are a few things you can do.

1. Make the bass line simpler (can be a pity, though).

2. Change the positions you're playing notes to make it easier for your fingers to move around without glancing at them every now and then.

3. Working slowly on both bass line and vocal line, identify points where you play a note and sing a note at the same time and use those occasions as the hooks to hang the structure of your approach on. It comes down to a question of being at home with the knowledge that bit of the song goes, "play, play, sing/play, sing, play, play, sing/play' etc. Start to think of it not as the bass line and the vocal line, but one thing, composed of the two elements.

You can't overvalue slowing things down to truly work them out.

RickenBoogie · #5 08-31-2007, 08:12 AM

Bass is, imo, the hardest instrument to play while singing. I read once, that Geddy Lee spent hours a day, weeks on end, learning the bass lines, before attempting to add vocals on top. Very difficult. I have trouble just doing backing vocals, and my basslines get quite elementary when I do.

ehinkley · #6 08-31-2007, 08:20 AM

I was actually going to ask if that was the opinion of others, that the bass is harder to sing with in comparison to keys, drums, etc... I've actually played both keys and drums and sung at the same time and it did feel so much easier. Even rythm guitarists who sing - it would appear to me that it would be easier than bass. I simply feel that the role the bass takes on is so multi-dimensional and that's one reason it's a little more challenging.
I will definitely take that approach suggested - slowing things down and trying to look at it as one element. That makes sense.

need4mospd · #7 08-31-2007, 08:42 AM

I play bass, guitar, and keys as well as singing. Bass is the hardest to sing along with for me. But if you can sing, and you can play bass, you should be able to do both at the same time. A few months ago I couldn't do it at all, but I got thrown into doing a few backups and eventually I was expected to take on some leads. I've got a few lead vocals down while on bass now, and backups are almost second nature on some songs. I have to practice a LOT more, but it gets there. Just make a habit of practicing doing both, even on songs you aren't expected to sing on.

ehinkley · #8 08-31-2007, 08:50 AM

Thanks for that. Yes, I am planning on putting more time into it. I have a tendency to get frustrated quickly, so I just have to move past that.

ehinkley · #9 08-31-2007, 12:48 PM

I think one of the most phenomenal bass players I've ever seen sing and play at the same time, and do some pretty cool stuff all the while, is Level 42's Mark King. I remember thinking how amazing that guy was back in the 80s.

JimmyM · #10 08-31-2007, 09:04 PM

Every once in a while I get something tough to sing and play at the same time. If I'm in a crunch and have to play and sing something immediately, I just simplify my part until I get it together. Otherwise you just have to practice until you get it.

Fishbrain · #11 09-01-2007, 04:03 AM

i sing the heavier shoutier parts of our songs so they are more riff based which can be very tricky as the riffs are fast and complicated and our vocals are very irregular and off time. when i learn i play the riff to death first and then get our other singer to sing the way its meant to be over what I'm playing, once you can hear it in your head its a lot easier to do both together

olalo · #12 09-02-2007, 08:01 PM

i also sing/play at the same time...and it's quite an adventure...eventually you HAVE to practice, even if the bass line is simple as hell...the fact is that practice gets the sound of bass+voice to stick in your head and then you are able to do both without any problem...

that doesn't help the suckiness out of my playing or my singing though...

and also, i have this theory, maybe (in my opinion at least) singing backup while playing can get still more difficult due to the fact that you have to armonize with the lead singer and get the timing for the lyrics as syncronyzed with the lead as you can WHILE you play the rights note at the right time...sure seems harder to me...

John Wentzien · #13 09-02-2007, 08:16 PM

I didn't start out as a singer. I just didn't suck as bad as the other guys in the band. You are right- it is difficult--- a lot of bass lines are off-beat to the melody. I've been doing this for 35 years +! After a while you kind of develope a separate "Left Brain- Right Brain" thing. Learn the bass part 'till you are sick of it . Luckily I have a guitarist that can sing half of the tunes in my band now.