Help - singing and playing at the same time?!?

[sublimebpp]

Hey, I just needed to ask everyone for some help about singing and playing at the same time. When I try to sing when I play I end up either screwing up my bass part, or forgetting to sing. I think the problem is that I try to concentrate on one of the other too much and it doesnt even out. Also I have ADD. Does anyone have any tips or advice for my problem? Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks a lot everyone. Bye!!:0)

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Love,
Nick Wayser
AOL - sublimebpp
sublimebpp@hotmail.com
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[nanook]

It is a hard thing to do. There are very few who can do justice to both. Sting sings good but plays for chit.

I'm no McCartney fan but he is one of the few who can do both well at the same time. There are others, so it is not impossible.

Thank goodness I can't sing.

[Chris A]

Singing and playing is just like everything else, it just takes practice. Practice each of them separately and then try them together. When I have a really hard tune(one where the syncopations in each part are very different) I practice the bass part while "singing" the vocal part in my head. Then I practice singing the vocal while "playing" the bass part in my head. There are also a couple of other threads on this topic a bit further down the forum, both of them have quite a few replies, so if my advice doesn't work for you, try checking them out.

Chris A.

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"I have all my own teeth!"--Jenn Scott Poulin

[Licketysplit]

Try simplifying the line to match the vocals. Also BassPlayer did a cover story on singing and playing not to long ago, it helped a lot. McCartney's on the cover. And Lastly-
Practice,Practice,Practice,Practice...

[Bill Brasky]

I remember in a Les Claypool interview he's talking about how he practices singing and playing at the same time (and he's doing some pretty complex stuff sometimes while he's also singing). He said that he practices the bass part until he can play it without thinking about it, like he can watch tv or concentrate on something else and keep playing the bass part. Like someone mentioned above, you could also try humming or just thinking the lyrics in your head while you're playing at first. I guess, you pretty much just have to practice both parts to death, and then put them together (slowly at first) and then bring it up to the speed you need to. If you have to do it a lot, I'm sure it would get easier over time. Good luck.

[Trent-35]

I've been in an interesting position lately, a gig that requires i play 30 some different songs every week of which 2 i sing. Since the whle band get the material for the upcoming show 1 week in advance, and then does a rehersal the afternoon of the show, i usually do 1 and sometimes 2 songs i've never done before every week with naturally varying results. I'm alot more of a player then a singer anyhow, but i know how to "sell" a song and don't do songs a vocally can't do. I have alot of charisma and learned a long time ago that in show biz "cheese" will take you a long, long ways. I don't tend to simplify the bass lines when i sing, but my playing does tend to go on "auto pilot" while singing, so i guess it does drop off a little, but not much cuz i'm hard on myself and do listen closely to the board tapes when available.
It is hard to sing and play a song you've never done before and not let the audience know it. I hate when someone says "folks, i haven't done this song before" To me, that's just somehow unprofessional. I guess it's the never let em see ys sweat mentality i have. There have been a few times when i've forgotten the words or made a mistake on a new song and when that happens, the wole thing tends to go to pot to me, i tend to lose both for a second. A LONG second. I do practice the songs some during the week, but to me it's always alot different, esp singing, on stage with the band cuz i sing so much louder there than i do in my apartment. It surprises me what songs come off as hard to play and sing. Somethings with a really fast and busy run are strangely easier to play and sing then a sparse bass song at times. Other times it's exactly the opposite. Just depends on the "cadence" of the song i guess. There's been a few times that i was really struggling to play and sing one and felt like i really pulled something off when it was over. Plus i emcee the show, so there isn't much time to think about it afterwards. lol Another thing about singing and playing on new songs for me is on songs i've been doing for years, i learn some little vocal licks that sound "cool" and cover the fact that i'm really not a singer's singer. On the new ones, i just have to kinda lay it out there, alot of times the 3rd time thru the chours at the show i'll hear something in my head to try on vocals and try it and see if it flies or not and if i like it, try to remember it the next time the song comes around. Guess i've babbled enough here huh? Trent

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Keep it country!

[Scok]

I got a hold of an 8 trk and miced up may band as we jamed. Then I just put the 8 trk through a PA, turned off the bass and vocals and did them myself.

It alowed me to play live with my band any time I wanted and could practice until my hearts content (with no bitching!). I practiced everyday until I could do it, then practiced more. Now I can make up vocal lines on the spot to new tunes. It's all a mater of co-ordination, like learning to move your hand and feet in opposing directions on drums.

I really recommend doing this to anyone who wants to sing and play, it speeds up the procces alot!

Good Luck

[tekmage]

Looks like it was the February 2000 issue of Bass Player: http://www.bassplayer.com/z2000/0002/index.shtml