Singing & playing... how?

OliverH · #1 09-03-2008, 07:49 PM

I've got a gig coming up in a couple of months, and the guy who was going to be fronting the band has pulled out and it none of our regular contacts can help us out. So the guitarist and I are looking at covering the vocals ourselves.

I'd love to do the vocals but I've never been able to coordinate singing AND playing at the same time - it's one or the other.

Anyone have any tips for how I can get my body cooperating with me? I find it REALLY difficult to do both simultaneously.

gibsonbassist45 · #2 09-03-2008, 07:51 PM

practice. thats all. and you will be golden.

THSL · #3 09-03-2008, 07:54 PM

play the root note of the chord you are playing over, and change notes as the chord changes while you are singing... So you should be playing 1 note per chord change, and when you get more familiar with the song, you can start doing quarter notes and stuff... Once you memorize it, it's just muscle memory...

BillySid · #4 09-03-2008, 07:55 PM

I too find it troublesome, but as the only backup vocalist in the band...I have had to learn. As stated before, the best way is to just practice it over and over. I'll slap on the phones and hum the vocal part when playing the bass line. Then I will gradually move into singing it and it begins to come second nature. Just repeating it over and over will get it down.

JimmyM · #5 09-03-2008, 08:24 PM

Get the music part down until it's second nature, then gradually work the vocal in. It'll take a little time at first, but the more you do it, the easier it gets.

Kalango · #6 09-04-2008, 10:39 AM

here.

OliverH · #7 09-04-2008, 05:20 PM

Thanks for the responses, I tried some songs out last night and I'm making some progress! Hopefully I can learn a couple of sets by November.

mrkreuzschlitz · #8 09-04-2008, 05:32 PM

I had a tough time with it, but you just gotta get where you can play without thinking too much about it.

Try doing random rhythms on one note and sing something. Just keep trying, its not that hard after a while.

bassist 4 life · #9 09-13-2008, 01:11 PM

i have an acoustic guitar at home, and i find it much easier to play chords and sing then play bass and sing. its kind of weird. im trying to practice this too, its a pain in the butt >.>