Bass/drum/guitar trios with guitarists as vocalists

[champbassist]

I'm in such a situation right now. I'm looking for a few examples of such bands to understand how to make such stuff work. The only one I can think of right now is Muse (and King's X when Ty does vocals). More such examples?

[Bozendoka]

Off the top of my head:
Nirvana
Sublime
Green Day
Everclear
ZZ Top

[boris]

Jimi Hendrix Experience
Gov't Mule
Cream
Back Door Slam
John Mayer Trio
Sublime
Los Lonely Boys
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble

[EricssonB]

Queens of the Stone Age, oh and Them Crooked Vultures.

[EricssonB]

Oh and I think Smashing Pumpkins were big at one point. I think that guy sung, too.

[champbassist]

Originally Posted by Bozendoka

Off the top of my head:
Nirvana
Sublime
Green Day
Everclear
ZZ Top

I feel dumb Should've remembered those.

Originally Posted by EricssonB

Oh and I think Smashing Pumpkins were big at one point. I think that guy sung, too.

In their heyday, they were a four piece, AFAIK.

[Stingray89]

Chevelle and ZZ Top

[D.M.N.]

The Jimi Hendrix Experience
James Gang
Wolfmother
Grand Funk Railroad

[omnimutant]

I'm looking for a few examples of such bands to understand how to make such stuff work.

My old band was like that. What is it your trying to fix? Is the Guitarist not singing while he's playing? Confused I guess at what your asking about how to make it work...

[champbassist]

Originally Posted by omnimutant

My old band was like that. What is it your trying to fix? Is the Guitarist not singing while he's playing? Confused I guess at what your asking about how to make it work...

It's actually about what kind of guitar lines are feasible for the guitarist to be able to play and sing at the same time. I know you're thinking that if he's proficient enough, he should be able to play anything and sing anything simultaneously, but he's new to this role. Maybe I should have asked for examples where the bands' compositions are relatively simple.

[Rune Bivrin]

Originally Posted by champbassist

It's actually about what kind of guitar lines are feasible for the guitarist to be able to play and sing at the same time. I know you're thinking that if he's proficient enough, he should be able to play anything and sing anything simultaneously, but he's new to this role. Maybe I should have asked for examples where the bands' compositions are relatively simple.

In most of the cases the guitar doesn't play "lines" while there's singing going on. It's usually chugging power chords or strumming regular chords, though the chord work doesn't have to be simple. Some do short licks between the vocal lines. Guitar is close enough in range and timbre to the human voice that they easily clash if they're both prominent at the same time.

[champbassist]

Originally Posted by Rune Bivrin

In most of the cases the guitar doesn't play "lines" while there's singing going on. It's usually chugging power chords or strumming regular chords, though the chord work doesn't have to be simple.

I was actually thinking of stuff like picking arpeggios while singing and how to coordinate picking and singing.

Also, I've been examining lots of bassist/vocalists lately, so I guess I have that kind of a mindset (lines + vocals). Looks like it isn't without reason bass playing with singing is considered more challenging than playing guitar and singing

[JEDI BASS]

My biggest issue w/ bands like you're talking about, is that some lack a lot of the visual entertainment element that (unless you've got a great light-show) you need a dynamic frontman to get.

I've watched great 3 piece groups totally lose the crowd simply because the singer/guitarist is anchored to a stationary microphone.... Chevelle comes to mind. Hated it for them since they have always sounded phenomenal.

Not saying that you can't be visually captivating as a singer/guitarist, just don't see it very much these days.

[Rune Bivrin]

Originally Posted by champbassist

I was actually thinking of stuff like picking arpeggios while singing and how to coordinate picking and singing.

Also, I've been examining lots of bassist/vocalists lately, so I guess I have that kind of a mindset (lines + vocals). Looks like it isn't without reason bass playing with singing is considered more challenging than playing guitar and singing

Well, arpeggios and singing aren't really that difficult. When you break them down they tend to be 1/8-notes over static chords, and the complexity will be in the motion pattern of the picking hand. This is something that any reasonably adept guitar player will have come to grips with simply because it's just not feasible to rely on the eyes for that coordination. I do it on a 12-string guitar without issues, and don't consider myself a very sophisticated guitar player.