Learning how to sing......

[Chili]

hey all, i really want to learn how to sing, i just wonna be able to get good enough to do backing vocals, then see how things go from there, i have no experiance with singing but really like listening to good singing and wish i could, i've been trying to go along with scales and stuff when i play bass but i dunno if this is effective in anyway, can anyone give me any advice to get started? i'm thinking about getting singing lessons but i dont want to start lessons with no experiance at all.

[wiro]

About a year ago I started singing and found out that it's easier to do the lead rather than do backings.
By doing so you can devellop your own weaknesses into strength.
If you do backings than you have to sing everything exactly in tune and rhythm. Doing the lead you have more freedom to do it your way.
A good instructor is Cathrine Sadolin:
http://www.sadolin.net/uk/index.html
She wrote a good book (CD with sound samples included):
"Complete Vocal Technique".

A good way to get a grip is to learn to play the melody on your bass:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuCajiXZCFg

Have fun.

[fendsboy417]

As wiro said, lead is much easier than backing. Way back when, before my band, I would sing the lead vocals to songs like everyone else would, so having that experience helps, as well as knowing the lyrics to songs you may have to do backing vocs for. But now I do the backing vocals for my band.
As for learning to sing, Cathrine Sadolin's book is good, also mentioned by wiro.

[Chili]

thx, i've been transcribing singing from songs onto bass to get a better idea about melodies, ill try that book, do you have to exercise your voice in anyway, i've never sung before and i'm not good at it at all lol

[rfclef]

I can sing pretty well... My bass playing is getting better...

BUT

The ability to do both eludes me.

[Rune Bivrin]

I come to this from the opposite direction, so to speak. I started singing in earnest twenty years ago, and picked up the bass little over a year ago. And let me tell you a very simple thing: Getting good at singing works the same way as getting good at playing bass (or swimming, cooking or kissing). You have to practice. A lot.

I used to put on an album of some music I liked, and sing along to it. First I'd take a few not so challenging songs, key-wise, and then I'd ramp it up. Back then I did a lot if Elvis Costello and Paul McCartney. "Punch the clock" and "Tug Of War". The idea of this was to try to get as close as possible to Elvis or Paul, and since they have a range which is above me, I'd have to stretch.

I'm a natural low bass singer. Elvis is a baritone, and Paul of course is the consummate rock tenor, so I'd push quite hard at times. Quite often I'd sing counter melodies to practice coming up with backing vocals easily.

This worked for me, but I wish I'd taken a few vocal lessons as well. Might have made the top notes a little more comfortable.

Breathing technique is paramount, as is warming up. But those alone will not matter one iota if you can't hit the pitch accurately.

[Rune Bivrin]

Originally Posted by rfclef

I can sing pretty well... My bass playing is getting better...

BUT

The ability to do both eludes me.

I thought that was pretty much undoable. However, I found myself just forced to do it. What has helped me no end is learning the bass without looking.

My theory is that frees up a lot of the brain that works with eye-to-hand-coordination.

Now, some songs are really difficult. "Roxanne" by Police. "Don't chain my heart" by Toto. There are probably lots more. Don't let that get you down. Practice more!

[lemur821]

If you're going to be singing high in your range (which you probably will) you should know that it's important to start switching to falsetto on the lowest notes you can. Don't do it all at once either. I think this is the most important thing to know when you're trying to get started on your own.

EDIT: so don't try to avoid it like falsetto is some kind of "last resort". You'll sound as bad as James Blunt.

[The_D]

I cant believe no-one has mentioned our very own Jive1's guide to singing as a bassist

Bassist's Guide to Singing

I am in the same boat as you mate. I feel the band I am in at the moment could do with a bit more backing vocals and am trying to learn. Its not easy I fumble a lot of notes and it seems to be throwing me off. I have never sung live yet but am working on it.

I know that your average drunken local in a pub wont notice the odd fluffed note but I do and it bugs me. I am screwing up less at practice so a bit more practice at home and I should be there.

Definitely read through Jives thread though lots of good advice there.

[Blueszilla]

Originally Posted by fendsboy417

As wiro said, lead is much easier than backing.

I wish that were the case for me. I have done backing vox/harmonies in almost every band I've been in, but never did the lead until about a year ago. Now I do 10 or 12 tunes as lead vocalist, but it's harder than doing the harmonies, but that's just my take. Maybe it's because I started with the harmony parts first.

I'll agree that the best way to improve is through repetition. Do it a lot and then do it some more...

Ever heard of the Liberator?

[simion stranger]

I just went to see a guy about singing lessons. The advice he gave me was that I was concentrating too much on my bass playing to concentrate on my singing.
He suggested using backing tracks to sing along with. So that’s what I'm doing.
I record myself playing bass and then sing along to the recording. I can then concentrate entirely on my singing until I get the result I am after...
practice the song on the bass lots, ( like "Rune Bivrin" has said above, learn your bass so you don't need to look at what your playing, It's a big threshold to step over but possible with practice and rewarding too & it makes all the difference to singing at the same time.)
When your happy with your bass and voice skills put them both together.
EASY lol