Slapping and singing
 

Didn't know where to put this so here it goes.

In my band we play mostly originals, but we throw in 2 or 3 covers each show. Some of the main covers we do is Can't Stop by RHCP, and take the power back by Rage.

The problem comes with the fact that I'm the lead singer!

I can sing and play at the same time but i am finding it incredibly difficult to stay on time while slapping and singing at the same time.

So far what I've been doing is every time i get off is to stop, wait a bar, then come back in.

Any of you guys have to slap n sing? I'm finding it to be a very fun and intense challenge! Really enjoying the challenge, especially playing and singing/rapping the RATM songs.

Also finding that while i slap and sing I don't really breathe properly, causing me to be stuck at some parts with no air left haha.

Any techniques you guys use to sing and play at the same time? So far I've been basically learning the bass part till it's second nature as I'm better at bass then i am at singing but with slapping it's been much harder to do that.

Learn some Level 42 -- Mark King was/is the lead singer and bass player, and he is a much better player than Flea or the guy from RATM. Not dissing Flea, btw, I really like him.

I really like level 42 Mark king can groove like no ones business, definitely will learn some of their stuff. Wouldn't fit with the music my band plays however.

Reason we play RHCP and RATM is our audience seems to always know all the words and they usually get the crowd nice and riled up, then we hit them with the originals.

I was discussing this with a friend the other day. I'm often called on to sing and play, and sometimes the lead vocal is tossed my way.

I usually cue the song up and run through it a couple of times with my bass and a lyric sheet, focussing on the rhythmic differences between what im singing and what my hands are doing (it's very easy to fall into the trap of singing the bassline instead of the melody too...). Generally I make a note of the parts i really stuffed up, loop them, and practice those bits on their own...then try the whole song again. It sometimes helps to be methodical about learning to do this, as for some of us it doesn't come easy. I liken it to learning a drumkit...it helps to regard each part as separate in order to bring them together.

Hope that helps a bit....

Just woodshed the crap out of it. That's what I do. You gotta train yourself to sing and funk the bass independently.

You could try "Turn it On", a track on Level 42's first album. It has a simple melody, steady tempo and a rhythmically sparse bassline.

Don't try the live versions though, they get a bit fast...

http://youtu.be/LTIDNG0kOFc

For example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DL6AlGivH88

...that's what I wanted to say....:smug:

RHCP is definitely good stuff, and I am a huge fan of the older stuff -- up until Mother's Milk!

+1

Sometimes you just gotta say what needs to be said. ;)

Not that easy on Talkbass. Very easy to get shot down...

Larry Graham had an XLR jack installed above the pick guard on his bass to mount a podium snake mic for vocals.

I know he can pull it off, but if I tried that, my bandmates would laugh me off the stage.

Eh, I've never been one to have a lot of friends :)

LOL!

I know what you mean, plus I'd feel stupid staring at my bass the whole song. Would make interacting with the crowd very difficult.

Larry Graham is a good one to watch for singing while slapping http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipjTvRe7-Zg (I like it from about 2:00 in) .... although that wouldn't help with those covers.

Larry Graham does it like it's as natural as breathing - incredible!