Tone deaf singer

[Mr L]

So I have been playing bass and guitar for about 5 years, 4 years in my church. Currently in 2 all originals bands.

My one originals band is instrumental so no problems finding a singer.

My main band is a 3 piece punk-ish band, the problem arose that our singer is moving out of the province. I've been tasked with singing as i have a good rock voice (at least they tell me) and everyone else hates singing.

I've sang about a dozen times in my experience playing in church and I've never gotten any compliments, or any negative responses towards it.

My problem is i am so flat! My voice can't seem to go up and down unless i am super focused on just singing and then my bass playing dies. It may seem a little Axl like to say it but some days my singing is just bad and i won't even try, like i can't carry a tune at all. Other days I can sing easily, but usually it's just I'm very flat unless i focus really hard and go way over the top.

So fellow members of TB, should i just give up and stop singing? I do enjoy singing and playing bass, i just feel like I'm really terrible.

What would your suggestions be to helping my flat tone deaf-ness?

[mellowinman]

You are probably not tone-deaf.

You are probably lacking in control. Practice, practice practice! Practice singing without playing bass, and slowly work in singing while playing bass. It takes a lot of effort to sing well.

[MarkMgibson]

It's just a lack of experience with singing. I don't sing lead, but when I first stared singing harmonies, I had trouble singing and playing at the same time - it got easy over time.

I know the "tone deaf" comment was just an expression, but just a bit of trivia here - true tone deafness is extremely rare. I met a tone deaf person once, and they spoke much like a deaf person; absolutely no sense of tonal inflection in his voice whatsoever.

[BassChuck]

Few people are truely "tone-deaf". If you were, you would not have been interested in music enough to start playing an instrument. Singing in tune is another matter. Usually the problem is trying to do too many things at once (like playing an instrument and singing). Work with just your voice. Match pitches with an instrument that plays in your vocal range. Use a recording device to check your work. It may take some time. Keep working and be patient.

[Kmonk]

I don't think its a question of being tone deaf. Some people just have the ability to sing better than others and can hear their own voice better than other people can. I have no trouble doing harmonies because I can use the lead singer as a reference point but I have a hard time singing solo.

[Axtman]

Tone deaf singer? Don't you sing in my band?

Try one of these:
http://www.rolandus.com/products/details/1250/525

http://www.roland.com/video/page.cfm?id=266863922002

I have not used one personally but has seen them demonstrated and they look really useful.