- Apr 1, 2000
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Bassist's Guide to Singing
- Thread starter jive1
- Start date
Ha ! I meant that it's been long over due that I focus on backups. My excuse has always been that I'm a lower range baritone and most backups are higher harmonies above the lead vocalist. I've always tried to be in bands that have backups covered but it hasn't always worked that way.
Most probably won't make it to this far down in this mega thread, but I've always struggled with "brain lockup" on harmonies / lead vocal during busy bass passages and discovered something recently that really works great for me.
I take the busy passage and set it up to loop in my audio editor then just practice a couple of lines or chorus at a time for about a hundred passes. This was about an hour of practice time... a lot more than I usually need to put in for a song.
At first I was frustrated and worried I'd never get it, but kept on and just focused on trying to fix one word or botched note at a time until I eventually was getting everything right most of the time on each time. The stunning realization happened two days later when I got another chance to practice: my brain just seemed to handle the part I'd already practiced with almost no effort!
For me, it felt like that first time you realize you're actually riding your bicyle on your own without Dad holding on.
Perserverance, patience, and taking it in small bits at a time really does work.
I take the busy passage and set it up to loop in my audio editor then just practice a couple of lines or chorus at a time for about a hundred passes. This was about an hour of practice time... a lot more than I usually need to put in for a song.
At first I was frustrated and worried I'd never get it, but kept on and just focused on trying to fix one word or botched note at a time until I eventually was getting everything right most of the time on each time. The stunning realization happened two days later when I got another chance to practice: my brain just seemed to handle the part I'd already practiced with almost no effort!
For me, it felt like that first time you realize you're actually riding your bicyle on your own without Dad holding on.
Perserverance, patience, and taking it in small bits at a time really does work.
Thanks Jive1. I have never taken up singing lead, just background.
To this day I have lost a lot of work because I do not sing lead.
My buddy who sings lead & plays bass gets the call 9 out of 10 times.
To this day I have lost a lot of work because I do not sing lead.
My buddy who sings lead & plays bass gets the call 9 out of 10 times.
I never really noticed this thread before but I'm glad I finally did. I only recently started singing backup and, unfortunately, our singer is getting busier with his primary band and can't continue with us (which sucks because his voice is perfect for the material we play). So my new challenge is to now start doing lead vocals on as many songs as I can handle. I've been kind of surprised at how I had to go back to square one on some songs that were previously easy to play, but I'm not complaining. I am enjoying the new challenge and I also know that having some vocal ability will help offset my crappy bass playing and make me a little more valuable. 
I'll be spending some time reading this whole thread to see what I can learn form it. Thanks Jive for the initial posts and getting this off the ground. I only skimmed through your first few posts on the first page so far, but there was good info in there.
I'll be spending some time reading this whole thread to see what I can learn form it. Thanks Jive for the initial posts and getting this off the ground. I only skimmed through your first few posts on the first page so far, but there was good info in there.
Just dredging this one up again because I wanted to say "thanks" to @jive1 for laying this out so clean and nice. Long story short; I played and sang backup when I was young, got married, had kids, yada yada yada, joined a band 15 years later and have been struggling to get the singing chops back. It was as if my mind could no longer function on multiple planes at the same time. So I didn't. I followed the information in this guide, learned my bass lines by rote, and then did the same for my backup vox. Only after I could do both individually in my sleep did I attempt to bring them together...and it was amazing! I'm now wondering why it was so hard to begin with.
So now, new songs live in the car with me and my commute is my working/practice time for vocals and evening/home time is bass time until I'm ready to bring them together. Miraculously, the lead time needed for new songs has shortened WAY up (days or hours) versus weeks and months.
I love this place. Thank you again, @jive1!
So now, new songs live in the car with me and my commute is my working/practice time for vocals and evening/home time is bass time until I'm ready to bring them together. Miraculously, the lead time needed for new songs has shortened WAY up (days or hours) versus weeks and months.
I love this place. Thank you again, @jive1!
These posts and threads here on TB are some of the main reasons I joined TB.I knew I wasn't alone when It came down to singing and playing at the same time. Granted,I can play drums and sing without thinking about It,but not on the bass.My musician friends said ''how can you move all those parts of your body and sing the way you do,but can't on bass? IDK.Maybe I came out the womb backwards:Thanks JIVE1 for the info,I'll put more time into now.Just got lazy over the years but It seems to be a valuable asset these days.
Thanks for this! I'm a decent singer, but I have problems playing the bass and singing at the same time. There are songs that I've been singing in the car or shower since I was 8 years old that I've also mastered on the bass, but when I have to do both at the same time, singing AND playing tend to suffer a bit. I'm going to try the exercises you mentioned, but I guess I just need to practice singing every time I pick up my bass.
For me, it will definitely limit the song list. I can sing Roundabout by Yes. I'm no Jon Anderson, but I've been singing and humming it since it was released a long, long time ago. Last year, I made it my mission to learn to play it, but to be honest, it would probably take a year of practicing just that song to get it even close to right.
For me, it will definitely limit the song list. I can sing Roundabout by Yes. I'm no Jon Anderson, but I've been singing and humming it since it was released a long, long time ago. Last year, I made it my mission to learn to play it, but to be honest, it would probably take a year of practicing just that song to get it even close to right.
This is quite helpful - thanks for taking the time to write it all down and posting it - The definatley gets my vote for a "sticky"
Funny but logical this is a topic. Just this past Saturday guy comes up to me
(with band leader within earshot lol) and sd "damn didn't know you could sing like that- I always thought you were just a good soundman." He'd seen me run sound for bands at this club and bassist vocalist for The Dogz. For years... Didn't know whether
to thank him or slap him for being oblivious. Just goes to show you; who pays attention to the bassist lol. Yes I did thank him and bought him a whiskey.
Agreed previous posts. Learn the bass parts without thinking and concentrate on vox.
Which is often harder since you're doing double duty, vox is more difficult and you're now the focus.
(with band leader within earshot lol) and sd "damn didn't know you could sing like that- I always thought you were just a good soundman." He'd seen me run sound for bands at this club and bassist vocalist for The Dogz. For years... Didn't know whether
to thank him or slap him for being oblivious. Just goes to show you; who pays attention to the bassist lol. Yes I did thank him and bought him a whiskey.
Agreed previous posts. Learn the bass parts without thinking and concentrate on vox.
Which is often harder since you're doing double duty, vox is more difficult and you're now the focus.
I just want to give you props for your user name salute to the late, great, still totally unique and unparalleled maestro Jeff Buckley.
Indeed, the man was a fierce talent. An unabashed, awesome, humble and captivating virtuoso. His music is timeless, and his ability to bring so much originality to whatever he chose to cover is enlightening and motivating.
