Bassist's Guide to Singing

[MF_Maher]

You've written English better than many native-English speakers...

 

[KeddyLee]

I would be glad to be a resource as well. I sing, play bass, keys and footpedals in a Rush tribute band : a la Geddy.

People ask me every show how I can juggle it and my only explanation is to think of it like a piano player, syncopating the left and right hand. Bass/ rhythm with the left, melody with the right. Your brain can do amazing things with practice.

My credentials:

 

[hrodbert696]

Hi everyone, glad to see this thread still living. I am not a professionally trained vocalist. However, the singer of my new band is, and has been giving me some free lessons to help me contribute more. I thought I'd pass along a couple of things she's mentioned that haven't already come up:

One of her points is that the most common mistake we make is to use the swallowing muscles in our throat when we sing, especially high notes; we think we need to "tighten up" to hit them. We don't. So you need to train your brain not to engage those swallowing muscles in the throat. Try singing scales while trilling your tongue (like Spanish speakers saying "Arriba!"), or push up your cheeks with your fingers while trilling with your lips. This trains you to hit notes while preventing the swallowing muscles from being used. You can also just hum, but hold your thumb under your jaw to feel for tightening there - only hum with it loose.

2) You don't need to blow as much air as you think you do. Breathing and diaphragm support are very important - but if you've really filled your lungs with air and the diaphragm is supporting, you don't need to blast lots of air out your throat, even for loud or high notes. Try singing with very gradual release of air.

3) For reasons I don't really understand, she says it's important to "hear" the note (both what I'm hearing the band play and the note I'm singing) right in front of the bridge of my nose. I'm not sure why, but apparently it helps concentrate on getting the correct pitch. Don't sing cross-eyed though.

4) One thing that was a particular problem of mine: END the note. I tend to kind of let it trail off. Hold the note however many beats it should last and then punch the ending.

There's more, and comments, explanations, or corrections from the more experienced are welcome, but that's just some of what I've picked up in the last couple of weeks.

By the way, screaming came up earlier in the thread. She sings with a kind of husky, Janis-Joplin kind of tone on a lot of songs, with a strong deliberate rasp. She does NOT get it with the kind of throat-clenching that we normally scream with, she said it's the opposite, she gets it by loosening part of her throat and letting it vibrate - I don't know how to do it yet. But she can sing high and raspy for hours and not tire her throat out or damage herself. FYI. Technique, technique, technique.

 

[Akami]

One of her points is that the most common mistake we make is to use the swallowing muscles in our throat when we sing, especially high notes; we think we need to "tighten up" to hit them. We don't. So you need to train your brain not to engage those swallowing muscles in the throat. Try singing scales while trilling your tongue (like Spanish speakers saying "Arriba!"), or push up your cheeks with your fingers while trilling with your lips. This trains you to hit notes while preventing the swallowing muscles from being used. You can also just hum, but hold your thumb under your jaw to feel for tightening there - only hum with it loose.

2) You don't need to blow as much air as you think you do. Breathing and diaphragm support are very important - but if you've really filled your lungs with air and the diaphragm is supporting, you don't need to blast lots of air out your throat, even for loud or high notes. Try singing with very gradual release of air.

3) For reasons I don't really understand, she says it's important to "hear" the note (both what I'm hearing the band play and the note I'm singing) right in front of the bridge of my nose. I'm not sure why, but apparently it helps concentrate on getting the correct pitch. Don't sing cross-eyed though.

4) One thing that was a particular problem of mine: END the note. I tend to kind of let it trail off. Hold the note however many beats it should last and then punch the ending.

By the way, screaming came up earlier in the thread. She sings with a kind of husky, Janis-Joplin kind of tone on a lot of songs, with a strong deliberate rasp. She does NOT get it with the kind of throat-clenching that we normally scream with, she said it's the opposite, she gets it by loosening part of her throat and letting it vibrate - I don't know how to do it yet. But she can sing high and raspy for hours and not tire her throat out or damage herself. FYI. Technique, technique, technique.

This is a great post, especially regarding the relaxed position of the throat. It makes it both easier to sing higher, and sounds better too.

 

[hrodbert696]

Passing along the latest vocal lesson - articulation. I majored in theater back in the day, and what I was taught back then was to really carefully pronounce every consonant. For instance, say "buTTer" with a clear "T" rather than "budder" the way we often do. The reason was that this made the words more distinct so that an audience could understand what you were saying; otherwise it sounded like you were mumbling.

However, having my lesson today, my singer said that I need to work on getting more expression into my voice. I'm hitting correct notes and have decent tone but songs I sing come across kind of cold and lifeless. Only in the last five minutes did we realize what it was; I was carefully articulating my consonants and it made the songs seem formal and thin-blooded. Now I need to "unlearn" what I learned in acting class and deliberately slur my consonants to let the vowels flow better.

 

[Akami]

For reasons I don't really understand, she says it's important to "hear" the note (both what I'm hearing the band play and the note I'm singing) right in front of the bridge of my nose. I'm not sure why, but apparently it helps concentrate on getting the correct pitch.

This particular point has been a huge help to me in making my crossover smoother and also in avoiding my voice cutting in and out when my voice is tired or I'm singing something softly.

Especially helpful for singing higher stuff it's incredible how something that sounds like it would not make sense is so essential in creating a smooth and focused tone.

 

[AltGrendel]

I don't know about others, but I've always felt that one fist width from the mike is what you need for it to work.

 

[10cc]

Out of the three bands that I currently play in one I sing all the lead vocals, the second I sing about a third of the leads and half back up vocals, the third I sing about half of the set. The second one mentioned I wish I could just sit back and play my bass but that is not the case. I learned how to use my diaphragm believe it or not in the military (calling cadence). It is a must when singing. I also learned how to sing and locate harmonies from one of my band mates that while in high school was in a traveling barbershop quartet.

The thing with singing and vocals for me is many of the best songs can be ruined by vocals and more so by lyrics. Sing good and do not write bad lyrics. Also anytime you can replace a P or S at the beginning of a line do.

And for really fun stuff with sweet results get into Harmonic Triads.

 

[10cc]

Great instruction.

I've been lucky enough to have a good barritone voice and decent natural pitch. I've gotten a lot more comfortable over the last two years getting coordinated between the two actions (lead vocals and playing tasty bass lines) but, to me one of the more challenging things is when it comes time for the group to harmonize.

While it's now easy for me to play and pick out a vocal piece that goes with what I'm playing or if it goes against the bassline, I can figure it out OK if I'm singing lead... but if I'm NOT singing lead, and have to pick out a harmony that also goes against the tonal progression of what I'm playing, this still manages to throw me off pretty easily - mostly with harmony pitch - but sometimes in my bass line too! Because I find myself having to think too much about the vocals and that makes my brain hurt.

Any thoughts on this? By the way, "Jenny" by Tommy Tutone is a great song to play bass and sing on! Groovy line, and nice midrange vocals.

Baritone! I love baritone here is one of my favorite baritones

 

[Akami]

I don't know about others, but I've always felt that one fist width from the mike is what you need for it to work.

I'm usually a bit closer than that, but it's definitely a good rule of thumb.

Really changes quite a bit depending on style of music too.

 

[jive1]

I've been working on my harmony vocals, and I'd like to share a tip I got from a vocalist. It's a list of songs that will help you to find the interval using the first two notes. For example, the song for a 4th up is Here Comes the Bride. The first note is the root, and the 2nd note is the 4th.

Ascending intervals:
Minor 2nd - Jaws
Major 2nd - Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer
Minor 3rd - Greensleeves/What Child is This?
Major 3rd - When the Saints Come Marching In
Perfect 4th - Here Comes the Bride
Tritone - The Simpsons
Perfect 5th - Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star (2nd and 3rd notes)
Minor 6th - The Entertainer (3rd and 4th notes)
Major 6th - My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
Minor 7th - Star Trek Theme
Major 7th - Take On Me
Octave - Over the Rainbow

Descending intervals:
Minor 2nd - Joy to the World
Major 2nd - Mary Had a Little Lamb
Minor 3rd - Frosty the Snowman
Major 3rd - Swing Low
Perfect 4th - I've Been Working on the Railroad
Perfect 5th - Feelings
Minor 6th - Love Story Theme
Major 6th - Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen
Minor 7th - Watermelon Man
Major 7th - I Love You (Cole Porter)
Octave - No Business Like Show Business (Notes 2 & 3)

I find that these songs help me find the note. Hope they do the same for you.

 

[WillSB]

Very nice tips and very informative thread. Question: what sort of equipment differentiates singing bassists from normal bassists? Any items or gizmos which help the singing bassist in particular?

In-ear monitoring?
Practice-gadgets?

I would be interested to read your thoughts on the matter.
-Will

 

[Pacman]

Quality in-ears have made a huge impact on my singing. I highly recommend them.

 

[Howlin' Hanson]

Pacman nails it, as usual. BTW, it looks like this thread needs to be re-stickied. Thor? Anyone?

 

[dkelley]

My TC voice live play is my crutch

I can sing without, but when sidetracked by playing it saves me with compression and very subtle pitch fixing and general sound bettering

 

[marmadaddy]

I use the Vocal Ease app regularly. The warm ups and exercises are great. I do them in the car on the way to rehearsal or a gig.

 

[Session1969]

Sub'd. Long, long overdue.

 

[chazolson]

For me, if singing and playing bass at the same time, something needs to go into at least semi-autopilot. 75% of the time, it's the bassline.

I ditto the stuff about signing technique posted above, though ... if you can rely on muscle memory for the bassline, then use your diaphragm, get your tone up into the mask of your face, etc., and you will be a better singer.

 

[chazolson]

For me, if singing and playing bass at the same time, something needs to go into at least semi-autopilot. 75% of the time, it's the bassline.

I ditto the stuff about signing technique posted above, though ... if you can rely on muscle memory for the bassline, then use your diaphragm, get your tone up into the mask of your face, etc., and you will be a better singer.

Edit: That should be "singing technique". Although signing technique would be helpful at a deal community event.

 

[chazolson]

Edit: That should be "singing technique". Although signing technique would be helpful at a deal community event.

Edit: "Deaf". Lord, I hate autocorrect.