Fretless and singing?

[nojj]

Anybody play a fretless and sing lead at the same time?

I'm having a go at it, after the fellas asked me to try.
Not easy intonating 2 instruments at the same time.

 

[mbbassmojo]

check out Jack Bruce



makes it look easy

 

[nojj]

Pretty cool, thanks for the link.

looks like he stops a lot to do his vocal parts
(not that that's bad, just not an option in my 3pc)

More importantly, he's using mismatched cabinets.
Is that legal?

 

[bluesblaster]

saw a clip of rick danko playing his ampeg AMUB-1 scroll bass, he was singing long black veil , every time he hit a note that wasnt quite there you see him look down to adjust

 

[Mystic Michael]

That sounds like something that would indeed not be easy at all. You would probably want to arrange your tunes so that you at least have a chance to hold & pedal notes - and not be changing notes/positions - while simultaneously singing.

Otherwise, this could be an extremely tough nut to crack, requiring lots & lots & lots of practice...

MM

 

[lakefx]

I've just started working on this for backing vocals and it is indeed hard. I've found that as long as I don't need to change positions, I can keep my intonation on the fretless close enough. My voice on the other hand... well, that's an issue when I'm not playing too.

 

[jefkritz]

i can think of any number of bluegrass bands where the bassist sings. granted, it's generally backup, but intonating harmonies is just as hard as intonating melodies. also, it's usually an upright, but that's the original fretless!

 

[nojj]

I'm the lead singer in this situ, makes it more difficult.
I can get *reasonably* close to doing both at the same time.
Pretty good on a fretless, but singing & playing at once is a toughie.
Have a fretless Carvin 6 hanging on the studio wall,
and try to use that a lot while learning material.

 

[Fat Steve]

I sing backups with my alt-country band with my upright. I don't have to change positions too much though, as that's where it starts to get tough. I'm now learning to play with the bow, and I sing backups on the song I want to use it in. Now that is freaking difficult!

 

[MatticusMania]

Anybody play a fretless and sing lead at the same time?

I do. I first got used to singing and playing on a fretted 4 string, though, so it was a bit easier when I moved to fretless.
I try to simplify my basslines when I need to focus on vocals.

Otherwise, this could be an extremely tough nut to crack, requiring lots & lots & lots of practice...

Indeed, it does take a lot of practice.

 

[Jim Nazium]

I remember seeing The Call in concert back around 1990, and the late Michael Been played an unlined fretless and sang lead at the same time. Impressive.

I'm still trying to walk and chew gum at the same time.

 

[kesslari]

I do it. It's easier when I don't have to change positions, but even then, it's do-able. Just takes practice, like everything else. This is my GWB-1, photo is kinda dark but bars are that way

 

[etoncrow]

I sing lead and harmony in an Americana duo. It just takes practice and an occasional peek at the neck markers to keep you honest

 

[Wally Malone]

There was a period when I played fretless and did a lot of singing. I always raised my cabinet to make sure I could hear the bass. You have now had two responses from the same little town in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Wally

 

[polyrhythmia]

Have had a fretless bass for over a year now, and have been practicing singing along with it. Like to play melodic bass lines which are different from the singing, pretty much singing "over the top" of my bass playing. Learning polyrhythms was quite useful in this.

 

[Sam Evans]

I read an interview with Esperanza Spalding a while back in which she talked about singing lead and playing upright at the same time. She basically said there's no trick to it - she just practices like mad, each part separately so well that she could do either alone in her sleep, and then putting them together.

Have fun.

 

[Joe Louvar]

Anybody play a fretless and sing lead at the same time?

I'm having a go at it, after the fellas asked me to try.
Not easy intonating 2 instruments at the same time.

Band Management?

 

[Bassist4Eris]

Sting: Good at this.

Les Claypool (although I love him): Not so much

 

[Major Softie]

I can't even play fretted and sing at the same time, and I'm a really good singer - lead or backgrounds.

Course, I'm a pretty crappy bassist...

 

[mcmon002]

Check out esperanza spalding!!! She'll blow ur mind. Uses upright and e.bass fretless