I can't seem to sing while playing at all

[otis_thick]

It's important to note, though, that learning to sing while playing will make you exponentially more valuable in any band situation. I contract a lot of musicians for paying gigs and I would take an adequate bass player who sings over a monster bass player who doesn't every single time. Matter of fact, from my perspective (as someone who writes checks to musicians), if you don't sing, why even bother playing bass? Because there are guys who do sing and they'll always get the gig over you. Amazing instrumentalists have a very, very limited appeal- mostly to other amazing instrumentalists.

I developed this skill because, luckily, my two earliest influences were Paul McCartney and Sting. Those were the songs I was really most interested in learning and most motivated to practice. My advice would be to find someone in your personal list of favorites who sings and plays and then shed that like a mother. It takes years to do well, but your big picture musicianship will expand greatly.

Not sure if this helps, but a piece of advice I picked up from Sting: think of the melody and your bass line like two train tracks that run parallel but expand and truncate throughout the song.

+1000.....Its going to take practice....when you are in the shed, I would suggest you start at a very slow tempo...as slow as YOU need to play the notes and sing the line...you may find it very very slow but after you get through it a few times...you speed up until full speed.

Here is Mark King (level 42) who makes singing and complicated playing look like child's play!

 

[FranR]

There was a first time that I actually started to sing; I usually don't, I have weak vocal chords and I loose my voice easily that way - however we had some timing issues learning a new song (Frank Boeijen, Koud in mijn hart) and it's the timing of the singing that threw us all off ... I only managed to play the song right once I figured out the timing with vocals. And any time I play it without vocals, I get lost.

 

[lolaviola]

Put the lyrics in front of you and read them.

 

[K2000]

How about a list of recommended 'starter' songs for people who are beginning to try this?

(Hopefully very common songs that pretty much everybody recognizes... I don't want to learn a totally new song from scratch, I want to learn to play/sing a song I already know).

 

[hrodbert696]

I think it also helps if you start doing it with WAY SIMPLE bass parts -- thrumming out root notes on a steady rhythm while you sing, absolutely nothing fancy, even if it's not a song you would ever play with your band. Mony Mony or Louie Louie or something. Once you can do that, try singing increasingly complex songs.

 

[randyripoff]

How about a list of recommended 'starter' songs for people who are beginning to try this?

(Hopefully very common songs that pretty much everybody recognizes... I don't want to learn a totally new song from scratch, I want to learn to play/sing a song I already know).

Try 'Just Like Heaven' by the Cure.
Or 'Teen Angst' by Cracker
Most early Clash songs (save for 'Police and Thieves') should work well too.

 

[thehangingmist]

instead of trying simple songs i think trying to talk while playing is a pretty fun and helpful too

 

[Fuzzy Dustmite]

Breakin' the Law is one that I was able to pick up pretty easily.

I still have trouble "singing" lines that aren't matched up with the rhythm of the singing or have something else going on.

Some that give me trouble:
Cherry Cherry (Neil Diamond)
Jenny 867-5309

 

[Orangeclawhammr]

How about a list of recommended 'starter' songs for people who are beginning to try this?

(Hopefully very common songs that pretty much everybody recognizes... I don't want to learn a totally new song from scratch, I want to learn to play/sing a song I already know).

"Boris the Spider" by the Who was teh first one I learned.

 

[Chrisk-K]

Playing bass and singing at the same time is the most difficult thing to do unless you play steady root notes only. I have ZERO problem playing guitar/keys and singing at the same time. Most of my bass heros are singing bassists - Sir Paul, Geddy, Squire, Sting, etc. What I've learned is you have to put bass playing in autopilot and sing.

 

[Sav'nBass]

This is the truth.....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AfPa1_vOzg

LMAO!! That made my day... That and Bass on a Plane..

 

[Dan Mee]

I've managed to learn how to do this... mostly. It's a great skill to be able to use because it allows you to add harmonies and extra lines behind a lead singer, or indeed sing lead yourself. My next step is to talk randomly and play at the same time, just can't do it. So when I'm leading a band, I'm all about the eye movement and facial expressions and signals to change things up rather than shouting out stuff.

I have got one song that just won't work though, what ever I try, and I've ben playing it for donkeys years. Higher and Higher by Jackie Wilson, just can't play and sing the chorus for some reason. Just doesn't want to happen, the verses are fine, just the chorus!

 

[dan stanton]

When you sing and play, and I know this is heretical, use a pick. You'll get that strumming feel. Entwhistle would use a pick while singing, then flick it away for the jam. McCartney always used a pick.