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I can't sing while playing, talk while playing, do anything while playing :(

TimBosby

TimBosby

Somewhere in middle America
Gold Supporting Member
Dec 19, 2004
11,931
10,240
47
Omaha, NE, USA
#1
I can't really sing that well anyway, but I want to learn. However, I don't see the point of learning since I am apparently too ******** to sing, or even talk or shout, while playing. I don't know how to partition my mind into doing two different things at once. I have a lot of respect for drummers for this reason.

I've read the threads about this in the past, but I think it might just be one of those things you can either do or you can't. I have been told it is harder to play bass while singing than it is to strum guitar because "you can be sloppier on guitar."

Is this a lost cause, should I even bother to learn how to sing if I can't do it while playing? My band already has two excellent singers who harmonize but three-part harmony would be awesome. Is this like riding your bike with no hands.....it seems impossible until one day you just get it?

:hmm:
 
#2
You dont go from training wheels to riding without hands. First you gotta learn how to control with one hand, then with a finger, then you can back that body off. Heres what I did:

Learned how to play the bass (neccesary)
Started talking to people on the phone, while playing bass. I noticed that my breathing got very funny during complex runs, but the way to manage that is to practice breathing without the bass. syncopate that breathing!
Start off by playing straight riffs, maybe all 8th notes, same not (modern rock :)
Then addm ore complex riffs. start walking and improving and what not. The song that got me going was the Atari's boys of summer, then Journey's Dont Stop Believin. Now i'm working up on my screams with Trivium's Like Light to Flies and so on.
 
#3
Think: you're already doing two things at once with your left and right hand when playing. Adding something new takes practice, just like the first two, but after awhile you'll get there. Keep at it.
 
#4
What I did was just read stuff. Doesn't matter what really back of a CD case, subtitles on tv, anything at all. I believe whether you sing or not it is of some advantage to be able to at least talk while playing. For one you can comunicate with band members in the middle of a song or what ever. Also when you go out gigging people tend to come up and talk to you in the middle of playing. Requesting songs you don't know, telling you about your sound or whatever. If you can talk and play you can tell them to f*ck off without missing a beat.
 
#5
TimBosby said:
I don't know how to partition my mind into doing two different things at once.
Click to expand...

I am by no means an authority on the subject, but I do a bit of singing while playing just for my own amusement - It's fun and I'm really just a hobbyist, so it's what I do.

I think that you are on to something with "partitioning your mind" - That's what you need to do. You also have to be able to shift your focus between the two - if your singing isn't really coming off quite right, focus a bit more energy on it and put the bass playing on "auto pilot" - same thing the other way, if you start hitting bad notes or losing the groove then focus on what you're playing and let your singing go on auto pilot.

I find it quite helpful to make sure that you are trying to sing and play something that is not too difficult, and when you have success singing and playing simple songs move on to something that is more difficult for you. Make sure that you know both the bass line and the lyrics inside and out so that you don't have to waste any energy remembering your parts - you have to really know your parts.

I find that in a lot of songs, the bass line and the vocal part will be very similar. IMO, these are the easiest songs to sing and play. I'll list a few songs that fit my descriptions above, and for me, have been some fairly easy songs to learn to sing and play:

Set The Controls For The Heart of The Sun - Pink Floyd
Money - Pink Floyd
Toys Go Winding Down - Primus
NIB - Black Sabbath
Sweet Leaf - Black Sabbath
Seven Nation Army - White Stripes



Good luck, have fun, and practice, practice, practice.
 
#9
There's some good tips in this thread for certain.

My OPINION on the topic is 3 part harmonies aren't vital to playing in a live setting. I'd actually say they are detrimental depending on musical style, especially if it mucks up timing when playing your instrument. By all means I'm not suggesting you give up on the idea, just reconsider the need for it in your band. (most audiences in bar settings could care less about background vocals and harmonies, except for the other musicians in attendance, and to please them/us....it better be spot on and only on top of accurate music!)
 
#10
+1 on everything (except maybe that farting thing).

It really just takes practice. First thing is to make sure you can play your instrument. When I first started, it really took me a couple of years to be able to play and be physically relaxed, and I never even thought about singing.
I think for a lot of people it really is something that just eventually "clicks", but for me it took some work at first. I had to make sure that I knew my bass line perfectly, and that I knew exactly what I was singing.
Even then, the first few times I had to practice on my own very slowly. I'd tap my foot very deliberately and really pay attention to how the cadence & syncopation of the lyrics and my bass relate to eachother. After that, I just started to hear things differently, almost separately. I knew it had clicked for me when I managed to play and sing Cake's "Never There" on the first try.

Even if your band doesn't NEED the 3rd vocal, it's a worthwhile endeavor just to work at it and expand your abilities.
 
#11
ihateusernames said:
There's some good tips in this thread for certain.

My OPINION on the topic is 3 part harmonies aren't vital to playing in a live setting. I'd actually say they are detrimental depending on musical style, especially if it mucks up timing when playing your instrument. By all means I'm not suggesting you give up on the idea, just reconsider the need for it in your band. (most audiences in bar settings could care less about background vocals and harmonies, except for the other musicians in attendance, and to please them/us....it better be spot on and only on top of accurate music!)
Click to expand...

I disagree I think that people would appreciate a three piece harmony (when appropriate for the song) Though they might not know why they like it more. Same as if a bass players sound got cut. They might think everything sounds crap all of a sudden even though they mightnt realise they aren't hearing bass or that the bass was filling everything out. If you want to go down the three piece harmony. Lock the three of ye in the room with no instruments(maybe something just for a reference note) and practice harmonies. Don't bother doing it live untill it's perfect.
 
#14
I understand exactly where you're coming from. I can't talk and play at the same time either. If I talk, then my bassline goes all stupid.. and if I play, then the things I say come out as "aeuooi vvughh euiieea nuuiigh bbvvoeuu". I just tell people that's secret bass player language..
 
#16
I struggle to have a conversation whilst playing. But I have taught myself to play and sing at the same time, and with practice I can pull off pretty much anything - all sorts of syncopations and 16th notes whilst singing/talking a completely different but pre-prepared vocal part.

Alex
 
#17
Since we are having a little fun in this topic, how about this: Tim, who is that dude in your avatar? It's the same kid that's in mcrelly's.

I'm guessing it's from a movie scene?

:confused:

(Edit- Thanks Tim! I haven't seen Napoleon Dynamite yet.. will do!!)

Back to topic: I have never been able to sing lead and play bass simultaneously either, but I think I could have if I'd really worked at it. I may yet do it..
 
#19
If you really need to talk while playing then you need to practice. If you don't really need to talk but it would be cool it will probably just come as you play and get better and songs you know become more muscle memory. I can't hold a conversation while I play bass but I can say a few sentences where as a year ago I could barely open my mouth while playing. But yeah, if it's an essential skill for you the only way to get real good at talking/singing while playing would be practice.
 
#20
I had one more thought on this. I think that one very good way to learn to "partition your mind" and get used to some of this musical head patting and belly rubbing would be to learn and practice playing piano / keyboard. Pianists play bass lines with one hand and melody lines with the other constantly. I have a friend who is very good on the keys and singing while playing seems to come very naturally to him.
 

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