Talking while playing exercises

[J R Knots]

Miles Davis walked by and said, 'What was that note?' I told him it was a B natural, the third of G dominant 7 going back to C minor, and I can't talk while I'm playing so don't ask me any more questions."

~ Ron Carter

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Hello,
I am comfortable enough in most live situation I’ve been on but ask me to talk and all comes tumbling down.

I am looking for your recommended exercices to talk at the same time I play (which can come handy in many live context)
Thanks

Heck, I can’t play and chew gum, so I can’t help you.

 

[GrayGoesBlack]

What's your goal here? Do you want to have phone conversations with your mom during gigs, or communicate with your band? I don't really talk while I play, but I do communicate a lot; I listen to what's happening, keep eye contact with the others and occasionally nod or gesture or shout a few words ("BRIDGE, STUPID!"). I feel that has come naturally from knowing what I'm doing and playing with confidence, trusting on my muscle and musical memory to take the wheel for a bit.

Anyway, I would suggest practice singing and playing. If not for the benefit of talking, just for the sake of it; it will help you grow as a musician.

 

[josephbass86]

This is a guitar exercise with Ron Thal aka Bumblefoot where he is playing two scales an octave apart at the same time. Tricky to do, especially when he starts having one scale start a beat after the other.

The fact that he can do this while carrying on a conversation starring into the camera and not looking at his guitar neck hurts my brain a little bit.

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

It's impossible to sing, but talking should be possible:

I'm thinking Lemme, Gene, Geddy and me (amongst others) might disagree.

 

[Dbaaase]

What's your goal here? Do you want to have phone conversations with your mom during gigs, or communicate with your band? I don't really talk while I play, but I do communicate a lot; I listen to what's happening, keep eye contact with the others and occasionally nod or gesture or shout a few words ("BRIDGE, STUPID!"). I feel that has come naturally from knowing what I'm doing and playing with confidence, trusting on my muscle and musical memory to take the wheel for a bit.

In that sense I do communicate with my band mates ;-) but this still feel somehow limited in some cases. Don’t plan to call my mom during a gig (even though one never knows…).

I started working some simple bass lines to a click while reading out loud, we will see where that lead me to start with.

 

[SteveCS]

I'm thinking Lemme, Gene, Geddy and me (amongst others) might disagree.

I'm not sure the title of the 'lesson' was entirely serious.

 

[Jogobass]

I was practicing a jazz standard once, with a guitarist. A singer came into the room and asked me something. I had a conversation with her without dropping a note on the song. I didn't know I could do that. I talked to a bass player who also sings once. He said one of the two things should be automatically. I guess vocals need to be most expressive while singing, so I would opt for practicing the bass part until you don't have to think about it anymore.

 

[Lance Bunyon]

Miles Davis walked by and said, 'What was that note?' I told him it was a B natural, the third of G dominant 7 going back to C minor, and I can't talk while I'm playing so don't ask me any more questions."

~ Ron Carter

Lol. The response "B" would have been just as effective.
Freaking Juliard alum.

 

[jj.833]

I found in practise that I can talk or sing and play when the difficulty of given task is low enough that it doesn't use too much of my brain. If it does use too much brain, I just have to learn the part well enough so I will not have to think about it.

As everything, this can be practised. I'd start with:
1) when playing scales - think the names of notes, later say them as you play them, later sing them as you play them (this excersise is very handy from other musical perspectives as well).
2) learn to play bass and sing a song. Find song easy enough. Rock songs like Smells Like Teen Spirit, where the bass is just thumping eights, are a good start. Stand by me is hard rhythmically, but doable with some level of ability and analysis, and very nice song on bass+vox.
3) learn to play and sing backing vocals in your band. This is usually way harder than singing the lead, and I deeply respect everyone I see doing it well.

By these excersises you learn how to use your brain for two less or more different processes at a time; talking is not that hard affter some practise. It's easy for someone, harder for somebody else, but available to the willing. However, keep in mind what is the goal. I don't think anybody ever invented some genius talk while playing reasonably well.

 

[TreySonagras]

Quote from the great organist, Jimmy Smith:
If you’re playing a bass line with your feet, comping with your left hand and playing a kick-a$$ solo with your right hand…you a workin’ moth———er.

 

[Egg250]

I can sing and play but talking is much more difficult. For me, it's a rhythm and timing thing. If I can sing (speak?) in time with what I'm playing, I can do that. Asking me to playing and then think of something to say AND speak those words out of time with what I'm singing is a recipe for disaster.

You might try speaking in time with your playing. Or, and this might work better, simplify your playing to the extreme. Pluck a root note and let it ring out while you speak. When it gets too quiet, that note comes around again or the chord changes pluck again and let it ring out. Repeat until you are done speaking.

 

[Dirk Diggler]

Get your bass part down cold, make it so that it's automatic.
Then you can focus on talking/singing.

Good luck!
Dirk

 

[Bunk McNulty]

In my opinion, bass is the hardest (non-wind) instrument to sing along while playing. It took me years to work on backups and then I got to sing lead on a few tunes. Some are just impossible for me to get, due to rhythmic conflicts between the bass line and melody. When you get it down, it is a great feeling because your are on both the bottom and the top of the tune.

I can sing and play, no problem. What I can't do: Years ago I was at a low-key party featuring a jazz pianist. He was able to have a conversation with me and another person while playing Monk (I remember the tune--Green Chimneys). That is what I aspire to. Back to the 'shed, I guess.

 

[Diminishedfilth]

I can talk and play. I found that out when I was playing for a guitar buddy of mine and explaining the changes and was able to keep time. I absolutely cannot sing and play at the same time, though. I end up either singing the bassline or playing the vocals in unison with the bass (like a George Benson solo) . Kind of embarrassing, as my Dad and Sister can play guitar flawlessly, and sing lead vocals.

 

[rodak]

I can sing and play but talking is much more difficult. For me, it's a rhythm and timing thing. If I can sing (speak?) in time with what I'm playing, I can do that. Asking me to playing and then think of something to say AND speak those words out of time with what I'm singing is a recipe for disaster.

My experience exactly. I've never had a problem singing while playing, but if someone tries to hold a conversation with me, then either my...words...will...come...out...rhythmically... or else my playing goes down the tubes. The number if times I've ever had to try to do this I could probably count on the fingers of one hand, so it wasn't a skill I felt I had to cultivate.

 

[Tuur]

 

[Tom Bomb]

Good practice.​

 

[brianrost]

Singing while playing is easier than talking while playing.

 

[Les Fret]

The question is how much do you really need it? It can't harm if you can talk and play at the same time but it's not a must. I think many virtuoso and professional player can't do it either. There are more important things to practice I think (for me anyway).