What Are Your Reasons For Not Singing While Playing?

[KohanMike]

I play bass uke with a 30 person uke group who play and sing all of our songs. There are some very good singers and harmonizers in the group, which makes it unnecessary for me to sing and allows me in most cases to concentrate on my bass arrangement. But if I know the song really well, I'll sing too. For the almost 50 years I played guitar casually with my friends, I never sang because I had not confidence in my voice.

When I first started playing ukulele with the uke group in 2013 (gave up guitar completely), I did sing along with all the songs, which certainly helped me get better at singing. A year later I took up the bass with them, now it's my primary instrument, but like I said, I'll sing along on occasion. There are actually times when I will play uke while another member plays bass, so I sing then, plus play harmonica for a few blues songs we do.

 

[Low Commotion]

1. I’m not a very good singer. When I played guitar, I sang while playing, but my singing wasn’t very good.

2. I can’t sing and play bass guitar. When I switched to bass 15 years ago, I tried to sing and play, but I could never do the two together. I even have a hard time playing and talking to someone.

 

[Zos Kia Cultus]

Can't even walk and chew bubblegum at the same time, let alone play and sing. Hats off to those who are able!

 

[Green Knight]

Not being able to!

 

[Bunk McNulty]

My band now has four singers all capable of singing leads. That includes me. Harmony singing--including moments of a capella--are amazing crowd-pleasers.

 

[Jazz Ad]

I like to sing, I'm not very good at it but I sing in tune.
I like to play bass, too.

I like doing backing vocals but singing lead and playing bass is just too intense, unless it's a really simple 4 chord song.
It requires too much concentration and it kills the fun.

 

[CryingBass]

I have always admired that Lake, Wetton, Stills, Squire and many more can sing while playing complicated bass lines. Without stuttering on either...

 

[jimmydean]

Stopped singing over 20 years ago after working with people who could really sing and I can't hold a note these days .

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I used to do some singing while playing bass in different rock bands in the 1970's, then I retired from gigging for 28 years. When I returned to gigging in 2008 I made a decision to do no singing, and I've had no problem finding jobs in bands that already have enough vocal firepower. My reasons for not singing are:

1. I consider myself to be a better bassist than singer, and I choose to not dilute my brand by singing.

2. I find some songs difficult to play and sing simultaneously, and I'm not about to dumb down my playing just so I can sing.

3. I don't have to tote a mic stand.

I know that good vocals are hard to come by, but, honestly, I hear a lot of instrumentalists who also sing who I wish would simply stop singing, even if it means that the band does more instrumentals.

So, if you play but don't sing, what is your reason for doing so?

For the same reason I can’t chew gum and walk at the same time.

Actually, my vocal range is from low E to E above middle C. Further when I get above middle C, it becomes hard to blend. I get over the E above middle C, I’m usually met with suggestions like don’t do that.

So unless I’m in a band that covers Sha Na Na (Grease for Peace), there is not much call for a 2nd bass in today’s music.

 

[Bassaga]

'cuz it's hard.

I'm a way better singer than bassist. Just haven't figured out how to do both yet.

 

[marchone]

I have been asked not to

I resemble that remark.

 

[Watchootognbout]

The overwhelming majority of the music that I listen to and endeavor to play is instrumental.

Plus the fact that I learned that at the '97 Zazz Bash I sound like Kermit The Frog if I tried.

Yeah...it ain't easy being green!

 

[mongo2]

I can sing or I can play. I choose to play.

 

[skygzr]

I love to sing! I feel dumb just standing there but I’ll still hide if I get the chance.

It’s the thing that non-musicians are likely to relate to.

 

[r_bnks]

I can't.

 

[Lava]

I can play bass, I can sing well enough for BV, but it’s difficult for me to do both. I’m always working to get better but it’s hard. For me at least

 

[BassGreaser]

I’m a horrible singer and can’t sing while playing.

 

[PotsdamBass8]

It's an acquired skill. I liken it to trying to pat your head and rub your tummy at the same time. Try it, if you never have. You'll generally find yourself either patting both or rubbing both.

There's a mental connection that has to happen with repeated effort to develop limb independence. If you keep trying you will eventually find that you can do it, and then with continued effort you will find that you can do it more easily. It's the same type of connection that's needed to sing and play together.

Yeah, I know it will get better with practice, I just haven’t NEEDED any of those skills. Eventually I would like to get better at drums/piano/singing while playing, but it’s just not a priority so I don’t give it much effort!

 

[LBS-bass]

Yeah, I know it will get better with practice, I just haven’t NEEDED any of those skills. Eventually I would like to get better at drums/piano/singing while playing, but it’s just not a priority so I don’t give it much effort!

Not everyone needs them and I think also not everyone should bother with it. There's a trope around here that everyone should always try to sing, and I believe that kind of thinking leads to some major vocal mediocrity, when the goal of performance should always be to offer up what we can really do well.

Of course, there's also a lot of intermediate steps toward getting there, even if you can't do it super well right away. Those things might need to happen, too.

So it's kind of up to each of us to decide whether our voices are going to work in the situations we find ourselves in, and maybe sometimes the answer is that they don't

 

[logdrum]

What Are Your Reasons For Not Singing While Playing?

It's difficult