How many of you sing?

[PeteDuBaldo]

I generally don't like to sing, but I can & do regularly.

 

[thunder]

One of the strengths of my band is our harmonies. I sing on a lot of our songs, and while I'm definitely the third in importance of the three of us, it gives me great satisfaction...at least as much as playing well.

We've got a gig coming up at a chi-chi country club (Babe Ruth was a member), and they want us to play through dinner, so we've been working on an hour's worth of quiet stuff that would be appropriate.

I just got back from band practice and we worked up a three-part harmony for the Eagles' "Lyin' Eyes" that makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck (in a good way).

So...how many of you bass knuckleheads sing while playing? If you do, do you find that it is in fact a lot of fun?

can't. i'm trying to figure out how sting, geddy lee, les claypool do it.

 

[adouglas]

can't. i'm trying to figure out how sting, geddy lee, les claypool do it.

Sting isn't widely regarded as a good bassist AFAIK, but I challenge anyone to sing and play FRETLESS at the same time.

 

[GreyDad]

Can't sing but wish I could - I write stuff and would really like to sing my own songs. Might be confidence but I suspect the truth is really a lack of talent I can hear them in my head but can;t get the vocal motor control to play along.

I can't even chew gum and play bass at the same time, though. Like Jack, I fall to pieces if I try to talk to someone when I'm playing. I think if I really worked at it I could probably ooh and aah as a backing vocalist but I would have to really simplify what I play to do it.

 

[rhythmCity944]

I sing when I'm a lead voice while playing, I ususally can keep it together...yet my low baritone isn't great for anything but singing lead...I know I can totally sing the vocal line while playing the bass part to YYZ

 

[RitchieDarling]

Sting isn't widely regarded as a good bassist AFAIK, but I challenge anyone to sing and play FRETLESS at the same time.

Hmmmmmmmmm..............Not as difficult as it sounds.

Richard Sinclair is a great example.

And I have done it on occasion as well.

Lined fretless.

Blank plank still screws with my head.

R

 

[Fraxture]

Not really. I am told I sound like Peter Gabriel.....

















....being crushed under the wheel of a semi.

 

[Alvabass]

I challenge anyone to sing and play FRETLESS at the same time.

I want to take advantage of Andrew's statement to mention (again, I think) something that is extremely important in my opinion and always emphasize to my students: Learn to play without looking at the fingerboard. It is not that you should never do it, but my point is simply not depend 100% on it. That helps you develop muscle memory, which allows you to sing and play fretless at the same time. Not saying that it's piece o'cake, but trust me: If you challenge yourself to play a song with somewhat big shifts without looking at the fingerboard, singing while playing a fretless bass won't be that difficult.

 

[mynan]

I like to sing...

 

[Fraxture]

I want to take advantage of Andrew's statement to mention (again, I think) something that is extremely important in my opinion and always emphasize to my students: Learn to play without looking at the fingerboard. It is not that you should never do it, but my point is simply not depend 100% on it. That helps you develop muscle memory, which allows you to sing and play fretless at the same time. Not saying that it's piece o'cake, but trust me: If you challenge yourself to play a song with somewhat big shifts without looking at the fingerboard, singing while playing a fretless bass won't be that difficult.

yeah, I have been closing my eyes on the songs I am really comfortable with. It's the same thing I do for contact juggling. You would be amazed what you can do with the eyes closed. Sometimes even better than when you rely on your vision.

 

[Rano Bass]

I do sing backups and a little lead when needed but i have to simplify the bass line sometimes.
Playing without looking at the fretboard is a great exercise for developing muscle memory.

 

[Kirby]

Backup here, no lead, not that great of range for lead.

 

[AnthonyD]

These days it's back-up and harmony lines...

When I was young, I sang lead and played without any problems. Picking up the bass again as an adult found the simultaneous management of fingers and tongue being more than a bit difficult.

There was a time a while back when I didn't even want a mic - I've got bass playing and drum-machine-ing to worry about - no time for singing.

Slowly but surely it's come back to me - I've sung lead on a song or two, but prefer not to - not one of my strong points!

 

[bassmancb]

I sing a few songs in the band, but prefer backup harmony.

 

[Dr Stankface]

I can sing backup until the real singers look back at me and tell me to stop.

 

[sloshep]

Bad allergies since I was a kid have pretty much rendered my singing abilities useless. Unless I want to annoy people.

 

[captcolour]

I cough up a few leads now and again. Some backing vocals too. Probably the one I do now which is the hardest to play bass and sing is Black Magic Woman.

 

[sir funkytown]

I am actually the only one in my party band , besides the lead singer, that sings, so I get to do it a lot.
I would suggest to anyone starting to play that they put some real time into learning to sing harmony...at some point you are going to get asked, and if you can't , your stock definatly goes down.
I lied about doing a lot of singing to get hired on my first overseas hotel gig, so, I had to learn a lot of tunes really quickly.Luckily I was a jazz player for 10 years and, although I wasn't very good, it did give me a pair of decent ears.

 

[timmy5strings]

My band likes me to sing solo.....so-lo they can't hear me

 

[SharonG]

I sing a little. mostly back ups with a few leads here and there. I can sing and walk at the same time if I have practised and I don't have to think about words or chords. If I am trying to read either words or a chart while playing or singing, I'm sunk.

Toughest song I ever pulled off both singing and bass on was Roundabout, but that was a million years ago! Now if I can get through Norah Jones' Turn me On without laying a clam on bass, I'm happy!

Now, I have the luxury of being in a band with phenomenal lead singers, I can come in on backups when needed, layout during the busy parts, and still take a lead once a set if I want to. Pretty sweet!