OT Do you sing and play bass in your band?

[jlepre]

I'm sure this question has been asked before, but I was wondering how many vocalists do we have here on EB? I find that there are fewer bass/singers than say guitards or drummers that sing either lead or background.

 

[Eggman]

Some backing vocals for me. I can sing lead but have a really tough time playing bass and singing lead at the same time.

 

[mynan]

I can sing and play, but prefer not to because I play better when I don't sing.

...and I take great exception to you referring to this forum as "TB".

 

[jlepre]

...and I take great exception to you referring to this forum as "TB".

OOPS!

Changed!

 

[paranoid70]

Can I play too?

I play lead guitar in my band, but I do sing lead vocals as well. Noticed I said "as well" and not that I sing "well".

In our band we have five guys.... 3 guitar players (don't ask), a bass player and a drummer. The bass player (who plays Peavey, sorry) sings most of the songs - he is by far the best singer. I sing the second most # of songs - last gig I sang 6 out of our 27 songs. The other guys sing at least one song each. I don't know if that makes it more interesting for the audience or not, but it's fun for us.

Funny thing is, before I joined this band, I could never sing and play at all. I still get screwed up on a few songs, but I guess the more you do it the easier it gets.

For the life of me I can't see how Geddy Lee can sing and play his bass parts. That guy is the man. Now if someone could just hand him a Stingray.

 

[TNT]

I thought all bass players sang???!!!


LOL


I personally think all players can and should contribute on vocals, no matter how limited.

Don't worry, the other guys can stand the "pain", and the audience never really knows where that "howl" is coming from - that way we all share the boo's!!

 

[SharonG]

I sing lead on a few songs, about 1 per set, but that's about all i can handle - my voice isn't that strong. Mostly back-ups, and it is way easier to hold down the bottom if I'm not singing!

 

[Aussie Mark]

In my current band, backing on most songs, lead on a couple of songs. I fronted a blues trio in the past as well.

 

[overtime]

I sing lead in 10 songs in this band..We do have a lead singer but everbody in the band sings in case we have to cover for the lead singer.I do not sing any backgound though only lead

 

[the unrepentant]

I used to be bassist and lead singer... but i was crap

 

[Jawshco]

Singing and playing at the same time is something that really has to be practiced together, IMO. Practicing the two separately has never done me any good. My voice never sounds the same when I'm playing, and my bass is never as easy to play when I'm singing. But after a week or so of practicing both at once I usually get it right. If feels a little silly to practice this way, but there's no way around it unless you've got a band that's always around (which I don't).

Of course there are times when you can cheat. Use "creative" rests in your music that allow you the space to sing without having to play at the same time. I also have a song where I don't sing on the more complicated parts, but where I do sing I'll play single notes with the same rhythm as the vocals, and then go back to more complicated stuff when I stop singing. Since I'm the #2 singer this doesn't affect my bass too much...but you'd really have to be abe to do both at once without cheating everytime if you were the lead vocalist.

 

[DTG]

i never really sang much a few screams here and there,now however i have to fill in all the b.v. with a new band i am playing with and i suck big time.i can play and i can sing but i am finding it really hard to do both at the same time and my bass playing is suffering.

i love Geddy,Sting,phill Lynott.........dont know how they do it (did it in Phillo's case)

 

[carpedebass]

Real bassists NEVER sing! Just kidding. I took 3 years of private voice lessons, but choose not to sing. Vocalists are a dime a dozen...and it takes away from the primary purpose of music...playing bass!

 

[jlepre]

Singing and playing at the same time is something that really has to be practiced together, IMO. Practicing the two separately has never done me any good.

+1

Some great responses from my fellow BALLERS. The reason I started this thread was to see if others felt the same as I do, that it's pretty hard to sing lead, and hold down the bottom of a band situation.

I feel like I am fortunate because I learned how to play and sing at pretty much the same time.

It's kinda second natue for me I guess.

Plus, it gets me more fill-in gigs because I can sing and play.

 

[Smakbass]

I wish I could sing...the gigs I could of had in my youth if I could sing.....I did used to sing some back ups but I am not that coordinated and it was always fairly limited.

 

[BrandonS]

I've always sung harmonies...

... but now that I'm learning bass I'm singing a bit less, but am still singing harmonies and some fill vocals. I do a very few leads, but usually when I'm not playing

 

[Ole Man Blues]

No...but our worship team keeps asking me to............

OMB

 

[oddjob]

I have the coordination of a one legged penguin on the ice... singing is a bad, bad thing. It isn't that I couldn't (I actually have a decent baritone singing voice) I just can't (and keep holding the bottom down). That chewing gum and walking thing has me beat too!

 

[Caca de Kick]

All of our songs have harmonies, and I'm the only who does them (and all the multi layered ones in the studio). It is hard work to get your hands to move what's usually the complete opposite of the melody your singing...especially when you play very syncopated lines. Practice, practice, practice....

 

[13thorderbass]

I used to "scream" but realized i was horrible and it hurt to much and i couldn't really play so i stoped but i have some singing parts.