OT: playing and singing

[Dees]

I was wondering if anyone here plays bass and sings at the same time. Recently I'm trying to train my voice a bit for singing. I'm now trying to play and sing "50 ways to leave your love" by Paul Simon, but it sure is hard to combine those 2 things. I keep on wondering how Geddy Lee does it
So anyone with experience? or someone who could give me some tips?

Thanks,
Dees

 

[bovinehost]

I used to play guitar (another life) and it's MUCH easier to play chords and sing.

Playing bass and singing...well, I do it, but under duress.

The way I see it, the bass line has to be almost automatic - you shouldn't have to think about playing it. That's the only way I can play walking lines and sing at the same time. I guess it's muscle memory.

 

[maddog]

*scribbles down notes*

 

[Fuzzy Dustmite]

I suck at it, mostly because I don't think I can really sing, and I only do backup stuff usually. But like Jack says, it's gotta be you don't have to think about one or the other. It took me a while to figure it out, and I still can't do it on some songs

For instance on Tommy Tutone's Jenny, I can't sing the 867-5309 part and play the 2 16th (I think) notes on each beat for some reason. I can play just the one, but playing both and singing messes me up.

On another song where i only sing one line, I had to just sit there playing the part over and over and trying to sing it. It's easier when each syllable / word changes when the notes change, but I tend to either sing what the bass is playing or play what the singing is when it doesn't. It's almost like I have to divide my mind up and try concentrating on two things at once.

I'm amazed at how Geddy does it with all the intricacies he plays on the bass.

 

[adouglas]

I do, but only backup.

It's a funny disconnect thing. I'm not a keyboard player, but I suspect it's kind of like playing piano...you're doing two things at the same time. You can't focus 100 percent on either one.

For me, my playing is sort of on autopilot when I'm singing.
I can't remember when it started to become possible to do this. I was completely unable to do anything other than play for years and years...the moment I'd try to speak, my playing would self-destruct. Now I can do a passable job of vocalizing without too much trouble.

I can't sing and play anything with odd or really funky timing, though. Playing a pattern or arpeggio or anything like that is not too hard as long as the rhythm follows the vocal. But introduce weird timing and even going "la la la" is impossible.

I suppose if you have the ability to talk and play, you can sing and play.

Perhaps you might try working up to it. Don't even pick up your bass at first. Sing the part while tapping the rhythm out with your fingers on a tabletop. If you can stay in time, and even embellish it a bit, you're getting there.

Listening to that song in my head, it seems pretty simple. You're just playing quarter notes on the root, right? No complicated fills or runs?

 

[RitchieDarling]

I was wondering if anyone here plays bass and sings at the same time. Recently I'm trying to train my voice a bit for singing. I'm now trying to play and sing "50 ways to leave your love" by Paul Simon, but it sure is hard to combine those 2 things. I keep on wondering how Geddy Lee does it
So anyone with experience? or someone who could give me some tips?

Thanks,
Dees

I have been playing and doing lead and backing vocals as long as I can remember. I also have a synth and bass pedals in my rig. My best advice is to get your bass parts down BEFORE you add anything else. Once they become routine, it's much easier to throw in other things. I have done "50 ways........." before. It's not as hard as it seems. There are a lot of notes, but they follow a nice pattern. Get that to be second nature, and the vocals should be no problem. And don't feel bad. I used to have to stare at the neck just to make sure my vocals didn't screw up my bass line!

Ritchie

 

[RitchieDarling]

For me, my playing is sort of on autopilot when I'm singing.
I can't remember when it started to become possible to do this. I was completely unable to do anything other than play for years and years...the moment I'd try to speak, my playing would self-destruct.

Oh yeah! Been there, done that. Still do occasionally!


Ritchie

 

[Fuzzy Dustmite]

Oh yeah! Been there, done that. Still do occasionally!


Ritchie

I still do it most of the time! For practice, I'll try to just keep a steady beat of one note, running quarter notes and try talking to someone. It's still hard for me.

 

[RitchieDarling]

I still do it most of the time! For practice, I'll try to just keep a steady beat of one note, running quarter notes and try talking to someone. It's still hard for me.

I have also discovered that my ability to play and sing at the same time is directly proportional to the amount of alcohol I have comsumed!


Ritchie

 

[lonote049]

I'm in a blues band and I sing lead on a few of our jump blues tunes and do a lot of back-up vocals and call and response vocals. I have no problem singing while playing walking lines with a swing or shuffle beat but that's it for me. I don't think there's any shortcut...you have to practice, practice and practice somemore.

 

[maddog]

I'm amazed at how Geddy does it with all the intricacies he plays on the bass.

I found Geddy's lines so repetitive and fit the song that I'd end up singing along when I was working on them extensively. Not anything beautiful, more like mumbling the lyrics while playing. Muscle memory definitely helps.

 

[midopa]

I can only sing when I "dumb down" my bass playing (which isn't a bad thing ). For example, just sticking to the root and playing to the bass drum.

 

[Bill]

Try singing while playing the fiddle.

 

[Father Gino]

I have also discovered that my ability to play and sing at the same time is directly proportional to the amount of alcohol I have comsumed!

So there's your answer. Drink more and you'll be able to sing and play at the same time.

Seriously though, practice obviously helps. I'm not all that great at it, though I do sing a bunch of lead vocals. Then again, I'm not all that great of a praticer either. A lot of the songs I sing have walking 1/4 note walking bass lines. I have a real hard time with a syncopated bass line, even a simple soul tune.

 

[RitchieDarling]

So there's your answer. Drink more and you'll be able to sing and play at the same time.

No no Father, the other way around!

Ritchie


p.s. Please note that Richard James Bradford Darling VI Esq. does NOT promote drinking to excess. At least not all the time!

 

[0557]

I was in a cover band that did several Level 42 tunes, So it was my goal to tryand be like Mark King, which was a disaster for a few weeks. But, only after woodsheding long enough until I was confident enough to play those songs in front of a crowd. For me it was Left brain, right brain thing to get used to.
I found myself staring at the neck in the beginning but as I relaxed I played more in the pocket. A shot of tequila always helped before the set.

 

[Aussie Mark]

I've fronted blues trios, and do several songs in my current band. It's a left brain/right brain thing, but some basslines do make it impossible to combine with singing. How Sir Paul, Phil Lynott and Jack Bruce managed to do so never ceases to amaze me. I love the bassline to "Born Under A Bad Sign", and can sing it very well, but I still can't do both at the same time.

 

[Mobay45]

This is the first band I've been in that I didn't have to sing back-up or lead vocals. I am loving it! I never liked doing it because, even though I can hit the right notes, the quality of my voice isn't very good.

I'm pretty much in the same camp as Jack on this one. You just have to know the bass line so well that it's second nature to play it. You can't think about what you're playing and what you're singing at the same time. One or the other has to be automatic and that has to be the singing.

And what Mark says is very true too. There are some songs that it just can't be done on.

 

[adouglas]

I love the bassline to "Born Under A Bad Sign", and can sing it very well, but I still can't do both at the same time.

That's exactly what I mean by weird timing. The vocal and basslline are both simple and slow, but the timing doesn't match.

 

[LisaIs]

I used to play guitar (another life) and it's MUCH easier to play chords and sing.

Playing bass and singing...well, I do it, but under duress.

The way I see it, the bass line has to be almost automatic - you shouldn't have to think about playing it. That's the only way I can play walking lines and sing at the same time. I guess it's muscle memory.

I agree, it is so much easier with guitar. It can be done but it takes more practice.