Dr.Dave Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 [quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1344883419' post='1770651'] Now I'm an obnoxious, self absorbed arse-hole (but i play bass too!), result. [/quote] Me too !!!!!!! Life's great , isn't it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassmonkey Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 As some of the guys here have already said, it's something you may be able to control by having a go yourself. I did exacty that. Tired of singers and their sometimes unusual behaviours I started off doing backing vocals then tried a couple myself - it takes a while but soon learned to play and sing together and now front my band. Also - one less mouth to feed when it comes to payment time. Might be worth a go (assuming of course that you can hold a note) Good luck buddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrenochrome Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 I'm very happy with the format of our band where one guitarist sings about 70% of the songs, t'other guitarist sings about 20% and me and the drummer do one or two each. Seems that way you've got a proper engaged band member/musician rather than a prima donna doing the singing - also means that we don't get into volume wars cos everyone is keen to have their vocals audible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grassie Posted August 14, 2012 Author Share Posted August 14, 2012 Love all your replies chaps, you really are a nice bunch aren't you? We might have a replacement already, but it's far to early to tell if it's going to work. I will certainly consider giving it a go myself, but I've tried it before and I couldn't bear to hear myself, seriously, I have a real problem with hearing my own voice... It's weird. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 [quote name='Dr.Dave' timestamp='1344934612' post='1771173'] Me too !!!!!!! Life's great , isn't it ? [/quote] Mine is. You can feck off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertbass Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Everyone has that problem when they hear what they sound like for the first time. You do actually get over it quite quickly though. Persever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackers Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 I've been trying to build up the courage to record myself singing and post it up on here to find out if people think my voice is actually any good, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 I became an actor for a while - still am to a lesser extent. I figured that if I played the role of a confident singer I might get by long enough to start building up that confidence for real. It worked. As I got more confident I began to attack microphones rather than shy from them. That made me sound better - sounding better made me that little bit more confident , and so it went on. These days I don't think of myself as a great singer , more of a workmanlike one. A craftsman rather than an artist. I also appreciate why singing bass players I admired - such as Phil Lynott and to a lesser extent Geddy Lee (not lesser on playing ability) - sang lines which might appear to be a bit un-natural timing wise. It's so they can fit them with playing the bass line. I do that all the time. I don't think my playing has suffered. I think it's improved. When singing - I have a greater sense of the song in terms of it being a melody and lyrics , and therefore a better sense of how best to suport that with my bass playing. I fill the gaps better than I used to and don't interupt like I had a tendancy to do. Best of all - it stops you looking at your fcuking hands !!!! You become more of an entertainer - more in touch with the williams - less likely to hide halfway behind the drums then complain later that you're contribution isn't recognised !! Be honest - how many of us have done that?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grassie Posted August 15, 2012 Author Share Posted August 15, 2012 I used to sing backing vocals in my last band, and quite enjoyed it. I can't recall having received any complaints... It's more of an attention thing, I think. I was always quite happy standing on the end, plonking away, with everyone in the audience watching the singer, and I've always been content with my contribution to any band I've been in. I've never had a problem with not getting attention - I'd rather not have it. But I want to and enjoy playing in a band, so it's a bit of a catch-22. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlfer Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 [quote name='Dr.Dave' timestamp='1345020364' post='1772309'] I became an actor for a while - still am to a lesser extent. I figured that if I played the role of a confident singer I might get by long enough to start building up that confidence for real. It worked. As I got more confident I began to attack microphones rather than shy from them. That made me sound better - sounding better made me that little bit more confident , and so it went on. These days I don't think of myself as a great singer , more of a workmanlike one. A craftsman rather than an artist. I also appreciate why singing bass players I admired - such as Phil Lynott and to a lesser extent Geddy Lee (not lesser on playing ability) - sang lines which might appear to be a bit un-natural timing wise. It's so they can fit them with playing the bass line. I do that all the time. I don't think my playing has suffered. I think it's improved. When singing - I have a greater sense of the song in terms of it being a melody and lyrics , and therefore a better sense of how best to suport that with my bass playing. I fill the gaps better than I used to and don't interupt like I had a tendancy to do. Best of all - it stops you looking at your fcuking hands !!!! You become more of an entertainer - more in touch with the williams - less likely to hide halfway behind the drums then complain later that you're contribution isn't recognised !! Be honest - how many of us have done that?! [/quote] Yeah, I've seen you and Rod, shrinking violets the pair of you Sell me the Tele wise one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rOB Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 [quote name='Dr.Dave' timestamp='1345020364' post='1772309'] [/quote] Everything the wise Dr says. A couple of years ago I couldn't find a band playing the kind of music I wanted to play so wrote my own music and put my own band together. Couple of years down the line a new band but couldn't find a singer who stuck. Learning to sing with the first gig in a few weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 I became the singer by default. Singer quit, we kept rehearsing for a year while we looked for someone else. I sang at rehearsals as I wrote most of the lyrics anyway. Then the other guys booked a gig and pointed out that I had been learning how to do it for a year and it was time to get in front of people. I enjoyed it greatly and never looked back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 [quote name='Dr.Dave' timestamp='1344872230' post='1770427'] The simple truth is that decent singers make or break a band whereas bass players are ten a penny and a reasonable degree of competence is often all that's required. In other words - a frank , recognition of where the real power lies within a band is an asset to a gigging musician. What's pointless - is yet another thread bemoaning singers and their seemingly prima donna ways. My answer has always been to learn to sing. Become the singer yourself. All it takes is the same degree of practise that other musicians put in. Sadly , when I say this I get shot down in flames but I don't really care. I figured all this stuff out years ago and went and did something about it by learning to sing - mostly by practising , some by bluffing until the practise caught up. Some will say that playing bas while singing isn't possible. I say 'bollocks - of course it is'.It just takes practise. Please don't feel picked on or victimised , Grant. Not my intention. You're obviously very frustrated. My intention is to encourage musicians to think differently and not just have a go at singers. I hope your current situation resovles itself - honestly I do. But I suspect more of the solution resides with you than you think. [/quote] Definitely a case of "physician, heal thyself.......!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Having a dedicated singer is always a bit of a gamble. You need someone with stage presence, someone who becomes 'the face' of the band and can captivate an audience. The problem often is that the person who can meet all those criteria AND actually sing is only one twist of DNA away from being a prima donna. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoombung Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Audiences are just as happy to hear an instrumental band in my experience. They don't want some whiney twit screeching 'yaa maa wanderwaaaaallll', for instance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 [quote name='Spoombung' timestamp='1345197509' post='1774780'] They don't want some whiney twit screeching 'yaa maa wanderwaaaaallll', for instance. [/quote] Unfortunately, record sales and concert attandance would suggest otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blademan_98 Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Don't you just need a nice electronic pitch corrector and a cheesy grin? If so, I will be your lead singer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 [quote name='icastle' timestamp='1345188562' post='1774638'] Having a dedicated singer is always a bit of a gamble. You need someone with stage presence, someone who becomes 'the face' of the band and can captivate an audience. The problem often is that the person who can meet all those criteria AND actually sing is only one twist of DNA away from being a prima donna. [/quote] Indeed... getting someone who can really sing AND has presense is a tough ask...you usually get one or the other...but you really really really have to have someone who can sing otherwise the band is a crock.................the rest is the compromise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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