gub Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Just got thinking about melody and stuff and wondering if it helps to be able to sing in tune and hold a note and all that when it comes to playing bass well , I am crap at it tbh and trying to do backing vocals while playing live I really struggle with ! Any tips apart from don't sing ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Practice. Sing along to your fave songs in the car on your own, loudly, or at home. You`ll be able to hear when/if you go out of key. It`s much easier to hit the right notes when someone else is already doing so. Once you`re comfortable doing this, then bring it to band practice. Same applies, the lead singer is already hitting the reference point. Backing vocs are a big sell if trying to obtain work in bands, as they really add to songs - especially live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Get in touch with me for lessons? Only partly kidding. Check out my blog www.markjwgraham.co.uk/blog - there's genuinely stuff on their to help you work out what's going on with your voice, learn a bit more about it, and ways to improve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cazzag Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Maybe sing your warm up scale? At least you know your singing the right notes then, and you will get used to how they sound :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mckendrick Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 (edited) [size=5][sup]I used to sing reall well. Top chorister when I was a kid. Wasn't the best at singing and playing bass at the same time but fared reasonably well, until....[/sup] [sup]....I gave up smoking about eight years ago because of a touch of COPD. Within a few months my throat turned into something resemling an old sock. It went sort of 'baggy' for want of a better description. I lost my pitch altogether, I can't hold a note anymore or anything, and I'm really quite saddened by it. If I'd known this was going to happen I would never have given up smoking, honest. [/sup] [sup]They said that giving up the tabs would give me a better quality of life, which kind of made me further evaluate what "quality of life" actually implies. If it means "longer Life" then I have to disagree with whatever medical genius came up with that judgement. I think I'd rather have the shorter QUALITY life than the longer LESS QUALITY life, and still be able to sing.[/sup] [sup]Some conundrum, eh?[/sup][/size] [size=4][sup].[/sup][/size] Edited August 15, 2012 by mckendrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 No of course you don't have to be able to sing to play bass well. I think most people can carry a tune if they practise enough though. As was suggested above - sing when you're on your own to get a feel for how to use your own voice. And if you're serious you can always go get vocal training. It turned out that in the last band I was in I was the only person who'd never had a vocal lesson! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldman Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Sing the tune in your head, yep, in your head. You can learn the bass, then the words, or do it together. But, if you know the tune inside your head you will know when it is 'wrong'. Singing and playing bass is your independence bit that drummers take for granted. A good start, IMO is old rock and roll stuff, you can laugh but it chugs along and is relatively easier to hold the tune ... When it gets to Politician or Born Under A Bad Sign well that is when you need the Tune in you head. Oh, and sing at the top of your voice, in the car, get a feel for your range.... Works for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Most singers don't sing well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimBobTTD Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 How's my singing? Not even my mother likes it. I would love to be able to sing. Lessons are on the cards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.