Singing and playing - how?!!

[Mokl]

I'm reaching out to the BC community in the hope that some amongst you will have been the process and can offer some advice. 

 

For years I've managed to avoid singing backing vocals, but I've begun depping for a band and it's clear it would be beneficial if I could add a bit of vocals on choruses etc. 

 

Problem is I've never been able to sing and play at the same time! When I play I feel so mentally 'locked in' that I struggle to even speak or respond off someone talks to me, let alone sing 😂 Strumming an acoustic I can sort of do it, but bass feels like a wholly different challenge. 

 

I've been playing for years, so it's quite a way into my playing career to learn, but for those of you that have been through similar, how did you crack it?!

 

How ever McCartney, Lee etc do it is beyond me?!!

[Lozz196]

Practice, that’s the only way. I’m not a natural singer so the only way I can get my backing vox right is practice them with the band. It’s no good at home volumes, I need to be doing them with the band and those volumes.

[Jackroadkill]

3 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

Practice, that’s the only way. I’m not a natural singer so the only way I can get my backing vox right is practice them with the band. It’s no good at home volumes, I need to be doing them with the band and those volumes.

 

It's pretty much this - if there's a magic bullet I'm yet to find it!

[walshy]

15 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

Practice, that’s the only way. I’m not a natural singer so the only way I can get my backing vox right is practice them with the band. It’s no good at home volumes, I need to be doing them with the band and those volumes.

100% This. I couldn't do it either but lots of practice and not thinking about it when you're doing it was key. Concentrate too much on either and it goes to pot! I found I changed to downstrokes only which helped me for some reason. Keep plugging away and it'll come. 

[Mokl]

Thanks all, I guess like any new skill you just have to apply yourself consistently and accept you'll be crap to start with. 

 

It's not so much the technicalities of singing (although I'm no singer, sadly) it's the working out how my brain can learn to unlink the singing from the playing bit. 

[Acebassmusic]

25 minutes ago, Mokl said:

Thanks all, I guess like any new skill you just have to apply yourself consistently and accept you'll be crap to start with. 

 

It's not so much the technicalities of singing (although I'm no singer, sadly) it's the working out how my brain can learn to unlink the singing from the playing bit. 

 

Just like when you first started playing bass, keep it simple. Find a song you like, prefereably with just "on the beat" root notes. Learn to sing the tune seperately and then little by little bring them together. Work on this at home where there is no pressure to get it right first time. At home also means you'll be able to hear yourself better and concentrate more. Once you get more comfortable with singing the tune along with playing you can add in dynamics and singing at volume. Pick another tune and repeat the process.........👍

 

 

[BlueMoon]

I’ve been in the same situation as you, as have loads of other bass player/singers. The above reinforcement of the need for practice with the band is key. What also worked for me was to not overthink it. In some cases I simplified the bass line and learned the pairing (singing and playing) as a single entity, not as two separate parts stuck together.

 

I did get tripped up, however, when I did a dep gig using sheet music and then singing was really limited to just oohs and arrhs. I found that a really difficult gig.

 

practice, practice, practice!…….you’ll get there.

[Cliff Edge]

I don’t have any suggestions beyond what has already been said. Practice is the key. I started singing when I started playing bass but that was a long time ago. I Saw Her Standing There was my first effort. I figured if Paul can do it so can I. I admit he is better than me. 

[Mokl]

The thing is I have yet to rehearse with this band, first time I met them was at the venue for the first gig! There are no sheets/charts, so was a character building experience! 

 

Seems like they're likely to offer me more gigs (already got a couple booked), in which case a rehearsal so I can try the backing vocals in a less pressured environment doesn't feel too unreasonable! 

[ezbass]

As others have said, lots of practise. I was encouraged to sing some lead in my last band and one of the tunes was Bowie’s China Girl. The, “I wander into town…” section is right against the bass line rhythm. There was a lot of trying it at home before playing it live I can tell you. 

[bassbiscuits]

Practice - you’ll spot “anchor points” in the song where this lyric and that bass part match up and make it easier to navigate.

 

Also, worth trying one thing at a time. Learning to sing a song well is a job in itself, so maybe do that as one job and learning the bass line as another job. 
 

Once you’ve got them in hand, then start combining them. 
 

Good luck. 

[itu]

Mark King was originally a drummer, therefore it is possible to him to play bass and sing. But if you are a true bassist, walking and talking simultaneously is not possible. Forget singing and playing at the same time. 

Edited 7 hours ago by itu

[MacDaddy]

I've lost gigs because of my inability to sing and play at the same time.

TBF my inability to actually sing hasn't helped either.

 

[Dad3353]

2 hours ago, Mokl said:

... working out how my brain can learn to unlink the singing from the playing bit. 

 

If I may make the assumption that you drive a car (or ride a motorbike...), you may remember the very first time in charge. There's the whole process of starting off, then a permanent series of things that the brain and body must coordinate to make it work, safely. At first, there's the notion of braking and holding down the clutch, so as not to stall. Then the rigmarole of changing from one gear to the next, with hand and arm movements and foot control. Doing all of this thankfully becomes second nature, and after some practice, one may do these things subconsciously, with no mental effort, all the while listening to the cd player and holding down a conversation. How did that happen..? Yes, it's just good ol' solid repetition and practice. It comes all the faster if one takes it slowly, a bit at a time, without being too ambitious, too early. The more one does it, routinely, the better it becomes assimilated into one's reflexes. It's not that it's easy; it's as easy as the (small...) effort one puts into it. Anyone, including yourself, can do it, with just a little self-discipline and regular (once a day for a few minutes..?) exercise. 
Does this help..? 

[Homatron]

1 hour ago, bassbiscuits said:

Practice - you’ll spot “anchor points” in the song where this lyric and that bass part match up and make it easier to navigate.

 

I've found this approach really helps for my basic attempts at singing. Once I have largely got both parts down in isolation I start identifying which note in the bassline is the cue to start singing a particular word or line. 

[Stub Mandrel]

It's difficult,  but it's a skill and can be learned. Like you strumming an acoustic and singing is fine but...

 

I'm getting better at it and the bands I'm know my position - give me a microphone and I will do what I'm comfortable with.

 

I started about 40 years ago doing the 'yeah's in Moni Moni. Ironically I'll be doing them again tonight!

 

Some songs are easier than others and it's not always obvious what will work. The very regular pulse of Heroes but I struggle with the 'by the wall' etc. Yet the other day I was singing the chorus to Jean Genie while improvising fills...

 

I think the problem is they often use similar parts of the brain, especially if, like me, you 'hear' the melody in your head to play it more than remembering a fingeting.

[Mrbigstuff]

1 hour ago, Homatron said:

 

I've found this approach really helps for my basic attempts at singing. Once I have largely got both parts down in isolation I start identifying which note in the bassline is the cue to start singing a particular word or line. 

Similar to this. If you can write the parts out like a left and right hand piano line you will see visually where they meet rhythmically. Then you start to think of it as one part rather than two in parallel.

[Gank Bass]

2 pints before the gig, you'll be fine