Anyone here a bass playin' frontman (or woman)?

[Super Bass]

So I've got this stupid idea in my head that I should start a band and play bass and sing. I can sing, but not great... so I was thinking about getting some singing lessons in the new year.

The music school I go to for my bass lessons has a singing teacher also.

 

Anyone else here sing and play bass? Any tips?

[dDigitalPimp]

Anyone else here sing and play bass? Any tips?

 

write easier basslines when you will be singing, that is if you are doing your own stuff.

[Taustin Powers]

Playing bass and singing at the same time can be tricky. Especially when one of the two lines (bass or vocals) is a little more rhythmically intricate, or just plain different from the other. It takes practice. Practice, practice, practice.

 

But it's very rewarding, I really enjoy it.

[texasbassplayer]

I play bass in a Beatles trib band so I do a LOT of singing.

[rummy]

If I were to be in a band, I'd want to sing.

[burdizzos]

I share vocal duties.

 

It makes the gig a lot more fun and I find that I don't over complicate bass lines because I get my time in the spotlight.

[bassgirl9]

I do.

 

I watched every bit of footage I could of Sting, Lee Rocker, Paul McCartney as well as Les Claypool and every other singing bassplayer I could find.You have to see their live perforamances though, because what they do on CD isn't always what they do live. There's lots of tricks you can learn just by watching those guys.

[catphish]

I sing lead on a little more than half our stuff, back ups on the rest. So I guess I'm sort of a front man. I leave the shticky crowd banter to our guitarist though.

[Funkee1]

 

I sing lead on a little more than half our stuff, back ups on the rest. So I guess I'm sort of a front man. I leave the shticky crowd banter to our guitarist though.

 

That's kinda my story too, although I will do the shticky crowd banter!

[zachoff]

I have in two of my bands. Sometimes it's hard and sometimes it's not. I've always had to have one or the other pieces down pat so I didn't even have to think about it. Bass part... Vocal part... Doesn't matter. Just make sure you could do one or the other in your sleep.

[Bigfiddle]

Yes

[mrmatt64]

I am 1/3 front man. In my 3 piece, we alternate on vox-I'll sing one, then the gtr. sings one, then the drummer. We usually try to stick with that for a couple of sets. I purposely found a gtr. and drummer that could sing (very well I might add) so the crowd wouldn't have to hear my crappy voice all night!!

Not that I'm into the cash much, but we get minimum $150/night per man this way. Of course I own the P.A. so a lot of pre and post work involved...

It really cuts down the flake factor, the more people in the group, like a 4,5 or 6 piece group, the more chances of disagreements, etc. I really dig the 3 piece, (trying to stick with the thread),now if I can only sing better:freak:

 

Mr. Matt

[JacieFB]

Yes. Me. Check.

 

At least I did until a few days ago.

[WynnD]

I agree with Zachoff. I had to have one of the parts down to the place of not having to think about it so I could concentrate on the other part.

 

Recently, a guitar/keyboard player got moved to bass full time. He didn't have any problems singing with guitar or keys, but bass was another story. He simplified the bass line to "long train a-runnin". I was dissapointed. That bass line was worth the work. (If you were going to play the song anyway.)

[Super Bass]

I agree with Zachoff. I had to have one of the parts down to the place of not having to think about it so I could concentrate on the other part. Recently, a guitar/keyboard player got moved to bass full time. He didn't have any problems singing with guitar or keys, but bass was another story. He simplified the bass line to "long train a-runnin". I was dissapointed. That bass line was worth the work. (If you were going to play the song anyway.)

 

Thanks for the advise guys!

 

Yeah, I get that I should probably know the bass part with my eyes closed. Also it would have to be a bit simpler. Its going to be a punk rock band anyways so its not that bad.

 

BG9, Thanks for the advice on the vid's to watch. What actually got me interested in doing this is that I'm learning one of the Police songs at the moment, Roxanne. I've watched vids on youtube and seen that Sting did simplify the stuff even more live. I'll have a look at McCartney and the others.

 

As for what others said about guitarists and drummers singing. That'd be my plan too. I'd need to get a guitarist who could sing, not too pushed about the drummer singing. although it is pretty cool sometimes.

 

Yo, Jacie. Seein' as you were in a Punk Rock band, I would appreciate any advise you could give. (sorry to hear about the band split )

[Funkee1]

Practice in front of a mirror till you're comfortable.

[Super Bass]

well the problem with that is i'd just get sick looking at myself....

 

haha

 

well, I have no problem getting up on stage in front of people. I've done it before, although not in a musical capacity.

[JacieFB]

Yo, Jacie. Seein' as you were in a Punk Rock band, I would appreciate any advise you could give. (sorry to hear about the band split )

 

 

Let's see...

 

Definitely get some lessons. They can be very very helpful...for starters, how to warm up your pipes. Getting your breathing/technique down is another thing that they can do for you. There is also something that lessons can't do for you, though. That's finding a voice that you can make peace with and/or like. That takes some experimentation.

 

As far as singing and playing go...punk rock makes a great venue for learning to sing and play. A lot of the music we played, especially in the first years was just straight-ahead blast-it-out basslines. Just playing sort of aggressive basslines and laying the backbone of the band was the bass priority. Honestly, fills really aren't that hard to do, even while you're singing. You've been playing bass for umpteen years...your fingers know what to do. It's keeping the bassline going and keeping the intensity and consistancy of that bassline while you sing that you may find difficult. Initially, blasting it out on bass and vocally really helped me get over the first hurdle. My wife(gf at the time) bought me one of those Harley Davidson stickers that just say "LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES". I looked at that before I practiced or played and that helped!

 

Good songs to start with: Anything Ramones, Bouncing Souls, etc.

 

Graduating up to having feel, playing walking bass lines, weaving vocal patterns around interesting basslines...that does take time. Sting, although he's rarely doing anything on bass that we as bass players think too much about, really is doing some interesting things. Even "So Lonely". The line is easy, but the note placement is tough whilst singing it. Same goes for "Roxanne" and "Can't Stand Losin' You".

 

Good songs to teach you singing and playing seperate melodies/lines: As dorky as it sounds, "Chick Magnet" from MXPX. Police songs are great for this, too. They're so much more of a commitment to sing and play than you think!

 

Other tips...lock into your drummer. Not to be crass, but really feel that kick drum climbing up your ass. Be a part of that. Eventually, your body can let loose...your hands and arms will play right along with the drummer and you can sing nearly independently of that.

 

Other tips...use a pick. I've found that I can use my whole body, or at least my shoulder in a way to really feel the song's rhythm while using a pick that I can't while playing finger-style. As long as my breathing stays rhythmic, too, it really frees up the mind to concentrate on the vocals...and on entertaining! Don't forget that you have to do that, too.

[FreestyleIntruder]

I do some backing vocalsand stuff. It's just something that comes with a lot of practice.

[Super Bass]

SNIP

 

Thanks for the great advice. Yeah, i was thinking about the pick thing too. Probably sound a bit more consistent than if I was using my fingers.

[zachoff]

Other tips...use a pick. I've found that I can use my whole body, or at least my shoulder in a way to really feel the song's rhythm while using a pick that I can't while playing finger-style. As long as my breathing stays rhythmic, too, it really frees up the mind to concentrate on the vocals...and on entertaining! Don't forget that you have to do that, too.

 

+1. I can't sing/play fingerstyle at all. Way easier to keep time when you're playing with a pick.

[ModmanQ6]

I sing backup in my band, but have done the lead thing in others. I took 15 years off, so it's been a lot of work getting back into the synched groove of vox + bass. Practice singing whenever you can when you're practicing playing your bass. Even if you aren't singing the lead on certain songs, try to sing the lyrics while you play, it can only help. YMMV

[FloydianAnimal]

I sing backup and play bass in my Crue band. I guess what I did was I'd sing only the parts and play only the riffs and practice them separately before bringing them together. Also, if you know what you are going to sing over, just practice that part until you can play it in your sleep. Then you should be able to sing over it. Once you get comfortable singing and playing a few things it'll start to get easier also. Using a pick is a pretty good idea too but really whatever way is most comfortable to play your stuff is the best idea.