Challenges with singing and playing at the same time

I've been told to learn to sing because it makes you more valuable as a musician in a band, and so I learned to sing. As you can imagine, a bassist that sings is yeah, more valuable, than a bassist that cant. Now I face a problem, and that is putting them together. It's hard for me to focus on both at once, usually I concentrate on a single part, so I was looking for some tips on how I might get better at doing both at the same time. Also, I'm still fairly new to singing, so if anyone can gimme some tips to make me better at it, I'd appreciate it.

I think it depends what you’re more used to and proficient at. If you’re better at playing bass than singing, when you try to combine the two at first you may find your singing is the part that drops away while your bass takes precedence. When I try and learn to play the guitar or ukulele, I always sing along with what I’m playing cause I find it helps me “hear” how the song is meant to go better, which also assists my playing. I do find that the singing is effortless and automatic and the playing takes a lot of effort.

I think just keep practicing doing both together and eventually they’ll both be more equal with regard to doing them at the same time.

Hanging around with lead singers when I first got in bands, all I heard from vocal trainers was if you want to sing every night for a living you have to talk softer during the day and avoid shouting. The best way to learn any music is standing up, especially if you're standing onstage. Walking around, getting your natural body rhythm going while you sing and play is the best, unless you're dancing. There's a reason why most jazzers say you can't play it if you can't sing it, and that's not the Biblical reason why lifting your voice in song is so important to mankind. So if you're alone, sing the song first to get into it and start playing to it. Moving with the music gets your body into the rhythm, making it easier to play off it, whether you're riffing lead guitar or playing bass in the pocket or getting some funk or raggae happening.

And please, you're not learning how to sing. You can refine yourself, but you are opening your mouth and letting it out. That's all. So be confident. Vocal coaches look at your face as you sing and call it a mask, seeing how various motions of facial muscles show your vocal technique. The more casual you look, the less you are straining, the better it is for endurance and it's a good way to stay in your natural musical range. Then you can look in the mirror to see what dramatic expressions work for you.

I'd recommend trying some early Police, Message in a Bottle, Can't Stand Losing You, for some nice bass feel and strident vocals, checking out how Sting did it. And for a little bass trivia, what's the only top ten Billboard hit that didn't have bass? Prince's "When Doves Cry".

as always, John Watt

How to play and sing at the same time is a very commonly asked question. The key to it is usually exactly what you said there - you're fairly new to singing.

It's common to underestimate just how much is involved in singing - probably because we've all croaked out a few songs over the years, even if they were only Happy Birthday. But when you try and do it accurately and 'on demand' the need to learn the craft properly usually becomes apparent quite quickly.

When you play and sing you are now operating two instruments at once, and the best way to manage that is to be solid at each one separately. You should get some benefit from working on them apart first, just as pianists will often practice the part for each hand separately before trying to put them together. Perhaps you could try using a backing track to get each one secure before combining them?

More practice time for your 'other instrument' - the voice will pay off. Some proper lessons are always good. Until your timing, control and general technique is as solid as it is for your bass then you'll probably continue to get patchy results. So it's down to that darned P word again - practice...

Of course, if you were trying to sing and play sax at the same time then the problem is different...

I've found that metronome work on both helps a lot, and when you're trying to combine them together. (IE, practice just the vocals with a metronome, and just your instrumental part to a metronome, then both with the metronome. Start slow and build up speed as you are comfortable.) Of course, ideally you should be practicing with a metronome already, just in general. And, if you have time, learning drums helps - it really teaches you to juggle multiple rhythms at once.

A great topic, and another candidate for a sticky.