Fender_Greg Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 Hey guys, I'm really trying to up my vocals at the moment and obviously want to sing and play. At the moment I just find myself being able to sing on the easy bass line parts! Anyone know any good practices for getting into more complex playing and singing?? Feel free to post links for videos, articles or anything. Thanks for your help! Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 Ya just gotta do it. Again and again and again and again until you get it right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stroopy121 Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 I've been having some problems with this lately, too. Especially when it comes to playing thrashy, offbeat punk tunes. You just have to drill the bass into your head until you can play it without thinking, then get the same level of familiarity with the vocals. xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rOB Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 [quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1347018687' post='1796041'] Ya just gotta do it. Again and again and again and again until you get it right. [/quote] This. Its hard to begin with but it gets easier. What I do to begin with is link the bass part with the singing so I know what notes and lyrics happen at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 Actually, I think of the two things as the same part on a chart and learn what I play with the bass and what I play against it (like the r/h and l/h on a piano). The only time I struggle is singing three beats when I am playing four on the bass (or vice versa). Fortunately, that is rare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ogri Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 i remember trying to sing the harmony on "start" whilst playing the simple bass line in a jam tribute.. "its, not, important for" "you, to, know my name" eeeek.. like the man says, practice, practice , practice.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalehernando Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 I'm the lead singer/bassist in my band. Really struggling at the moment with our new tracks as they are a lot more 'riffy' but I'm getting their! First gig next saturday playing them, so like they say it's just practice practice practice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTool Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 (edited) I've had over thirty five years experience and find it harder than ever to nail new material, but I put that down to age - my brain does not take stuff in and remember like it used to, I must get rid of those aluminium saucepans..... Presumably you are talking about what a lot of us do and that is to play a cover of somebody elses tune, if that's the case, read on. If it's original material, you'll have to somehow tailor the following Learn the bass part... Obvious reallyl, but specifically I mean learn it so you can play it without thinking - yep, it's hard work, I have sat for HOURS in my kitchen going over and over one song but it's the only way to do this Then.... Learn the vocal - the lyrics, the phrasing, the tune, the lot. Now, verse first... Play along to the original and [i]hum[/i] the tune as you play the bass line. Do this and visualise the lyric but don't try and sing just yet, you need to focus on the brain split between bass and vox. Do it over and over until you feel you can join in with the singing. Then.....speak it through at first so you get the phrasing married with the bass. Any tricky timings you find between bass and vox, go over them again and again So, once each verse is mastered, move on to the chorus and do the same Put the whole lot together and then sing along with the original until you have it nailed. Finally..... practise singing TO your audience - by that I mean try not to look at your fretboard as you sing, try not to look down, try not to always have your eyes closed. Get these final bits right and you've cracked it! Two of the hardest songs I can think of that took me yonks in the kitchen were 'Rat Trap' by the Boomtown Rats - totally counterpoint bass/vox and that lazy Geldof drawl too - and 'Lonely Boy' by Andrew Gold. Best of luck Edited September 9, 2012 by BassTool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero9 Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 This may help: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3Lszt2HPK8"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3Lszt2HPK8[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ogri Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 [quote name='BassTool' timestamp='1347132079' post='1797332'] I've had over thirty five years experience and find it harder than ever to nail new material, but I put that down to age - my brain does not take stuff in and remember like it used to, I must get rid of those aluminium saucepans..... Presumably you are talking about what a lot of us do and that is to play a cover of somebody elses tune, if that's the case, read on. If it's original material, you'll have to somehow tailor the following Learn the bass part... Obvious reallyl, but specifically I mean learn it so you can play it without thinking - yep, it's hard work, I have sat for HOURS in my kitchen going over and over one song but it's the only way to do this Then.... Learn the vocal - the lyrics, the phrasing, the tune, the lot. Now, verse first... Play along to the original and [i]hum[/i] the tune as you play the bass line. Do this and visualise the lyric but don't try and sing just yet, you need to focus on the brain split between bass and vox. Do it over and over until you feel you can join in with the singing. Then.....speak it through at first so you get the phrasing married with the bass. Any tricky timings you find between bass and vox, go over them again and again So, once each verse is mastered, move on to the chorus and do the same Put the whole lot together and then sing along with the original until you have it nailed. Finally..... practise singing TO your audience - by that I mean try not to look at your fretboard as you sing, try not to look down, try not to always have your eyes closed. Get these final bits right and you've cracked it! Two of the hardest songs I can think of that took me yonks in the kitchen were 'Rat Trap' by the Boomtown Rats - totally counterpoint bass/vox and that lazy Geldof drawl too - and 'Lonely Boy' by Andrew Gold. Best of luck [/quote] ive watched your band many times when working up north mate (even the ashbrooke rugby club gig when the power went lol) , prolly the best pub scene band ive ever seen in truth, respect...and you deffo got the singing/bass playing sussed 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fender_Greg Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 Excellent video zero9! great little thought through practice to try out. But also thanks the rest of you too, I knew it would really boil down to just gettin on with it! haha. I'll give you a guess to my main thought of practice this week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malikosbass Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Nice video ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malikosbass Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 [quote name='zero9' timestamp='1347189311' post='1797765'] This may help: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3Lszt2HPK8[/media] [/quote] Thanks you for posting this video ..i love it lot of fun . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero9 Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 You're welcome. I do think Phil Gould has put on some weight though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrismanbass Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 i find being able to talk to people whilst playing is a good stepping stone to being able to sing so maybe practice whilst talking to someone about something other than bass (obviously tell them what your doing as i hate guitards who constantly widdle whilst your talking to them) also being able to count out loud whilst playing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LemonCello Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Yolanda's vid is great. I fit into the 'blokes can't multi-task' category! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTool Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Phil Gould may indeed have put a bit of beef on, but I bet he's enjoying the view of Yolandas backside better than he ever did with Mark Kings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero9 Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hubrad Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 [quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1347018687' post='1796041'] Ya just gotta do it. Again and again and again and again until you get it right. [/quote] +1, and +1, and +1!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 I disagree about working on the bass part alone for a long time before you try singing. I think if you're intending to do both then you should start doing both, and if there are awkward clashes in the timing then slow the piece down as slow as you need to go to 'feel' how the vocal and bass notes slot in between each other. Then you'll be able to bring it back up to speed. Eventually you'll need less time to get new material working. I do harmony vox and when learning new songs in rehearsals I'll usually sing off the mic for the first couple of times through and by then I'm usually able to join in without tripping over myself. 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.