Bassmonkey Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Yep I'm the main singer. Three of us can sing. One guitarist sings lead on about a third of the set, I do the rest. Can manage most songs. Struggled with a couple and so those never made the set. This charming man caused me problems playing and singing together. Can do both separately. Soz Moz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 BVs only, and I come up with as many excuses as I can to get out of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaytonaRik Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 (edited) I've sung lead in pretty much every band I've been in, frequently as a guitarist rather than a bass player, However, as I'm currently playing the part of Phil Lynott it's a given I have to play and sing! Edited August 24, 2015 by DaytonaRik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuNkShUi Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 [quote name='icastle' timestamp='1440416231' post='2850415'] BVs only, and I come up with as many excuses as I can to get out of it. [/quote] I'm exactly the same! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassjon Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 If you don't sing you are not a musician - just a bass player! learn to play melodies on your bass, then sing them, then do harmonies. It will make you a 100% better musician! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonBassAlpha Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 BVs only here. I've done a lot more in my current band than ever before and the noise I make has improved. On it's own my voice is not that good, but it blends in well with my singer, somehow. Small problem is intonation, I play fretless, and there isn't a fixed frame of reference... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 I do some BV's but mostly as a double up of the lead part in choruses etc- would be interested if anyone knows any good places on the internet for learning more about singing a harmony part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 [quote name='Bassjon' timestamp='1440417672' post='2850442'] If you don't sing you are not a musician - just a bass player! [/quote] That's a silly thing to say. I would love to do a bit of BV here and there but I am blessed with an unpleasant nasal voice so I could have all the vocal training in the world and still not sound good. I once had to speak over the PA at a gig and nearly passed out with embarrassment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indiegrungesound Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 I was the lead singer in my last band, and I think I'll be doing some BVs & some lead in my new band. I'll say that doing BVs is trickier because it can be harder harmonising with someone else's vocals. So practice, don't forget to drink water and-if necessary-get singing lessons too(Don't take this the wrong way either, as I reckon I'll need to take some in order to fine tune my technique and work on my range TBH!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubit Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 I've been the bass player/ lead singer of our band for 35 years! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Yup. I'm currently doing BVs and harmonies in my current band ('cos our REAl singer is brilliant), but I've done lead vocal and bass in a couple of projects before now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anaxcrosswords Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 In setting up my previous band it was known from the outset I was going to have to do BVs, and I dreaded it. In a recording situation I was OK, but just didn’t fancy the idea of delivering accurate BVs while playing live. Almost out of desperation I bought a Boss VE-20 Vocal Performer to provide live auto-tuning. And I don’t even know if it really worked. However, I believed it did and that was a massive confidence booster. After a year or so I stopped using it because I no longer felt nervous about singing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goblin Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Started off in choirs as a kid, so always knew the technique, but in say year 8 at high school, it's not the cool thing to do, so (foolishly in hindsight) stopped. Always played bass without BVs of any kind until April last year, and it just goes up and up. With that band it was a case of put in what I can when I can. With the band I'm currently working with as my main earner, my BVs are integral to the band (as they are from all members), and around 90% of the gigs I do, I end up singing BVs. I'm also doing more duo gigs too. It's amazing what can change in a year and a bit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Another singing bass (and guitar) player here, but much prefer to concentrate my full concentration on playing the bass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 [quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1440418732' post='2850465'] That's a silly thing to say. I would love to do a bit of BV here and there but I am blessed with an unpleasant nasal voice so I could have all the vocal training in the world and still not sound good. I once had to speak over the PA at a gig and nearly passed out with embarrassment. [/quote] Which needs to recognised... the bigger problem would be that you didn't know that or care ...and carried on, obliviously Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 [quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1440418610' post='2850462'] BVs only here. I've done a lot more in my current band than ever before and the noise I make has improved. On it's own my voice is not that good, but it blends in well with my singer, somehow. [b]Small problem is intonation, I play fretless, and there isn't a fixed frame of reference..[/b]. [/quote] ?????? don't get that at all... can you sing in harmony or not..?? you pitch to the main vocal?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTool Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Up until 2 years ago. Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 BVs in my current band & shared lead vocals in a couple of previous projects. I am afflicted with a bland voice (which is ideal for BVs) so for lead vocals overcame that by judicious application of ranting, snarling & shouting. I've never really compromised what I play when singing, with enough practice I've manage to nail everything I need to. Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyctes Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 (edited) I can't sing at all any more. I've sung harmony for as long as I can remember - I find it difficult to sing a melody. I've never been able to sing and play together though. Recently my bandmates have pushed me to sing lead on a couple of songs (knowing they'd have to do without the bass), because I have the best voice of the three of us. Net result, I can't sing either. Edited August 24, 2015 by alyctes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krysbass Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Been playing bass since the early 80s and I can honestly say that I have never had any urge to do vocals - not even BVs. I'm only a "weekend warrior" bassist and these days my bass literally stays in its case Monday - Friday unless I'm taking time off work. So playing bass is my escape and is a pure pleasure that would be heavily diluted by having to do vocals as well. Also, because my practice time is so restricted, I need to make every moment I spend with my bass as productive as possible and having to learn/practice vocals too would compromise that. Also, I've seen too many covers bands where the bassist doubles on vocals, but to do so is simplifying the original bass-line of the song - having to do that would really irritate me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huge Hands Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 I remember the keyboard player in an old band refusing to entertain the idea of me singing lead, by saying "when you sing, you go from a sh*t hot (his words) bass player to a mediocre bass player and mediocre singer...." To think I was only offering to cover until we got a proper singer To be honest, I have done my best to work on it since (that comment was a bit of a motivator!) I still occasionally sing lead on something at rehearsals but happy not to have to do it live. Lots of backing vocals though - and to the point of in the latest band - a lot of really close harmony stuff. Pitching that for a whole song and playing bass is hard for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Singing BV's was a must in my current band The ELO Experience, as you will probably imagine! Thinking back, I've collared gigs where there have been better bassists available who could n't sing, so would recommend anyone to give it a try. Same as other posts, I have a fairly bland voice solo, but seems to suit singing harmonies without overpowering the lead vocal. Works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 BVs only here, tend to cover songs where our main BVer - the lead guitarist - finds a melody throws his playing out then I'll pick it up. If neither of us can get it the drummer does them. We're pretty luck that we can all do a decent job and have a couple of songs where the three of us add to the mix. Takes me a while to nail the vox though - if bass and vox are simple no problem but I really have to have the playing close to unconscious for more complex work as I have to concentrate on the singing. Absolutely love the interacting with our singer on Basket Case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painy Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basska Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 Singing bassist here. Lead, harmonies/backing vocals and I have a tendency to what I like to call 'Slap and Rap'. Anybody needs any advice give me a PM and I'd be happy to try and help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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