Bass playing and singing the lead vocal..,

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  • blobbblobb Frets: 2914
    edited January 2019
    Richard Sinclair: Caravan, Camel, Hatfield & the North.
    Feelin' Reelin' & Squeelin'
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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23965
    Schnozz said:
    Schnozz said:
    I love Glenn Hughes

    It's easier if you use a pick IMO
    Definitely. Although I’m 99.9% a fingerstyle player so I’d have to learn pick playing properly too! 
    Yeah, I was the same - I still struggled on a P bass, because the string spacing felt harder to pick across (needed one with a grip too, as it would spin)
    I once had a status with 16.5mm spacing. Wish I still had it to try pick playing again. 
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  • Sting did so very well.
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  • SchnozzSchnozz Frets: 1926
    Sting did so very well.
    The timing on Police songs is pretty hard sometimes too
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  • TonyRTonyR Frets: 908
    Mark Burgess (The Chameleons)
    We are all Chameleons...
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  • fftcfftc Frets: 559
    Glad it's not just me!

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  • Mark King was my idol growing up for that reason. 

    I've done it, but it ain't easy! 
    Years ago I saw a Level 42 tribute band and their 'Mark' blew my mind, I've occasionally wondered who he was as that was a lot of technique and co-ordination for someone playing tiny clubs. 
    Tipton is a small fishing village in the borough of Sandwell. 
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  • prowlaprowla Frets: 4896
    Mark King
    Chris Squire
    Roger Waters
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  • jpfampsjpfamps Frets: 2723

    Tom Robinson
    JJ Burnell

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  • axisusaxisus Frets: 28280
    Geddy Lee is the man! When he's not playing bass and singing he's playing keyboards, bass pedals with his feet and singing. great bass playing as well.


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  • RockerRocker Frets: 4947
    I have always believed that good musicians play what the song needs, sometimes referred to as serving the song. If 'all' the song needs is straightforward root notes, play root notes. This applies whether you are playing bass or a vocalist playing bass.  Remember that the audience mostly know little or nothing about playing music.  They usually know if the song is well performed as they tend to jump around the floor in time to the music. AKA dancing.
    Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. [Albert Einstein]

    Nil Satis Nisi Optimum

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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23965
    And what does that have to do with singing and playing at the same time?
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  • axisusaxisus Frets: 28280
    And what does that have to do with singing and playing at the same time?
    He was singing when he wrote it. I think that says something
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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23965
    axisus said:
    And what does that have to do with singing and playing at the same time?
    He was singing when he wrote it. I think that says something
    That explains it!

    He didn’t mean to sound like a simpleton but that’s all the song needed.
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  • TeetonetalTeetonetal Frets: 7801
    edited February 2019
    Rocker said:
    I have always believed that good musicians play what the song needs, sometimes referred to as serving the song. If 'all' the song needs is straightforward root notes, play root notes. This applies whether you are playing bass or a vocalist playing bass.  Remember that the audience mostly know little or nothing about playing music.  They usually know if the song is well performed as they tend to jump around the floor in time to the music. AKA dancing.
    Maybe. But a good musician can also play what the song requires and their choices are not limited by their technique. Oh and some of the best music does not require dancing in any way
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  • RockerRocker Frets: 4947
    I agree @Teetoneal that "some of the best music does not require dancing in any way" but a lot of music is written to move people. Both emotionally and physically. My point is that a musician plays what is felt to be right for the song.  Most of a bass players duties involve playing root notes. 

    Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. [Albert Einstein]

    Nil Satis Nisi Optimum

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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23965
    Rocker said:
    I agree @Teetoneal that "some of the best music does not require dancing in any way" but a lot of music is written to move people. Both emotionally and physically. My point is that a musician plays what is felt to be right for the song.  Most of a bass players duties involve playing root notes. 

    And still has nothing to do with singing at the same time.

    The reason why more people find it difficult to sing and play bass, rather than sing and play guitar is that the guitar parts are often more closely linked with the vocal and the bass parts are not. It's not a note choice issue, it's a rhythmic pattern issue.

    Only in pop music does a bass players role mostly involve root notes. That is not true for many other styles and completely wrong for classical and jazz where the bass part is often an entire counter melody. RnB, Country, Blues etc all use forms of walking or far more than root / fifth. 

    Can you imagine how awful an old classic like "in the mood" would be if the bassist only played root notes?


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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23965
    Here's Nate Watts completely RUINING some random tunes by refusing to stick to root notes.



    Oh wait - no he didn't. He enhanced them. Massively.
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  • bassborabassbora Frets: 132
    Try and sing and play all the old Motown bass lines.  Its challenging enough to try and play what James Jamerson was playing let alone sing along.  I would say he played everything that fitted the music and beyond that.  And if you dont move to Motown there must be something seriously wrong with you.
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  • RockerRocker Frets: 4947
    @fretmeister, with respect, it is possible to sing and play most instruments simultaneously with the exception of wind or brass instruments. Difficult for violin or that family of instruments but possible with practice.

    I am not sure what country music you listen to but 'simple' roots will suffice for most country songs I know. And the typical 12 bar blues can be successfully played using roots. It might bore the pants off the musician but I doubt the average punter in the audience would even notice.  You may be right about 'in the mood' but few bands play it and even fewer play and sing it. Great tune BTW.
    Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. [Albert Einstein]

    Nil Satis Nisi Optimum

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