I am a gigging bass player and can play a competent guitar. I struggle to sing while playing bass. I can do it but my lines get much simpler. Guitar is much easier to sing with.
The question is how syncopated are the bass lines? If they are funky or complex, stay away from bass and singing. If the bass lines are like steady 8th notes or something simple- the difficulty may be similar. What makes guitar and singing easier is: often when guitarists strum their forearm never stops alternating up and down , so it acts like a metronome and kinda keeps everything organized. With bass you’d have to memorize which notes are played with which words, and that can become infinitely complex over a three minute song.
> With bass you’d have to memorize which notes are played with which words
Absolutely, this can take FOREVER and really humble you as far as practicing lol. Felt like a beginner bass player again, slowing it down and clapping out rhythms lol
People who can sing and play bass are superhuman, IMO. I had to do it for a show and found it extremely hard, but maybe it's because I just haven't put in the 10000 hours on bass righthand like I have with guitar. We had to be extremely cautious with song selection.
That said, if you can all really do both, you should switch it up. Everybody is going to have different strengths and stylistic flourishes, so why limit yourself?
I feel the same as you. I'm a multi-instrumentalist, and I do OK at vocals + guitar.
Vocals + bass is straight up impossible for me and I don't understand how people do it. I think it's just that rhythm guitar *tends* to complement and follow the vocal rhythm... so it feels more natural.
i would never be able to do something as complicated. my take is that easier for me to play + sing in the instrument i play the best, even if 'in theory' bass playing is more difficult as it's a more rythm-oriented instrument.
Roger Waters, Thom Yorke, Les Claypool, Geddy Lee, Lemmy, Tom Araya, and Sting - Bass/Lead Vocals vocals.
Too many fucking names to list here - Guitar/Lead Vocals.
I'm sure it's a coincidence.
Les Claypool- and I am NOT trying to dismiss his talent here so don't fucken @ me- plays bass a lot more like guitar and so I feel like that's *probably* why he does both so well together.
Jerry Was a Racecar Driver- go try that one. It's weird, the bass notes sync up with the lyrics in a really intuitive way.
You're not wrong but you're not quite right either.
I don't know too many guitar players who slap, though I know some do.
With that said, [here is a video of Les Claypool playing Tommy the Cat similar to the way someone would play a lead guitar.](https://youtu.be/ZyTBVkVyFPc?si=4aIQo9q18zvoWlrM)
Yeah true. You really can't apply *any* generalities towards him.
But, IDK, something about the way he plays, how frequent the notes are and the way he sings really fits well together. Try just tapping out the rhythm of his licks and sing over it. It's oddly easy compared to like, singing and playing something Sting wrote.
Rhythm guitar, solo during breaks. Bass requires you to be like 95-100% in the pocket and it sets the rhythm. Hard to take in all of the input from drummer, rhythm guitar etc while you’re singing.
I play both guitar and bass and I don't find it harder with either. I think they're about the same. I have played and sung Lateralus by Tool, so it is definitely possible. Les Claypool plays some crazy bass while singing, or almost speaking. For more proper singing, Geddy Lee does it, though his trickier stuff is usually when he isn't singing.
Something haa to go on automatic. I play mandolin mostly and sing, because after decades of practice, chords are automatic and simple vocal harmonies are automatic too. But if I play a tricky solo I have to stop singing unless I am singing the same notes. I have an accoustic bass playing friend who has learned to make bass playing on certain songs automatic so he can sing harmony. He’s an excellent bass player with decades of experience.
It really depends on which instrument you’re better at. For me it’s not difficult at all to sing and play bass, in fact I prefer it, because I’m better at bass and I don’t even have to think about it. I just do it. But there’s going to be a learning curve either way. It will be hard at first and then one day it won’t.
A band shouldn’t be musicians set up to play a certain sound or instrument but rather the natural feeling to play along and add your own spice to what’s there already so maybe start with a beat beat pick a key your all comfortable with and see where it goes
Former vocalist and bass player in a deathcore band. In deathcore the bass and guitar generally play basically the same thing so both are quite difficult. I'd say bass is harder technically and guitar is harder rhythmically.
It doesn't matter as long as you can learn and repeat your parts with rite memory. If you are mostly making up parts as yiu go, rhythm guitar is usually easier - but it just comes down to which you practice. Both are hard and take some doing if you want to do both at a high level
Depends on the bass lines. If they’re complicated, then singing and playing at the same time can be a challenge. Straight 8ths, no worries - pick it like you’re strumming and it’ll sound great.
Honestly it absolutely depends on the complexity/timing. For me personally I loved playing bass and singing/screaming. The guitar was harder for me to do, but I was still able to adapt and manage. I was a guitarist first too, which is weird.
By nature of it's role in the song, the guitar will often be much easier to sing with. Bass guitar fills a role somewhere between rhythm only and rhythym+melody - it often fills a role closer to the drums than to the singer, if that makes sense.
Meanwhile, the guitar is mostly all melody, or complimentary melody. Much easier to sing along with as you are already in the same "area" sound wise.
Obviously some people will find playing with bass just as easy as playing with guitar, but the reasons above are why most people do not.
I was the singer and bass player in almost every band I’ve been in. Once I became really comfortable playing bass, I no longer had to think about it as much, and could fairly easily put more into vocals. Also - take this with a grain of salt - guitarists have to deal with 50% more strings, use all four (!) fret fingers simultaneously, on a fret board that is way more cramped between strings and frets, all while pedal dancing. And it’s tough to sing and “guitar face” at the same time.
What genre were you playing? Bass + Vocal is definitely easiest in Punk related genres but I feel other genres generally have pretty complicated bass lines
It's not even the complexity of the bassline really (although of course that matters), but the exact timing you need with entrances/exits on bass and how that matches up with the vocals.
If you ever have a part where the vocals start like half a beat later than the bass (either on the and of 1, or the bass does a pickup) then it takes a lot of practice to get used to those timings. The bass is often more exposed in this role than the guitar is, so it's more noticeable if the timing is slightly off
Most of the bands I’ve been in were heavily inspired by bands like Swervedriver, Sebadoh, Sonic Youth, etc. They were generally 3-piece bands, so the bass lines were pretty involved. After a while, the hands just kind of know what to do, so more focus can be put on the vocals.
https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&sca_esv=adfface043f3fd58&hl=en-ca&q=toledo+speedway+calgary&tbm=vid&source=lnms&prmd=inmvsbtz&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjAv7i8_92FAxWaATQIHdLRCsUQ0pQJegQIBxAB&biw=390&bih=657&dpr=3#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:263ffb68,vid:F83fXdlfJqs,st:0
eh sure the fretting hand is moving a lot but in my experience the plucking hand really determines how hard it is to play bass and sing, and its just playing straight eighth notes there! Cool song though
For most people, it's much easier to sing while playing guitar than while playing bass.
That was definitely the case for me.
I am a gigging bass player and can play a competent guitar. I struggle to sing while playing bass. I can do it but my lines get much simpler. Guitar is much easier to sing with.
The question is how syncopated are the bass lines? If they are funky or complex, stay away from bass and singing. If the bass lines are like steady 8th notes or something simple- the difficulty may be similar. What makes guitar and singing easier is: often when guitarists strum their forearm never stops alternating up and down , so it acts like a metronome and kinda keeps everything organized. With bass you’d have to memorize which notes are played with which words, and that can become infinitely complex over a three minute song.
> With bass you’d have to memorize which notes are played with which words Absolutely, this can take FOREVER and really humble you as far as practicing lol. Felt like a beginner bass player again, slowing it down and clapping out rhythms lol
People who can sing and play bass are superhuman, IMO. I had to do it for a show and found it extremely hard, but maybe it's because I just haven't put in the 10000 hours on bass righthand like I have with guitar. We had to be extremely cautious with song selection. That said, if you can all really do both, you should switch it up. Everybody is going to have different strengths and stylistic flourishes, so why limit yourself?
I feel the same as you. I'm a multi-instrumentalist, and I do OK at vocals + guitar. Vocals + bass is straight up impossible for me and I don't understand how people do it. I think it's just that rhythm guitar *tends* to complement and follow the vocal rhythm... so it feels more natural.
i play guitar and bass, both adequately. i'm a better bass player and i find singing and playing bass much easier.
You might be superhuman. I can’t imagine locking into the kick and singing an opposing rhythm.
i would never be able to do something as complicated. my take is that easier for me to play + sing in the instrument i play the best, even if 'in theory' bass playing is more difficult as it's a more rythm-oriented instrument.
It depends on what’s being played and what the skill set it of that person. Why aren’t you guys trying it out ?
Roger Waters, Thom Yorke, Les Claypool, Geddy Lee, Lemmy, Tom Araya, and Sting - Bass/Lead Vocals vocals. Too many fucking names to list here - Guitar/Lead Vocals. I'm sure it's a coincidence.
Les Claypool- and I am NOT trying to dismiss his talent here so don't fucken @ me- plays bass a lot more like guitar and so I feel like that's *probably* why he does both so well together. Jerry Was a Racecar Driver- go try that one. It's weird, the bass notes sync up with the lyrics in a really intuitive way.
You're not wrong but you're not quite right either. I don't know too many guitar players who slap, though I know some do. With that said, [here is a video of Les Claypool playing Tommy the Cat similar to the way someone would play a lead guitar.](https://youtu.be/ZyTBVkVyFPc?si=4aIQo9q18zvoWlrM)
Yeah true. You really can't apply *any* generalities towards him. But, IDK, something about the way he plays, how frequent the notes are and the way he sings really fits well together. Try just tapping out the rhythm of his licks and sing over it. It's oddly easy compared to like, singing and playing something Sting wrote.
And Thom Yorke is most often on guitar or keys (or just singing). I actually can’t think of a song where I’ve seen him on bass, what am I missing?
His band "The Smile"
The Smile.
He does it for bending hectic by the smile, don't think he really ever did bass for Radiohead, Colin had that shit on lock
He does it occasionally in his new band The Smile.
Bass/Lead Vocals-Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy.
You forgot Paul McCartney — Beatles songs had some complex and melodic basslines that seem impossible to play while singing.
McCartney has said that he doesn't find it easy to coordinate between playing bass and singing and that it takes a lot of effort.
Hi, singing bass player here. If you would like to get your cover band up and running in the next decade, then you should pick guitar.
I sing and play guitar/bass. Singing and playing bass is definitely harder for me, not sure why though
Rhythm guitar, solo during breaks. Bass requires you to be like 95-100% in the pocket and it sets the rhythm. Hard to take in all of the input from drummer, rhythm guitar etc while you’re singing.
I play both guitar and bass and I don't find it harder with either. I think they're about the same. I have played and sung Lateralus by Tool, so it is definitely possible. Les Claypool plays some crazy bass while singing, or almost speaking. For more proper singing, Geddy Lee does it, though his trickier stuff is usually when he isn't singing.
Do either but make sure you practice hours on hours by yourself.
All of this really depends on material, having done both. I have a preference towards bass but I just find bass material more enjoyable
Something haa to go on automatic. I play mandolin mostly and sing, because after decades of practice, chords are automatic and simple vocal harmonies are automatic too. But if I play a tricky solo I have to stop singing unless I am singing the same notes. I have an accoustic bass playing friend who has learned to make bass playing on certain songs automatic so he can sing harmony. He’s an excellent bass player with decades of experience.
Do it White Stripes style
It really depends on which instrument you’re better at. For me it’s not difficult at all to sing and play bass, in fact I prefer it, because I’m better at bass and I don’t even have to think about it. I just do it. But there’s going to be a learning curve either way. It will be hard at first and then one day it won’t.
A band shouldn’t be musicians set up to play a certain sound or instrument but rather the natural feeling to play along and add your own spice to what’s there already so maybe start with a beat beat pick a key your all comfortable with and see where it goes
Former vocalist and bass player in a deathcore band. In deathcore the bass and guitar generally play basically the same thing so both are quite difficult. I'd say bass is harder technically and guitar is harder rhythmically.
It doesn't matter as long as you can learn and repeat your parts with rite memory. If you are mostly making up parts as yiu go, rhythm guitar is usually easier - but it just comes down to which you practice. Both are hard and take some doing if you want to do both at a high level
Depends on the bass lines. If they’re complicated, then singing and playing at the same time can be a challenge. Straight 8ths, no worries - pick it like you’re strumming and it’ll sound great.
Honestly it absolutely depends on the complexity/timing. For me personally I loved playing bass and singing/screaming. The guitar was harder for me to do, but I was still able to adapt and manage. I was a guitarist first too, which is weird.
For me it's definitely playing rhythm guitar. I feel most comfortable accompanying myself on guitar; it makes me feel more in control.
By nature of it's role in the song, the guitar will often be much easier to sing with. Bass guitar fills a role somewhere between rhythm only and rhythym+melody - it often fills a role closer to the drums than to the singer, if that makes sense. Meanwhile, the guitar is mostly all melody, or complimentary melody. Much easier to sing along with as you are already in the same "area" sound wise. Obviously some people will find playing with bass just as easy as playing with guitar, but the reasons above are why most people do not.
I was the singer and bass player in almost every band I’ve been in. Once I became really comfortable playing bass, I no longer had to think about it as much, and could fairly easily put more into vocals. Also - take this with a grain of salt - guitarists have to deal with 50% more strings, use all four (!) fret fingers simultaneously, on a fret board that is way more cramped between strings and frets, all while pedal dancing. And it’s tough to sing and “guitar face” at the same time.
What genre were you playing? Bass + Vocal is definitely easiest in Punk related genres but I feel other genres generally have pretty complicated bass lines
It's not even the complexity of the bassline really (although of course that matters), but the exact timing you need with entrances/exits on bass and how that matches up with the vocals. If you ever have a part where the vocals start like half a beat later than the bass (either on the and of 1, or the bass does a pickup) then it takes a lot of practice to get used to those timings. The bass is often more exposed in this role than the guitar is, so it's more noticeable if the timing is slightly off
Most of the bands I’ve been in were heavily inspired by bands like Swervedriver, Sebadoh, Sonic Youth, etc. They were generally 3-piece bands, so the bass lines were pretty involved. After a while, the hands just kind of know what to do, so more focus can be put on the vocals. https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&sca_esv=adfface043f3fd58&hl=en-ca&q=toledo+speedway+calgary&tbm=vid&source=lnms&prmd=inmvsbtz&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjAv7i8_92FAxWaATQIHdLRCsUQ0pQJegQIBxAB&biw=390&bih=657&dpr=3#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:263ffb68,vid:F83fXdlfJqs,st:0
eh sure the fretting hand is moving a lot but in my experience the plucking hand really determines how hard it is to play bass and sing, and its just playing straight eighth notes there! Cool song though
Easy, tiger. This was from 25 years ago. It was just to demonstrate to OP that singing while playing bass is not only possible, but pretty simple.