This one was the million dollar ticket for me: Figure where the melody notes fall on the beat when singing, in particular, what SYLLABLE is associated with the downbeat (1 count, AKA The One.) If you know where the 1 is for both the bass AND the melody it helps a lot. Sometimes you sing before the first downbeat of a section (technically called anacrusis), sometimes it's on the 1, sometimes it's delayed. (As covered in the video.) BUT what's really cool, most of the time the first >consonants< are on the desired beat, and the vowels are the body of the note!!! At times it can be the first vowel of a word that starts with a vowel. At times it can be on a consonant in the middle of a word. IF you can figure out what syllable goes with each beat, it helps a LOT! Consonants are beats, vowels are melody notes. Note: What links the bass to the melody? The chords! Even if nobody is playing chords (like our 3-piece band when guitar guy is solo-ing his rear end off) the bass line describes the chord progression, which is the underlying song that the melody sits on top of. Consonants are beats, vowels are melody notes, and both spring from the current chord.
Great stuff, Kyle. As a singing bass player for years now, I've found the best way to learn to sing and play is to 1) Schedule a gig a month or two down the road.You need some pressure,LOL 2) make sure that your guitar and drum playing buddies are way too lame to EVEN TRY to play and sing and 3) Dive right in and do it. First time through will suck. Second time a bit better.Third time through passable etc.Also, there are iconic parts of a bass line and then the other parts. The iconic part must be played; the other parts can be "dumbed down" at least a bit. I also have lyrics on stage with the chords charted (I'm 65, give me a break). Any elaborate fills are tabbed on the lyric sheet next to where they belong. During guitar solos you can show the crowd that you are indeed a fantastic bass player and when the lyrics resume you can retreat to the comfort zone. Now, this is gonna sting a bit, most in the audience don't know bass lines and don't care if they're note for note. What they do know, generally, are the lyrics to a song. Vocals in a performance are #1, everything else is #2. Really, you could sing beautifully over just the root notes of a song and the applause will be deafening with everyone telling you how amazing it is that you can sing and play at the same time when you are on a break. I'm sure that you will agree, after a while, your brain compartmentalizes things and this process becomes much easier. Start slow with easy songs and then progress to Stone Temple Pilots. Sorry if that sounded like I'm a know it all but I have climbed that mountain. Next gig in 3 weeks. Lame band members still afraid(or just plain lazy).......thanks again,Kyle.
As another one of that ilk, that's a very good description! I do find that once no longer thinking (+stinking), it's a LOT easier to add all those juicy bass 'trinkets' back in, but ONLY after getting proficient at the basics. The other thing, for some country stuff, doing the 1, 5, 1, 5 thing automates very quickly once this first "pops." You have to put in the time, but in my case my two band mates REALLY appreciate all it brings. Since I'm now sometimes playing key bass along with piano, organ or whatever (with the right hand, split keyboard) and all 3 of us can sing lead or 3-part harmony, we do NOT sound like any other 3-piece band. We get told that all the time.
Now this absolutely comes in handy for me! Just joint a cover band as a bass player, and they asked if I could sing background vocals, too! I like to sing, indeed, but I hardly ever did it while playing the bass. As a matter of fact, I tried it about 25 years ago in a different cover band, and failed miserably. My rescue at the time was a change on the drummer‘s position, and the new drummer could sing third voice, too. Now I’ve been singing a lot for the last more than ten years, and I feel it’s time to work on these skills. Thanks for the great advice about how to start here! 👍
Good advice thank you… I’ve noticed now that I’m starting to get lead vocals together while playing, I struggle even more with backing vocals since they’re often coming in slightly behind the lead, which puts it off time. I’d love to see you do something regarding backing vocals as well. Thanks again for the video!
@@cmenacez8748 glad it's starting to help! For sure, backing vox can be harder than lead, especially when they're less on beat, less "melodic," and have less of a flow. I can definitely do another video focused more on bgv's. Got a particular song/section of a song that's holding you up?
Fully agree with all of this. One interim step that I find helps with getting the rhythm down is to whisper the vocal line while playing the bass at first. This lets you get the rhythmic components down and frees up mental capacity that might otherwise focus on vocal pitch. Once I have the rhythmic parts functioning well together as an automated process, I bring the vocal breathing and pitch back into play.
Blessed are you, man! I've been playing bass for four years now, and during that time I've scoured the internet for a ton of tutorials, but I've never found a lesson as specific as combining bass lines with vocals. This question tormented me for a long time. Now I'm doing approximately the same thing as you showed, I got to this point on my own, but in your example there are more complex things. Thank you very much for this video! I continue to study further.
When you get it, it's so cool! I'm to the point of singing either lead or backing/harmony (my specialty) AND playing bass . . .OR sometimes doing vocals, bass on left hand keys, and chords and grace notes with the right hand mimicking other instruments! Other musicians come see us and almost lose it; I'm just like "Well, it ain't easy, and it took me until I was 68 years old to figure it out, it was just a lot of work!"
Did not know how tight it would need to be, but your right to not have the brain overthink both the bass and lyrics you do have to literally go note by note. learned a bunch thanks helps me for future reference!
Damn.... perfect timing, just started working on BVs for a cover band I've been jamming with. Love the pro tips. Kind of another reminder; there are no shortcuts, you gotta put in the reps and time.
Dude. Awesome. Glad it's useful. Yeah, there's no substitute for breaking it down, it ain't magic! Haha...I've got another vid for bgv's as well on the channel if it helps
Awesome, hope it's helpful! Haha flarf means to play something without being right or precise...my dad used to say it all the time...starting to think he made that one up! Haha
That’s crazy I’m a singer and bass player and for years i do the same thing so I can learn the vocal arrangements but I don’t write music or read I’m kinda self taught. I struggle a lot learning bass parts though I have to make charts I use an iPad for my lyrics, question to ask is it bad to have an iPad when I perform at party’s or venues? Also how do you learn the bass arrangements ?
Awesome lesson. What advice do you have to get better at backup vocals. I play in a band and Id like to be able to sing backup but im not good with harmonies.
That’s a great breakdown, I’m for sure going to use it. But Sting has a looser timing with his singing than with his bass playing. Also, there’s more than one note being played. That takes a lot of experience and musicality to pull off. The playing slow and taking it in very short chunks is a great tool for learning stuff as well, however, I can never get the feel right if the tempo is wrong. And feel is what it’s all about, am I right?
@@migrantfamily thanks! great points, you're spot on.Yes, sting is loose on those rhythms (almost like he's talking), but the way you get there is by first being really tight with the rhythms, *then* you can play around with the "feel" of the rhythms. But you gotta be able to do it crisp first, otherwise you won't be in command of the feel, you'll just be messy. If you're having trouble playing and getting the feel at really slow tempos, that's an indication that a little work with rhythm and subdividing can help. This is something a lot of bass players could use work with, and we don't talk about it enough. I'm doing one more vid on major scales, and then doing a full vid on how to work on rhythm and subdividing. It might offer something to help!
@@KYLETEACHESBASSYT thanks, that’s a very helpful answer. Right now I’m trying to get Scott Mulvahill’s The Lord Is Coming under my fingers. I have simplified a lot, that is beast level stuff - especially considering he’s doing it on a non-fretted instrument.
Conversation... is the mode. If you say something, I will repeat it back to let you know that I really hear you. Then repeat that and I will make a small change which you will repeat back to me. This leads to finishing each other's thoughts and hearing more possibilities. Think "aural ideation" and simply play what you are hearing in your head, like singing your new thoughts.
Wondering if you meant to comment on another vid, but I hear you. I love that: "conversation IS the mode." Often the tweak that you make to my idea is something I never would have thought of...
Your last comment is an example of the process we are trying to engage. (Paraphrasing): Often your tweak on (take on) my idea opens the door to more revelations. Exactly the idea. If I play something to you and it invites a response, I am moving you from audient (sic) to participant.
okay though i started playing bass just few weeks ago, played guitar about a year (self learning), yet i cant ever speak when im playing, i go fully silent and am stuck in myself without able to express myself vocally
@@karvatupsul2175 haha it's all good! Just takes time and practicing stuff that's within reach. And sing! Even when you're not playing. I tell people all the time: even if you sound like crap, who cares. Singing will take every part of your musicianship to the next level, even if it's just singing in the car to tunes you like! Good luck on your bass journey!
ok, i tried and now i could sing few lines of one of my favorite songs without it sounding like im cutting the music with the knife after every bass note and syllable, it flowed! thank you
i disagree with one thing, i bet if i just keep going i will be singing whatever i want next week if i just learn to play those things first ofcourse xD i mean this video was that good and its to what you said "wont be singing rush and esparon next week" , i dont know the song but i respectfully disagree :D
This one was the million dollar ticket for me: Figure where the melody notes fall on the beat when singing, in particular, what SYLLABLE is associated with the downbeat (1 count, AKA The One.) If you know where the 1 is for both the bass AND the melody it helps a lot. Sometimes you sing before the first downbeat of a section (technically called anacrusis), sometimes it's on the 1, sometimes it's delayed. (As covered in the video.) BUT what's really cool, most of the time the first >consonants< are on the desired beat, and the vowels are the body of the note!!! At times it can be the first vowel of a word that starts with a vowel. At times it can be on a consonant in the middle of a word. IF you can figure out what syllable goes with each beat, it helps a LOT! Consonants are beats, vowels are melody notes.
Note: What links the bass to the melody? The chords! Even if nobody is playing chords (like our 3-piece band when guitar guy is solo-ing his rear end off) the bass line describes the chord progression, which is the underlying song that the melody sits on top of. Consonants are beats, vowels are melody notes, and both spring from the current chord.
Great stuff, Kyle. As a singing bass player for years now, I've found the best way to learn to sing and play is to 1) Schedule a gig a month or two down the road.You need some pressure,LOL 2) make sure that your guitar and drum playing buddies are way too lame to EVEN TRY to play and sing and 3) Dive right in and do it. First time through will suck. Second time a bit better.Third time through passable etc.Also, there are iconic parts of a bass line and then the other parts. The iconic part must be played; the other parts can be "dumbed down" at least a bit. I also have lyrics on stage with the chords charted (I'm 65, give me a break). Any elaborate fills are tabbed on the lyric sheet next to where they belong. During guitar solos you can show the crowd that you are indeed a fantastic bass player and when the lyrics resume you can retreat to the comfort zone. Now, this is gonna sting a bit, most in the audience don't know bass lines and don't care if they're note for note. What they do know, generally, are the lyrics to a song. Vocals in a performance are #1, everything else is #2. Really, you could sing beautifully over just the root notes of a song and the applause will be deafening with everyone telling you how amazing it is that you can sing and play at the same time when you are on a break. I'm sure that you will agree, after a while, your brain compartmentalizes things and this process becomes much easier. Start slow with easy songs and then progress to Stone Temple Pilots. Sorry if that sounded like I'm a know it all but I have climbed that mountain. Next gig in 3 weeks. Lame band members still afraid(or just plain lazy).......thanks again,Kyle.
As another one of that ilk, that's a very good description! I do find that once no longer thinking (+stinking), it's a LOT easier to add all those juicy bass 'trinkets' back in, but ONLY after getting proficient at the basics. The other thing, for some country stuff, doing the 1, 5, 1, 5 thing automates very quickly once this first "pops." You have to put in the time, but in my case my two band mates REALLY appreciate all it brings. Since I'm now sometimes playing key bass along with piano, organ or whatever (with the right hand, split keyboard) and all 3 of us can sing lead or 3-part harmony, we do NOT sound like any other 3-piece band. We get told that all the time.
You're right, the vox are key. And yeah, you can tamper the bass down, as long as you're providing what the bass needs to provide to the crowd
Now this absolutely comes in handy for me! Just joint a cover band as a bass player, and they asked if I could sing background vocals, too! I like to sing, indeed, but I hardly ever did it while playing the bass. As a matter of fact, I tried it about 25 years ago in a different cover band, and failed miserably. My rescue at the time was a change on the drummer‘s position, and the new drummer could sing third voice, too. Now I’ve been singing a lot for the last more than ten years, and I feel it’s time to work on these skills. Thanks for the great advice about how to start here! 👍
Hell yeah! Glad to help!
Good advice thank you… I’ve noticed now that I’m starting to get lead vocals together while playing, I struggle even more with backing vocals since they’re often coming in slightly behind the lead, which puts it off time. I’d love to see you do something regarding backing vocals as well. Thanks again for the video!
@@cmenacez8748 glad it's starting to help! For sure, backing vox can be harder than lead, especially when they're less on beat, less "melodic," and have less of a flow. I can definitely do another video focused more on bgv's. Got a particular song/section of a song that's holding you up?
@@KYLETEACHESBASSYT Agreed!
Fully agree with all of this.
One interim step that I find helps with getting the rhythm down is to whisper the vocal line while playing the bass at first. This lets you get the rhythmic components down and frees up mental capacity that might otherwise focus on vocal pitch. Once I have the rhythmic parts functioning well together as an automated process, I bring the vocal breathing and pitch back into play.
@@BassDawStew Awesome point! The whole rub is the rhythm, and that's a perfect way to isolate it
Blessed are you, man! I've been playing bass for four years now, and during that time I've scoured the internet for a ton of tutorials, but I've never found a lesson as specific as combining bass lines with vocals. This question tormented me for a long time. Now I'm doing approximately the same thing as you showed, I got to this point on my own, but in your example there are more complex things. Thank you very much for this video! I continue to study further.
@@anzhelash412 all the best to you! Glad you got some good information out of this!
When you get it, it's so cool! I'm to the point of singing either lead or backing/harmony (my specialty) AND playing bass . . .OR sometimes doing vocals, bass on left hand keys, and chords and grace notes with the right hand mimicking other instruments! Other musicians come see us and almost lose it; I'm just like "Well, it ain't easy, and it took me until I was 68 years old to figure it out, it was just a lot of work!"
DAMNNNN that's some serious independence man
Did not know how tight it would need to be, but your right to not have the brain overthink both the bass and lyrics you do have to literally go note by note. learned a bunch thanks helps me for future reference!
Rock on man glad to help. Yep those rhythms gotta be crisp like an ironed shirt!
Damn.... perfect timing, just started working on BVs for a cover band I've been jamming with.
Love the pro tips. Kind of another reminder; there are no shortcuts, you gotta put in the reps and time.
Dude. Awesome. Glad it's useful. Yeah, there's no substitute for breaking it down, it ain't magic! Haha...I've got another vid for bgv's as well on the channel if it helps
Terrific video, Kyle! I have been looking around for something like this. I love the verb “to flarff” even though I don’t know what it means.
Awesome, hope it's helpful! Haha flarf means to play something without being right or precise...my dad used to say it all the time...starting to think he made that one up! Haha
Nice lesson. I'm going to try here :)
This makes a lot of sense. It reminds me of learning to put both hands together on the piano.
@@stephengregory7838 spot on! Your brain ends up seeing it as one macro-movement rather than two
Great examples 🎶
Your channel is coming Together…Good Work 👍
Much appreciated, thank you!
I like the breakdown of the 5 types of bass and vocal combos
Thanks for that, gives new inspiration 😁😎
That’s crazy I’m a singer and bass player and for years i do the same thing so I can learn the vocal arrangements but I don’t write music or read I’m kinda self taught. I struggle a lot learning bass parts though I have to make charts I use an iPad for my lyrics, question to ask is it bad to have an iPad when I perform at party’s or venues? Also how do you learn the bass arrangements ?
Awesome lesson.
What advice do you have to get better at backup vocals. I play in a band and Id like to be able to sing backup but im not good with harmonies.
@@andrewloya76 Dude. What the hell. Are you reading my mind?! Literally making a vid on bgv's this coming week. Stay tuned, I got you!
Thank you for the response. I'll be waiting 😁
That’s a great breakdown, I’m for sure going to use it. But Sting has a looser timing with his singing than with his bass playing. Also, there’s more than one note being played. That takes a lot of experience and musicality to pull off. The playing slow and taking it in very short chunks is a great tool for learning stuff as well, however, I can never get the feel right if the tempo is wrong. And feel is what it’s all about, am I right?
@@migrantfamily thanks! great points, you're spot on.Yes, sting is loose on those rhythms (almost like he's talking), but the way you get there is by first being really tight with the rhythms, *then* you can play around with the "feel" of the rhythms. But you gotta be able to do it crisp first, otherwise you won't be in command of the feel, you'll just be messy.
If you're having trouble playing and getting the feel at really slow tempos, that's an indication that a little work with rhythm and subdividing can help. This is something a lot of bass players could use work with, and we don't talk about it enough. I'm doing one more vid on major scales, and then doing a full vid on how to work on rhythm and subdividing. It might offer something to help!
@@KYLETEACHESBASSYT thanks, that’s a very helpful answer. Right now I’m trying to get Scott Mulvahill’s The Lord Is Coming under my fingers. I have simplified a lot, that is beast level stuff - especially considering he’s doing it on a non-fretted instrument.
Thanks
Beautiful intro
Much appreciated!
Way to go this is a good way too help me also thanks
bravo 👍👍👏👏
Thanks man!
Conversation... is the mode. If you say something, I will repeat it back to let you know that I really hear you. Then repeat that and I will make a small change which you will repeat back to me. This leads to finishing each other's thoughts and hearing more possibilities. Think "aural ideation" and simply play what you are hearing in your head, like singing your new thoughts.
Wondering if you meant to comment on another vid, but I hear you. I love that: "conversation IS the mode." Often the tweak that you make to my idea is something I never would have thought of...
Your last comment is an example of the process we are trying to engage. (Paraphrasing): Often your tweak on (take on) my idea opens the door to more revelations.
Exactly the idea. If I play something to you and it invites a response, I am moving you from audient (sic) to participant.
@@chrismassey540 beautifully said!
LOL @ "flof it"
I've sung and played violin
i cant even speak or think when i play bass :_:
okay though i started playing bass just few weeks ago, played guitar about a year (self learning), yet i cant ever speak when im playing, i go fully silent and am stuck in myself without able to express myself vocally
@@karvatupsul2175 haha it's all good! Just takes time and practicing stuff that's within reach. And sing! Even when you're not playing. I tell people all the time: even if you sound like crap, who cares. Singing will take every part of your musicianship to the next level, even if it's just singing in the car to tunes you like! Good luck on your bass journey!
ok, i tried and now i could sing few lines of one of my favorite songs without it sounding like im cutting the music with the knife after every bass note and syllable, it flowed! thank you
i disagree with one thing, i bet if i just keep going i will be singing whatever i want next week if i just learn to play those things first ofcourse xD
i mean this video was that good and its to what you said "wont be singing rush and esparon next week" , i dont know the song but i respectfully disagree :D
❤😮😎✊🏼🤘🏼🔥😶🇵🇷🍺
@@mohamedabdul1544 lehGOOOOO!