What is hardest to learn to sing and play simultaneously?

Jack-Flash-Jr

In your experience or others... Anecdotally I've heard it's bass, although I'm not convinced...

(old forum) Poll Results: Is it hardest to learn to sing and play a...

guitar: 3
keyboard: 2
bass: 10
drums: 8
it's hard enough on its own: 5
trumpet (just kidding): 3

Reinhard

Probably singing while doing 2 handed guitar tapping ala Paul Gilbert.

I'd think drumming and singing would be really hard.

Squonk

Watch any of Level 42's live concerts to see how Mark King can sing and play bass at the same time. And he doesn't just play the root notes, he also sings completely opposite to what he's playing on the Bass, remarkable stuff!

aubs1

Jack Flash Jr wrote: Anecdotally I've heard it's bass, although I'm not convinced...

Well, Sting has handled that job more than pretty well, in fact he's awesome. And so did Paul McCartney, and he also made it look easy ...... so I would think it's not Bass!!

Reinhard wrote: I'd think drumming and singing would be really hard.

Phil Collins made that look easy, so Nah, not drums either ..... ?

Guitar??? Nah, Jimi and John Mayer made that look easy .......... jeez, I don't know ..... ???

Keyboards....?? Stevie Wonder, Steve Winwood, and even Elton John ...... Nah ..... ?

singemonkey

Les Claypool. 'nuff said.

It all depends what you're doing, doesn't it. I don't think it was a big challenge for Kim Deal of The Pixies/Breeders. Similarly guitar playing isn't all strumming chords.

Jack-Flash-Jr

Points taken... I've modified the question to what is hardest to learn to sing and play simultaneously...

Jack-Flash-Jr

I found it harder to learn to sing and play guitar than bass... but I had a better sense of rhythm/melody separation by the time I tried it on bass so....

aubs1

Jack Flash Jr wrote: Points taken... I've modified the question to what is hardest to learn to sing and play simultaneously...

Then I would go with Bass!!!!

While learning to play the piano, guitar etc. you would "naturally" sing along, so ........

PeteM

singemonkey wrote: It all depends what you're doing, doesn't it.

+1
I thought I'd add to that but there's not much point...singe said it all.

DonRoos

It is not dependant on the instrument, rather the role. If you are play the melody then it is easy to sing along. If you are playing solo's and lead breaks if fillin stuff then is more difficult. Hence my sticking to rythm guitar.

[deleted]

DonRoos wrote: It is not dependant on the instrument, rather the role. If you are play the melody then it is easy to sing along. If you are playing solo's and lead breaks if fillin stuff then is more difficult. Hence my sticking to rythm guitar.

Unless you Bob Dylan... He cant sing.... period, not matter the instrument ?

I Vote Drums.... ?

aubs1

Brentcgp wrote: Unless you Bob Dylan... He cant sing.... period, not matter the instrument ?

Hahahaha..... he can too!! ?

Bob-Dubery

DonRoos wrote: It is not dependant on the instrument, rather the role. If you are play the melody then it is easy to sing along. If you are playing solo's and lead breaks if fillin stuff then is more difficult. Hence my sticking to rythm guitar.

I think that's it. The theory about bass playing and singing was that it's difficult because the bass line is so different to the melody line. I think if the guitar/bass/whatever part is close to the vocal line, I think more in terms of timing than in notes, then the task is less difficult.

Jacquesg4j

I would say either french horn or oboe... Way more difficult than trumpet!

Svengali

Jacquesg4j wrote: I would say either french horn or oboe... Way more difficult than trumpet!

Jack-Flash-Jr

Jacquesg4j wrote: I would say either french horn or oboe... Way more difficult than trumpet!

? or didgeridoo!

Jacquesg4j

Jack Flash Jr wrote:
Jacquesg4j wrote: I would say either french horn or oboe... Way more difficult than trumpet!
? or didgeridoo!

I just want to add... I did not see that it is a poll from my BB... SOOOO that is why I did not even see the trumpet thing as one of the options! ... Luckily I said trumpet and not trombone!! ...

... But I'm sure you can sing through a didgiridoo... Here's me doing it at the Gold Coast Aussie... It sounded awfull... As didgiridoos do :roflmao: ...

I have a video too

arjunmenon

The bass player in our worship band is really gifted. The guy can sing really well while playing the bass, the drums or the keyboard.
From experience, i can say that it is extremely difficult to sing and play trombone.

Renesongs

I've heard it said that is harder for a bassist to sing than a drummer. Sting in his autobiography admits that he had to dummy down his bass playing quite a bit when he was forced to sing. IMO Jack Bruce of The Cream is a legend because not only does he sing well but his bass work is killer. As for wind instruments Dizzy Gilespy and Charlie Parker managed to to do both. Both Roland Kirk and Ian Anderson managed to sing and play wind instruments at the same time as singing so hey anything is possible.

Svengali

As someone mentioned before...

The role one performs on the instrument does add some interesting dynamic to this debate.

I just pondered on how difficult it must be (if not plain impossible) to improvise on any instrument along with singing, simultaneously, a la jazz.

Anyone out there claim they can scat while improvising on bass? I'd like to shake your hand ?