I Claimed a Musical Victory Today

[malthumb]

I started playing bass about 30 years ago in high school.  I also sing tenor and baritone.  In all the choirs, praise groups, and bands (both inspirational and secular) that I've played in, I've always proclaimed that on any given song, I can sing or I can play bass, but I can't do both at the same time.

Over the past 3 or 4 years, out of necessity, I've started working hard on being able to sing and play at the same time.  Since I'm largely responsible for the music in the 8:30 service, I'm able to pick songs where I can simplify the bassline if need be in order to sing background.  Since we only have one tenor in the group, if he's singing lead, either I or our pianist have to fill in the background.  I've also found a couple songs that I can lead.

Okay, now about today's victory.....On two of the songs for today, I played and sang lead.  In our 8:30 service we did Fred Hammond's "Please Don't Pass Me By".  In the 11:00 service we did "He's An Awesome God".  The victory is that the bass I was playing is an unlined fretless!  I've done "Please Don't Pass Me By" a lot, but usually just singing along with piano accompaniment.  Lately I've been doing it with any of my fretted basses, and even then, I'd drop out the bass part if I was not confident on certain parts.  But I like the extra sustain and "mwah" of a fretless bass on that song and most of the slower paced songs that we do, so I decided to give it a shot.  This was my first time ever doing "He's An Awesome God".  I'm sure there were some rough spots, but from what I can tell, it went very well.  Still, I'm not gonna sprain my shoulder patting myself on the back until I can get "Give Me A Clean Heart" down pat with the fretless.  But I am gonna celebrate today's breakthrough.

Peace,

James

[Quebass86]

Praise God and to God be the Glory! One breakthrough leads to another...Ain't nobody mad but the devil as my grandmother used to say.....

[Mysteryman]

Congratulations on the accomplishment. Now speaking of Give me a clean heart I love that song. At one point I would play it while praying. I need to make a midi of that one.

[dhagler]

Congrats!  I too am learning to play and sing at the same time and so I understand how difficult it is.  And while playing an unlined fretless too?  You da man!

[malthumb]

Congratulations on the accomplishment. Now speaking of Give me a clean heart I love that song. At one point I would play it while praying. I need to make a midi of that one.

Yeah, that's one of my all-time favorites.  I can play it, but it's a little out of our tenor's range, so we don't do it very often.  Our pianist can sing it, too, but for some reason this is one of the songs he just doesn't sound right on.  So now we're down to doing this one only when my brother-in-law is in town.

One of my other favorites is Kurt Carr's "Awesome Wonder".  I've sang that one a couple times while playing fretted.  It's tough with some of the syncopation, but I simplified a couple of the short runs and it works.  We'll probably put that one into regular rotation now.

Peace,

James

[MikeGee]

Well you go head big brother!!  As much as I enjoy singing especially to GOD. I do not have a voice worthy of a mic. I'm always in the back singing my bottom off, still holding done the bottom. My pastor taught me a trick. He plays bass, guitar and drums, all of which he can sing a lead part. Anyway the trick he taught me is. While you're singing make the line simplier and when you arn't play a heavy line. He's in charge of the music.  He always adds a bunch of instrumental parts.

But sounds to me you already know this trick.

[4hisglory]

Praise the Lord.

[derrickford]

i know your feeling give all praise to god because i play drums in a gospel group and ijust learn to play while singing  so i praiseing god for both of our blessing.