Do you sing while playing?

[iKwak]

How many of you sing while playing the drums?

I do and I can't help it. Seriously, certain songs, I get so excited that I can't help but to sing along.

But I hardly notice any other drummers sing while playing so maybe I'm an oddball.

[fourstringdrums]

Yup :) Actually, I think I sort of hum more than sing. I'm a bass player too, so I'll sing a sort of bass line around what I'm playing. It definately helps put your beat into the right context. You can play something that to your eyes sounds boring alone, but start humming with it and it totally changes the groove and feels better.

You could also do what Bonham did and yell while you're playing :) *lol* Bernhard posted one here, but I used to have a link with about 24 tracks of outtakes. Sadly, the site is down *sob* But on a few tracks you could hear him yelling over the drums, it was awesome :)

[Milo]

I can't physically sing and play at the same time. I can sing well but can't do both at the same time!! I either start slurring words, lose the timing of the lyrics, or completely lose my groove.

I also hum along sometimes with the bass or guitar.

[fourstringdrums]

I either start slurring words


Drinking before playing doesn't help either ;)

[Johnny_Stacks]

lol. somtimes when im just screwing around with stuff ill do what airto moreira does. but not really loud enough for people to hear it..

John

[Superlow]

I hum when I play. I never really picked up on it until recording recently. They engineer had a good laugh about it in the control room. Listen to some Elvin Jones drumming, he growls when he plays, kinda cool. Buddy used to let out a yell here and there as well.

[timpanigrip23]

[[FONT=Times New Roman]FONT=Impact]Yes I sing while playing. Besides my left foot keeping the time, me singing helps me stay in rhythm. Sometimes I get too excited and get off tune

[timpanigrip23]

]Yes I sing while playing. Besides my left foot keeping the time, me singing helps me stay in rhythm. Sometimes I get too excited and get off tune

[mediocrefunkybeat]

I'm actually a classical singer (you wouldn't think it now, would you). Drums are in fact my second instrument. In answer to your question, I can sing when I drum; just very badly. I end up losing it on both fronts. I have, however sung during a gig, just simple stuff. Didn't go too badly in the end, but it's not an experience I would particularly care to repeat.

[Jaymasta]

Sometimes when I'm playing along with anyone I'll sometimes randomly play anything and sing whatever comes to my head.....

[MECHT4NK]

I don't always really sing but I do make a lot of noise :) maybe because I don't exactly know all the lines or something but I noticed I just automatic start to sing or hum when I get into the song. I think it actually has a positive effect on my playing so just as long as I'm the only one hearing it it should be fine ;)

[toteman2]

i don't know why, but i find myself humming when i play...I think it's just a natural reaction...This goes for everthing i play, it could be a cover tune, or improvisation...

[DottedQuarters]

yeah, singing always helps me keep better time...it also helps me focus on supporting the music more too. I also sing a few harmonies for my band, but sometimes I get so caught up in the song I forget to sing...oh well, I'd sacrifice my vocals for the rhythm anyday.

[Dyaxe]

i usually cant sing while play drums..well i havn't tried lol..anywaise...when i jam with my friends, i usually cant hear the rythm im playing with, so i usually hum it in my head. if that counts...

[theduke86]

I sing constantly when I play. Loudly, as well. My friends call me the "Keith Jarret Of The Drums", minus the virtuosity of course. I'm ALWAYS singing, or grunting. Audible noises really help me to lock in. I actually need to curb it, sometimes I am a distraction at wedding gigs and whatnot.

[mlehnertz]

I don't sing while playing but I can hold a mean conversation with someone.

[Thomas Braas]

I'm good in making sarcastic jokes behind my kit... I can sing a little bit while drumming, but you don't want to hear it... and I used to smoke behind my kit... I even managed one time to keep a groove in time, while light another cigarette... dude...

[thinkintriplets]

Sometimes. I cant sing to everything I play, but for a few tunes I have vocal parts (refering to my band).

I just sometimes grunt loudly. If I'm doing a fast roll or something and resolve it with a kick drum and cymbal, I'll grunt.

It feels good.

Marc.

[Fur drummer]

No, if you heard me sing you would know why I'm a drummer and not a singer. I keep my mouth shut and let my drums do the singing.

[RudimentalDrummer]

How many of you sing while playing the drums?

I do and I can't help it. http://www.musicianforums.com/forums/images/icons/lol.gif Seriously, certain songs, I get so excited that I can't help but to sing along.

But I hardly notice any other drummers sing while playing so maybe I'm an oddball.

Good for you if you sing when you're drumming. I guess some of us Humm eg. like a background Singer when we play a Song.....that is a very good trait, cause when you play with a band ... you just know when to come in at the perfect time (chorus, whatever) yeah ! ... cheers ... Phil Collins sings doesn't he ? .... hahahaha ... My 1st Reading/Playing Exercise on a Song Sheet by Yamaha is his "Easy Lover" ... well .. I'm an "easy lover" to beautiful chicks only !...whahahaha ! http://www.musicianforums.com/forums/images/icons/lol.gif

Jokes aside ...I'm a pretty good singer and when I sing to the girls ears - They Melt In My Arms ...kekeke.

[bjeanes]

Good for you if you sing when you're drumming. I guess some of us Humm eg. like a background Singer when we play a Song.....that is a very good trait, cause when you play with a band ... you just know when to come in at the perfect time (chorus, whatever) yeah ! ... cheers ... Phil Collins sings doesn't he ? .... hahahaha ... My 1st Reading/Playing Exercise on a Song Sheet by Yamaha is his "Easy Lover" ... well .. I'm an "easy lover" to beautiful chicks only !...whahahaha ! http://www.musicianforums.com/forums/images/icons/lol.gif

Jokes aside ...I'm a pretty good singer and when I sing to the girls ears - They Melt In My Arms ...kekeke.I'm a sh**** singer, but that don't stop me from belting out "Dizzy Miss Lizzie" against "Alley Cat".... (the grannies think it's something new)....

[jamsjr44]

all the time if I know the words....I used to sing back up in my old band so I am kind of used to it.

[Kris_jazz]

I more hum than sing. Usually I don't notice it....

[Vipercussionist]

Yes I actually do "SING" while playing in my band, but I know you're talking about "non musical" singing, and, YES I do that too, it's why I have to utilize a mic on a boom stand rather than a headset mic that I had once used. The headset was picking up ALL of the grunts groans and "singing" that I was making at inappropriate times and broadcasting it through the PA, so alas, the headset hadda go!!

[glynes]

I started out as a singer, but the voice went bad and I've come up tone deaf and couldn't carry a tune any more if it had a handle on it.
But I do sing in my music room when I practice ... I relate first to the lyrics, then learn how the drum bits fit in.
I probably should stop, though. My husband keeps coming down to see if I'm torturing the cat!
8-)

[Jesper Varn]

In my little garageband, we're all bad singers, so to not embarrass our selves, we do the "firing squad-procedure". If everybody sings, there's no tell of who did the illdeed of singins off tune, off beat, off lyrics or just plain off. :-)

I, too, sing constantly, when I practice. I also "sing drumbeats" when we try to test new material in the group. Something like:

"Ragadagadishdish ' Let's get it on... ' bap, ragadish, bap, bombam bap, ragadish, ' Let's get it on..."
(To Marwin Gayes old tune, you know... I generally do not sing that, just an example...) *blush*...

[RudimentalDrummer]

My advice: We shouldn't be singing too well as a Drummer (even if we could) ... cause if you in a band ... your singer loose his job ....kekekekeke. Lets Hummmm instead .....hahahaha.

I've seen Good Drummers who sings so well here that he became the singer, and they got another new drummer who doesn't play as well as him....Well the former singer...I really don't know where he is now...so funny !

[LongSnapper]

I absolutely refuse to!

I guess, like everyone else here, my first band was a cover band.

I had the deepest voice of the four of us, so I was "stuck" singing a couple numbers.

I will date myself here, but in those days you couldn't be a band unless you did "Colour My World," and "Smoke on the Water". It was a piece of cake to sing and play "Colour My World". That wasn't an issue.

I worked and worked on the studio version (Machine Head) of Smoke on the Water until I could cover Ian Paice beat for beat. And I was pretty proud of myself for doing that, I might add! I even did that beginning hi hat stuff one handed...

We get together and start practicing. As it turns out, the rest of the guys like the way I sustain the the tone during the refrain, and they liked the raspy tone I inflected. They decided who was singing that song, not me!

Quite readily, I realized that I could not concentrate on the drumming and sing at the same time. To accomodate the vocals, I had to simplify my drumming to the extent that it was painful! All that work and I couldn't show it off...

Later on in my brief and unstoried careeer I refused to even sing back up.

[NUTHA JASON]

i'll sing if it gets me the job or keeps in it. heck i'll do a lot for the priviledge of performing. i hat seeing other bands and then not beingable to play. these days when i go out i always play drums and get paid...what a joy.
j

[nate]

i sing a few songs for my band. it's funny at soundcheck -
ME: (to sound guy) can i have some reverb please?
SG: hows that?
ME : a little more
SG: ok?
ME: no, more
SG: huh, really...
ME: more, more, more
SG: ok thats all i got...
ME: maybe a bit of delay as well then and can you mix me real low....

[Dr Drums]

hhhhhhh, i don't really sing,. but i kinda buzz while playing in effort, and i seriously can't help it

[Slayer_metal_head]

Nope i dont sing but i wil find myself yelling at people when im playing

[lfdy]

Nope, i don't sing...

I can sing while playing, but i choose not to, to maintain my focus on the drums :)

[avengedxdrummer]

i do it allll the time hahah and if the song stops all u hear me humming haha :-D
SOMEONE HAVE ANY ADVICE 4 me with the double pedal , im so scared well nervous that i wont get the hang of it, ANY ADVICE????

[Drumsword]

I actually sing lead in my band while playing. There are 3 of us that share the lead singer duties depending on the song, So I also found a wireless headset mic to be invaluable.

And before that, I sang a little backup and before that..I used to hum to whatever I was playing.

[Sticksman]

I sing constantly when I play. Loudly, as well. My friends call me the "Keith Jarret Of The Drums", minus the virtuosity of course. I'm ALWAYS singing, or grunting. Audible noises really help me to lock in. I actually need to curb it, sometimes I am a distraction at wedding gigs and whatnot.

Haha! That's great, you wouldn't want the couple-to-be look over and see the drummer going into conniptions!

[rendezvous_drummer]

I don't sing, i yell. It annoys everyone but when im playing really fast or something, i yell loudly! At my recording session, there was a track where my yellin could be heard over the drums at some points.

[JustDrum]

I attended a Jeff Hamilton clinic where he said that he is constantly "moaning" as he plays. It is kind of a low groan/moan from his stomach (when I try it, I feel it more from my throat) and he said it really helps him get the feeling he needs as he plays; especially from his ride cymbal. So I definitely have this low moan going on, and sometimes I'll sing a part when I really need to get the feel from a groove (although I don't think it is loud enough to be heard by any one else).

Also, I remember Mr. Hamilton saying that you have to watch how loud you sing/moan while you play (as some have already pointed out) because it can be distracting. He told a story of a piano player, bass player, and drummer (I forget who everyone is except the drummer, Louie Bellson) who were backing up a vocalist (I forget her name as well). All of them were known to sing as they play, and this night was no exception. When the singer came on stage (I guess the others played intro), she turned around and said, "Hey boys, do you mind if I do the singing?!"

He told it better than I did but a good story nonetheless. Later and a happy, healthy, and musical New Year to everyone!

[Joe Connors]

Like Vipercussionist, I do sing a few songs with my band, as well as singing harmony. I learned quickly that a headset mic wasn't going to be the answer, because I tend to hum (not loud enough for anyone to hear) when playing songs with more intricate timing patterns or breaks.

[RamboKnife]

Here's a couple pictures from my last concert where I was singing:

Kind of a wierd face.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y1/ocdrum_20/talent.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y1/ocdrum_20/talent2.jpg

[atcoscotty]

I sing a couple of songs a set...

Stuck in the middle
The Weight
Lyin Eyes

and some back-ups, its funny but I play in a band with 3 really excellent singers but everyone gets tired (the smoke in clubs), so I belt out a couple. I've noticed I get called for jobs quicker than other drummers because of it, if you can sing and drum you'll work...Period


A

[Colin]

I have a tendency to hum while drumming... and I don't know it!

[sublicon]

I don't habitually sing, but I think its a great skill to have. I used to be tested on jazz tunes, having to sing the melodies while playing through the chorus. It was pretty challenging at first, but its almost like another kind of independence - definitely something worth developing.

[zildjian_dude101]

I do. My band does a little harmonizing though, so I kinda need to be able to.

[Dr Drums]

I have a tendency to hum while drumming... and I don't know it!

Yes..! exactly.Some sord of buzzing and hamming .U know that they say that BEAT and rhythm can get u to a deep meditation that causes u to produce high noises, but i'm not so sure it's this. If that's my case .. real real awesome.

[noellud]

yes i sing along to most of the tunes, used to sing lead while playing drums in a few previous bands, this one has a lead singer so i can work on just the drums.and yes i agree mike portnoy is a god behind a kit.

[bucket]

I sing back up vocals in a few of our songs... If the words are complicated i sometimes have to make the beat a little easier (which is hard for a drummer).. but are other guitarist REFUSES to sing.. and it sounds a lot better with two parts. I dont really mind too much. :)

[chris--byrne]

Ok then, I'll get straight to the point. I've always wondered what it is like to sing lead vocals and play. I do a bit of backing vocals in my band but thats it (seen as my voice is slightly naff). I would have thought it is very difficult to try remember words, sing and keep playing. Any opinions/ experiences of drumming and singing would be great.

[RamboKnife]

Singing and drumming has come pretty naturally to me, but I'm not that strong of a singer that I can be the front man. Words from one of the most popular singer/drummers right now " K.I.S.S" (Keep It Simple Stupid)- Sebastien Grainger of DFA 1979. Start out slow, and like with anything, the more you practice, the better you'll get.

[OldHippy]

I wonder if there is any difference in singing and playing drums and singing and playing something else like guitar or piano. There don't seem to be as many singing drummers.

[Afrolicious]

I find it very difficult to sing and play drums whereas I taught myself to play a song (Roulette by System of a Down) on the guitar and sing meanwhile without many problems. When I tried to play the bassline of a song (Spiral by Godsmack) and sing meanwhile I totally failed. It seems to be way easier to play lead guitar while you're singing the lead voice. Somehow that makes sense.

[DTportnoyDT]

Drumming and singing at the same time is very difficult. Once I was playing Enter Sandman by Metallica, and all I did was mouth (not even sing out loud) the part at the end where it pauses and then James goes, "OH!...........YEAH YEAH!...............NOOoooooo........" and then it goes into that cool tom thing. Anyways, I totally messed up, and that was simple.

This other time I tried to just hum the lyrics in my head (can't remember what song). I couldn't even do that, even though I didn't have to do so much as open my lips.

So.....definately not easy. (Or maybe it's just something wrong with me.....)

[chris--byrne]

Didn't Phil Collins do some stuff where he sang and played drums??

[Ashbash]

Drummers don't usually sing, mainly because they're placed at the back of the stage. But when they do it's cool, I'm actually trying to work on singing and playing at the same time, but so far, it's hopeless.

I'm pretty sure Kram from Spiderbait sings. He is playing simple songs, but to be fair, i can't exactly do that yet. Listen to Black Betty.

[lilblakdak]

Didn't Phil Collins do some stuff where he sang and played drums??
All the time. Not as much as he did with Genesis though.

[mind_drummer]

Don Henley do it, Gil Moore with Triumph did it. There's plenty of drummer who's done and do it.

There's one sexy drummer/singer here http://drummerworld.com/Videos/SheilaEmd2005.html

[choki]

a lot of drummers have done it, phil collins and don henley being the better known of the group. of course there's the guy from night ranger. for lead vocals, i think you lose a little bit of the intimacy with the crowd. when the lead singer is seperated from the audience with a drumset, it makes it hard for the audience to connect. i'm not saying it can't be done, as it is obviously been done very well, but usually an audience doesn't want to watch a singer that's hidden behind a bunch of cymbals and who knows what else.

[human beatbox]

Don Henley do it, Gil Moore with Triumph did it. There's plenty of drummer who's done and do it.

There's one sexy drummer/singer here http://drummerworld.com/Videos/SheilaEmd2005.html


Yes, but she is only playing a very basic beat and That is not very hard to do

[chris--byrne]

Yes, I guess if you sing and drum you have to become more simplistic. It also looks slightly uncomfortable having to lean across to the mic ...

[MOONCHILD]

yeap that is surely true art i would love to do it if only i could sing.All i can do is hardcore oooooouhs and yeeeeahs

[jbomber]

In the 90's there was "off-the-beaten-path" band called Jellyfish that had an interesting approach to singing lead on the drums and being intimate with the audience. He not only played with his kit out in front, but he played STANDING UP. Originally thought is was a gimmick when I saw it in a video on Mtv's "120 Minutes", but on the Black Crowes' "Shake Your Money Maker" tour in '91, Jellyfish opened for the Crowes and there he was, out in front, groovin' and singing lead standing up. It was amazing. Great chops, great timing, and complex and soulful leads.

Don't know who the guy was. The band broke up after their second album.

J

[Guillermo]

Well karen carpenter did it... not that many people know it... ha, ha, ha.

I think that if you can SING before you learn drums, it becomes much more matural to you, than the opposite... some people just make it look so easy... like say Levon Helm, the best at that in my opinion... he looks like he plays BETTER when singing.

I've heard him say he is ALWAYS singing in his head when he plays... maybe that's a good tip.

[Ashbash]

"i'd like to be... under the sea... in an octopus's garden...in the shade........"
did he do that at the same time, or was that studio work?

[Big Al Cal]

I wish I could sing and play at the same time, I'm a big Don Henley fan, he seems to play so naturally when he's singing. Yeah, he usually is up front half the time at a concert, but can ya deny it just seems cooler when he's actually behind the kit? haha.

[Ashton Drum's]

Yeah I do I play in a covers band and I do alot of backing vocals its fun to do

[groovemaster_flex]

I'm the lead singer for my band :)
I find it tricky doing fills while singing, but I really find taht singing also helps me keep accurate time.

[Butch Axsmith]

Yes //// Sing everthing you play ....
Butch Axsmith

[rockinrider]

Yes //// Sing everthing you play ....
Butch Axsmith


Yes! Agreed!

I sing along with every song I play. I sing the words if I know them or make them up if I don't. (Not into a mic, of course...just to myself!) I also hum along with the instrumentals. I don't remember when I started it, but I do remember the first time I noticed it...The early '70s to "Peaches en Regalia". I had to sing the song just to play it right!

I also hum tunes when I practice or work out...either on the pad or the kit. Keeps it interesting!

[punkdrummer1]

I scream while playing. yes. Rock on metal heads :P

[charlie_drums[SPA]]

I think i'm still very shy while playing drums... I often sing whispering because i write the lyrics of the band with the bass player, so i know them. But i'd love to sing the chorus, or some parts of the song alone... i'd like to be more agressive too, and move more with the rhythms... i'm working on it =)

[Butch Axsmith]

Yes ' I do //// I sing every thing I play ////
Butch Axsmith