Unbelievable. For those who are not musically minded - this is a piece which was written intentionally to test the mind and fingers. There are complex rhythms happening between the vocal and bass lines which require extreme concentration of one's cognition! Well done on your rendition.
Demon_Turtle89 on violin it's more like playing the single note as a chord. Possibly another string if you wanna get friggy with it. For violin incorporated in punk or hardcore, I'd check out folk punk or gypsy punk. Blackbird Raum is a good band to start with.
AntonioKowatsch, yeh that's bollocks really. I can do it Barry dransfield has always done it. Countless bluegrassers and folk musicians. It's just playing "off the chest" to free up your chin.
Lol all of these people bringing up bass players who can sing while playing. He was just singing and playing upright bass in the video, the song is just clever fun with a good amount of truth to it.
To everyone who is giving names of singing bassists as examples of players who can do it, please keep in mind that the song specifically refers to an upright bass (no frets, no position markers). That's an order of magnitude harder than an electric bass guitar. Plus in the video, he's playing a walking jazz line, not a repetitive progression. Also, "It's Impossible to Sing and Play the Bass" is the name of the song, not a statement of fact. But if you've ever tried to sing and play upright in a jazz tune (and do both on pitch,) you probably already know that it is "nearly" impossible.
It's absolutely not an order of magnitude harder than bass guitar. I made the transition pretty well. If you have good muscle memory, which is the foundation of your intonation, you can learn to do it without too much difficulty. I'm not saying the really advanced stuff, mind you. If you're trying to play a really difficult improvised walking bass line and sing a complicated part, sure that's going to be hard. But even a duffer like me can play through a blues or a fairly straightforward set of changes on a standard and sing the melody without slipping out of tune on either. If you want hard, try listening to someone sing and play fretless guitar. I had a recording of a friend of mine playing 1952 Vincent Black Lightning on a fretless guitar while singing it in just intonation. Not sure what possessed him to do that but he managed!
I'm a drummer and ive heared so many people just crack jokes on the expense of bass players but i cant help but to love them i love the sound and i love to play along them haha
For those saying electric bass isn't that hard to play and sing together....try it for yourself. I have played electric bass and sang at the same time in a few metal bands. Fingers fling across the fret board, while singing...and still trying to maintain the "feeling" behind my playing was always tough to practice. I also have played guitar and sang....and I can tell you that the bass guitar is the harder instrument to be technical with while maintaining proper vocal control. You can't just let your fingers do muscle memory movements on bass, because you will lose all the "feeling" behind your playing. It's hard to explain, but other bass players will get where I am coming from. This was an awesome video btw
"Failing" is another great solo piece for bass and voice. Add the property of the bow, giving an improvised speech, and trying to make it all happen at once while engaging the audience is also quite difficult. The double bass is just a weird instrument all in all.
I remember finding this piece shortly after "Failing" was mentioned in an Adam Neely video. No shade to Tom Johnson at all (I just found his CZcams channel where he talks about a lot of his pieces, "Galileo" is awesome and "The Four-Note Opera" is HILARIOUS), but I think I personally like Jay's "impossible" bass piece better. But that's just me
No, Smasher. The electric bass guitar is still a bass. The (erroneous) idea that a person can't sing while playing the bass is not based on the shape of the instument or how you hold it, but rather the role of the instrument in that single notes are played, usually not corresponding to the meter of the vocal line. It's similar to the (also erroneous) belief that a lead guitarist can't sing while playing. It's more difficult than singing while strumming chords, but obviously not undoable.
Man for calling yourself a doctor you're pretty dumb. He even explains it in the song, when you have the frets you don't have to play it by ear, you need the muscle-memory jotted down. That doesn't work with a double bass. Based on your argument a person could improvise a brand new technique over a melody he already knows, and that's not true. Every person who improvises and sing at the same time has practiced the scales and shapes they play months before they do it live, maybe to a different rhythm or beat but still. But most of all this is a joke.
That's a fun idea, but Geddy Lee plays several fretless bass guitars as do many modern bass guitarist/singers. Did you think people who play fretless instruments necessarily stare at their fretting hands while playing? I understand the argument you and he are making. I'm just pointing out that it's nonsensical and demonstrably untrue.
A fretless bass guitar has the same intonation and scale and frequence as a normal bass guitar, trust me man. I play fretless electric guitar and the difference is minimal compared to double bass and a bass guitar. You still only need the muscle memory jotted down.
And then you have Geddy Lee, who sings lyrics like "Apollo was atonished Dionysus thought me mad But they heard my story further And they wondered, and were sad Looking down from Olympus On a world of doubt and fear Its surface splintered Into sorry Hemispheres", and plays some of the most complex bass lines, while playing keyboards/synths with his feet and whenever possible his spare hand.
The main challenge I'm finding is that I must rely on my fingering and tempo without really hearing it. While I sing a note, it's like the bass disappears and my fingers go on their own, and hopefully find their way automatically. Another problem is that on bass the right hand needs to be tight and right in its place, so if I get too much enthusiastic with the voice I must manage to keep my hands steady and right on time, like they were controlled by another soul, while my lungs are all over the place. It sucks. None of this happens while playing guitar. The strumming and the right hand are much less demanding. Most of bassists singers play bass like a guitar. Sting just played fewer notes, so he could take mini breaks from the instrument... the only one I know who almost sounds like two people is McCartney, at least from the famous non-jazz players, and still he had to adapt his lines quite a lot. Jesus, what a ramble.
I know what you mean, you keep going with your hands like an auto-pilot, without having to think too much about it. I meant when I play songs by The Police, I take advantage of those holes to sing freely and it all feels effortless.
This song was kinda funny. Les Claypool is the only person I knew off who could sing and play an upright bass, even with a bow (Mr. Krinkle for those who don't know what song I speak of.)
I don't mean to sound rude or condescending but note that I said UPRIGHT BASS, as in Cello, or double bass, or contrabasso. This video was meant as an irony type of thing mostly. Lots of ELECTRIC bass players sing, Les Claypool and Geddy Lee for example. But Les is the only person I'd seen playing Cello with a bow while singing is what I was saying.
This is good. This made me think of a new first line to this “People told me that nothing was impossible, but they could never say it to my face. I told them, to sing and play the bass.”
I always wonder why upright basses don't have position guides on the side of the neck. The go on the positions 3, 5 ,7 ,9 ,12, 15 , 17 ,19, 21, 24, and so on. Fretless electric basses have them; it's not cheating. It is kind of cheating to have fret markers and fret lines on the fret board, but dots on the side are fine. If I ever get an upright bass, the first thing I'll do is buy a set of those dots and put them on.
So, you're brain works 3 different parts of the brain. Where to press your fingers on the stings, what stings to play, and remembering the notes. Singing works 2 main parts of your brain. Pitch and lyrics. That's 5 all together, not to mention if you have stage fright, or general anxiety, that messes with your head. This is truly impressive.
I'm certain Jay did this video all in fun to bring attention to the fact of just how many bass players play a significant role in the main vocals:) It definitely takes talent. Nobody mentioned Sting:) Also no matter how simple a baseline may seem, go ahead and play a 2 1/2-3 hour concert with 1000's of people standing before you and also singing the main vocals---without screwing up once:) Night after night. Easier to stand back and judge than done:)
There are two types of comments on this video: "Tell that to (insert famous bassist)" or "This is upright bass, not bass guitar, it's much harder to sing and play upright bass than it is to play electric bass and sing" And then you've got my comment lol
Unlike most bass players mentioned here, Spalding actually counts because she does play the acoustic bass and sing. And when she plays an electric bass, it's a fretless one.
+Jean Martin Yes, that was an upright bass without frets and position marks what makes it harder to play and sing at the same time :) Sorry for my bad English XD
If you are used to play an upright bass there is no need for frets, and you should have positions in your head cause there are no frets. So i don't believe it's hard because of that, it could be hard because you are not following a melody. :)
I'm a bass player, but I can hardly play the bass while playing the bass.
me too
I'm a bass player but i can't play bass :(
same lol
@@gustavomendes1746 recognizing this is the first step
Isnt that every bass player
You know what's harder than playing bass and singing at the same time? Playing the trumpet and singing at the same time.
Possible though
Okay, but only at slower tempos...
GreNadeMusicNL called impossible
You actually can. Just a little technique called "multiphonics"
It’s called singing into the instrument, DUH! XP
It's also impossible to play the trumpet ad sing.
Oh wow I didn't know -_-
No it's not
"ad sing" ?
***** It's like adlibing but for singing.
Pete Detrick lol
*'Impressive but can you play it with no bass'*
Joe M. Gadd challenge acepted
no
ayyy
This is not davie fren
Wrong channel lol
Unbelievable. For those who are not musically minded - this is a piece which was written intentionally to test the mind and fingers. There are complex rhythms happening between the vocal and bass lines which require extreme concentration of one's cognition! Well done on your rendition.
***** Your point?
Theee CandleMaker How so?
Ciaran DeCeol I was calling Z YT that
Theee CandleMaker Oh haha ok.
***** If only it was that easy!
It's impossible for me to play any instrument and sing...
same
You just need to git gud ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
It's impossible for me to play any instrument OR sing
facelessninetytwo i would kinda like to listen to that
Try reggae (guitar lead), it is not that hard.
Why is this in my recommended?
first important video of 2017?
reddit did it again?
Acowname Cause it's a good video
Because CZcams!
I am glad it was in mine
2017 and people still can't decipher humor
H...U... Oh I give up...
The year we're in doesn't affect people's humor
That's where your wrong kiddo
All my life, I've been waiting for John Malkovich to tell me I'm garbage.
damn guy i just trust it really was malkovich because of you. :')
It's also impossible to play the violin and sing. Trust me, I tried.
you're playing 'punk and hardcore' and asking about music. that's like asking chefs for advice on making hot dogs.
Demon_Turtle89 on violin it's more like playing the single note as a chord. Possibly another string if you wanna get friggy with it. For violin incorporated in punk or hardcore, I'd check out folk punk or gypsy punk. Blackbird Raum is a good band to start with.
i can actually do that.
AntonioKowatsch, yeh that's bollocks really.
I can do it
Barry dransfield has always done it.
Countless bluegrassers and folk musicians.
It's just playing "off the chest" to free up your chin.
Dave Kent, boom! Love that joke.
Laughing at the people commenting bass players who can do this... You missed the joke.
i didn't get it. expalin it please
Kmmoon Mh it's a joke.
Kmmoon Mh hes singing and playing bass
Jared Wilkerson I think they're joking too
I literally found half a dozen people complaining about people not getting it and 0 people who didn't get it.
Lol all of these people bringing up bass players who can sing while playing. He was just singing and playing upright bass in the video, the song is just clever fun with a good amount of truth to it.
GG Allin mastered the art of playing with one's self and singing at the same time. masterful craftsman I must say.
I can only sing Primus songs and play the bass.
Andre Luna there is nothing wrong with that
i can't do either
how bout nofx? or motorhead? rush?
primus sucks
primus sucks
Now try it with a saxophone.
Matilda that's impossible
Gold is that a challenge?
@@jonathandover4761 HOLY SHIT YOU ARE GOD.
You can it's called growling
To everyone who is giving names of singing bassists as examples of players who can do it, please keep in mind that the song specifically refers to an upright bass (no frets, no position markers). That's an order of magnitude harder than an electric bass guitar. Plus in the video, he's playing a walking jazz line, not a repetitive progression. Also, "It's Impossible to Sing and Play the Bass" is the name of the song, not a statement of fact. But if you've ever tried to sing and play upright in a jazz tune (and do both on pitch,) you probably already know that it is "nearly" impossible.
yep unless u dont think about it at all , that will nearly impossible
Les Claypool has a fretless bass guitar my dood
Check out "It's all about that Bass" by Post Modern Jukebox....
I can't even play upright bass without screwing my fingers up.
It's absolutely not an order of magnitude harder than bass guitar. I made the transition pretty well. If you have good muscle memory, which is the foundation of your intonation, you can learn to do it without too much difficulty. I'm not saying the really advanced stuff, mind you. If you're trying to play a really difficult improvised walking bass line and sing a complicated part, sure that's going to be hard. But even a duffer like me can play through a blues or a fairly straightforward set of changes on a standard and sing the melody without slipping out of tune on either.
If you want hard, try listening to someone sing and play fretless guitar. I had a recording of a friend of mine playing 1952 Vincent Black Lightning on a fretless guitar while singing it in just intonation. Not sure what possessed him to do that but he managed!
First video of the new year. off to a good start ig
x2
We'll first video from CZcams. Pornhub took my first video of the year.
Stingy Hell yeah, boiyo.
This mail box is mine
AllTimeMyChemicalPanic!AtTheFallOut l-/ Your comment is mine
I'm a drummer and ive heared so many people just crack jokes on the expense of bass players but i cant help but to love them i love the sound and i love to play along them haha
He may have meant upright bass is impossible to play and sing but there's probably a jazz bassist up there who does/did sing while playing
Gordon Gunn i know just thought id throw this fellar a bone and give an example
he's literally singing and playing
Carlos Henriquez
esperanza Spalding
Noah Nipp Yess exactly! Esperanza spalding is amazing
Most of the comments: "Tell that to "famous bassist"."
Famous bassist is a great bassist tho
For those saying electric bass isn't that hard to play and sing together....try it for yourself. I have played electric bass and sang at the same time in a few metal bands. Fingers fling across the fret board, while singing...and still trying to maintain the "feeling" behind my playing was always tough to practice. I also have played guitar and sang....and I can tell you that the bass guitar is the harder instrument to be technical with while maintaining proper vocal control. You can't just let your fingers do muscle memory movements on bass, because you will lose all the "feeling" behind your playing. It's hard to explain, but other bass players will get where I am coming from. This was an awesome video btw
What a great character!
And then he goes and fucking does it.
he is doing spoken word not singing
+Dan R. 0:57 you sure?
IamHueGraves I double checked and yes. He indeed can not sing and play the base. I'm not sure he can sing at all even.
***** I'm pointing out that he's singing not don't spoken word, he's just (like you said) not very good at it
the madman
is that jordan peterson
Er Jio fuck that guy
1973 Why exactly?
Beni Vitai he says some decent to great shit but I can't understand his views on religion at all.
1973 why? Is he pro-religion?
Jeroim3142 uh... Yes? He thinks religion is very important.
It is impossible to sing.
18 people didn't watch this video.
+Mark Roman or did not understand it
Lemmy still gets more girls than most guitarists
+Gunslinger15 nope
+Stevesk0011 nope anymore xD
+Al Bundy I think he still does, actually.
*****
Triggered.
+Gunslinger15 Lemmy played rhythm guitar on bass
All these "Tell that to (famous bassist here)" people are pissing me off.
It's impossible to sing and play the tuba.
"Failing" is another great solo piece for bass and voice. Add the property of the bow, giving an improvised speech, and trying to make it all happen at once while engaging the audience is also quite difficult. The double bass is just a weird instrument all in all.
Brandon Miller failing was awesome
I remember finding this piece shortly after "Failing" was mentioned in an Adam Neely video. No shade to Tom Johnson at all (I just found his CZcams channel where he talks about a lot of his pieces, "Galileo" is awesome and "The Four-Note Opera" is HILARIOUS), but I think I personally like Jay's "impossible" bass piece better. But that's just me
Came here expecting a scientific lesson
Stayed for the cool song
Lemmy died for your sins.
I thought it was impossible until I saw Larry Graham doing it perfectly.
"It's Impossible To Play Xylophone And Fly A Plane." --- can you sing that one, Jay?
those maj 3rd harmonies hes doing with his voice during the breaks are smooth!
This is one of my favorite things on the internet. Really.
He means this kind of bass, not bass guitar
Bloo Eagle are people not allowed to make jokes?
Manga Grandpa i thought jokes were funny???
It's that same for either, not about the instrument, it's the rhythms.
Geddy Lee would be laughing his ass off right now
Yes. Laughing at you, because he plays the electric bass. Which is like playing a guitar.
No, Smasher. The electric bass guitar is still a bass.
The (erroneous) idea that a person can't sing while playing the bass is not based on the shape of the instument or how you hold it, but rather the role of the instrument in that single notes are played, usually not corresponding to the meter of the vocal line.
It's similar to the (also erroneous) belief that a lead guitarist can't sing while playing. It's more difficult than singing while strumming chords, but obviously not undoable.
Man for calling yourself a doctor you're pretty dumb. He even explains it in the song, when you have the frets you don't have to play it by ear, you need the muscle-memory jotted down. That doesn't work with a double bass. Based on your argument a person could improvise a brand new technique over a melody he already knows, and that's not true. Every person who improvises and sing at the same time has practiced the scales and shapes they play months before they do it live, maybe to a different rhythm or beat but still. But most of all this is a joke.
That's a fun idea, but Geddy Lee plays several fretless bass guitars as do many modern bass guitarist/singers. Did you think people who play fretless instruments necessarily stare at their fretting hands while playing?
I understand the argument you and he are making. I'm just pointing out that it's nonsensical and demonstrably untrue.
A fretless bass guitar has the same intonation and scale and frequence as a normal bass guitar, trust me man. I play fretless electric guitar and the difference is minimal compared to double bass and a bass guitar. You still only need the muscle memory jotted down.
Paul McCartney- "hold my beer"
And then you have Geddy Lee, who sings lyrics like
"Apollo was atonished
Dionysus thought me mad
But they heard my story further
And they wondered, and were sad
Looking down from Olympus
On a world of doubt and fear
Its surface splintered
Into sorry Hemispheres", and plays some of the most complex bass lines, while playing keyboards/synths with his feet and whenever possible his spare hand.
The main challenge I'm finding is that I must rely on my fingering and tempo without really hearing it. While I sing a note, it's like the bass disappears and my fingers go on their own, and hopefully find their way automatically. Another problem is that on bass the right hand needs to be tight and right in its place, so if I get too much enthusiastic with the voice I must manage to keep my hands steady and right on time, like they were controlled by another soul, while my lungs are all over the place. It sucks. None of this happens while playing guitar. The strumming and the right hand are much less demanding. Most of bassists singers play bass like a guitar. Sting just played fewer notes, so he could take mini breaks from the instrument... the only one I know who almost sounds like two people is McCartney, at least from the famous non-jazz players, and still he had to adapt his lines quite a lot. Jesus, what a ramble.
If you play fewer notes and leave holes that's a lot harder than playing melodic bass lines in my opinion. That's just me though lol.
I know what you mean, you keep going with your hands like an auto-pilot, without having to think too much about it. I meant when I play songs by The Police, I take advantage of those holes to sing freely and it all feels effortless.
This song was kinda funny. Les Claypool is the only person I knew off who could sing and play an upright bass, even with a bow (Mr. Krinkle for those who don't know what song I speak of.)
see MUSE - Liquid State live, the bass player is singing.
or Muse - Save Me
I don't mean to sound rude or condescending but note that I said UPRIGHT BASS, as in Cello, or double bass, or contrabasso. This video was meant as an irony type of thing mostly. Lots of ELECTRIC bass players sing, Les Claypool and Geddy Lee for example. But Les is the only person I'd seen playing Cello with a bow while singing is what I was saying.
Oh Mr. Krinkle tell me why
Cello is not the same as upright/double bass
It looks like none of you heard of Esperanza Spalding
This is so amazing!! Such an unique composition. I would love to see this guy perform live :)
Clever lyrics and well sung, thanks for the upload!
He's talking about a double bass and people here naming people who play bass guitar... (plus it's a joke)
Get this man a P bass and a talkbox
Perfect...thank you Jay
it's impossible carrying your bass through the city without someone asking " wow, thats a big cello"
“Your violin appears to have a pituitary tumour”
Les Claypool plays bass when he is sleeping. But not singing. He can't sing when he sleeps.
what about corey taylor of nirvana?
Did you even wacth the video? Lol
***** corey taylor of nirvana? are you stupid?
+Astroman96 Dont you know corey taylor? He killed his self last year with herion when he injected a shotgun
+xo xe (xoxe007) what drugs are you on?
meth and sometimes heroin, nothing special
excellent harmony intervals when you hum along with bassline
Love this! I can already tell I am going to love playing it!
This is so good
he is my grandpa and im so happy to see him getting 1 mil views thats crazy lmao
This is good. This made me think of a new first line to this “People told me that nothing was impossible, but they could never say it to my face. I told them, to sing and play the bass.”
my kind of musicianship! Amazing!!!
yeah CZcams this makes complete sense to recommend to me...Like wtf CZcams!!!?!?!
Better than most of the bullshit that gets recommended
I always wonder why upright basses don't have position guides on the side of the neck. The go on the positions 3, 5 ,7 ,9 ,12, 15 , 17 ,19, 21, 24, and so on. Fretless electric basses have them; it's not cheating. It is kind of cheating to have fret markers and fret lines on the fret board, but dots on the side are fine. If I ever get an upright bass, the first thing I'll do is buy a set of those dots and put them on.
Cheating? God damn, the elitism of some people...
They put them on because most rock musicians are morons who aren't trained like jazz and classical musicians are.
Love it , the little harmony is great haha brill
This is wonderful,
one word: Slayer
bass guitar.
Nobody reads the articles. Nobody watches the video. All anybody does is read headlines and comment.
So, you're brain works 3 different parts of the brain. Where to press your fingers on the stings, what stings to play, and remembering the notes. Singing works 2 main parts of your brain. Pitch and lyrics. That's 5 all together, not to mention if you have stage fright, or general anxiety, that messes with your head. This is truly impressive.
1:33 THIS MAGNIFICENT HARMONY
I'm certain Jay did this video all in fun to bring attention to the fact of just how many bass players play a significant role in the main vocals:) It definitely takes talent. Nobody mentioned Sting:)
Also no matter how simple a baseline may seem, go ahead and play a 2 1/2-3 hour concert with 1000's of people standing before you and also singing the main vocals---without screwing up once:) Night after night. Easier to stand back and judge than done:)
not bass guitar
It's kinda hard to play fife and sing
He worked really hard and learned how to do it. He did a very good job. I enjoyed that.
Incredible!!!! amazing!!!
paul mccartney
it is impossible
I didn't know what I expected when I clicked on it, but I really enjoyed it
There are two types of comments on this video: "Tell that to (insert famous bassist)" or "This is upright bass, not bass guitar, it's much harder to sing and play upright bass than it is to play electric bass and sing"
And then you've got my comment lol
Davie504: Hold my beer
That guy has one great, great bass tone! Damn!
so smooth
Damn, Jordan Peterson is good at the bass
*cough cough* Sting *cough cough*
Thats a very different kind of bass though, rock and pop bass is extremely simple comapred to jazz/blues ( not that it's bad just different )
yeah actually Sting also plays this kind of bass in known musics
Bass =/= Bass guitar
did you even watch the video?
reminds me of "failing - a very difficult piece for solo string base"
Rick Danko from The Band anyone?
This man has just sung and played the bass and people talk about Lemmy and Sting
It's sarcastic ... Did you catch that or not? I'm not sure
A guitar plectrum mask would be the cat's meow
He's the man between the drummer and the musicians.
Why am i watching this?
How about esperanza spalding :D
shhhhh shhhh
Geddy Lee, Greg Lake, John Wetton
Unlike most bass players mentioned here, Spalding actually counts because she does play the acoustic bass and sing. And when she plays an electric bass, it's a fretless one.
That reminds me of a quote from Steve Martin: "It's impossible to put a Cadillac up your nose. It's just impossible."
loved it!
It's impossible to play clarinet and sing (or trumpet, or tuba, or trombone, or French horn, or baritone, or oboe.....)
It is actually possible to sing and play Tuba or Euphonium. It is called polyphonics and is pedagogical.
Ernesto Moor Okay, it's impossible to play them and sing for 95% of the general population then
Wow, so I can play saxophone and sing, thank god!
GuitaristZag there's something called multiphonics
Yes multi phonics exist and I play the tuba and with a low voice I'm not getting anywhere with it.
Lemmy?
GENIUS
Nice song! Keep it up!
**Lemmy laughing in Heaven**
Fretted bass
And he really couldn't sing or play that well :P
TheGrundigg nah but at least he could rock like hell
you didn't get the video
It said 3:00. I enter. It says 2:59. I wtf.
Nikki Parrott does a damn fine job too!
reminds me of
Oh baby I hear the blues a-calling, tossed salad and scrambled eggs... oh my
Well done... now actually _sing_, lol.
Jack Bruce.
Amazing Man and great Musician!!?
I've heard it is the hardest just because they have the least in common.
I can sing and play bass (guitar) at the same time but only easy shit xD
+Jean Martin Yes, that was an upright bass without frets and position marks what makes it harder to play and sing at the same time :)
Sorry for my bad English XD
If you are used to play an upright bass there is no need for frets, and you should have positions in your head cause there are no frets. So i don't believe it's hard because of that, it could be hard because you are not following a melody. :)
Paul McCartney?
Lemmy Kilmister.
Dad