Drumming and singing

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Hey. I am very interested in taking up drumming, however I feel that my greatest asset is my voice. I am just wondering is it difficult to sing and drum at the same time? Are there any bands I could out whose lead singer is a drummer?

I would just take up guitar, but I have small fingers

Photi

Don Henley & The Eagles?

Phil Collins?

daram

drumming and singing is harder than drumming and not singing. but its not impossible, and its more something to just get used to doing...

Brother A

The Monkees I believe.

Brother A

The Carpenters how could I forget.

LegacyUser

Phil Collins is the man when it comes to that...

bombidol

The Dangerfields

funk-you

the band

smullen

Do yourself a favour my friend and get your hands on a copy of the DVD "The Last Waltz" by The Band, Directed by Martin Scorcese. The Band's drummer Levon Helm is basically the main vocalist and he gives a virtual masterclass in tub-thumping and singing, fantastic stuff altogether!

Soltra

Breaker! Breaker!

www.breakerbreaker.org (I think) if not it's something like that. Googlit.

An excellent band but at the same time a good example 'of you don't have to be the best drummer or singer to have a go'

Check out music vid for last lap.

lazerskate

The problem with drummer/singers is that drums is a very physical instrument to play and sometimes you get horrible extra emphasis on bit of songs that dont call for it.

But hey give it a go if you can do it well, who cares if others have done it or not.

Stix

Ive never seen Collins drum and do lead vocals at the same time. I know he is a drummer and a singer.

Henley however, does. Check out the Eagles.

In additon, those big band style groups usually have drummers a lead sinngers. Watch Jay Leno - i think he has a band on his show like that.

BizzyC

I find it easy enough if I know the lyrics of the song perfectly. If I have to think about the next line, I find that my drumming follows the rythm of the lyrics.
So, I tend no to do it.

Stix

Or worse still, your singing follows the rhythm of your drumming.

LoL

Singing in beats.

ballsmahoney

Biffy Clyro.........Ben Johnston does it pretty well
Love these guys

mr_angry

ballsmahoney wrote:

Biffy Clyro.........Ben Johnston does it pretty well
Love these guys

Ditto. Ben Johnston gives it everything he's got, especially on the end of "My Recovery Injection".

Creamy Goodness

mr_angry wrote:

Ditto. Ben Johnston gives it everything he's got, especially on the end of "My Recovery Injection".

yup ben is the man.

superconor

A band from belfast Mojo Fury has a drummer that sings and he does it very well. I dont really think its too hard but i think if you really knew the song it would be ok.

Phil Collins is the man when it comes to that...

Phil Collins is NEVER the man!

DublinWriter

|.Murderer.| wrote:

Hey. I am very interested in taking up drumming, however I feel that my greatest asset is my voice. I am just wondering is it difficult to sing and drum at the same time? Are there any bands I could out whose lead singer is a drummer?/

Loads, as mentioned. I've been playing drums about 20 years and I never had a problem wailing along. It's almost like singing while driving.

However, the big problem band-wise is that it never looks quite right when a someone is playing drums and is singing, well to me anyways. True Phil Collins and Karen Carpenter both sang/drummed, but in a live situation they always used session drummers and went out front themselves.

Waltons

Bonzo used to scream his lungs out while playing live shows?......

DublinWriter

Waltons wrote:

Bonzo used to scream his lungs out while playing live shows?......

But thankfully, only his kit was miced up! Keith Moon did the same in the studio! You can hear him scream halfway through the studio version of 'Subsitute' if you listen hard enough!

WetDaddy

Roger Taylor from Queen used to do a fair bit of harmonies (fairly complex ones) over non-standard beats. Not the lead singer, but quite the multitasker nonetheless...

Velvet Vocals

Doesn't Dave Grohl sing and play at the same time too?

Friends of mine have a band called Mike Got Spiked and the drummer is an excellent singer and drummer and does both at the same time very well...I think it really adds something to a band to be honest. Changes the dynamics on the stage.

I think the lead singer from Bell X 1 used to sing and play at the same time, not sure if he still does or if they got another drummer.

dregin

Ben rocks one's socks. Can't wait to see Biffy again.
Dave only really did backing vocals.
On seasons in the sun, Kurt plays drums and sings at the same time.

Esel

Check out http://theband.hiof.no - a fantastic resource.

funktastic

bonham did the vocal intro to 'The Ocean' live.
Reni from the stone roses was an unreal drummer and combined that with backing vocals, which really lifted the songs from Ian Brown's usually piss-poor voice live.

Pearl666

Phil Collins, Death From Above(drum and bass band, magnificant)

Einstein

Yeah i drum and sing sometimes, but I gotta say, took me a couple years of playing before I could be comfortable and competent enough to do both together...Can be tricky!

Dave

Dove112

Yeah agreed. its hard, controling it is the key i think, you have to be quite hyper to drum and i find when i do backing/harmonys from my kit i find that if you dont try hard enough you end up singin way too high. Amusing yeah, but ruins a good song like! sing along with some albums at home and tap along or somthing. youve got the rythm in you! attached is my tattoo of animal from the muppets check it out.

slowhands

check out a band called death from above 1979!singing drummer there too!no guitarist either just bass and drums,preety cool!!

Einstein

Dove112 wrote:

Yeah agreed. its hard, controling it is the key i think, you have to be quite hyper to drum and i find when i do backing/harmonys from my kit i find that if you dont try hard enough you end up singin way too high. Amusing yeah, but ruins a good song like! sing along with some albums at home and tap along or somthing. youve got the rythm in you! attached is my tattoo of animal from the muppets check it out.

holy sh!t man, is that tatt on your back?

humbleCounty

bonzo did backing vox on a few tracks too, bron y aur stomp is one,

was there no limits to his talents...

Dove112

Divers wrote:

holy sh!t man, is that tatt on your back?

sure is dude, covers the whole bottom half, it hurt but it was worth it!