Big Metal Vocals

B

brentL

New member
Question for you experts (well, more expert than me)

How do those crazy metal singers get that slightly distorted sound? I'm thinking guys like the singers from Static X, Mudvayne, and even Korn and such. Clearly they don't quie as develish live and I know its a ton of production that save their cords and makes them sound like that. all the stuff I've tried sounds too processed or over distorted.

I'm using Cakewalk pro audio 9 and some assorted things that wouln't apply to this question (reason, acid, etc...), but I havea killer AKG mic...and a Line 6 amp if that helps at all...

-brent

PS: I attached a tiny Mudvayne sample to hear...more at http://www.mudvayne.com
 

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95% of metal vocals are done by the singers. No FX no BS.
Sometimes they use some distortion or lofi, but that sounds different.

Practice!!!!! :)

Keijo
 
If you are adding distortion try using an aux signal so that you aren't prossesing the entire signal so there is still original signal there giving control, kinda like a wet/dry mix.
 
that stuff is not usually fake. although with a little eq adjustment you can make it distort a little but usually at the expense of making it all sound too thin

I will say that it helps to use a handheld mike to track metal vocals. metal singers usually know how to work it to their advantage.

I pretty much only record metal or hardcore bands and from what I have seen overall its pretty much comes down to vocal ability.
 
I agree, it is vocal ability.I have tried running vox through distortion boxes and such the effect is cool but not any where near the raspy throaty sound your wanting.Short of smoking five packs of cigs a day and drinking liquer from the bottle for years I don't know how to reproduce that.

I have gotten close by running the vox through a tube guitar amp and micing it with a SM 57.Just overdrive the tubes on a clean channel and see what happens.

Monty,
 
Metal vocals is a talent?! Hmm. As much as I enjoy some metal vox, I also realize that they are often heavliy processed.

One good place to start is to compress the crap out of the vox. Some of these guys may have talent, but not the kind of mic techniqes to produce the vox on the albums. Most metal vox are extremely compressed.


Matt
 
Yes, but compression doesn't add that growl thingie to it.
And yes metal vocals is a talent some can... most cann't :)

Keijo
 
I agree Warlock, but extreme compression on a "raspy" vocal will put it more up front and demanding.But if the vocal is not right to start with all the compression will do is put a shitty vocal in your face.Did I say that out loud?

Monty,
 
like to admit it or not.. metal vocals ARE a talent.

Sure some of the cheese radio stuff is fairly processed but that is for effect only unless they plain suck ass . You cant get good heavy vocals without the ability.
 
brentL said:
Question for you experts (well, more expert than me)

How do those crazy metal singers get that slightly distorted sound? .
Click to expand...

The answer is VERY simple. The singers you mention are slightly distorted. You could call this a build-in, or generic effect.
My son James is such a person, he makes a good living by puking to music. http://www.mp3.com/our_own The funny thing was, when he was little he didn't do the puking, but he had a similar effect on his brothers and parents. I think he learned by watching;) but the distorsion has always been there.
 
From a few of the (closer to the top) posts... I think equipment distortion and the gritty sound of certain singers vocal cords is being confused.....

For instance.... On Kurdt Cobain's Voice, he had that gritty sandpaper thing going on... (check out "Come as you are", good example)....

Yet the actual recording of his voice is very clean, with just a bit of comp, eq and reverb added... but you hear NO "equipment distortion".....

I guarrantee you, in real life if he was in the same room as you and started singing, live in the open air without any mic or effects... he would sound extremely similar to his recordings..

It all comes down to the singers individual sound... yeah you can get that distorted thing going on, like you hear on Trent Reznors voice, but that is totally different... Don't confuse that with gritty voice sounds...

BG
 
Some people here don't know how to read.

I did say that some metal guys have talent. I did not say that compression creates the raspy voices. I also did not say that compression will fix shitty vox.

Point was that most metal vox are heavily compressed. Especially where there is a singer screaming on some parts and whispering/talking/singing on others.

Other helpful tools: Good mic's. Good preamp. Good recording medium. Good recording techniques. Good mixing techniques. Good mastering techniques... ;)
 
Im in a death metal band and brutal vocals is what a vocalists job is all about. There is no other form of metal that is more harsh, gutteral, and extreme than a death metal. distortian is not even an option. A lil compression,a lil reverb, and a harsh larnex and the singers ability to spew brutality- no extreme eq settings ethier. People ask me "what kind of effects on the vocals?" NONE at all (turning to singer, he gurglers, they stare in disbelief) Getting that "rawness" is something the singer has to have. not relying on proximitry effect for adding lowness.
 
BBB, if your refering to my post.If you will read it again,I said that comp on a "raspy" vox will bring it more up front and demanding.But... that comp on a shitty vocal will just bring a shitty vocal in your face. Sorry if you thought I was ragging on you.In no way do I disagree with you.I was just making a statement.And I still stand behind that statement.
 
detuned6 said:
Im in a death metal band and brutal vocals is what a vocalists job is all about. There is no other form of metal that is more harsh, gutteral, and extreme than a death metal. distortian is not even an option. A lil compression,a lil reverb, and a harsh larnex and the singers ability to spew brutality- no extreme eq settings ethier. People ask me "what kind of effects on the vocals?" NONE at all (turning to singer, he gurglers, they stare in disbelief) Getting that "rawness" is something the singer has to have. not relying on proximitry effect for adding lowness.
Click to expand...

AMEN! Exactly what I was getting at!

BG
 
BBB said:
Other helpful tools: Good mic's. Good preamp. Good recording medium. Good recording techniques. Good mixing techniques. Good mastering techniques... ;)
Click to expand...

MONEY should also be on this list... :D


(Good list BBB.... That stuff IS what recording is all about (other than the talent and songs)

BG
 
Nobody has mentioned booze and cigarettes.

Drink a lot, smoke a lot. Pretty soon, your vocals will start to sound hard.

Or constipate yourself. Don't shit for awhile and you will grunt and growl with a certain amount of convincing power.
 
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