The best way to learn how to do Screaming Vocals?

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wjgypsy

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For the past year i have been getting into Rom Zombie and the vines and other bands that did scream vocals. I tryed to record some of my screaming vocals but they sucked. I am so used to singing in key and clean. how do i scream!?!?!?!?!
 
Hey ZEKE,
A bunch of vocalists are in the process of taking over the Event Electronics forum, since there's no forum for vocalists. You might want to try posting there for an informed answer to your question. Wish I could help ya...my voice sucks regardless.


bd
 
It basically just takes practice to get your voice that way.

HOWEVER

You do NOT practice this as extensively as you would regular singing or you will really screw up your voice. This style requires moderation. I'm not sure if there are vocal teachers out there that actually teach this style, and if there isn't then I would recommend you find a singer you like that sings both clean and distorted. Excellent examples of this are Layne Staley of Alice in Chains, Sully from Godsmack, and Scott Weiland of pre-lame Stone Temple Pilots (ala Core), and to a much more dramatic and subtle effect Maynard James Keenan of Tool. They tend to utilize this yell-while-singing technique at the most intensive portions of the song, while keeping relatively clean throughout the rest of the tune. Sing along with these guys and work towards not only creating the vocal effect at the right time, but working on your pitch matching skills as well.

Technically, the idea is as if you are yelling at your little brother: you take a deep breath and feel that harshness in the back of your throat taking over and push the notes out with the air. Make sure you stop when your voice starts to really strain itself. A little pain is OK, but dont think you can do that forever. Stamina comes with time. You will leave your practice hoarse, so lay off singing for awhile. In due time you will be able to distort your voice with great effect without causing any hoarseness whatsoever to your regular speaking voice.

And contrary to what most bozos say, no: you don't need to smoke cigarettes, and no: you don't need to drink whiskey.

Cy
 
Thanx dude. i'll start singing along with some Zombie tunes :D
 
I don't think there's really a good way of learning it, basically it's just experimenting and practicing it. Remember that it's not possible to distort your voice without force. So you shouldn't hold back while doing it. (poor neighbours) ;)
ps I do smoke btw. :D but Cyrokk is right, it doesn't have much influence on your scream.
 
hey zeke,

I like the vines too.

Theres one technique ive been trying, which might work for you. On good days, it sounds exactly like ACDC, or some of craig nicholls' screams.

keep in mind that its most likely not good for your voice,

but like ive been practicing and trying to do it with the least amount of straining as possible and now it doesnt make me hoarse at all.

Try singing a falsetto note (your chords are tight except for the outer edges which are vibrating quickly - making you sound like a girl) then push the back of you tongue back slightly (close the back of your throat slightly) and open your mouth rreally wide. Then make the air come up and seem to 'resonate and crackle' in the throat and the top of you mouth. Experiment with the amount of air and tightness of your throat.

this is sort of an ACDC style as i mentioned, if you want that death metal yell - which i cant do that well - i think it has to come from down lower, but it seems like it does a lot more damage to me.

y

p.s. im gonna record get free soon, (when studios done) . I still listen to your recording - its great. ill try my yelling style and see what u reckon
 
how i learned to do it was to picture in your head something or someone who has really pissed you off and just Yell Out at them.
 
Zeke,

There are some people who can sing like that and there are some that can't. I can't. I tried doing it a little when I was younger and it did nothing but mess up my throat. I'm sure one can work into that kind of sound, but not without doing damage to the vocal chords (nodes) for most. I suggest you find your find your voice whether it be gritty or smooth. The best singers find their own style.

(PS. I'm speaking from experience. I wanted to be a R&R singer too. I had this wonderful Country/Ballad voice just waiting to be used)
 
I dont think that you really have to scream. Some people do actually scream into the mic as loud as they can. Another way of obtaining this type of vocal is to fake it. Try distorting you voice softly. Actually do an impression of someone screaming but dont really scream.
Through a condensor mic it may sound very real. Dani filth from CRADLE Of FILTH is the absolute master of doing this and absolutely no one has vocals a vicious as he does.
 
Yeah, fake it. It would be kinda awkward practicing scream-singing anyways. Just distort your voice properly and it'll sound just like you're screaming.
 
ZEKE SAYER,


How do you do?


Well, I'm going to put my 2 cents in.

Lucky for me, my voice teacher was very liberal considering he was an opera student.
Scream singing... Invented with rock & roll. Goes against all singing coaches advice.
I too at one time wanted to develop this up.

Unfortunately, no matter how much you practice, how careful you are, no matter what...
screaming hurts the vocal cords, period.
Many if not all screamers have a short career ahead of them.

So what does one do ? I mean we're talking about rock & roll, right ?

Well first of all, the basics are the most important.
Proper singing technique is essential, this something that you can not learn here on the bbs.
After you learn how to properly protect your voice and get it to last for hours,
then you will learn how to occasionally scream sing and not waste the vox.

I know, I know.... You are looking for a quick fix or a tip.
I'll tell you one but, keep in mind that I did not learn anything
over night or even in one lesson.

When I need to scream I tend to keep it a little nasal, kind of a crutch for the cords.


GOOD LUCK,


Sean
 
Screaming for any extended amount of time can hurt you. Even talking a lot in a day hurts my throat sometimes.
 
I have heard it said that some performers have damaged their vocal chords trying to sing a particular style. Stevie Nicks, one of my personal favorites, is said to have affected her range. I think the timbre of one's voice is a characteristic particular to the individual and is determined by resonance. Resonance, to a certain extent, is actually determined by the skeletal structure of the head and upper chest. Still with exercise we can teach our bodys to do amazing things. :)
 
range for scream/growl type stuff, just like range for singing, is somewhat genetic, and somewhat practice. i can't do most straight screaming stuff without getting hoarse really quickly (think fear factory-martyr-i can rip this up, but then my voice is trashed). i can do inverse breathing growling-type stuff for awhile without much trouble (think system of a down or between the buried and me)-it's not very effortsome, and the only variable that seems to hinder it more than regular singing is hydration-the chords will dry out pretty easily like this, but it seems to affect this particular technique without trashing my singing voice, which is cool. i do add a little screaming in key on top of powerful singing parts at times, and i'm still looking for serious solutions for screaming vocals. i think part of the problem is inhibition-i can sing my fool head off, but i've been doing it since i was a little kid, so it's pretty natural. i just haven't done the screaming/growling thing much, so i don't feel really at peace with it yet. however, as i TRY to do it more (usually trying to only create vocalizations that don't make me rather hoarse), i seem to be developing a better sense for it. your milage may vary.
 
hey

i scream and sing, at first i was nothing but a screamer, actually started out doing death metal growls. i was a huge cannibal corpse and many other death bands fan. Then i moved to pantera. the thing that helps me is alot of stomach, if that makes since. when i am screaming my stomach muscles are very tight, and pushing up air very hard. the other thing to take into consideration is this, i used to scream for an hour, then my voice was gone. now i can scream and sing for two hours, and stil lkeep going. do not damage your throat, use air to mainly push. the best way to think of it is this. take the time that you get the most agreivated, and lash out screaming. i mean to where your seeing red spots, this is basicly the same way to scream and growl. go to www.vein-band.com thats our site. those mp3s will not be up long, as they all need to be rerecorded and mixed. thats why i am here. a good band to practice to is pantera, oh and also sepultura. like i said till about a year ago i didnt sing at all. since hearing staind, my voice has changed. well i hopr this was a big help. take it easy, and bring the anger out man.
 
when i am screaming my stomach muscles are very tight, and pushing up air very hard.
Click to expand...


do not damage your throat, use air to mainly push.
Click to expand...


???

As far as i see it (not very far) if you are doing a 'REAL' yell or scream, then theres no way that you CANT damage your throat.

The sound that happens when you scream is because the vocal chords are doing something they are not supposed to be doing - something that damages them.

I concur with the people who recommend to "fake" it, just create the illusion that you are screaming which causes a lot less damage.

y
 
well the only thing is this, ive been doing everything from death metal to pantera for the last 7 or 8 years. i can scream for 3 hours straight, and not loose my voice not one little bit. when i first started i lost my voice everynight. so i really dont know how to explain, but it does not damage my throat at all.
 
also i dont agree with the faking it. i feel in death metal for example, its very obvious the guys that are using distortion, and detune. if you cant scream, then just dont do it. i dont mean that in a bad way. i cant sing real high notes, and i admire everyone that can. i understand that i cant sing high so i dont even try to do it. i guess ive been blessed with the ability to scream, but i am also enjoying just singing to the ole acoustic. thats what make music so great, is that there are so many different kinds of singers and musicians. go with what is natural for you. for the faking, for me personal i wouldnt feel right about it. this may sound stupid, but i want people to hear me. not some effect. if you choose to fake, im not gonna knock ya either. this is just based on my beliefs.
 
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