Avoiding The Hurt When Screaming

[Deliverance666]

I haven't been screaming for long at all, my like 2-3 months. I know that if it hurts, I'm doing it WRONG. My question is, how do you guys do it without it hurting? The pain isn't unbearable by any means, it's just a bit sore. Any tips would be great. And I'll try to post an audio clip within a day or two. Thanks

 

[Hexer]

do you warm up before screaming? like for example humming and all that? also drink quite a bit of water or something like that when screaming

 

[Jaen]

pussy...haha just kidding

 

[Deliverance666]

nah i dont warm up. do you have any suggestions for exercises? but i do drink a ton of water during and after i practice.

 

[Hexer]

hmmmm....... humming and growling I'd say (not growling like in deathmetal-vocals, more like an angry dog ). slowly move on till you reach the screaming

dunno, I never actually tried to train myself to a special technic for extreme-vocals, maybe I just stumbled over it by accident LOL

 

[ProjectedBlack]

It's going to cause some pain no matter what. Depending on your style you might experience a lot of sharp burning pain in your stomach muscles like you're doing sit-ups and no matter what it will put a slight beating on your vocal chords. Just keep practicing at it, it takes a few months to start developing the right techniques and make sure you keep your throat well hydrated. Get used to water because there's no tea or honey up on stage.

Also, with me going against my own advice, I'd suggest not smoking. I smoke a pack a day and still manage but it's better if you don't.

 

[Hexer]

well, a bit of a sore throat is pretty normal depending on how much screaming you do.

If I dont do much screaming (maybe half an hour or so) I dont really feel an effect afterward, but if I do it pretty long, or if I scream harder, then usually I'm a little (not much) sore afterwards.

 

[Deliverance666]

that sounds good. there was only a little bit if soreness after about half an hour, so that should be fine according to you guys. i drink water a lot and i dont smoke, so ill be fine. thanks for the advice. im tryin out for this metal band in about an hour, so ill see how it goes. thanks again

 

[Hexer]

no problem

may be tryin out for a new-formed death/grind/something band as a vocalist soon, too. (or I may become their 2nd guitar player lol)

 

[Deliverance666]

Guitarist or vocalist, either way that's pretty cool. I didn't get to try out the other day cuz my phone was being gay. But I'm meeting them today at 5:00 so that'll be cool. Clips will be up whenever I get some.

 

[ACIDBATHER]

Check out Seth Riggs speech level singing method; Nothing improved my singing/screaming the way this style of vocal instruction did.

Btw, you will find the exercizes to be nonsensical-just fucking silly sounding-but they work.

 

[Hexer]

yeah mostly you'll sound better when not screaming/growling with full force (except if you want that "insane" type of sound).

I sometimes do vocals pretty much like Peter from Vader. less volume, but more clarity. especially nice if you want people to actually understand your vocals
puts less strain on the vocal-chords, too!

anyways: most people (including myself) have problems sticking to that style in a band-situation when you cant hear yourself that good (silent or not well-setup monitors and all that). I tend to go harder when I cant hear myself very good.

 

[K-z-H]

hey,

i was wondering whther u guys use ure diaphram when screaming or whether you jsut go from the throuat. I ask this cuz i have jsut recently started trying to scream and i was told that if i scraem from my throat, my vocal cords will like snap, and thats not good!

any ideas aor help?

 

[D-KOM]

The most important thing is practising and to warm up, even if you didn´t really sing and do just growls or Black Metal like screams. It might be a good idea to speak with a vocal trainer, even if you didn´t want to sing to notes. This people can give you good tips and training programms which are specific to your voice.
Always remember to drink a lot before, while and after pracitising!

 

[Deliverance666]

You're supposed to scream from your diapragm. Your vocal cords won't snap if you do it from your throat, but they will build up scar tissue which I believe can become cancerous. That will fuck you up lol.

When I first started, I could only do really low growls, but I learned how to get it higher by kind of an odd way. If you can growl deeply from your diapragm, try this.

Do jumping jacks or just jump up and down and growl words. Then make yourself bring the pitch higher. For me, when I'm jumping, it makes me growl from my diapragm even though the pitch is going higher. I dunno if that will help you or not, just tellin a story.

 

[Hexer]

D-KOM: very true! though I have no experience with a vocal trainer (but I'm shure its a good idea anyway)

never heard about that jumping-technic so far, but if it works.....

cant tell you if I really use my diaphragm, but I guess so, as I dont feel my vocal-chords hurting or anything.

your vocal-chords wont snap, but you can really damage them by screaming hard just from the throat. you'll probably also loose your voice temporarily when doing something like that.

my "standard" vocal-technic seems to be pretty much the same as what I read described by Angela Gossow (Arch Enemy) somewhen: feels a bit like gurgling in the back of your throat (that goes for the rather high-pitched screaming)

 

[K-z-H]

so when u guys do the scream/growl thing, do u get that sort of "saturated" sound that i hear on records such as Alexi Laiho's or Angela Gossow's?

Becasue i have tried from my diaphram but it comes out only kinda "semi-distorted"...

any ideas?

 

[ProjectedBlack]

my "standard" vocal-technic seems to be pretty much the same as what I read described by Angela Gossow (Arch Enemy) somewhen: feels a bit like gurgling in the back of your throat (that goes for the rather high-pitched screaming)

I've had a hard time getting that so called "gurgling" in your throat. I've tried but not found a good way to do it. I've practiced a lot at lower volumes since my old band but most of my higher volume stuff for the past few months has all been Black Metal vocals which I've caught on fairly well with. My low growls arn't too bad but putting together good high growls has been a constant challenge for me.

 

[Lord Divine]

It's going to cause some pain no matter what.

No it won't. Not if you do it right. Use a vocal fry (Google it.) I'm a black metal vocalist, and even from the beginning, there was no hurt when I screamed. I still suggest drinking pulp orange juice before and after. Your throat will probably go dry, and yes, if you push with your throat (Not reccomended. Screaming is usually done into a mic at little more than a whisper, not even loud talking volume,) it might hurt a bit. Orange juice helps a lot.

 

[ACIDBATHER]

Do jumping jacks or just jump up and down and growl words. Then make yourself bring the pitch higher. For me, when I'm jumping, it makes me growl from my diapragm even though the pitch is going higher. I dunno if that will help you or not, just tellin a story.

I can see how that would work actually. Jumping jacks stretch out your abdominal cavity and stimulate your cardio vascular system. I used to do some asian exercize that worked in kind of the same way.

I would also add that one of the most overlooked elements in ANY type of vocalization is POSTURE. Stand up straight, Not rigid-just stand with your shoulders back and keep yopur head aligned with your tailbone and your chin and jaw dropped down. My first vocal instructor told me to place my right foot in front of my left for balance and that has helped me alot as well.If you happen to be left handed, then you would stand with your left foot in front-whatever your dominant side is.