black/death vocal techniques...huh?

D

DCLXVI

pneumatica satanica
Aug 12, 2002
40
0
6
LA CA
hey all,
let me preface this by stating that up until a few weeks ago I have been a guitar player only, so please excuse the obvious stupidness of my topic because I dont know shit about "singing".
yet.

anyway, I have a drummer and a bassist and a vicious technical black/death set, and in exactly three weeks we are going into the studio to bash out a (hopefully important) demo... the problem is..no vocalist. Ive looked and looked, met some cool people and some idiots, but no one it seems is perfect for the music. I have decided to do it myself yeehaw...except, Ive never done vocals before.
Im writing lyrics and I get all excited and inspired, but then on my way to work everyday Im growling and screaming in my car along to home recordings, and I realize THIS SHIT HURTS, my voice fuckin sucks, I cough so bad I almost hit pedestrians, and I know I must be doing something wrong because I cant believe anyone can barf like this at high volumes for a whole tour.

so..I started thinking, ok, maybe I got the volume wrong, maybe its a subdued technique, using the gut more than the throat right? ok, so my low tones/growls are coming along, my girlfriend gets scared when I do the exorcist voice on the phone, and I THINK I just figured out how that little weasel Dani Filth is able to screech through an entire song getting higher and higher with each verse until hes almost inaudible (which is my goal): inward singing?!!?

is it an inhaling action, sucking air backwards and rasping the shit out at low volume or WHAT? I hope someone can help me out here, because being an obsessive perfectionist and very serious about my music, this singing thing is killing me, and people on the road point and stare...

any tips???
 
I sometimes growl (but it isn't a professional growl, just something to share with friends) and I think I use the throat to make it; the sound could be cool but I doubt I'd be able to stand a whole night with that kind of voice. Anyway I'd like to learn how to sing in black voice or improve my growls..... so I expect the reply of someone more experienced in the genre
 
Not an expert but the way you start is with phlegm in your throat. That's how i started out. After a while, you can do it with just saliva. The point is to have a shock absorber in your throat. I haven't tried honey with t (a classic for singers) but it might work. Anyway, so long as you maintain that shock absorber, your throat will not suffer too much. Don't expect to get it right away, it may not sound normal but it is stil singing nonetheless, and it requires the same amount of dedication and hard work that any other singing style requires.
 
I can't tell better than the 2 guys above, so I won't repeat them.

Anyway I think you need more time, something like 4 months.
You can't get better by working 4 hours long, but 2 hours in 2 days is great because your throat get modified when you're not using your voice.

Also one thing, in 2 weeks your singing ability WILL NOT make you heard well on a recorder, sorry. After more than 4 months you start having polyphony in your voice since your real voice will actually start getting used to pass through the throat sound and then the real voice will ship the throat sound together into the record signal. Good luck anyway
 
thanks for the tips.I hadnt considered the shock absorber thing but it does make alot of sense. makes you wonder how many death metal singers have seriously damaged vocal cords.

regarding my tight schedule...ack. I know, but Im just going to have to do my best and work with what I have, we put down a deposit and reserved the times.
 
My scream/growel isn't the best in the world by any means, but my band seems to like my few songs I've written where I actually use it, and to get it I drink milk or something kinda thick first to get a shock absorber like they were talking about above, get some saliva or phlem in your throat before hand, otherwise it really hurts after a bit. after that all i do is just kinda gargle from my throat for a harsher sound (ala CoB), or flap my vocal chords for a death metal sound (ala Morbid Angel). And to control pitch of the scream, try gargling at different points in your throat... really it doesn't feel too far removed from normal singing, it's just that you're adding rasp.
 
im not a vocalist.,..but i do have a lowish growl.,.i rely on phlem mostly.,.which isnt too good because its hard to keep the phlem from going away or piling up and makin you gag.,.,.sometimes a cigarrete gives me some good phlem,.,but you shouldnt really do that because it fucks with you lungs.,


question....
is there a way to get a louder growl? or will it be the same volume.,.

the reason is that our vocalist's growl isnt as loud as mine is.,.hmmm.,.that could be because his is lower.,..but i just wanted to ask anyway.,..thnx
 
ok, long reply coming from a singer.....
Firstly.... if you hurt your throat while screaming... you're doing it wrong. If you need to chug a gallon of milk before you go on stage, you're doing it wrong.
I'll tell you the basic rule, first.... and I know you've all heard this time and time again, but you have to sing from below, deep in you. Easy way to learn how to do this... is try to imitate a commanding god, above all the puny mortals. Try to make your voice boom resonantly. Say "I am God". Try to sound like almighty Zeus or something. Don't CONCENTRATE on volume... don't TRY to be loud... if you're doing it right, it should be naturally loud as hell (and should scare the shit out of whoever, haha).
Another thing to try... is imitate Elmo. Or try and imitate a police siren. Try to wail naturally... using your diaphragm, instead of your vocal cords and throat. The throat and vocal cords are a "last resort". Everything starts WAY deeper than that. Personally.. this is how I think of it. I want to scream all this poision out of me, that has been shrouded within me for so long..... I want it to come from within me... I don't want to be some poser, TRYING to scream... or faking. I am a demon. A monster. So I will sound like one.... not because I'm TRYING to be... but because I am.
See my point here? Reach deep into all that bloodthirsty hell in your guts, and spew it out.
On to tone... now that you've learned how to project your voice....
Sing. Clean. Sing something dumb... or whatever. You'll hear your vocal octave (bass, tenor, alto...etc). You don't need to know what octave it is.... just figure out... is it high? Low? Do you sound like Halford, or Ville Lalhila of Sentenced? Now do a scream. What comes natural? Do you sound like a garbage disposal, or a buzzsaw? Now... try the opposite. If you have a low growl.. try a high screech. Do you see a difference in your ability? Which was easier?
Now that you know how your dirty octave sounds... work on that. If you naturally have a higher scream... that is what you were born with... no changing it... without alot of practice. Work with what you have. Hone your specialty. Sing along with bands that have the same vocal styling. Try and top them.
Remember... you represent the most aggresive and violent, gore obsessed, satan worshipping, corpse raping pig fuckers on the face of the planet. Sound sincere. Let the evil roar from within.
 
Originally posted by Soultorn
Easy way to learn how to do this... is try to imitate a commanding god, above all the puny mortals. Try to make your voice boom resonantly. Say "I am God". Try to sound like almighty Zeus or something. Don't CONCENTRATE on volume... don't TRY to be loud... if you're doing it right, it should be naturally loud as hell (and should scare the shit out of whoever, haha).
Click to expand...

:yell:
I want to scream all this poision out of me, that has been shrouded within me for so long..... I want it to come from within me... I don't want to be some poser, TRYING to scream... or faking. I am a demon. A monster. So I will sound like one.... not because I'm TRYING to be... but because I am.
See my point here? Reach deep into all that bloodthirsty hell in your guts, and spew it out.
Click to expand...
:yell:
Remember... you represent the most aggresive and violent, gore obsessed, satan worshipping, corpse raping pig fuckers on the face of the planet. Sound sincere. Let the evil roar from within.
Click to expand...
:devil:
Very inspirational.:lol: Good advice, by the way.:headbang:
 
Originally posted by Soultorn
Easy way to learn how to do this... is try to imitate a commanding god, above all the puny mortals. Try to make your voice boom resonantly. Say "I am God". Try to sound like almighty Zeus or something. Don't CONCENTRATE on volume... don't TRY to be loud... if you're doing it right, it should be naturally loud as hell (and should scare the shit out of whoever, haha).

Personally.. this is how I think of it. I want to scream all this poision out of me, that has been shrouded within me for so long..... I want it to come from within me... I don't want to be some poser, TRYING to scream... or faking. I am a demon. A monster. So I will sound like one.... not because I'm TRYING to be... but because I am.
See my point here? Reach deep into all that bloodthirsty hell in your guts, and spew it out.

I think that's the best advice I've ever heard on this. It truly shows how the emotion comes out naturally when you really care about the music your making. Poser bands like US mainstream cocksuckers blink182 make me want to vomit. When i listen to music it usually provokes a certain emotion in me, usually gives me a lot of adrenaline if I'm really into something, and the music really takes me away to a different place. When you said your thinking of yourself "as a demon", that really makes sense, because your no longer worried about whether your voice is going to be good or not, you know that it is.

On the same token as the person you originally posted this reply to, I'm doing essentially the same thing, I've been a guitarist for a long time, and I'm trying to sing now. One of my favorite styles is In Flames, obviously, from my name. Have any tips on how I can sound like him?
Click to expand...
 
Haha, Anders happens to be my current favorite as well... only recently though.... in Clayman.... his voice has taken shape into something far more advanced than his Skydancer days, haha.
How? Well put the album in. Listen to Bullet Ride.... the refrain "Frightened by your own smell". Listen to the way he sings "by". What is that?
Well... think of Halford. That guy can break windows. Now just imagine incorporating that into a death metal scream... that's what it is... sounds like a table saw. Pretty tight, huh?
Ok, now how to do it. You can trust me on this, I am most proud of my ability to do these screams... in fact.. I'd go as far to say I might do it a little better. Not to brag.. that's not my point, just saying I love the way it sounds when pulled off.you calle
Well enough of the BS... here's how to do it.
Take the above example, in Bullet Ride. Listen to it. try to get the dynamics of the scream down in your head. Don't try and sing along just yet. Whisper it.... much like you would make a roaring crowd noise (I'm sure you've done those before, haha). Just get a feel of how the notes go together. When you do the "f" in "frightened".. really force that "f".. keep your lips together.. build pressure, and let all the hatred out when you get to the "righ". That's a start, as far as dynamics. Don't try it yet. Just keep it in mind.
Now, how to hit that note.
It's like one of those fair games.. where you get the hammer and try and hit the bell when you slam it down. Imagine the bell at the top of your throat, and your adams apple the stone thing that slides up the pole.
One thing left....
What is the hammer?
Well... this is all about trick. the enunciation example I gave above for "frightened" helps alot.. and there are a few more factors.
How I do it.. is I snap my head down (which consequently makes my apple go up and back) and straighten my whole spine. Your chin is the hammer, my friend. Slam that chin down, and at the exact same moment, release all that pressure you were building up forcing that "f" (NOTE: This should NOT hurt your throat, as I mentioned in my last post. Nor should you break your neck or anything... this technique is only for "leverage".. it doesn't make the sound for you.. it just helps a whole hell of alot).
but... my best advice would just be to sing along with Clayman... on our free time.
This is what happened to me.
I was hooked on Clayman, for some very long months... and consequently... I sang along whenever I had the chance to.. not TRYING to hit all the notes... but just emulating Anders unconciously.
Anyway.... long months passed.. and there was band rehearsel for my band "Soultorn". We recorded a few songs that we were working on at the time. Afterwards.... we were listening to the playback... and Tom, our guitar player, just starts craking a gut. "what"? I say to him. He looks at me and says, "You didn't just hear that"? I looked back at him, puzzled.
So we rewound the tape, and listened again. It was during one of the more aggressive parts in one of our songs.. and somehow, when I let loose that demon within, the little Anders that had unconciously grown within my diaphragm tore through my throat and into the air. I was as shocked as the rest of the band was. I didn't TRY to do it.. it just came unknowingly.
Now, this may take you awhile.. but after you get it...you'll notice a form of freedom once you get to that level. When you feel that freedom... that is when you have broken the bell, my friend. After that... there is no limit. Ask Halford... I bet he'll tell you the same.
Transendance.
Hate is a natural thing.. it's not something you learn how to do. It's there in you. Therefore, metal is a natural thing. Don't TRY to do it. Just release it.
I'm glad you guys like my input.. if you have any questions, feel free to post, I'll be here.
Until then, all you fuckers stay metal, and it'd be cool if you could check out www.soultorn.tk , my band...
Cheers!:headbang: :headbang: :headbang:
 
Anybody has an advice for a throat relaxation.

I can do almost every possible vocals from clean to high pitched screams...
and my throat doesn't hurts at all,
but sometimes after 30 minutes of non-stop singing
the muscles of my neck/throat are way too tensed

is that normal or...?
 
Well, let me tell you a story...

We (Soultorn, the band I'm in) just finished our third CD, "Masks", the day before yesterday. During one of the tracking days I did my vocals.
I honestly don't know what happened during those two hours I did my vocals. All I remember, is the 6 hour migrane headache that followed, and the blood trickling from my left ear. And yes... my throat hurt. I guess instead of "releasing" the demon... I pushed him to his limit. I paid for it, too... haha... I was dizzy the whole rest of the day as well.
During our listenings afterwards... I was in awe. Our engineer swore he did not pitch shift any of those screams.
I still don't know if I believe him or not...

Moral of this story being.... we ARE human, after all. Things push our bodies to the limit. If you do ANYTHING for too long, things begin to hurt.
Hope that advice helps. If any of you want to hear some of those screams I managed, let me know and I'll forward you a mp3.
'til then
Stay Metal!!
 
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