Growling tips?

[VampiricYouth]

I'm sure this must have been asked a hundred times, but...I'm working on a Doom Metal/Dark Ambience project called Endtime (www.myspace.com/theendtime) and the one thing that seems to be holding back the project is my voice...I just can't seem to get it to sound how I want it to, and often have to resort to simply shouting lyrics instead of growling them (eg, Grand Conjuration chorus)...Take a listen to the track Incomplete Farewell on the site to get what I'm saying...

Are there any tips to growling? Is it simply a genetic luck of draw, or can I develop my voice into a low death metal vocal machine? Mastering wise (I use Adobe Audition) what can be done to add more punch and strength to the vocals? Should I just give up and find a vocalist?

 

[FRUGiHOYi]

The main thing is not to force too much. Death growls are not supposed to be loud, the microphone will pick up your voice and make it louder. Don't force too much air out either, or you will lose the growl. It is also good to have phlegm in your throat. I have been practicing growls a lot lately. My friend and I did a sort of death metal karaoke along with the whole Ghost Reveries album.

 

[Tubbs]

actually, when I do it it is very very loud and doesn't really affect my throat anymore. I guess after doing it so much my throat turns into leather or something!

Or maybe it's because I'm fat. Remember, the main thing is to growl by tensing up your stomach, that is much better than annihilating your vocal cords by trying to go all through your throat.

 

[VampiricYouth]

How do you tighten your stomach? People also talk about using their diaphragm when singing...How exactly do you do that?

 

[Tubbs]

like lifting weights. Try lifting a weight and you'll see what I mean. Also, it's when you tense up when your about to release the brown demon from the bowels of hell! as for singing, I'm not really sure what they mean by that, but I know I can sing good too. It's probably the same idea, just without the demonic roaring.

 

[April Etheral]

i don't really think much about it when i'm doing it, it seems seems to happen naturally for me
but i can't do it very loudly so it does need to be through a mic to sound decent

But i don't do them much cos i'm a guitar player
I just go widdly-widdly-wooo!

 

[Goober]

How do you tighten your stomach? People also talk about using their diaphragm when singing...How exactly do you do that?

You know, like, flexing your abs. If you can do it, then you should be able to feel some tension in that area.

 

[April Etheral]

cool that makes mines even deeper and more distorted ^^
I think it does help to have a deep voice which makes me lucky cos i have probably one of the biggest adam's apples in the world which gives me a very low voice

 

[affinityband]

I do it gutterally. The power of the roar comes from my stomach. and the sort of warble sound like mikes i have comes from my throat. I can scream for ages without running out of breath and it doesnt hurt my voice at all.

 

[Benighted Joe]

hey guys! thanx for all the advices. I just popped in and tried some of the 'samples - hey I almost got it working

 

[April Etheral]

i seem to do a mixture of both...my throat does hurt a little after a long session of growling along with Deliverance

What i can't get is how Jason of Akercocke gets his so low, they sound really painful - as if hes shredding his throat

 

[Goober]

My growl is very similar to that of necrophagist. my voice isnt that deep, but i have a good low range

 

[April Etheral]

i dunno who i could compare mines to...the low ones from Carcass would be the closest to mines

I also love Vindsval of Blut Aus Nord's high pitched screams that seem to tear his throat apart ^^

 

[VampiricYouth]

This seems to be the best I was able to get with those tips...What do you think? Listenable?

http://s54.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2FS6PRV7ZYNYS2T5FKKXRU9A3Z

"Riding on star trails
through the blackest depths of night
over leaden stratus
awash in pale moonlight."

 

[April Etheral]

not too bad dude
the music doesn't really suit the deep deep growls though
They sound more like they would be at home in a grindcore setting

 

[VampiricYouth]

My plan for this project is mixing New and Old Katatonia with some Ambient influence.

 

[Goober]

Yeah its not bad, keep practicing though, because it will eventually develope to the true sound of your growl. it should become a little louder, and more brutal.

 

[Koi]

"The main thing is not to force too much. Death growls are not supposed to be loud, the microphone will pick up your voice and make it louder. Don't force too much air out either, or you will lose the growl. It is also good to have phlegm in your throat. I have been practicing growls a lot lately. My friend and I did a sort of death metal karaoke along with the whole Ghost Reveries album."

FRUGiHOYi: Yepp
, i think thats about right... exept that i think my growl sounds better without any phlegm, but i hate to growl with a dry throat, so for me it works best to just drink a glass of water... And phlegm is the worst thing that can happen while singing clean vocals.

You can try to put your tongue back near the throat and make a deep and low (UUUUUUUUUUUUUH) with a very strong sort of whispering style and not use your voice at all.... Try to use your throat as little as you can while growling... it has to come from deeper than that.

 

[Supermoi]

Since I learnt how to growl, I can burp like a monster.

 

[FRUGiHOYi]

haha