How do you guys make your screaming vocals sound huge?

[Metalus]

I always find myself doing a main lead vocal track and then adding any layers I see fit. The one thing Ive noticed lately is that sometimes layering doesnt seem to make the vocals sound better. Is this a problem of the vocalist or is there something I can do other then layering to make the vocals sound bigger? This seems to be very problematic when the screamer has a thin voice

A good example of my question is this band:



There doesn't seem to be a lot of vocal layering yet the guy sounds incredibly brutal. Any suggestions guys?

 

[CharlesMonroe1989]

compress the shit out of it (but with a long attack time! short attack kills the articulation) and layer pitched down copies of the vocal track under the main vocals. you can also add a short ping pong delay and a little chorus. but dont overdo it...

 

[ForceTheTriggerSucks]

^ this.

Honestly dude a percentage of it is the preamp and mic combo. Using a good compressor and using them all correctly. But mainly it comes down to the vocalist. When you get a guy who just has raw power and screams with a fry technique it's a walk in the park getting them to sit. However if you get a vocalist who is "false chord" I think it's called, where it's more throaty and less gritty sounding you have to take a more drastic approach when using layering and widening etc.

My vocalist is loud as balls and his mids are fucking earth shattering which is great but his lows are more smooth and wet sounding and his highs even though very loud and brootz on stage, come across very thin and undynamic.

So here's a quick idea to try cause it works for me. Find the right vocal pitch that he can do with a lot of power and grit with good articulation (be it a low mid or high, doesn't mater) and when you come across thinner sounding parts, have him record another layer with his powerful scream pitched up or down (as close as you can get it to the appropriate pitch without making it sound stupid or unnatural.) and blend it. That's if you don't want an obvious layer at that part. Just a sneaky way I've figured out how to do it with my vocalist at thinner parts. Honestly though, since he is MY singer, I'm able to convince to do more of what he is good at so I don't have to go through all that trouble. But you can get good results with that.

 

[StefTD]

almost seems like I am your singer...layering helps alot, just started singing in a black/death metal band and
we're recording an album right now, I am doubling all the vocals and for some parts quadtracking them, you
just have to be tight or edit it to hell and back

 

[infectdsniper]

these sound like they have almost all at least been doubled to me. but i know for a fact they used an sm57 from about a foot away for that ep and what everyone else said of course.

 

[ArthurD]

I Double Track -> LA2A -> 1176 (catch the peaks LA2A let pass) -> EQ (for air and take out some crappy frequencies) -> Distortion.
AND
FX chain: Soft Chorus -> Tape delay (~60 ms) and Reverb (EMT plate).
Mix the FX so its suble.

 

[theoden236]

when i do the vox for my project, i actually never double-track the main vocals, and if i remember correctly, i don't think i used chorus either but i'll have to check my project DAW files. IMHO, aside from EQ and shit, you only need one other thing to make harsh's sound big: REVERB. I like to reverb the hell out of my vocals.

 

[Clark Kent]

Vox is all about the performance. If the vocalist doesn't sound huge for real there's not much you can do.

 

[Uros]

not even the match eq?

 

[Derpsicle]

not even the match eq?

Hehe.