mike's vocal technique

[shivering corpse]

I read an interview where he said that his regular singing hurts more than the screaming, because the growl is actually done softer than regular singing.
I thought this was interesting.
I can growl only when my throat has mucus in it.
In fact, I've learned it is impossible to growl well unless I have mucus in my throat, sounds good actually.
I wonder if Mike utilizes the mucus technique, probably not, in fact I'm sure he doesn't, but I should develop this technique.
Possibly save mucus by spitting into cups, and sipping on it before a show.

 

[Brooks]

Well.... its a known fact that mucus is the key to life...

 

[Ultimate_Symphony]

If your growls come only from the throat you'll fuck up your voice real bad. Check the musicians forum for more info, there are a couple of threads that can help you out.

 

[Eirik]

kekekek!

fuck... me too.. the mucus thing.. and then it's a low sound... I'd like to know the technique.. the gut thing seems hard.. it would be just singing very low...

 

[shivering corpse]

so it's more from the chest?
i know "good magicians (and musicians) never reveal their secrets"
but I'd love to be able to do some good growling other than when I have a cold.
...I like when ignorant people try to imitate Opeth. My brother, who has horrible music taste, says "it's all like 'oooooh'" in a really terrible growling voice and it does it no justice...and I get really pissed off.

 

[Ultimate_Symphony]

I gotta say it again, growl the hell out of your gut let me post some threads that can help you out (sorry but I don't feel like typing much today)

Here

The guy that started this thread did the growls with his throat only, read what happened

Very good advices here

Also here


I hope that helps

 

[Ultimate_Symphony]

Oh btw, Mike said that his singing hurted more than the growls????? that's weird, his singing isn't hard at all (at least for me) I can't see how his singing can hurt more than the growls

 

[shivering corpse]

thank you very much, I will read this now, I'm impressed, I can't say I'd be this helpful.

 

[Ultimate_Symphony]

You're welcome

Reminder: When you're growling, keep the throat use to a minimum. With practice you'll be growling in no time

 

[Lunatic_Fringe]

there have been many topics about growls.... If you just read them then you should be able growl at least every once and a while in a couple months.... At first you wont be able to do it all the time... But if you keep working at it and dont use your throat then you will gradually get better...

 

[EvilGenius]

Lunatic Fringe is very right. I didn't even realize I was doing anything different (still not sure if I was or am). You either just adjust naturally or you simply get used to it.

BTW, didn't someone mention how Mike uses special equipment or something to do that with his voice, i.e. it isn't natural? I know I read that somewhere here and I remember it said that they discovered this little fact from a CD booklet.

 

[Windom Pearl]

Mike uses no effects to make the voice. He uses his false vocal chords. Or to be exact I believe he uses a little of his normal vocal chords at the same time. Since the falses make the harsh growling sound, but to make deep he has to make some normal voice as well. I´m not perfectly aware of the false chords thing, I learned the technique long before I even read about them.

So it´s all tehnical. It´s not yelling, it´s not screaming, he doesn´t do it very loud, though after mastering the technique it CAN be done pretty loud without damaging anything. It does hurt a little at first. If I don´t growl for about two weeks my throat gets a little sore on the first time. But still it doesn´t damage the real voice.

Oh and edit.

His singing may hurt more than growling because his style of growling doesn´t hurt, but singing high notes with imperfect techinque does.

 

[Downfall]

WP: You should save that post and re-post it when once in a month someone new always comes and asks about Mike's growling...

 

[Sfarog]

1. dont try to do it all in 1 day
2. dont try to use 100% strength, use strength where you're in control, not straining yourself
3. use a mike, doing it dry makes you try too hard, with less of a visible effect
4. give it a couple months, your throat will develop

i used to growl a bit like 2 times a week during rehearsals (backing vox) and after around 4 months I was doing it easily. Not the best technique, mind you, but easy growl. Even my brother, after not seeing us play for a couple months came back and was shocked at how the growl developped. Once we stopped rehearsing, after 2 weeks, month, it was gone. Gotta re-build it again.

sfarog

 

[seventi]

I growl a lot better with beer in my throat

 

[x_0PETH_x]

haha...i get soo out of breath when I growl along in my car, but I've never tried any of these techniques...thanx to whoever started this thread

 

[EvilGenius]

Yes, I've noticed as well that the beer definitley helps in a big way. Beer = Power Juice.

Speaking of which, I think I could go for a couple now

 

[Raabjørn]

Remember to let the your voice rest alot.. Seen what happened to Finntroll's Katla.. :/

 

[EvilGenius]

Originally posted by Raabjørn
Remember to let the your voice rest alot.. Seen what happened to Finntroll's Katla.. :/

And, as myself and many others have noticed, Cryptopsy's Mike DiSalvo... I think their Whisper Supremecy tour came close to completely removing his vocal cords from his body in tiny, bloody chunks.

Anyone else notice this?

 

[Ultimate_Symphony]

Originally posted by Windom Pearl
Oh and edit.

His singing may hurt more than growling because his style of growling doesn´t hurt, but singing high notes with imperfect techinque does.

Pardon me, but what high notes does Mikael sing? (i'm not bashing him)I honestly haven't heard much of Opeth's stuff, but he doesn't sing high enough to hurt him (even if he doesn't use a perfect technique)