Recording metal vocals

[Nefarious_]

My band is currently recording a demo, and I'm the vocalist. I do mid to high-pitched screams, and it sounds fine in a rehearsal room through a PA. As soon as we start to record them though, they sound like shit, just really pussy and unproffesional.

How can I help to emulate a live setting? (where I feel most comfortable) Regular headphones and a mic just aren't cutting it for me, it doesn't "feel" right if you get what I mean. Also, what is the best way to record this kind of vocals? We tried a condenser mic, which just braught out the worst in my voice, then we tried a shure SM 58 on it's own, which was pretty good, but just not the real deal, and then today we tried running an SM58 through a PA, micing one of the PA speakers and then using a consenser as an ambient mic, in the hopes that we could capture more of my live sound. This pretty much failed too.

I have temporarily uploaded a rough mix of the track here >http://www.soundclick.com/bands/7/carnageukmusic.htm so you can hear what I mean in context.

Does this sound like something that I'm doing wrong as a vocalist? or will different recording/production help? This is seriously frustrating, now excuse me while I smash things in a fit of rage, Godzilla style

Edit: If you want to hear the song, you have to choose the lo-fi version at the moment, soundclick hasn't 'cleared' the hi-fi version yet, It's just some wierd policy they have.

 

[MR NINE]

Hi!
Just been listening the mp3.
I think that the main reason for your so called "...sound like shit, just really pussy and unproffesional." vocals it's breathing technique. You should improve that.I guess that in your reharsal room, the volume of your voice is on the top of everything! (Just guessing!) So that's why you don't feel that lack of power.
So, as for recording; try to get a good headphone mix until you feel confortable with it. I mean: the same "emulation" of the "feel" you have when reharsing.
As for microphones; try a shure SM57, usually it works nice with the kind of vocals you're doing.
Oh by the way that song sounds really thrashy!!! remindes me a bit of Pitch Black (Portugal)
Good luck!

 

[Nefarious_]

I guess that in your reharsal room, the volume of your voice is on the top of everything! (Just guessing!) So that's why you don't feel that lack of power

Thanks, that pretty much makes sense, but on the recording my voice is at the top of the mix as well (it's too loud in my opinion) The whole breathing issue is something I (stupidly) hadn't really thought about, I will take that into account in the next recording session. Also, I thought the only difference between the 57 and 58 was that the 57 could withstand higher sound pressure levels?

 

[Dawn Patrol]

The vocals sounds pretty good to me , of course the recording of them needs something more. The idea of micing the PA makes the vocals sound like you are singing in a box. I don't know what kind of recording gear you are using but things that, for me anyway, makes the sound of the vocals is; in which room you are singing, I use a kind of dry room - no decay or natural reverb in that room. I use a shure ksm32 when recording, it isn't the best but it is what I've got right now, try to cut the low frequency about 100->200Hz, which makes it sound not so dull. To get rid of the changing in volume, try to compress the vocals a bit, but not to much. Also, be sure of not changing the distant to the mic when you're singing, using a pop-filter helps you keep the right distant. If you are mixing the vocaltrack in a computer it is easy to change different parts of it, some maybe needs to be a bit brighter or darker, changing the volume of different parts etc. Try to record the vocals twice and mix them togheter or use the parts of a bunch of recordings to make every vocal-line sound perfect. Using right kinds of reverb and delay can improve. If you don't like using headphones it's possible to have the music come from a speaker behind the mic and it doesn't matter if some of it leaks into the mic, if it doesn't leak to much...just try to place the speaker in a good position. Well there are lot of ways...just keep it up and stay METAL

 

[LynchpiN]

Nice tune, man...
I think the problem in your breathing is that you're exhaling too much air for singing in a relatively low volume. So it's sounding unconsistant (check out that the distance between your mouth and the mic should be the same all the time) and it's popping the microphone a lot (too much air).
Try using a wind-screen, and singing in a higher volume with less air - this requires even more constriction of the vocal folds, but it won't hurt you (a lot) if you do it right
Your voice is awesome, great singing style. Just check these topics and I think it'll sound great.
Oh, and the 58 does the cut in my opinion. I personally prefer those than condensers in order to record grounchy vocals.