Rock "screamish" vocals

[Erlend_]

Hi.

Im doing some mixing for a rock band.

They have alot of this screamish vocals going on the choruses. Its not like blackmetal screaming, just really loud singing with a bit of crunch.
Now Im used to either raw black metal vocals or softer clean vocals and Im a little lost here.

Im having a hard time making it sound good. I feel I have to use so much compression to get the dynamics in control that the whole thing just sounds squashed and that makes the chorus sound "dull and stale".

Anyone here with experience that might offer a few hundred pointers?

The band wants a kind of RATM hardness mixed with Pink Floyd epicness for the sound. In other words, it has to sound punchy and big!

 

[GarethSE]

ease off on the compression and use automation instead!

 

[akarawd]

Parallel compression has helped me in this area one time too many. Control the dynamics of the 1st track and turn it's copy into pressed ham. Some prefer a quick attack and slow release, others the opposite - give both a try and stop just before distortion creeps in. Also, try to give it some space using a couple of subtle delays in the area of 10-30ms. Another thing to watch out for is the "fullness" of the vocal frequency-wise - there could be much more in there than what is needed to "stand" in the track.

Hope this helps man

 

[Trevoire520]

Automate the vocals to get the level consistent. Then send them down a bus and parallel compress the vocals.