Vocal Endurance.... Any tips/secrets?

[gemini8026]

Im having a dilemna.

My vocal tracks suck. Im a good singer, but when it comes to metal, IM NOT a good singer. When growing up, I sang a lot, but now that my tastes in life have changed I hear great music, but yet I cannot put it down on a track easily.

Now I do proper warmups. I drink tons of water. But, when singing hard rock/Metal, I just run out of Steam way too easily, and overdo it to the point where I am ready to faint. You have to be forceful, but when I yell and such, I overdo it.

How did/do guys like Anselmo last a whole show, let alone a whole song on stage. IS there any breathing secrets im missing out on?!? Ive seeked out a vocal singing instructor, but there are NONE in my area!!!

Guys like Hetfield/Anselmo, etc. can maintain an aggressive voice and keep it going for a while.

Any tips/suggestions/ideas for making a guy a better metal singer....?

I know it's a broad question, but I need to start over again and re-evaluate my entire technique. Any tips/suggestions would be appreciated!

 

[mts1979]

Dude, I've had similar issues in the past. The one thing that's helped me out a lot is making sure I'm breathing properly. If you sing/yell/talk/do anything without proper breath support, then you're letting your vocal cords do all the work, which will wear them out. (and also you'll be out of breath, hence the "ready to faint").

It's hard to explain the whole breathing thing, but once you get the hang of it you'll be amazed at how much easier singing will be. And you'll sound better too, which is a nice bonus.

 

[PhilR]

Aggressive rock vocal is no different to any other singing technique. You need control over your breathing, and a good awareness of your own vocal range.

 

[MacoySIN]

Check out Melissa Cross!

http://www.zenofscreaming.com/
http://www.melissacross.com/vocal_training_products.php?

 

[Razzee]

it's a lot practise for me and you have to lern to rely on your mic. you don't have to do the volume with your voice, let the pa do that for you. (when you're playing live)
I can last pretty long using my false chords, but I'm not happy with the sound yet.

youtube is also a great source of information but keep your brain on and filter it, so that is works for you.
for e.g.:
http://de.youtube.com/user/austin29803

 

[John_C]

i find the same, esp if i'm trying to do anything like anselmo, i dont get how he manages to keep what he does up for any length of time. It sounds like he's shredding his vocal chords completely

 

[Zombietakeover]

i find the same, esp if i'm trying to do anything like anselmo, i dont get how he manages to keep what he does up for any length of time. It sounds like he's shredding his vocal chords completely

Phil Doesn't go all out , If you were standing next to him while he screams ...you would be suprised how quiet he is.......t's more of a throat thing with Anselmo atleast thats how he does those long ass hi pitch glass gurgling sound.

+1 to that Melissa cross video alot of good info........Anselmo is doing the Fry technique

and back in the day he really couldnt manage to keep his voice, i have seen Pantera 5 or 6 times he barely had a voice on 3 of the shows....but alot of that is due to substance abuse and not taking care of himself

But i Here he is sober now and sounding better than ever with DOWN

 

[John_C]

ahh i'd always wondered how the f**k he could keep it up. i've heard a lot about the vocal fry technique, a lot of good, some bad. Where would be a good place to start finding out about how to do it, pref without spending money

 

[JonWormwood]

The melissa cross shit is good. I gotta start practicing more.

I've got a bad habit of inhaling as much as possible then letting it all out really quick, do that for a few verses and boom, you're about to black out. haha

 

[schnarf2]

You always need less air than you think, regardless of the sound you're trying to get. It takes a lot more control to really wail on shit with less air, but that's really what you need to work on. Too much air and instead of bringing your vocal chords together, you're blowing them apart and making them flap around and get irritated.

 

[JonWormwood]

You always need less air than you think, regardless of the sound you're trying to get. It takes a lot more control to really wail on shit with less air, but that's really what you need to work on. Too much air and instead of bringing your vocal chords together, you're blowing them apart and making them flap around and get irritated.

Yup, sounds like me.

 

[schnarf2]

Also if you're doing grit and it's hurting, you're doing it wrong. It takes time to find the right sensation but basically you want to feel it on your soft palate (the soft fleshy part in the back of the roof of your mouth). It should feel sort of like gargling. Shouldn't feel it in your throat.

 

[Jesse Z]

Take a look at SLS (speech level singing). Brett Manning has a course that I have started using and it has helped me tremendously. It trains you to relax while singing, and not strain or push too hard which causes all your muscles to tense up. On the first day, I discovered that my range already goes much higher than I ever thought it could. Seriously, check it out, or find someone locally who specializes in speech level singing.

 

[Line666]

Phil Doesn't go all out , If you were standing next to him while he screams ...you would be suprised how quiet he is.......t's more of a throat thing with Anselmo atleast thats how he does those long ass hi pitch glass gurgling sound.

+1 to that Melissa cross video alot of good info........Anselmo is doing the Fry technique

and back in the day he really couldnt manage to keep his voice, i have seen Pantera 5 or 6 times he barely had a voice on 3 of the shows....but alot of that is due to substance abuse and not taking care of himself

But i Here he is sober now and sounding better than ever with DOWN

A real scream will be about singing level. So it really isnt that quiet.

Vocal fry is the sound made when the false chords are pushed/squeezed together and air is passed through - it's more like whisper level, there's no substance too it, listen to Mellissa Cross' examples and you will hear its a very pitchy rattle sound. It's the same technique as an inhale pig squeel just the opposite way around. It's almost impossible to amplify and record without sounding what it is - weak.

She goes more into detail about other types of scream in her second DVD - and she notes false chord and death type screams, however she never really gives proper examples of them and the actual layout for the whole DVD is confusing and its basically just advertising for her actual "in the flesh" vocal coaching sessions.

Anselmo wont be pushing his false chords together in such a manner, he'll be singing regularily with a pitch but adding the distortion via the false chords operating in a normal manner ie creating the distortion by flapping about the place, not squeezed together in a whisper like fashion.

The thing about the false chords is that they are much thicker than the actual vocal chords so can take this sort of abuse without giving in to create that distortion that everyone tries to blow their regular chords out with, false vocal chords have actually been known to grow completely back when taken away so they are pretty brutal.

 

[MetalMan_99]

Take a look at SLS (speech level singing). Brett Manning has a course that I have started using and it has helped me tremendously.

+1

I've got Brett Manning's Singing Success course (I assume this is the same one you've got?) which has a load of great stuff in it for endurance and extending vocal range. Shame it's a bit pricey though

 

[Jesse Z]

+1

I've got Brett Manning's Singing Success course (I assume this is the same one you've got?) which has a load of great stuff in it for endurance and extending vocal range. Shame it's a bit pricey though

Yeah man! It is pricey, but if you know a vocalist friend or two you could go in on it and split the cost.

 

[Djabthrash]

Did a transcript of the Melissa Cross (Zen Of Screaming) breathing exercises (for singing and relaxing), it might help :

http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/...ing-breathing-exercises-singing-relaxing.html

 

[Ronixis]

+1 on breathing. Having a good posture and using the support muscles is also REALLY important. Go to a vocal coach. You'll learn more from one real lesson than you can learn from any DVD. I've watched both of Zen Of Screaming DVDs and I still use Melissas warmup cd almost daily, but having a real teacher invaluable! You need a person who can say exactly what's wrong with YOUR technique. I've had a couple of lessons in the past few weeks and I can honestly say my stamina has gotten like 200 % better by just making some small corrections to how I breathe and stand up.

Exercising (especially jogging, swimming and working your abs) is also a big help... but I gotta admit that I'm too lazy to do any of these =D

 

[crillemannen]

I dont recommend Zen of screaming. Im a good singer, i watched it with another singer in the studio and i was, ok cool but you should really and i mean REALLY know what you are doing because many of her exercises could cause vocal chord damage.

Brett Mannings mastering the mix is the best vocal program on the web

 

[Djabthrash]

Exercising (especially jogging, swimming and working your abs) is also a big help... but I gotta admit that I'm too lazy to do any of these =D