this could fit in another vox thread, but this is about one specific problem.


i can do high pitched vocals like exhumed and bodom decently. under my breath

how can i i strengthen my voice so that i can make that sound while projecting, instead of whispering? everyone always says practice...but i cant practice without having any idea what im doing. i cant get it to project, it comes out weak and absolutely terrible

anyone else have that problem? what do i do?

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well first I'd work on getting that voice of yours to come out at atleast your speaking level, if you can only do it at a whisper.

Then you'd want to turn the volume up on the PA, put some reverb on there, and mess with the settings untill you're happy. Now, if you have more equipment, like a mixer, you could use some other stuff (mixer is usualy enough).
Why I said to turn up the volume is simple, not everyone can make their voice project while trying to growl like bodom or anything of that sort. If you notice, Alexi Laiho looks like he's barely trying when he sings... that's because he's using that volume knob and the mixer.


I can do bodom growls fairly well, and on some songs sound almost identical (when I want to, it's not my actual voice), and I do all of those things that I mentioned. But if you're going to do any other type of singing, not like bodom, maybe cleaner, you'll need practice and learn how to breathe properly (also use your diafraghm, you should do this anyways).

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awesome, thanks

im just doing it with no vocal equipment. that was a great post though

should i use some sort of distortion for alexi vocals? i can sort of do it at talking volume already

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Yes, I used a small distortion through my mixer when we covered "Needled 24/7" (the singing only part) and "Children of Decadence". Make sure that the distortion is controlable on how much distortion you can have it on there, also, you can feed it straight to the PA if you're using the regular mic plug (not the fat three holes one).
Now, if you only have the distortion on which you can not controll how much of distortion is put out then you might want to flip it on and off on sertain parts of the song that you want to, it'll sound dull if you have it on all the time. And you are right about using distortion, in moderation (small film of distortion), that's what gets your growls a little smoother, getting rid of the hoarse sounding gutteral sound. ALso, reverb (should already be on your PA) helps with this aswell.

Anyhow, glad to help you, no one helped me like this when I had to learn it all... made some mistakes in my past, heh.

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The more you sing, the less you are in need of an effect to ruin your voice. Scream. Don't think. Just scream at the top of you lungs like a girl would when you smack her across the face in middle school. That's fucking projection. After doing that....damn it's no wonder some women have manly voices....

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there are very few vocals who look like their actually screaming. look at alexi, he hardly breaks a sweat. to actually holler for 40+ minutes would be murder, i know thats not how everyone does it. frank mullen clearly does that, with no distortion. watch a live video, hes always read and he throws his body into it. but thats not the vocal style im going for.

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Then you have years before your breathe grows. And even if it is murder, it will no doubt thicken your vocal cords, not to mention you'll be heard across a large classroom when you even talk lightly.

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hrm

ok

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well the last thing you want to do is start screaming and messing up your chords... Sing, get better at it, learn how to breathe (projecting and controll), and the more you practice all the right techniques the better you'll get overall. Growling should be a secondary thing you do after you learn atleast the bassics of singing, Alexi had some training (he recounted, and you can clearly tell), but nothing like any serious vocalist would do.
So, get some bassic vocal training, learn a few tips on how to practice breathing, your notes, and preparing, and that's all you'll need. After you get pretty good at this start implementing growling, on a moderate level, don't push yourself too hard if you want to keep your voice. Then use all the things I listed earlier, and you'll be fine. I did all of this, and am glad to be able to do a large variety of singing styles, and keeping my voice healthy.

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very, very helpful. unfortunately for me, i have to sing for grades in my music theory class. despite losing some serious sleep over it, it is helping

thanks a lot

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Oh, and NEVER raise your neck into the air to sing high. NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!

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why?

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So....I see your practicing to do vocals in the band eh?haha

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If you stare at the ceiling while you sing, you will put WAYYYY too much strain on your neck and adam's apple.

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alright

well, im not trying to hit any manowar notes


and log yeah, but not really. just for my own fun

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You just have to practice.
\Some peoples voices naturally break up and distort nicely at lower volumes.
While others have to praticly yell to break up correctly.
And if that werent enough theres the whole inward screaming thing thats getting big these days.

Point is...just like with anything else....

You just have to practice.

A good way to practice is with a cd of a singer you dig.

Thats how i started practicing anyways.

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yeah, i do it along with the bands im trying to emulate


im getting better

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haha, yeah it's like kareoke but without the hair brush.

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I was speaking to a friend bassonist yesterday and she told me that you should not use any upper torso muscles, instead use the "lower tummy" she said. So in other words, you're a man, so speak from the balls. Lower tummy would mean basically from the belly button and below....

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i dont think i can make my voice come from my balls

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...welll, just don't huff and puff your lungs until you pass out.

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haha, this is crap. I'm really trying to get to the bottom of this "breathing" thing that she told me and I'm asking her the most bizarre questions.

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What she meant was to use your diafraghm, like I said before. This is what you sing with, this is what everyone sings with if they know what they're doing (or rather any singer at all).
The diafraghm, the muscle that controlls your breathing, is a very powerfull tool for breathing/singing correctly. If you learn how to sing from your stomach, so to speak, you'll notice a lot more power in your voice. Learn how to use it, I think I already suggested it in one of my first posts in this thread.

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