How do people scream without harming their vocal organs?

[ChetMagongalo]

Anyone do nasty vocals on here? I've been perpetually curious about learning how to scream correctly.

Can anyone do it? Can anyone learn how to?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvkkqPcfG7w[/youtube]

[christianatl]

My throat fucking kills me about 4 shows into every tour.

And then I lose my voice.

It sucks.

[neonblack]

Better not get them polyps, son.

[neonblack]

What I wanna know is how smokers can scream or yell for a whole show. Ive tried doing vocals just at practices and I feel like I'm gonna pass out.

[foomanfat]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-tpf7OFN0I[/youtube]

[MrNovember]

I've been considering taking up chain smoking cigars so I can sound like Tom Waits

[PetZounds]

I've been considering taking up chain smoking cigars so I can sound like Tom Waits

Dude, I have totally had that thought as well.

[goroth]

My own take on it is that everyone who wants to scream/growl/bark/shout has a throat that is more suited to certain sounds than others. Making a given noise is just a matter of experimenting until you get a noise that you like. If you are used to singing and controlling your throat then you should be able to mimic a fair range of different noises. But I reckon it is a whole different matter having the capacity to keep it up for a whole gig/tour. There I think it's a case of finding something that just sits well with the musculature in your throat and rolling with it. Even chameleons like Mike Patton or Devin Townsend have like a "standard mode" that their voice can hold up. I've seen Meshuggah a few times live and Jens Kidman always sounds good, and he always sounds the same as on the records. There is no difference in his shouting at all. But I think he's found his niche where he makes a cool sound and his throat can handle it, so why bother doing anything else.

Head down to the rehearsal room with a bunch of music featuring noises you want to make, sing along and see what you can do. Repeat. After a while something is going to feel good and somethings are going to feel crap. Then just spend time developing the good noise.

[Hyphen Nation]

just be careful to not shred 'em…

http://grantland.com/features/the-legacy-harry-nilsson/

[Turkish]

Ive tried doing vocals just at practices and I feel like I'm gonna pass out.

This. I like to pass out on my own terms.

[D.o.S.]

I've been considering taking up chain smoking cigars so I can sound like Tom Waits

Dude, I have totally had that thought as well.

It doesn't work, fellas.

[MrNovember]

I've been considering taking up chain smoking cigars so I can sound like Tom Waits

Dude, I have totally had that thought as well.

It doesn't work, fellas.

That's disappointing

[PetZounds]

I've been considering taking up chain smoking cigars so I can sound like Tom Waits

Dude, I have totally had that thought as well.

It doesn't work, fellas.

Are you SURE?
Are you SURE you want to DESTROY MY DREAMS?

[dase]

There's a great article on this by the dude from trial that I'll try and find when I'm not on my phone, but basically it boils down to this:

Breathe. Like really work on your breathing and place your words around it.

Sing from your stomach. Be aware of how you're using your diaphragm. Stand up straight so the diaphragm has room to expand and contract.

Never, ever, ever use stuff like lemsip or throat coat. It just anaesthetises the vocal cords so you don't feel it while you're damaging them.

Drink hot drinks, inhale steam if you can.

Use the pa to push your voice as much as possible.

Keep your throat and chest warm when not singing.

If you're on your try and avoid talking after the show as much as possible if you can.

There's no way to do it that won't damage your vocal chords and voice in some way, but you can minimise the harm.



Anecdotally I've found chewing raw ginger helps a lot, but that could be he anesthetising thing to. The other thing I've been doing lately that REALLY has helped is use a music stand in practice. I'm in a new band that's writing new songs and I'm trying to write and learn six or seven sets of words. If I stare at bits of paper on the ground I'm hunched over. If I have them on a stand at mic level I can stand up straight and do all that breathing stuff. It really does work.

[dase]

(Ps trial sucked)