How to Metal Scream
Unlike other instruments or singing styles, learning how to metal scream is difficult for a few unique reasons.
- Few voice teachers know how to metal scream. Finding a coach that can teach metal screaming lessons isn’t easy.
- Metal screaming without proper technique can lead to fatigue and injury much quicker than other types of singing or instruments.
- Lastly, there is a lot of misinformation and unfounded opinions from people that are not professional vocal coaches.
Luckily, voice coaches like Melissa Cross and our vocal instructors have come up with proven methods from classical singing and other disciplines. This means that, with the help of a good vocal coach, you can learn how to scream metal without feeling like you can’t talk after 10 minutes.
Here’s a few of the elements our music teachers will show you in metal screaming lessons:
(Metal) 1st Step – Proper Posture and Breathing:
No, squeezing harder won’t help you scream sing easier. Learning how to stand up tall while keeping your upper body muscles relaxed will assure that you’re able to sing, scream, and sing-scream – without tension. Tension can shut down your most brutal sounds, and make them not so brutal.
You’ll also learn in metal screaming lessons how to sing from your gut – not your throat. This will increase the projection of your clean vocals, fry screaming, and scream singing. Performances can also last a long time – screaming with the gut will mean not getting tired, you you can know how to growl into the darkest of nights.
(Metal) 2nd Step – Types of Screams:
A well-trained instructor will be able to show you the different types of screaming, and help you to find the best version of each one for your voice. Here’s a brief summary of each
- Fry screaming – this involves taking a vocal fry and turning it into a louder sound that can be sustained. Learning how to do a vocal fry, how to properly sing from the gut, and how to create good airflow will be important for this type of screaming.
- Death growl – singing low to a point where a super low note also gains vocal fry. After adding these two elements together, you’ll learn how to add good airflow to it. Many students say that it feels like imitating a big dog barking
- High screams – singing high, then adding fry, increasing projection, and maximizing breath support. Some students report this feeling like an angry cat doing a shout.
- Yell singing – learning to combine the screaming techniques mentioned above with clean singing. This is usually done by adding vocal fry, increased support, and increased projection to a student’s middle range from their clean singing.
(Metal) 3rd Step – Good Airflow:
One common mistake for those new to metal screaming is not enough airflow. Sound (singing or screaming) is made when airflow comes from the lungs and the vocal cords provide resistance to turn the air into sound. Unfortunately, metal singers all too often use too much pressure but not enough airflow. Learning how to apply pressure at the vocal cords while still allowing air to come out freely will mean less wear and tear on the voice, a louder sound, and more control. This will help in discovering your true sound, and being able to learn all types of screaming.
(Metal) 4th Step – Finding your Best Scream:
Lastly, like fingerprints, no two people’s screams are identical. Rather than teaching students how to copy someone else, we teach metal singers how to sing and scream with the best technique – your unique scream will then follow. Learning how to metal scream this way means that you’ll be happy with how consistent your voice is. A good instructor will give you the skills to scream the right way for years to come.