Many metal or hardcore bands today have a singer who not only sings. Screaming is a new instrument created for the stage. Learning how to scream is a little harder than not singing though. Real screaming is bad for your vocal system, so follow these tips to avoid throat damage as you learn how to scream your favorite band's songs. Remember that yelling at the top of your voice is wrong and you WILL RUIN your vocal cords. The bands you listen to don't really scream. It's just the effect of their vocal cords, the same that everyone can learn. That's how:
Steps
Step 1. Hold your breath
Yeah, like when you walk into the bathroom. Hold your breath until you get used to it. Do not overdo it.
Step 2. He hisses
Do as a snake, using your diaphragm and try to hold the hiss for a long time or until you run out of air.
Step 3. Breathe
Practice letting the air out gradually. At first your sound will sound like a grunt, as you breathe you push your stomach out to get more air.
Step 4. Check the tone
Try verse methods for exhaling. You don't have to let out too much air or you won't have enough on stage.
Step 5. Distort
To distort a scream, do as when you have to burp but without the burp of course, you constantly push the air through your throat.
Step 6. The wider it is, the taller it is
Use your diaphragm until your throat feels sore. The wider your mouth the higher your scream will be. The rounder it is, the lower it will be.
Step 7. Scream on the music
The best way to learn is to shout out harmonies from your favorite band. We call them harmonies because they won't sound like real screams, especially the ones that don't come out well. If you scream harmonies you will be able to hear your own voice and learn how to do it correctly without being discouraged because you don't get to the singer's range.
Advice
- Room temperature tea with honey is great for a good scream. Helps to coat the throat (Don't drink it sweetened, sugar damages the vocal cords). Anything that lines the throat helps. Try to avoid milk which can make you cough.
- What you drink or eat can affect how you scream, some produce better screams after certain drinks. However the temperature is the most important thing. Avoid cold stuff.
- Shouting is difficult at first but fear not: your vocal cords are not used to these new sounds. After a lot of practice and a little bit of teaching, it will get easier and you will learn new things about your voice.
- If you scream without music, it will sound strange and theatrical, as if your voice is breaking. Music covers up small imperfections but your ultimate goal is to be perfect.
- Put one hand on your mouth and one on your ear. The sound of your scream will go straight to your ears and you can hear it better. This is the closest to a microphone effect.
- If you sing and shout, try short or phrases or even "1, 2, 3, 4". When you start, say or sing the first number then yell at the others. Repeat the phrase and shout the first number but sing the second and shout the rest. Repeat until your voice gets used to the alternation and you don't rip or change voice register as you pass.
- Don't breathe in when you scream. Breathing in is wrong and can damage the vocal cords, as well as singing and even the ability to speak.
- Take a good deep breath then lots of little ones until you can't anymore. Hold the air for a few seconds then exhale. Do this a couple of times every day until your lungs have a greater capacity and then allow you a prolonged scream.
- Practice makes perfect.
- Screaming in the car while driving can distract you from the necessary attention, so don't do it.
- Drink lots of water.
- The best way to yell over the music is to turn the volume up to maximum to learn. As soon as you are able to do it right, you can turn it down but always keep the volume a little higher than your normal tone of voice.
Warnings
- If you feel pain, stop right away. You are making a mistake. However, at first your voice will not be used to that feeling. As you scream your throat shouldn't hurt but if you start to feel a little sore, leave it overnight and try again the next day. The voice has to adapt to this new thing.
- If you cough when you start, try changing hues or repositioning where the scream starts in your throat, working your muscles. Sometimes starting too high or too low causes a cough.
- Remember that you are not really screaming! You are straining your vocal cords to vibrate more intensely and allow the air to come out in segments rather than entirely. Your cry will no longer be high-pitched but normal.
- If you smoke, do not do it before starting these exercises. Smoking damages the vocal cords and throat and can lead to serious health problems such as cancer, heart disease or emphysema. We're not here to tell you to quit smoking altogether (although we encourage smokers to quit), but if you're addicted to nicotine, wait at least three hours after your practice session or performance to light up a cigarette. Smoking outside is mandatory for those who sing as the smell must not permeate the place where it is rehearsed.
- Also pay attention to the consumption of alcohol. It can damage the throat and esophagus. Don't drink heavily. You may throw up, and the vomit contains stomach acids that damage your throat and esophagus just like smoking and alcohol combined. If you choose to drink, do so responsibly.
