Scream Sing without Damaging Your Voice

Many metal or even hardcore bands today have a lead vocalist who doesn't just sing. Screaming is the act of singing false chords that is starting to catch on as a trend. Learning to scream is a bit more difficult than singing, however. True screaming is bad for your instrument (your vocal apparatus) so follow this advice to avoid damaging your throat while learning to scream like your favorite hardcore bands. Keep in mind that yelling at the top of your lungs is incorrect and you WILL ruin your vocal cords. The bands you hear do not really scream. It's an effect within their vocal cords that anyone can learn.

Steps

  1. Bear down. Yes, like you're using the restroom. Hold your breath while trying this a few times until you get used to the feeling. Don't over-do it.
  2. Hiss. Hiss like a snake and try to do it from your diaphragm. Try doing this as long as you can or until you run out of air.
  3. Breathe. Practice letting out a little bit of breath at a time. At first, it'll sound like you're grunting, as you breathe in push your stomach out to have more air for belting a note.
  4. Control your tone. Keep trying different methods of letting the air out. You don't want to release too much air, or you'll be off no use on stage.
  5. Distort. To distort the scream, just do like when you burp, but without burping; just pushing air constantly through the throat.
  6. The wider, the higher. Use your diaphragm, and feel where your throat is straining to control the pitch. The wider your mouth, the easier it is to scream high. The more round you make your mouth, the easier the lows come.
  7. Scream to music. The best way to learn is to scream harmonies with your favorite bands. I say harmonies because you won't sound like other screamers yet, especially not good ones. If you're screaming harmonies, you can hear your own voice and learn how without getting discouraged because you don't match the lead singer's voice.



Tips

  • If you scream without music, you'll sound awkward and very choppy, like your voice separates too much. The music covers up these tiny flaws, but your ultimate goal is to fix them yourself.
  • Do not inhale when you scream. Inhale screaming is unhealthy and can damage your vocal cords, impairing your singing and maybe even speech ability.
  • Room temperature tea with honey is great for a smooth scream. It helps coat your throat (But don't take it with sugar, sugar will damage your vocal cords). Anything that will coat your throat helps. Try to avoid milk, as it can make you cough as well.
  • Take in as big of a breath as you can then take little breathes of air until you can't complete this action anymore. Hold it for a couple seconds and exhale. Do this a couple times everyday and your lung span will get bigger therefore having a longer scream.
  • Drink plenty of water.
  • What you drink or eat can have an effect on how you scream, some people scream better after drinking certain drinks. But the temperature matters most. Avoid cold foods and drinks.
  • Cup your hand and place it against your ear and mouth. This carries the sound of your scream directly to your ear so you can hear it better. This is the closest thing to hearing what you'll sound like through a microphone.
  • If you sing and scream, try screaming a short phrase or even, "1, 2, 3, 4". When you start, speak or sing the first number, and scream the rest. Repeat the phrase and scream the first number, but sing the second and scream the rest. Repeat this until your voice is more used to alternating and you don't strain or change keys when you switch.
  • Practice makes perfect.
  • Screaming in your car while driving takes away your attention from the road and causes crashes, just don't pass out.
  • The best way to scream to music is to turn it up as loud as you dare this will help you learn how to scream loudly so if you can only just hear your self over the music you should try to be as loud as you can to start with as your skill improves try to quieten down but keep it the same or a little bit louder than your normal singing voice but keep the same pitch/tone as before.
  • Screaming is hard to do in the beginning, but don't worry; your vocal cords aren't used to the new sound. After continuous practice and having someone teach you, it will become easier, and you will learn things about your voice you never knew.

Warnings

  • If you feel any pain, stop immediately. You're doing it wrong. However, at first, your voice won't be used to the feeling. While screaming your throat should not hurt, but if it begins to feel a bit sore, take the night off and try again tomorrow. Your voice needs to adjust to this new action.
  • Keep in mind that you are not actually screaming! You're just straining your vocal chords to vibrate harder and allow air out in segments instead of fully. Your scream will be no louder than a general shout or holler. My scream is much quieter than my yelling voice.
  • If you smoke, do not smoke before practice or before your gig. Smoking can damage your vocal chords and your throat and can cause serious health problems such as cancer, heart disease, and emphysema. We're not here to tell you to quit smoking completely (though we strongly encourage smokers to at least try to quit), but if you need that nicotine fix, wait at least 3 hours after your gig or practice session to light up that cigarette. Be sure to drink plenty of water as smoking can easily dehydrate you and dry your mouth and throat. Smoking outside is mandatory for singers as the odor and secondhand smoke won't smother your practice area.
  • Never practice screaming without a proper vocal warmup first. It doesn't need to be long or elaborate but it is crucial to warm up your voice before trying this. It can be fifteen minutes or so of just humming, singing scales, singing a favorite song in a comfortable range, or find something that fits your preferences online. Even screaming will sound better and get easier after a warmup.
  • Take extreme precautions when consuming alcohol. Alcohol can damage your throat and your esophagus. Do not binge drink. Binge drinking can cause vomiting, in which vomit contains stomach acid which will damage your throat and esophagus just as much as smoking and drinking combined. If you choose to drink, please do so responsibly.
  • If you cough when you first start, try changing your pitch or re-positioning where the scream is actually created in your throat by toying with your own muscles. Sometimes starting off too high or too low will cause you to cough.

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