does screaming mess up a well trained voice?

[Andross]

i heard somewhere from like singing teachers that screaming can damage a voice well trained by a proffesional instructor. is this true?

[(un)reason]

Not as long as you also learn how to scream properly. There are already quite a few tips on this in the enormous screaming threads.

If you don't, then yes, you can muck up your voice. Recovery is usualy possible with rest and lots of fluids, but your voice will never sound quite the same. Whether that change in tone is a good or a bad one is a matter of opinion though.

[Andross]

oh ok thanks dude

[Merkaba]

I think in general this is like the old grandma telling you not to play in the creek.

I mean you run a greater risk of messing yourself up. But if you learn technique then you realize that screaming is usually not really screaming. Its just sounding that way. Its still stressful on the cords but not as bad as it sounds. If done properly.

And its not well trained by anyone other than yourself. Youre in control way more than your instructor is. So just take care of yourself as much as you can and let yourself be your guide. I mean youre doing alot right if youre around long enough to have to worry about losing vocal presence anyways. ya know.

[shadedlife]

I love my school, since we always end up screaming in the halls. My friends and I were ****ing around today, and one said that he could scream better than I could. I said it was debateable, but that I knew for sure that my voice wouldn't be the one dying first.

[Dafunks]

The mic should do most of the work.
Put the mic up close and the softest growls and screams should be picked up.
Adjust your volumes with pressure allows for some awesome effects and build ups which sound good. Experiment have fun, but dont do any damage.

[Levitate]

you could probably scream for 7 lucky years daily without damaging your voice.

if you learn how to do it right.

I did it wrong, let me tell you it is not worth loosing your voice for a year and the sore throats that go along with it (I did it wrong...)

[Rats]

how long were you doing it wrong for??

[shadedlife]

and what did you get wrong?

[Levitate]

fyi

did it wrong for 3 years. I did too much tool distortion sounding vocals, and sang at high volumes (with a mic). whatever you do, do not do this. best advice I can give. my other advice is to stay away from growls/screams/yells ...but don't listen to a jaded 26 yr old like me...

I got the flu, and coughed too much...still have not recovered...it has been like a year...

not looking for advice (although appreciated)

right now I am using hydrogen-peroxide, warm saltwater, and listerine for gargling...had not drank much and was very healthy in the last year...oh well...I will give it another year before I try the singing thing again...I am considering going back to school so I'll probably just let my pa get some rest, but Ill stick around this forum.

here's to dreamers :)

[Merkaba]

Best wishes man. I have had bronchitis for a week. I dont think i have ever coughed this much or this hard ever. I know i have probably coughed over 5000 times. NO joke. Up until yesterday i was still singing and it was actually seeming to help me with my range. Now by the time night gets here my cords are swollen but i still do light work for a few minutes on the way home. I think I've turned the corner, as of last night actually. I gargled with some apple cidar vinegar, then drank about a tablespoon of it...i went and brushed my teeth and gargled with hydrogen peroxid. Now right when i walked out of the bathroom i felt twice as better all over than i have the past two weeks. It blew me away. It was almost spiritual.

I've been juggling this theory around in my head over the past year or so about how people that were sickly when they were younger seem to turn out , alot of times, to be great singers. I was thinking it could be due to being sick alot and coughing alot. If it doesnt do irreversible damage, it has to be strengthening you. Because every cough just basically slams your cords together like if you were to take a belt fold it over itself and grab it by the ends and pop it. (I know lots of books talk about this idea, so im stealing it from them). But coughing is so powerful and your cords have to take a big brunt of it. And as a supple youth it would be easier to rebound and then puberty comes and adds more strength. I've read about lots of singers that were sickly as youngsters. Just a theory.

anyways dude start back doing alot of ee's at least. slide up and down your range. Just avoid any power driving stuff. But if yorue gonna get back into singing you should keep the apparatuses flexible. if you your voice hasnt corrected yet, you should maybe look into going to an ENT doctor

[Levitate]

Hey bro, your insight is always appreciated, I have seen an ENT, I have seen my local practitioner 2x, and I forgot to say as well that I am taking acid reflux pills (in case I have acid reflux). They all have given me a clean bill of health...

I might try eeees in the future; my voice gets hoarse even from humming or eeeees for 15 minutes or so. At work, I need to communicate well, I cant be having a hoarse voice all the time...

I might try the acid cidar vinegar; glad it worked for you. Best to ya!

[Merkaba]

oh geez...bummer if you get hoarse that quick. yea. YOu should also watch your talking technique as well too then. And dont try to be monotone...talk with as much melody as you can without sounding stupid. good luck. if youre gargling the vinegar, dilute it with a little warm water.

[Levitate]

thanks - I did not think about the monotone bit - I was sounding that way 6 months ago. That is a good idea - varying the voice - cool, I am looking for "little steps" right now.

Ill have to try the vinegar route - sounds great, much appreciated.

[UntoldProphecy]

The best suggetion I can give is always make sure your vocal amp is adequetly powered. I sing for my band and for the first few months we were using the least powerful amp for vocals meaning I really had to yell to get myself heard at all. This is NOT good, that (and smoking) has warped my voice good and proper now, and from an Axl Rose type of style I now have to sing in a more Hetfield fashion, which is a great disapointment to me. The Vocals should be loud enough so that you can hear them prominently when you put a little punch in but not so much that you really exert your voice.

[Levitate]

ya, my opinion is that you don't even need a pa or monitor. Just put in earplugs and listen to vibrations in your cranium cavity.

I have a pro PA with a monitor, that did not stop me from abusing my voice to get that blown out scream/growl sound. sounds great, bands I played with always said to turn down the vocals.

[I Am Vikingcore]

If you scream correctly your all good.

[I Am Vikingcore]

I kinda just slowly learned how to sing, me and my bro used to share a room, and apparently I listened to life is peachy so many times in my sleep that I'd sing along with it in my sleep.

[Rats!]

If you scream correctly your all good.

You don't say! :thumb:

[(un)reason]

Best wishes man. I have had bronchitis for a week. I dont think i have ever coughed this much or this hard ever. I know i have probably coughed over 5000 times. NO joke. Up until yesterday i was still singing and it was actually seeming to help me with my range.

:thumb: The right kind of cold can add a good half an octave or so to my lower range. Annoyingly, I've never been able to keep that extra range when I get better though. :angry:

[neiltrett]

hey guys.if ya want to be good to your voice,try projecting from your gut,rather than screaming.open your mouth,stand up,and keep your back straight.dont sing from your throat.fill your lungs,and try to sing loud,but clear.the screaming thing is real bad for your throat as well as your vocal chords.even just singing to loud all night at a gig can muck up your voice for a week.but if you sing from your diaphragm the majority,and can learn good breathing technique when you sing,you will improve the power and tonal quality of your voice,and also your range will improve.if you want to extend your vocal range,there is a good way to do that.if you lack high end,practice your lows.and vice versa..i know that sounds backward,but its a low stress exercise.its like any other muscle you want to stretch before a work out.the gargling thing is good,but the best is to completely avoid dairy products on the day of a gig/practice,and dont drink carbonated beverages before you sing,as they will block your air way.this includes beer,which is no good at all for your voice.smoking of course is bad,but i have been a singer for twenty years and i drink and smoke.of course,i am not a screamer,but the blues and gospel numbers i do can be fairly taxing on my voice,as i need to project alot to get the soul out of the vocal...anyway,hope this helps!

[Levitate]

^ good advice, thanks!

[neiltrett]

^ good advice, thanks!
no problem...i have been singing either professionally or semi professionally for about fifteen years or so,and have worked with some great guitar players that really needed help in the vocal department...so,if ya have questions,feel free to ask...neil :thumb:

[Rats]

I usually scream better when I'm a little tipsy. On New Year's Eve I unleashed these ferocious screams that were better than anything I've ever done. But then I had my 2nd kegstand and the beer got into my lungs and that ****ed up my voice well into yesterday. Today I'm back to normal though.