"Inhaling" Scream Vocals

[eduardoclark]

Hello... First of all, I know thats a thread 'bout scream vocals. But i'm not here asking help or something, I want to find another singers who uses the same technique that I use, making the scream/growling while inhaling.

I do it in "normal" way too, and I do sing with clean voices like hard rock, heavy metal, goth rock, doom metal, and some "opera" too. But I never found another vocalist who use this technique, only one guy in Uruguay. Even in international bands, I only knew one splatter/gore bands who seems to have this kind of "inhaling" vocals.

Well... sorry 'bout my poor english...

if you want to hear me, try at http://www.myspace.com/eduardoclark, or contact me by mail (who@brturbo.com.br) or MSN (mothertears@hotmail.com).

Thanx!

[Azraelscross]

from what i know about "inhaling" growls and screams you'll be lucky to have a voice in a couple years. enjoy your ravaged vocal chords

[eduardoclark]

I never did anything that hurted my throat. I've already go to a doctor, and my throat is normal. And I sing this way for 7 years now, and as i said, i sing another styles, and this kind of vocals never changed my performance in a hard rock ballad, for example.
And I want to change some experiences and techniques with singers who do screams/growls this way, since as ever extreme metal voices, this is a "new way" to sing.

[Azraelscross]

well the only one i know that might do it is dani filth

[Peg Dizzler]

Cradle of Filth is the most popular example. I'm not sure how his voice still exists, then again, he never sings (at least not that I know of).

There was this local band I know of called "Burning Cities" I think. I'm sure you could find them on myspace or something, I'm quite sure he inhale screams.

I find it interesting sounding myself, and I did them for a few weeks awhile ago. Then a friend of mine, who was the vocalist in 2 different bands (Somber and Summer Dying, both broken up), he told me that he screwed up his voice for awhile from doing that. I haven't done them since. I guess they sound cool but I like all the other aspects of my voice more so.

I never did anything that hurted my throat. I've already go to a doctor, and my throat is normal.
I think it's completely unrelated to the throat, it's the vocal cords it's tough on.

[Left Shoe]

i thought the inhale scream was better for the vocal chords?

[Hodl pu]

i thought the inhale scream was better for the vocal chords?


depends, When i do it i feel no tension at all. It's just you're method of doing it. In attempt in putting a lot of force to make it loud will **** up your chords. I dont intend to make my screams loud, so there is no pain or tension in my throat whatsoever, and i can sing fine still with no soarness afterwards.

Just remember, if it hurts, stop.

EDIT: But then again, I dont do in constantly.

[eduardoclark]

Huh, I stop hearing cradle of filth after "midian", but I always thought that dani filth didn't use this kind of technique to this album and those before it, I thought he was using a falsetto technique with "scream" techniques, I do some vocals in that way too. And he surely ****ed up with his voice, but not only to the way he sings, but his "rock'n'roll way of life", beer, cigarretes, a lot of gigs, etc. This things ****s even with rock/pop singers.
Sorry about the "throat", I wanted to say any kind of damage to the vocal chords and throat, and any part involved in the singing process. (Damn, my english is really bad *lol)
Well... I don't know exactly, but I've already done 3h shows, without feeling any kind of pain or fatigue, and without any modification in my natural voice. Maybe I do something diferent. Anyway, I started singind this kinds of vocals in very gradual way, maybe I developed a resistance or smoething like that, I dunno.
I heard the "burning cities", and he really uses inhaling screams... altough always the same pitch.
Well, soon I'll have some songs from my band, then I'll post here the links. For now, in my www.myspace.com/eduardoclark, you could hear something... thanx!

[Left Shoe]

depends, When i do it i feel no tension at all. It's just you're method of doing it. In attempt in putting a lot of force to make it loud will **** up your chords. I dont intend to make my screams loud, so there is no pain or tension in my throat whatsoever, and i can sing fine still with no soarness afterwards.

Just remember, if it hurts, stop.

EDIT: But then again, I dont do in constantly.
i only do it for about 2 or 3 songs in my band, ill check my technique.

[savagebassist]

Inhaling while talking or screaming makes you sound VERY ****ed up...i would not suggest producing anything with that kinda stuff in it.

[Peg Dizzler]

Well, it sure is an interesting sound. I know that when I first figured it out, I could only do it silently. It basically sounded like my false cords clicking if it was low, or a really crappy sounding falsetto that I had little pitch control over.
Then I figured out how to make it sound stronger and more forceful, and like CoF, but there's so much tension going on just to do that. And after awhile I somehow get this tired feeling, like in my cords. :confused: It feels weird too, like wind whistling the opposite way through my cords. Definitely not a good thing, I don't think.
I guess if you can do it quietly and use it effectively in the music it might not really damage anything much. Then again I really don't know what kind of damage it does or how, I've just heard too many vocalists say it's really bad (vocalists who have actually tried it)... as well as my own experiences with it, that didn't make my cords feel very "functional" afterwards. =/

[Merkaba]

Any vocal coach will tell you its not beneficial...but they will also say that pushing the voice isnt either. Most rock singers of any kind are pushing the envelope to some degree. And we must understand that the there is a direct and exponential relationship between incorrect singing and the shortening of time of healthy cords. Everyone is different and can do some things for way longer than others. Technically the cords are situated shaped for trapping the pressure behind exhaled breaths, and this is health... The opposite is of course, the opposite and creates the opposite, in due time.

I like high pitched inhaled screams....maybe once or twice. But inhaled vocals in general sound extremely choked, as they are.

[eduardoclark]

I see... well, I agree with all that. But, I'll keep it till i really feel something bad... untill know, I can sing this way and sing a Bon Jovi song afeter, without any complications. To me, this means "ok, untill now it's alright". But I'll keep your warnings, thanks. But I still feel that the "normal" screams/growling techniques are more agressive to the cords.
And and don't do it every time, I do some very low pitched inhaled growlings too, as "normal" scream/growlings in medium/high/low pitch, plus some clean vocals. As soon aa the demo-cd of my band "Unmaker", I'll post something.

[Fretboardninja]

how do you do them?

[eduardoclark]

Well... first of all, ALWAYS warm up, and NEVER do something that hurts you.
I'm not saying that this is good or not to your voice, but this is my way. The normal way, the air goes out from your lungs, passing through your vocal cords. This way, you extract the sound while inhaling the air. It's quite simple, but to get a real good sound, and be able to control it and scream this way for hours, it's a long hard road out of hell my friend. Hope it helps you.

[lilchris2come]

doesnt lamb of God scream while inhaling? I found a way to inhale scream without it hurting your voice.. its awesome.. I can also scream like avenged sevenfold

[Toaster]

Hello... First of all, I know thats a thread 'bout scream vocals. But i'm not here asking help or something, I want to find another singers who uses the same technique that I use, making the scream/growling while inhaling.

I do it in "normal" way too, and I do sing with clean voices like hard rock, heavy metal, goth rock, doom metal, and some "opera" too. But I never found another vocalist who use this technique, only one guy in Uruguay. Even in international bands, I only knew one splatter/gore bands who seems to have this kind of "inhaling" vocals.

Well... sorry 'bout my poor english...

if you want to hear me, try at http://www.myspace.com/eduardoclark, or contact me by mail (who@brturbo.com.br) or MSN (mothertears@hotmail.com).

Thanx!

Good to hear you've got your own unique style going. I asked a doctor awhile back if doing that will paralyze your vocal cords (which I've heard it will do), and he said there's no chance of that at all. Vocal paralysis usually has something to do with injury to your nervous system, like head trauma or a stroke. Your clips sound great, too, so if you don't feel it hurting you, I would keep it up. I find that when I scream while inhaling it feels like my throat wants to collapse, so I try not to do it much.

[insanepunkguy]

im surprised ur ****ing alive man, apparently it took dani filth 5 years to be able to do that technique without damaging his vocal chords and choking up blood or some such **** (i read it in a magazine so yeh it mite be wrong lol)
but i have tried doing a very basic version of it and i jsut end up on the floor gasping for air.

[eduardoclark]

Well, I heard Lamb Of God just once, and is not my kind of sound, so I don't really remember anything. And Toaster, I took me 'bout 8 months to do inhaling without feeling and itch in the upper throat. But again, I alwayes stopped before I feel it hurting me. And, before I really get it, my "normal" screams/growling became better and easier to do. And, always remembering, I do sing clena voices, low and high, like Type O and Mr. BIG, and this kind of screams had never hindered me to sing these "softer" voices. As soon as the recording of my band gets finished, I'll post the some links here, and then you'll see all these diferent voices that I do "working" together.
Screams can destroy your voice as any other kind of singing. And, as any other style, to keep your voice you need to STUDY A LOT. It is not just "open you mouth and scream as loud as you can". If you tri so sing opera withou anu instruction, maybe you can amage your vocal cords too..
And 'bout dani filth, I really think that he does normal screams, you can hear in the end of those high pithced screms, the air going OUT. That kind of "aired" sound is not possible with inhaling screams, I think.
well, I've already talked too much *lol Thanx everyone.

And againg, forgive me of any english errors.

[i am the robots]

Hello... First of all, I know thats a thread 'bout scream vocals. But i'm not here asking help or something, I want to find another singers who uses the same technique that I use, making the scream/growling while inhaling.

I do it in "normal" way too, and I do sing with clean voices like hard rock, heavy metal, goth rock, doom metal, and some "opera" too. But I never found another vocalist who use this technique, only one guy in Uruguay. Even in international bands, I only knew one splatter/gore bands who seems to have this kind of "inhaling" vocals.

Well... sorry 'bout my poor english...

if you want to hear me, try at http://www.myspace.com/eduardoclark, or contact me by mail (who@brturbo.com.br) or MSN (mothertears@hotmail.com).

Thanx!

Inhale screaming sounds great and it's easy to do, however, you should not do it more than once or twice per song, and only a few songs.

It's even better to just learn the proper exhale techniques, I used to think it was safe to inhale scream because it'd keep your throat open... big mistake, it just sucks air rapidly through your voicebox and puts tons of stress on your vocal chords. It's NOT a good idea.

EDIT: Randy Blythe (Lamb of God) does not Inhale scream, and it's quite obvious if you've ever seen him in interviews. He uses the throat method for growling (creating rasp with your throat at a speaking volume into a microphone) and then he screams from the gut.

EDIT #2: I highly doubt they'd've put him on The Zen of Screaming if what he was doing was unsafe for the vocal chords.

[eduardoclark]

Hmm.. I understand what you mean. But I didn't inhale directly to mmy vocal chords, I put the air upper in my trhoat, I really don't give any stres to my vocal chords. Not more than singing a Bon Jovi song... the only thing is that the diapragm does a lot of "exercise", but actually it is not a problem to me.
And I do exhale techniques to, but not to "rest" my vocal chords, but due to the sound it self. I like to get diferent kinds of voices in the same music.And, as I say before, "Screams can destroy your voice as any other kind of singing. And, as any other style, to keep your voice you need to STUDY A LOT."

[Zjanarhi]

I personally can't listen to inhaled screaming for longer than 10 seconds before I lose interest in what the "singer" wants to convey. But to each his own. Do what you do, run with it, hopefully while holding scissors.

[eduardoclark]

I understand! Well, it's a point of view, I personally don't see how to not like inhaled screaming that have the same pitch of exhaled scream, it's only a diferente technique. But, it depends of what kind of sound you like. Thanks for your opinion.

[MizouNut]

If what you're doing is what I'm thinking of, Serj from System of a Down also does inhaling-type screams on occaision. The only example I can think of right now is "Prison Song," in the bridge. My friend and I can both do this type of inhalation "scream," and it doesn't hurt at all. It's just a mixture of growls with the odd noise your throat makes when you inhale a lot of air through your mouth.

[eduardoclark]

I haven't heard this song, I'm not the greatest fan from System of a Down... I'll try to hear it, thanks! And if you want to know if what I do is what you're thinkijng, take a look at http://www.myspace.com/eduardoclark .

Thanx!

[mikespahn]

i didnt think dani's screams were inhaled but i suppose they could be. i know people who can do a scream like that exhaling. but anyway, bottom line, screaming will not hurt you if done properly. i have been doing a wide variety of screams and growls for about 6 or 7 years on an almost daily basis and have had no problems or pain what so ever.

[eduardoclark]

No doubt about it! Have you some recordings of your vocals?

[mikespahn]

No doubt about it! Have you some recordings of your vocals?

yes, but none that i'm really proud of. the only recordings i have are me doing backup in my previous band. the recording is about 3 years old, i was definately not at the point i am today, i was playing bass while doing them, and not to mention that the musical style and ability of that band is totally not what i'm into now and i'm a little embarrassed i was ever a part of it. i suppose i could share but i would rather not post them publicly. i would like to do some new recordings but the band i'm in now is definately not ready to record or even perform, its still very new.

[Drastike drummer]

Cradle of Filth is the most popular example. I'm not sure how his voice still exists, then again, he never sings (at least not that I know of).

There was this local band I know of called "Burning Cities" I think. I'm sure you could find them on myspace or something, I'm quite sure he inhale screams.

I find it interesting sounding myself, and I did them for a few weeks awhile ago. Then a friend of mine, who was the vocalist in 2 different bands (Somber and Summer Dying, both broken up), he told me that he screwed up his voice for awhile from doing that. I haven't done them since. I guess they sound cool but I like all the other aspects of my voice more so.


I think it's completely unrelated to the throat, it's the vocal cords it's tough on.
dani filth does not uses this technique. He does it from the inside to the outside. Just wanted to make sure you knew that:rolleyes:

[HAIL TRUE METAL]

doesnt lamb of God scream while inhaling? I found a way to inhale scream without it hurting your voice.. its awesome.. I can also scream like avenged sevenfold
a7x i could really careless about their screaming, sorry. LoG, i'm not too sure about if randy screams while inhaling or exhaling. i think maybe it's mixture of both. i think i also found a way to scream while inhaling because i've been screaming along with cradle of filth on my ipod for about 2 or 3 months now and i dont feel like my my vocal chords or throat has been damaged

[HAIL TRUE METAL]

dani filth does not uses this technique. He does it from the inside to the outside. Just wanted to make sure you knew that:rolleyes:
do you know it as a fact because when i scream along with CoF while listening to them it sounds super similar and close to perfection

[mikespahn]

when ive seen dani in concert he apeared to be exhaling and i personally know a few people that can do that type of scream by exhaling. and randy blythe definately exhales

[fuzzyhair]

when ive seen dani in concert he apeared to be exhaling and i personally know a few people that can do that type of scream by exhaling. and randy blythe definately exhales
Most definately. I don't think I have ever heard him inhale scream.I'm sure he has/can though.


To T.S.:
Do the inhale screams make you burp?

[eduardoclark]

Well, I didn't say that surely dani filth do it exhaling, 'cuz I didn't wanted to look like a "I-know-everything-guy" *lol but I really think he doesn't.
The cover song "no time to cry" (Midian album, I think), in the final scream, you can hear in the end, the sound of the air going out through his throat, as the pitch goes down. I can do exhaling scream like that, if someone here want to hear both exhaling and inhaling to compare, ask and i'll do a poor record in my home, only to hear the texture of the voice in each one.

And the inhaling sounds pretty like CoF, but you can't do somethings like the cello part in "lord abortion", with variatons from slow-clean vocals going to high pitched grunts, like a cat or something. And the greatest flaw of every kind of inhlaing vocals is the articulation, some sounds like "s", "f", "b" or phrases with "r" or "h" and "f" like "he is hater of the rotten earth" (bloodbath's bastard son of god - the original song is exhaling by peter tägtgren) are very hard to do with a good articulation, to make it sound clear.

If anyone wants to talk directly with me, my mail is who@brturbo.com.br

Thanx!

EDIT: And no, the inhaling vocals, teorically don't makes you burp. The air doesn't goes to your stomach, but to your lungs, as a normal breathing/inhaling.