Too much tension, most likely from the neck up. Sing simple 5 note major scales on LAH GAH up and down your range to loosen your jaw and tongue. Do neck rolls to loosen your neck, and maybe even stretch out a bit for a few minutes before you sing. Don't take anything like Aspirin unless you are finished singing for the day because it can cause a lot of cord damage and you wont even be able to tell until its too late.

[QUOTE=trentan]hey i play guitar and sing in my band. i was just wondering why after i have been singing for about half an hour, i start getting painful short headache like pains in my head after every time i sing no matter if i sing for only 5 seconds or a whole verse. and then after we have finished practicing i hav a very bad headache. these short pains are realllllly painful.[/QUOTE]
If youre hurting your head youre creating way too much internal pressure, like you do when you grunt or strain. Creating this pressure is a function of the cords and false cords when more internal skeletal and organ support is needed for a heavy action like lifting or jumping.

Make sure you're not singing too hard or tensing up anything. If you take a deep breath and release it or push it out...that should be about all the feeling you need. Engaging the cords while you do that shouldnt take any more tension than moving your fingers while you lift you arm. Start from the begining to find out when youre adding something negative. So start off on simple chant like Ah's. hold them at normal speaking push and pitch and slowly add more until you find out when you start blocking your air off or tensing things up.

[QUOTE=Surgicalgod]I don't think that'll help him alot if he's looking for clean vocals. Why don't we have a clean singing thread anymore? I think we should start one. I can help by giving everyone audio exercises and warmups. Do we need to ask a moderator for starting such a thread?

Oh yeah and could someone please draw 'raspiness in action'; like where the air should pass and stuff like that cause I think that would help me and others to understand it better. If it's not too much guys? Thanks...[/QUOTE]
Most of my advice is to practice singing cleanly, like opera style and that if you can't sing it you cant scream it. I've said that countless numbers of time and repeated how Its all the same. If you cant walk you cant run. But the technique is all the same really. Getting proper air support behind the cords and knowing if you should be in head voice or chest is all there is left.

And a drawing I dont think will help much because its hard to visualize the airflow, and I doubt if anyone on this board actually really knows the setup. Just sing the wrong answer buzzer sound at different pitches. If you start to lose the rasp, go back to singing that pitch cleanly until you can isolate the cords enough to keep them in vibration while adding the rasp slowly.

when i sing, or even when i talk, i sound tired and sort of airy, breathy, etc.

can i fix this?

Where do i start to stengthen my voice; Merkaba i know youve written tons of ****; but im just not sure what to look at. Is strengthening your voice to be able to yell almost (IE. Pearl Jam "Black", at points), (Dave Matthews; All Along the Watchtower); basically yelling not "Screaming" something that can be learned/taught; or is it natrual talent. Where should i start?
just to give you an idea of my voice heres two songs.

[url]http://www.thrillinghill.com/~ljump12/Firstdayofmylifefinal.mp3[/url]
[url]http://www.thrillinghill.com/~ljump12/borntorun.mp3[/url]

[QUOTE=Stuff9238]when i sing, or even when i talk, i sound tired and sort of airy, breathy, etc.

can i fix this?[/QUOTE]
I used to have the same problem at times. Youre probably just not controlling the tension of your cords. You should practice doing the vowels in a medium speaking pitch and push. Hold this note strong and pretend youre in an opera. Move up one note and do the same. You need to basically get the feel of closing the cords up tighter and being more deliberate about it. But dont squeeze the throat of course.

u sure merkaba? i've sounded pretty tired and slow for the past few years of my life. i kinda just think it's my voice.

[QUOTE=ljump12]Where do i start to stengthen my voice; Merkaba i know youve written tons of ****; but im just not sure what to look at. Is strengthening your voice to be able to yell almost (IE. Pearl Jam "Black", at points), (Dave Matthews; All Along the Watchtower); basically yelling not "Screaming" something that can be learned/taught; or is it natrual talent. Where should i start?
just to give you an idea of my voice heres two songs.

[url]http://www.thrillinghill.com/~ljump12/Firstdayofmylifefinal.mp3[/url]
[url]http://www.thrillinghill.com/~ljump12/borntorun.mp3[/url][/QUOTE]
I think the same thing as my above post. You just have to be able to keep the tension on the cords, and not on the throat muscles. I just think the difference between yelling and screaming is the pitch usually. chest voice is more of a yell, lower chest being a growl...head and upper head being a scream. Its all the same though. Just increase push from the the gut without increasing the tension of the throat muscles. If you can make the ANNNKK wrong answer sound or a bark like a dog, you can do it.

Hey merk, I got another question.

How can I increase my high pitch scream longevity? After I have warmed up the first thing I always want to do is scream some high pitched songs, which sound great the first few minutes but after awhile I lose my high pitch and my screams are much more lower. They start to sound like loud yells but with more rasp [but it's not coming from my chest, it's coming from above my adams apple] I don't change the way I scream the high pitch just loses it's sound. I could get back into it if I wanted to but I always have to put harder to get it to sound and when I end up pushing that hard I'm always short of breath in seconds and I always walk away with a huge headache.

I don't mind screaming the non-high pitch way, I just don't think it sounds as good. I think once I get my amp it will add more rasp and it will sound better, but I'm afraid this is very noticable. [Going from high pitch and then my voice drops lower right in the middle of a song.] How can I keep my high pitch longevity?

Thanks.

I've been singing for about a year, rather I have been singing improperly for about a year. Anyway, I've recently started to take it more seriously, and I had a few questions. I've looked through the forums and a couple other places about the warm-ups, scales, glisses, etc. I did a warm-up for about twenty minutes and had a weird feeling around my throat. I recognize the pain of singing improperly from the throat tension, but this wasn't it. This was more like the feeling you get after working out with weights. It wasn't pain, more llike a tired feeling but not hehe. It's hard to explain. Anyway, if you get what I'm saying, is this normal? This may be a stupid question but I'm really set on singing properly. Also, I had a question on the adams apple. Your adams apple should stay as stationary as possible while going through low to high pitches, volumes, and intensities, correct? Any help is appreciated.

WKD...You should practice holding regular singing notes. And do lots of aggresive singing in the upper mid ranges and your highest head. Lots of stuff in true voice in other words. It will help you build strength and stamina in the muscles that are responsible for pulling the cords for higher pitches, and those responsible for holding them together or close together. I dont know of any quick fixes. You should back off and practice with less push and make sure youre not closing off your throat too much to get the rasp.

Oompa.... The apple will move but you dont want it to be dramatic, especially in true voice. As long as its not slamming up.

I must say, I am impressed with Merk's advice from what I have read. I have been training in the art of opera performance for five years now, and most of what that individual applies perfectly. Granted, I do not scream or growl for my music (although, no prejudice here people, metal is one of my favorite genres, especially the European black sort), but the advice for the clean vocals is sound.
Learning to sing properly is a bloody tedious process that does not even begin with the voice, at least the opera sort I would think follows this trend. Opera singers do not have microphones to be heard over the orchestra, so we need to learn to make our voices soar above that music and project throughout our performing venue. Basically, this is achieved through proper posturing, rib and back support, and some fine lower abdominal muscle control. Doing breath retinues increases the longevity of notes, and practicing appropriate mouth positions for certain vowels also is key to a good tone quality. Apreggios must be done every day for at least 10-15 minutes to warm up the voice. Like any muscle, it is prone to strain, and it hurts tremendously when overused. Remember folks, you have ONE voice, and it cannot be replaced! The vocal cords are also SO tiny, moreso in women than in men. Be careful with them. My opera teacher instructs me to NEVER sing at full voice for more than 2 hours a day...to do any more than that may endanger my cords. I would assume this to go for you growlers and screamers as well!
Anyway, I am done prattling.

How do you develop a metal voice?

hey , to sing metal as in like death growls/screams if that is what your asking. I've been doing this for a while in my screamo/hardcore band and we're really getting somewhere , like all i've really got to say is as a begginer just don't get into the habit of throat screaming. Make sure you scream (or growl) from your diaphragm, and bring it up through your chest. If you throat scream you will lose your voice, and sound like crap at the same time.

Thanks.

[QUOTE=Jacob6293]How do you develop a metal voice?[/QUOTE]
You do it like it sounds. But the difference is determined in whether or not you can keep your throat open while you do it. It usually sounds tight and constricted but its the opposite, technique wise. You just have to be able to use the larynx and false vocal cords without squeezing things shut, which is the usual tendency. [url]http://www.musicianforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=219911[/url]

Hey Merkaba. I found out i could scream kinda like the black dahlia murder. Is it normal to feel some muscle pain on the sides of your neck. I'm guessing these are neck muscles? Proboably just from facial expressions when trying to get the scream right?

[QUOTE=Stuff9238]u sure merkaba? i've sounded pretty tired and slow for the past few years of my life. i kinda just think it's my voice.[/QUOTE]
Well its hard to be sure over the internet. Post a sample maybe

[QUOTE=fuzzyhair]Hey Merkaba. I found out i could scream kinda like the black dahlia murder. Is it normal to feel some muscle pain on the sides of your neck. I'm guessing these are neck muscles? Proboably just from facial expressions when trying to get the scream right?[/QUOTE]
You know pain isnt normal! However, you would rather want it in your neck than your throat. Youre probably tensing something up or whatever. Try to work with it and see if you can keep your sound while trying not to stiffen jaw and neck muscles. And remember that you never really need to open your mouth to a maximum position. The mouth isnt connected directly to the larynx area, but its common for screamers to want to just throw the mouth open to a max and locked position.

[QUOTE=Merkaba]You know pain isnt normal! However, you would rather want it in your neck than your throat. Youre probably tensing something up or whatever. Try to work with it and see if you can keep your sound while trying not to stiffen jaw and neck muscles. And remember that you never really need to open your mouth to a maximum position. The mouth isnt connected directly to the larynx area, but its common for screamers to want to just throw the mouth open to a max and locked position.[/QUOTE]
hmm okay. I can pretty much scream by using the same amount of air as i talk (maybe a little bit more.), but my voice feels a little bit deeper today. Sorda like I have a cold. May just be post nasal drip, but im thinking its from screaming lamb of god styled stuff. Is this normal for your voice to change a little bit, especially since I just started. Could it be just from the extra air?

[QUOTE=fuzzyhair]hmm okay. I can pretty much scream by using the same amount of air as i talk (maybe a little bit more.), but my voice feels a little bit deeper today. Sorda like I have a cold. May just be post nasal drip, but im thinking its from screaming lamb of god styled stuff. Is this normal for your voice to change a little bit, especially since I just started. Could it be just from the extra air?[/QUOTE]


I think your right. You pushed a bit too hard so your cords are swollen which makes your cords thicker and makes them vibrate much slower because of the added mass so you have a lower pitch. Take it easy and learn from this. You can work on getting the same sound with less push now; just focus on not pushing enough to get these cold symptoms again.

[QUOTE=Screamin_Demon_Auz]I think your right. You pushed a bit too hard so your cords are swollen which makes your cords thicker and makes them vibrate much slower because of the added mass so you have a lower pitch. Take it easy and learn from this. You can work on getting the same sound with less push now; just focus on not pushing enough to get these cold symptoms again.[/QUOTE]
okay thanks. No pushy tonight. I figured if I practiced for an hour every night I should progress. So tonight I will just talk and add rasp. Thanks. Gosh I want that LOG voice lol.

Best tips for singing Dashboard Confessional type stuff?

Let's just say.. it's a matter of a talent show

[QUOTE=Bonzo101]Best tips for singing Dashboard Confessional type stuff?

Let's just say.. it's a matter of a talent show[/QUOTE]
Just practice one part of the song over and over. Getting their ascents and pitches right. Try to add emotions like they do. Then go for the next part untill you can sing it all the way through perfectly.

DB stuff is pretty easy.

Just practice the accents, and of course sing the song a lot so you get the feel for it, and as the previous post stated try and get some emotion to it.

Good luck.

[QUOTE=fuzzyhair]hmm okay. I can pretty much scream by using the same amount of air as i talk (maybe a little bit more.), but my voice feels a little bit deeper today. Sorda like I have a cold. May just be post nasal drip, but im thinking its from screaming lamb of god styled stuff. Is this normal for your voice to change a little bit, especially since I just started. Could it be just from the extra air?[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=fuzzyhair]okay thanks. No pushy tonight. I figured if I practiced for an hour every night I should progress. So tonight I will just talk and add rasp. Thanks. Gosh I want that LOG voice lol.[/QUOTE]


Nothing will help you more than clean voice singing in a workout type of atmosphere. Aggressive, forceful, with lots of head voice. It will keep your cords supple and keep them flexible and strong which lends its hand into more consistant vibration and stamina. I'm not sure about lamb of god. Are they high or low or mid, screaming wise? it wont make much of a difference though.

Hey Merkaba. Just wondering, would it be ok to use some of the Voice Helpline stuff for Band 101? If you're up for it I'll make sure you're properly credited and if you've got a stormpay, paypal, nochex e.t.c. account I can provide a donation link at the end of each one.
I'm doing a big update to the site and overhauling it and I don't really have many vocal articles (i.e. none :))

[QUOTE=Dragonfly Tears]Opera singers do not have microphones to be heard over the orchestra, so we need to learn to make our voices soar above that music and project throughout our performing venue.[/QUOTE]
I will never understand how you do that

[QUOTE=Merkaba]Nothing will help you more than clean voice singing in a workout type of atmosphere. Aggressive, forceful, with lots of head voice. It will keep your cords supple and keep them flexible and strong which lends its hand into more consistant vibration and stamina. I'm not sure about lamb of god. Are they high or low or mid, screaming wise? it wont make much of a difference though.[/QUOTE]
Could you recommend a song that would help me. Maybe happy? by Mudvayne? It has clean singing, slight rasp, forceful singing, and then screaming. Would that song help?

[QUOTE=fuzzyhair]Could you recommend a song that would help me. Maybe happy? by Mudvayne? It has clean singing, slight rasp, forceful singing, and then screaming. Would that song help?[/QUOTE]
well I was thinking more along the lines of Unchained Melody