How do i properly record Scream Vocals?

Asked 387 day 14 h | Viewed 2266 times | Updated 361 day 9 h |

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Hi there my name is Adrian and I write, produce, and play my own music for my band WeFightTheKnight. I'm still new to producing but have a lot of the proper equipment including Pro Tools, Reason, FL Studios, Cakewalk (but i prefer pro tools), condensor mics, m-audio ultra track, a mixer(with no usb port) etc etc.

The thing is my genre of music isnt the most looked upon by major producers that are willing to post video tips on youtube (at least for vocals)

So I was wonder what would be the best way to record scream vocals, making sure the pffs and shhhs dont effect the recording, and the words wont be mushed together.

For examples of my work (I hope you'll remember i'm still new at this: check out my friends band)

Civility - www.myspace.com/civilitydeathcore

WeFightTheKnight(my own band, no music yet) - www.myspace.com/wefighttheknight

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9 Answers

Answered: 385 day 12 h (0) | Permalink

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Ape Trax

Hey Adrian:

As with anything in recording, it depends on the kind of singer you're recording. Most of the squeals, growls and 'screams' you hear are actually a careful application of mic techniques. A high 'vocal fry' scream is actually pretty quiet unless sung into a microphone. Youtube search 'vocal fry' and you'll see what I'm talking about. It's all back of the throat air that just gets boomier by singing ultra close to a mic.

If you have a singer that's disciplined enough to use a condenser or tube mic on a stand, then great, but usually these singers have a hyperactively aggressive singing style and will want to hold a mic to fully capture their performance. Again, mess around with the mics you've got, even if it is just a regular 58, but I've gotten good results off a 421 before, and even an off-brand karaoke mic. Plosives can be a problem with this technique. The best thing to do is to tell the singer to be mindful of his p's and b's. Otherwise, you'll just have to edit them in the mix process.

If the vocalists is doing actual yelling and screaming, (like if it sounds like he's trying to scream at people across the street) you may want to consider a room mic as well as a normal close mic. Also: make sure the singer takes frequent breaks. Those kinds of vocals are tough on anybody's throat, and you don't want the performances breaking down halfway through the session.
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Answered: 387 day 4 h (0) | Permalink

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Gear Guy

In my experience with hardcore vocals, you are going to tend to want to use a vocal microphone that doesn't emphasize the highend. I tend to avoid using condenser mics as they are usually too sensitive for high SPL vocals.

A Shure SM57 works great for screaming lyrics, just be sure the singer is placed far enough away from the microphone with a pop-screen so that you avoid any nastly plosives (the 'pffs' sound) or and clipping.

Try finding the biggest piece-of-junk microphone you can find and experiment using that for the vocals. Remember, your not looking for clear and transparent vocals here, you're looking for gritty, dirty, even distorted sounds that give the hardcore vocal some real balls!

If you want a little extra grit, let the vocalist get real close to the mic as they end each phrase and you'll get all that extra throat nose. Just be carefull to cut back on the bass frequencies at mix time due to the microphone proximity effect.
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Answered: 314 day 4 h (1) | Permalink

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sydneygalbraith

Production is key in all vocal recording. It's important to be able to coach the performance out of a singer/screamer.

As far as mushed words go, I've found that some inexperienced singers needs to take time to develop proper mouth shapes, breathing, and delivery styles in order to get their vocals across clearly and effectively. It really is simply practice, but with the right techniques. I think everyone could benefit from a little classical vocal training, because it really teaches the mechanics of how we sing, and therefore how to sing well.

All the mics everyone else has been mentioning are appropriate for what you're trying to record. Most of them have a very aggressive midrange that helps capture the attitude of some more aggressive vocals. Gear, to me, is ALWAYS about experimentation. You never know exactly what's going to work best for your given situation, but these types of internet resources will definitely point you in the right direction.

Depending on your skill level and confidence when recording, you may be interested in compressing your vocal on the way in. This allows a certain degree of control over the impact of 'plosives on your recording level, and may even introduce pleasing harmonic distortion, depending on the compressor used. If this isn't your game at this point, there are many tools that can help out with 'plosives during recording as well as after, when mixing. A pop filter, for example, goes without saying on any vocal recording. Depending where the 'plosives are happening in the frequency spectrum, you may be able to filter them out using a high pass, or even a flexible de-esser, if set correctly. Often it's about knowing the frequency ranges these problems are occurring in and making the decision as to whether you can attenuate there without losing the vocal sound or performance.
- Great post! There are some awesome concepts in there. Read-up people.
  
  Justin Vencel | Oct 30 at 12:10
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Answered: 212 day 12 h (0) | Permalink

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Griffin_Ritze

I also reccomend overdubbing segments of the vocal track, and experimenting with light applications of distortion on the vocal to give it some edge, especially in the upper mid-range frequencies.

Eliminating volume differences during the recording process as Eric Dahl said will make the finished product much tighter when you add compression to the track.

Guttural screams sound very awkward if a compressor is acting as volume control instead of a means of subtle dynamics balancing.
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Answered: 364 day 12 h (1) | Permalink

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Igor

By my experience the best mic for screaming vocal would be Shure SM7.
- I agree, the 57 or equivalent. I always viewed scream vocals the same way I view a guitar stack. You're not going for pristine, you're capturing the power and grit.
  
  Justin Vencel | Sep 09 at 11:09
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Answered: 349 day 15 h (0) | Permalink

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Brian Zieske

SM7 is the choice for screaming
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Answered: 321 day 15 h (2) | Permalink

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Eric Dahl

try keeping the mic a hair off-axis so that you sing past it, not into it.
- So many times people forget how powerful off axis coloration can be. Good call.
  
  Liquid Vibe | Oct 23 at 10:10
- I wasnt event thinking about coloration, but good point. I was thinking more about avoiding pops, and volume differences.
  
  Eric Dahl | Oct 24 at 08:10
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Answered: 176 day 2 h (1) | Permalink

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Chris Hollis

I've just finished recording a screamy hardcore band in the UK, and I used a Rode K2 valve condenser quite heavily buffered so there was no room verb and with a decent pop shield. I recorded two versions of all vocals - one with a nice standard vocal sound and another take with the gain on the preamp really cranked so it was really hot and dirty sounding. It picked up a lot of the real gritty stuff / breaths and sounded great.

Productionwise, I compressed and limited the hell out of it and even added a touch of clip distortion. Amidst a torrent of chuggy guitars you'd be surprised how much distortion you can add to a screamed vocal and it not even be noticable as an effect - just makes it sound way more attacking and raw!
- I hear ya. I like to split the main vocal and add distortion to one track and mix it back in with the clean track. This way I can vary the amount of distortion, I like to add extra distortion to the chorus in my tracks.
  
  Justin Vencel | Mar 17 at 11:03
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Answered: 176 day 0 h (0) | Permalink

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guest

I just tried recording screaming/metal vocals yesterday with a shure beta 58 and for lack of better words, it fucking sucked. The vocals sounded way too bright and trebly, absolutely no bottom end what so ever. I was surprised considering its the most widely used dynamic vocal mic... so my advice would be to not use a 58. I have heard great things about the shure SM7 though. Specifically from a fellow aspiring studio engineer that has recorded some very impressive, tasteful sounding hardcore and metal bands(Violation, Downpresser), he said vocals like this are best done with a SM7. The down side is I read that you need a preamp for this particular mic, audio-interface preamps are quite enough power.
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