Screamo is a sub-genre of post-hardcore emo type music performed and popularized by various musical groups such as 'Thursday', 'Alexixonfire', 'Silverstein, 'Poison the Well', and 'The Used'. However, the screaming/growling technique has been widely used by singers who perform various genres of music, from heavy metal to jazz. Knowledge of how to sing in this type of music is very important because if you go wrong in applying the Screamo singing technique, it can result in permanent damage to your vocal cords.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Practicing the Correct Technique
Step 1. Breathe using your diaphragm
One of the most important things you need to know when learning to sing is how to breathe using your diaphragm.
- This will allow you to inhale more oxygen, help you sing (or scream) much longer, and it will also prevent you from losing your breath while performing.
- When you breathe using your diaphragm, your stomach should expand when you inhale and contract when you exhale. Learning how to breathe properly and naturally using your diaphragm will take a lot of practice.
- Therefore, practice breathing every day to improve your technique.
Step 2. Do it until you get the right vocal tension
Depending on how high or low you are singing or shouting, you will feel different levels of vocal tension in your vocal cords.
- For example, when you sing in a low tone, the base of your throat will move down, this will cause the tension in your vocal cords to relax. When you sing at a high note, the base of your throat will move up, this will cause your vocal cords to tighten.
- Singing good screamo puts a lot of emphasis on voice control and in order for you to exercise that control, it's important to first understand how your vocal cords work and how you can manipulate your vocal cord tension. Once you've got your vocal cords under control, you'll be able to easily switch between high and low notes, even when you're screaming.
- One good way to practice voice control is to try to follow the sound of the engine as you drive your vehicle – This can also be used as a warm-up for your vocal cords and it trains your voice control moving from low to high notes and vice versa.
Step 3. Start at a low volume
A lot of inexperienced screamo singers ruin their voices by trying to scream too loudly – however, one of the secrets of successful singers is that they actually only scream at a low volume (this sounds weird and contradictory, of course).
- Don't try to scream as loud as you can if this is your first time trying to sing, start low and as your voice gets louder you can increase the volume.
- The beauty of screamo is that when you perform, you can let the microphone do the work for you. Even "half-voice" screams can thrill the audience when amplified by a good sound control system.
- You can also produce deeper sounds by wrapping your arms around the microphone with your hands, or by moving your mouth and specifically positioning it while you sing. The best thing you can do is experiment with this exercise until you find the sound you want.
Step 4. Record your own singing voice
One of the best ways to develop your screaming skills is to record your own song and then play it back (it sounds a little weird, though).
- This can help you correct deficiencies such as incorrect positioning or poor pitch that you may not have been aware of before.
- Recording your own voice will allow you to hear for yourself what your voice sounds like and will encourage you to realize where you need to improve. The first step in developing your singing is to be aware of your mistakes
Step 5. Practice with a vocal teacher
Practicing vocals and singing screamo might not sound like the perfect pair, but singers who scream a lot can also learn a lot from practicing professionally.
- Even famous screamo vocalists like Randy Blythe, Corey Taylor and Robert Flynn developed their screaming techniques and paid attention to them singing in the right way, all because they were mentored by professional vocal coaches.
- A vocal coach will train you and amplify your voice. Even just a few practice sessions in training, all your investment in the vocal teacher will pay off. Your vocal trainer will help you with techniques such as breathing and warm-up exercises that you can also practice at home.
- Alternatively, you can read a book called “The Zen of Screaming” by Melissa Cross, which is basically a guidebook on how to do an awesome yet safe screamo.
Part 2 of 2: Protecting Your Vocals
Step 1. Drink lots of hot drinks
Drink slightly warm water before a workout or performance to help protect your vocal cords.
- The water will help clear and lubricate your throat, and will also keep you hydrated. It is not recommended to drink cold water, it is better to drink warm water to warm your vocal cords.
- You can also drink tea or coffee, but remember not to add milk or cream. Dairy products can stick to your throat and increase the production of phlegm, which can make singing difficult.
Step 2. Use a throat spray
This moisturizer will help moisten your throat and will also prevent your vocal cords from being damaged.
- A well-known throat moisturizer brand is "Entertainer's Secret", this spray uses non-medicinal ingredients that heal pain and irritation without numbing your throat.
- This product is available for purchase online (online).
Step 3. It's best not to use products that can numb your throat
It's a bad idea to use cough drops or products that numb your throat, even if they can relieve the pain you feel when you sing or talk.
Pain is your body's way of signaling that something is wrong, so if you are numb to the pain, you could potentially damage your vocal cords; and eventually can unwittingly damage your voice
Step 4. Give your voice a little time to recover
When singing screamo, one of the most important things to remember is not to push yourself too hard.
- When you start to feel pain such as a hot or irritated throat, you should stop immediately and wait a few days; give your voice a chance to recover.
- Trying to keep singing while you're in pain (even if it sounds like rock star behavior) will only do more damage to your voice and may very well result in permanent damage.
Tips
- Make sure to at least before you go on stage, always have a bottle of water ready.
- Avoid foods and drinks that contain high levels of acidity. Carbonated drinks will make it more difficult for you to sing or scream.
- Screaming (screaming), Later once you get used to this, your screaming volume will be at the same level as your singing voice, then your microphone will do the work for you. Keep in mind that you will be using the microphone, this means that you don't have to scream as loud as you can, you can also tweak it a bit to sound louder and more characterful by covering the microphone with your hands.
- Before you scream, it's a good idea to warm up your vocal cords.
- Start by whispering while still screaming. Next try to push your scream to the fullest.
- Practice moving from screaming to normal singing, and vice versa.
- Practice. Later you will also be familiar with the technique and also you will be able to dive deeper into the different types of screams, which are often used by some bands such as; 'Atreyu', 'Chelsea Grin', 'Swing Kids', 'Orchid', 'Saetia', 'The Used', etc..
