Some Heavy Metal vox

[DJDeth]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new on this forum, glad to be here! Here You can listen to the latest recording of my band Hateseed, where i play guitar and also do the vocals:

http://www.last.fm/music/HateSeed?setlang=en

This is just about my first vocal work, so Your critique is more than welcome. It's very important for me to improve! Cheers!

[Robert Lunte]

DJDeth

Im listening to your tune... there is a lot of constriction in the sound to create a vocal distortion and Im assuming this is the sound your going for? Vocal distortion is cool, especially if your a heavy metal singer, however you can sing "lines" and melody with vocal distortion as well. Here is what I would like to hear... more exploration of the notes that are available to you in this key to create a melody that is marginally more interesting. In regards to the texture you have here... it would also be nice to hear some clean tone interplay with the distortion so that its not one flavor all the way through.

Overall, I think the song is ok. It would be good+ with a more interesting melody and opening up for some better vocal overtones.

This is my professional opinion. If you would like more feedback, contact me.

[DJDeth]

Robert,

Thanks for the feedback, I really appreciate it. I will apply it in the next song we're doing and try to make it a little more diverse:)

As far as the technique is concerned: by saying that there is a lot of constriction in that sound, do you mean that the distortion is not produced in a proper way? It feels a bit uncomfortable at times, but I can't really tell if it's because of the way I produce it or is it just that I sing the whole song with that rasp and not giving enough rest to the chords...

[vamacoustics]

Dj Deth, pretty cool tune "The Soul Eater" what is your native language? I notice a accent...this song would be great with a professional recording...yes as Robert stated; more vocal diversity...you will no doubt have a head banger fan base as is; but the fact that you wrote in to this forum is a huge step in getting better. It sounds like you are singing from your upper chest...You need to visit with a local Voice Coach; or find a rock coach locally or who you can skype and do a video lesson...You need to learn some fundamentals about your vocal self. A voice coach, I think will need to watch you sing sand see your vocal behavior. I can hear restriction only because that is how you have trained yourself; it is not the correct way to sing in my opinion...and you will not have the vocal endurance to do a whole show and feel comfortable at the end...I hope I am on track.

Take some time and see a professional and play the music you are doing for them.

You have a decent voice; but you have so much more potential once you get the air up from down below and create more melodies and with aggression and vigor..

My long time friend Jaime Vendera may be able to share some advice and does skype online teaching.

Robert do you do online teaching? Skype stuff?

www.thevoiceconnection.com

[DJDeth]

Hi vamacoustics,

thanks for the feedback. My native language is polish. Does it sound very funny? Yes, as you mention, the problem may be improper support. I took a couple of lessons this year at a music theater just to get the fundamentals down, looks like it's still not working... There are no rock vocal teachers here in northen Poland. Glad you liked the tune! And yes, i'd like to have a skype session with Jamie or Robert, just not right now... Cheers!

[Matt]

Yeah, you can produce that sound in a healthier manner. Check out vocal fry technique.

[DJDeth]

Hi,

I thought you guys could comment on my Judas Priest vocal cover, It's much more versatile than my previous upload, so you can surely tell me more about my lacks in technique:) I'm aware of the timing being wrong here and there, but I'm more concerned about the tone here. F.ex. I just can't get the 0:50 right no matter how i tried:/

I'm generally very curious of what I'm doing wrong with the screams. I really appreciate every word of your critique!

http://www.box.net/shared/9oki3hdfjb

If you're familiar with the CVT system, it'd be great if you told me what modes I am using in the 'normal' parts and on the high ones. Cheers!

Edit: I've uploaded it again with some corrections i had made:)

[Martin H]

Sounds like Curbing and a little Overdrive in the lower parts and Metal-like Neutral on the highest parts :)

[DJDeth]

Hi again!

I did some recording today. It's a song from a local band from Gdynia (Poland) called Sonheillon (you can listen to them here: myspace.com/sonheillon ), they are known as "the polish Mercyful Fate", especially because their singer used to sing very much like King Diamond I got some backing tracks from them and went on with the recording. I was going for that King Diamond head voice type and some dark colour and distortion for the middle register. Here is the effect of my effort:

http://www.box.net/shared/jc1cnudhq3

I'll be very greatful for every word of your critique! Rock on!

[Jens]

Sounds realy cool, im not a big fan of king diamond but he has his charm:) your vocals sounds cool realy nice highnotes

[vamacoustics]

Sonheillon is a cool song, Live I bet it would be great as is. However, I cannot stress the importance of finding a vocal coach help you with you breathing technique. You need more support and bottom end tone...I know you have it; you have got to reach deeper. The high note was cool.

Sounds good man.

Byron

[DJDeth]

Thanks guys, glad you liked the high screams. I'll look after a teacher and work on my breathing for sure. That will be my next step:)

[akarawd]

How on earth did I miss this ? I'm a huge KD MF fan and I've got to say your "cross" song is killer.

Your vocals sound great, I really liked it.

You also have a clip of Cathedral S. and I hear you singing the "We shall" (and all the "we" parts) with

great ease which I find amazing. Is that full voice ? (referring to the main melody)

I can only do that by modifying my "ee" to an "ih" as in "sit", is that what you do ?

If possible, can you isolate that vocal part (main melody) and post it so I can hear it clearly ?

Great singing !

Thanos

[ronws]

On "Cathedral Spires" your high part in the earlier part sounded boxed in but later, near the end of the recording, it opened up, which sounded great. I'm not exactly sure what you did differently but do that some more.

And I agree, "Cross" was really good. Especially with the gregorian harmony. At times, it sounded like the melody was a different time signature than the rest of the music. Nothing bad, RUSH used to do that a lot.

[DJDeth]

Hey man! I'm so glad you liked my recording. The song itself, however, is not mine. All credit goes to my friends from a local band Sonheillon, I just re-recorded the vocals over the original instrumental track. You should definetly check these guys out:

http://www.myspace.com/sonheillon

Regretfully the band doesn't exist any more:(

Sorry, but I don't have the unmixed version of Cathedral any more. But believe me, it wasn't done with ease:) I had a problem with my larynx going too high up on the ee vowel which made me choke on the sound, so I did a little research and I found a great free video lesson by Kevin Richards. I think it was this one (i can't check it right now, sorry):

It helped me instantly. Hope it works for you too!

[DJDeth]

Ronws, thanks for the comment:) If I only knew what i did differently haha.

[ronws]

Usually, for me, it can be the other way around. Where I mess something up and don't realize it until later and then look back and say, "yeah, that's where I botched it." My hindsight is 20/20.

[akarawd]

so I did a little research and I found a great free video lesson by Kevin Richards. I think it was this one (i can't check it right now, sorry):

It helped me instantly. Hope it works for you too!

That's a great video, it's hard for me to grasp these changes - not being a native speaker that is.

It'll take me time to understand if he's doing "ih" or just going quickly from an open "ah" to a clear "ee".

Thanks a lot DJDeth, I really appreciate it,

Thanos

EDIT : Just read the comments below the vid, he clarifies everything and includes when vowel modification is needed.

[DJDeth]

Allright, that wasn't the video i had on my mind (but it's helpfull too). I was thinking about Ricki Keith approach, check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpGFE4CXUjA

[akarawd]

I really appreciate it DJDeth - both techniques will be tested.

Thanks a lot,

Thanos

[Snax]

I pretty much mirror what Robert feels. Technique aside, if you added more dynamics and melody to the vocals it would make the song more interesting for the listener. A suggestion would be to "reverse" the harmony parts on some of the phrases so the high harmony would now be the lead voice and the harmony would be the lower notes mixed not as loudly. Hope you understand what I mean. lol

The song is pretty neat though and I enjoy your vocal sound.

You have the voice to take this song to a higher level my friend so don't hold back anything when the little red record light is on! ;)