Recording a death metal band?

[humdogj]

Good morning. I'm new to the forum and have home recording experience, but my question is, how does one record a death metal singer? It never really dawned on me until a band approached me and then I thought, how is this guy going to record vocals?

I'm used to using a mic and windscreen and going that route, but this guy will be growling and doing the type of singing where I think he will need to hang onto a mic and let 'er rip! Is this how they do it at pro studios? Any mic suggestions for this type of singing because I don't think I'm going to want to use a nice condenser? I was thinking maybe a Shure Sm58, or something along that lines....any suggestions would be appreciated.

The H

[brandondrury]

Good question.

When recording ANY new source, there are a few questions you need to ask yourself.

#1 Where do I need to put the mic to pick up the sound in a way that makes the music most effective?

#2 How do I make sure the musician is comfortable enough to deliver a performance that makes the music most effective?

That's it. Because #2 is different for each and every musician (and especially singer) you've got to talk with them and see what they have in mind. Some singers are going to demand being able to scream into a cupped SM 58. Some singers will hate this idea and want to sing in a big, fancy condenser. It's totally up to the engineer, producer, and musician to work out the methods used. When in doubt, always go with what is most natural to the singer. You can usually work around any situation. You may even find that the death metal guy hates headphones and would prefer to have the monitors cranked or something.

Now, in reality, recording a death metal singer isn't all that much different from recording a folk singer. Death metal guys tend to be quieter than most singers I've dealt with. (Growls and howls just aren't that loud). You typically need to fight a dense mix of guitars so a mic with aggressive upper midrange helps (a SM58 can be great in this situation).

Brandon

[humdogj]

Thanks Brandon, that makes sense to me....I know the singer and ultimately I think it will come down to him cupping a mic and being able to sing that way. But, who knows what will happen once the recording starts! Hopefully I will give an update in a few months if this is the route they decide!

[brandondrury]

Of course, the other side of the coin is reality vs preconceived notions.

In other words, if the singer guy is all about cupping the mic and thinks he will be most comfortable with that going in, great. However, it's everyone's job to listen to how that turns out. If it sounds stupid, everyone needs to work to try different things until the most effective music is cranked out.

I guess I'm saying that the cupped mic thing is 50/50. It may awesome or it may be horrendous. React to that before keeping any tracks.

Brandon

[opiumgardens]

I agree with Brandon, its about what the singer wants, and what your willing to let him use, most growls and screams are the same volume as talking in a group of people....not to say its bad I love metal!