They seem to make it so simple and clear.
Do a deep sigh. Push from the diaphragm. Project it. False cord scream. Done.
Or.
Do a low vocal fry ahhh. Make it Micky Mousey. Push from the Diaphragm and project it. Fry Scream. Done.
Congratz, you too can now sound like Chester Bennington.
If you are here then you probably have seen them, too. Maybe this time it clicks, you think, and immediately try to immitate the sounds. It never worked for me. Now, after many years of practice I have unlocked many aspects of my voice. I had to discover grit and distortion my own way.
Nowadays, I am a metal vocalist that got hired by many artists around the world and I can tell you: Those shorts never worked for me. So how did I get here? You can hear how I sound here.
There are a lot more moving parts at play to create these sounds and they have to work together in the right balances and shapes. Without the proper foundational setup of body, vocal folds, larynx and pharynx, airflow, etc. suddenly all these distortions become entirely inaccessible.
Some folks stumble into these configurations by accident or they may speak in a manner that is conducive towards certain techniques. So they try what feels natural to them and it quickly works. Some of them then go on to create these vocal shorts and the cycle continues.
Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for them. For the rest of us, however, it can be very disheartening. We are locked out of the technique and we don't know why. Look how easily he can demonstrate it. Why does mine sound nothing at all like it when I follow his steps? And even the lucky people who can figure out one type of scream quite naturally. They, too, get often stuck when trying to figure out a different scream... or when trying to combine their scream with singing.
The truth of the matter is that it is a fine-motor-control skill and usually requires a longer and consistent period of deliberate, self-reflective practice. Not only is it precise muscle motion, we also need to strengthen certain muscles through training. Because they are needed to lower the stress burden on the more delicate fleshy bits in the throat. Distortion is created by those fleshy bits flapping in the wind. But they only do that under certain conditions. They will only start to swing when relaxed by just the right amount. And even then they will only do that when stimulated by the proper amount of controlled airflow.
It is a resonance, like wind chimes singing in the breeze, that requires deliberate balancing. When you grip the wind chime tightly with your hand, no amount of wind will make it ring.
To make it even more complicated, a great sounding scream usually has several of these resonating parts at once. Overlaying on top of each other into that dense, discordant, cacophonous sound we all love so much. That is like several wind chimes in a row, each requiring their own careful care to hold the right balance.
Remember that step one, the DEEP SIGH, for the false cord screaming. That's just forcing so much air flow without any tension until something starts to rattle. I mean at least you get the sensation BUT to get this going you have to place everything else of your vocal apparatus in the entirely wrong way. Or at least you will likely naturally gravitate towards the wrong direction. If it works for you, great, if not, it will likely actively pull you into the wrong direction. Probably more harm than good. Now I know, it is no wonder it never helped me.
If you've been struggling with this, too, THAT is why I am now getting into vocal coaching. I help those of you who are discouraged metal singers to unlock all of your powerful, resonant voice. Book a free intro call with me on my website.