People's problems with growling

BaldFriede wrote: Petrovsk Mizinski wrote: Yes, as was mentioned a few pages back, Jane Doe by Converge rules, one of my favorite albums right now and would sound totally wrong without the hardcore/metal screaming. I get what this thread is trying to achieve, but there are just some people's mind you just can't change. Baldfriede is apparently " right in at least 90% of the cases. So I wouldn't even bother arguing, because I don't have the time, the patience and the inclination and past threads. I don't really come much to this forum anymore cos I have too many music projects going and I spend most of my time on audio production forums, and learnign about that stuff now instead of PA, so chances are you if you argue my post I probably wont be back to read it for ages lol Someone also thinks Peter Hammill can do raw and aggressive. Fair enough to TGMRoblov, but clearly non of us more metal inclined people are not really going agree. There was a time when I didn't like death metal at all, but hell, I've sat there and heard all the classic Obituary, Morbid Angel, Death, Carcass, In Flames, At the Gates etc records (since really I'm more of a metal fan than "prog" fan anyway) so I have a huge appreciation for the style of music in general. Fact: If you do not have the proper technique, you will f**k your vocal chords. It takes plenty of time to master and if you want to be good at it you need proper training , like singing or even proper hardcore screaming. I know a few people that have totally ruined their voices/tendons, whatever, from playing instruments incorrectly and having improper vocal technique. To be fair I'm the goddamn weirdo that listens to drone doom, emo/pop rock, death metal, jazz fusion and avant garde minimalist stuff, hip hop and post rock in the space of about 6 hours so really I just tend to listen to most genres if I and something good in it, thing being I'm just picky about what I like in individual genres. Some people are super open to new stuff, like myself, and are willing to give stuff some serious time to appreciate it if I can't get into it straight away, others can't. Some people just genuinely don't like something no matter how many times you try to explain it to them. And that's cool, cos there is a lot of music people have tried to get me into that I just couldn't, no matter how much I tried. So yeah, whatever, I love death growls, but I honestly wouldn't expect someone like Baldfriede, who probably doesn't have that background in listening to the Floridian and Gothenburg death metal scene bands like I do, to like death metal and/or death metal growls. I AM open to new stuff, very much so. I would even be open to growling; I am not against it per se. on the contrary, any vocal technique is worth exploring. What I am against is the attitude behind growling, which I consider to be puerile. I can't take these growlers seriously at all because of this attitude. "Look what a dangerous guy I am; aren't you afraid of me"? Sorry, but that's is simply childish.

I see where you're coming from, but I disagree. I do find growls a bit silly when they're supposed to scare you (sorry guys!), but they can be used quite effectively to convey all sorts of feelings; especially sadness. Listen to this song - especially around the 5:30 mark - and you'll see that the growls in this case have absolutely nothing to do with appearing threatening or scary.

On a general note, I'm relatively indifferent towards growling. Can't say that I'm a fan, but it doesn't really bother me anymore. In some cases (like the one above), it definitely adds feeling to the composition.

One of my favorite growlers is Tom Waits. Billy Gibbons also comes to mind.

harmonium.ro wrote: Is John Entwistle the first growler?

topofsm wrote:   The point my original post is trying to make is that growling is not easy to do and is definetely a tool that should be used in a lot of music. Therefore even though people don't like it, they should be able to appreciate it, and I'm mostly getting posts on how people dislike it.

Grrrr, how much longer must this thread go on, grrr, grrr, grrrrrrr? 

Growling vocals are best if used sparingly.  If it is end all and be all of your style isn't it a bit tedious, and how long will you be able to keep it up?


Edited by Slartibartfast - July 30 2009 at 14:10

I, quite frankly, don't like growling. I know the amount of skill and effort it takes, but there is no tune or melody in it.

There's growling on the title track of the new Beardfish album. ::hides::

Slartibartfast wrote: Grrrr, how much longer must this thread go on, grrr, grrr, grrrrrrr?

himtroy wrote: I don't like it becasue I feel like almost everyone who does it sounds the exact same. Therefore not very original and very cliche'.  That usually goes for the music under the growling as well though I suppose