Am I Singing, or Yelling?

Have you noticed yourself making a bellowing, shouty sound when you sing?

On this page, from River Recording Studios in Southampton

If you’re asking yourself – am I singing or yelling, it may be that your vocal technique isn’t quite right. Maybe your tone is harsh and forceful. But this can be easily trained to harness that power into a pleasant, strong tone.

While volume is good, shouting into the microphone while recording is not. So read on to find out whether you are shrieking and how to remedy it if you are.

Am I singing, or yelling?

There are genres of music that encourage shouting – metal, some rock and even elements of musical theatre can see it utilised as a technique. But if you’re a pop singer, shouting can be irksome and off-putting for those listening. And even if you do fall under the categories that use some shout technique, it’s worth working on refining it, as any old yell just won’t cut it. Especially when you’re in front of a sensitive studio mic.

So how can you find out – am I singing or yelling?

First, establish whether you are indeed singing or yelling, by using one of the following methods:

Find a local vocal coach who will give you objective feedback
Ask peer musicians for their honest opinion
Cup your hand around your ear so you can better hear yourself
Record yourself and play it back

Bad singing techniques

Some shouting can be useful in your practice time. There are exercises that include shouting to help develop projection. If you have a small quiet voice, including some shout quality can be great. But if you’re a yeller, avoid these exercises in favour of more controlled ones. It’s also important to always warm up your voice ahead of a session.

Perhaps you’ve identified that you’re yelling when singing. If it’s affecting your performance negatively, you can work on refining your sound – and it may even be a quick fix.

But first, ask yourself these questions:

Do I need a mic, or is my mic loud enough?
Is my backing overbearing and am I trying to shout over it?
Is the recording space an inhospitable environment, that’s overly echoey or muffled?

If the answer to any or several of these questions is yes, you can simply make the necessary amendments. Should it be your mic that’s at fault, you can purchase a new one, or ask the studio to turn it up/swap it for something more sensitive.

Unhealthy singing

Another reason you may need to work on this element of your vocals is that it can be damaging. Shouting as a kid is natural. And we often carry this forward into our singing, but in a manner that puts too much pressure on the voice.

Yelling at your mates isn’t as demanding as yelling your way through a song. Although, as a professional artist, you should be wary of tiring your voice by shouting too much. There’s a greater risk in loud environments, like outdoors, in clubs, pubs and at large festivals. Especially if you’re drinking, you may not be aware that you’re overdoing it.

Like an athlete, you strengthen the muscles required to sing, by using them. Following a programme of exercises will keep your voice healthy. Your vocal cords can become strong and resilient. You just need to build them up by working them out.

How to sing high notes without yelling

It’s important to know how to sing high notes without straining. Another reason you may shout when singing is because you’re trying to hit notes outwith your range. This isn’t a quick fix and will take time. You need to ease your voice into a higher register, through a gradual process of scales. There are methods that will prevent a yelling tone. Anything with a closed mouth – like humming – is excellent. So are sirens (singing through a scale to emulate a siren noise from high to low and back again – do this on an ‘ng’).

And if you are singing an ‘ah’, preface it with a consonant – ‘mmm’ is a good one. This will force you into a place of control and will take the hard edge off the note. These closed vowels and closed mouth sounds allow your natural power to build, without reaching into harsh vocal areas. Watch out for ‘ahs’ and ‘ees’ that can lend themselves to a shout.

How can I sing without yelling?

Are you feeling pressure on your throat when you sing? If so, you may be pushing it too hard and not practising good vocal techniques. Pushing from your belly, however, is a good thing. This is your powerhouse. So all you need to do to stop pushing is to transfer the pressure from your face, throat, neck and chest and fire up your diaphragm instead. Adding in a little vibrato is a great tip. This will take your voice in a very different direction to yelling and soften the sound.

The most important part of singing is good breathing. And this is a vital part of how to stop yelling when singing.

Belt without yelling

Shouting is often confused with belting, particularly in musical theatre. A belt is a very handy technique that suits pop ballads, some rock music and show tunes. Belting takes place from your chest voice into the head voice register. If you’re not doing it properly the notes will sound strained. This arises when your vocal cords are too tense. But the key to a good belt is not to crossover into a forced, pitchy tone. Think about projecting rather than hollering.

Here are some tips on how to achieve an effective belt.

How do you control your pitch when singing?

If you want to have more control over your pitch, try these top tips.

Lift your soft palate (the fleshy bit at the upper back of your mouth)
Relax the face and body (we often resort to yelling when stressed or anxious)
Open up the throat so that the sound can pass

These techniques will help the sound escape without the need to yell. Similarly, consider your body alignment. Your body is the vessel through which the sound is made and can escape. Good posture will help you have a full-bodied sound. Don’t lock your knees, keep your spine in alignment, shoulders back and relax! Plus you’ll feel healthier and more confident.

We can often slip into bad habits as a response to pressure too. In an attempt to project, we may find ourselves forgetting our good foundations and resorting to a yell. To combat this, we need to train muscle memory to sing properly. Much like we train ourselves to remember lyrics by saying them over and over, we can teach the body to respond appropriately by working on technique. Practice good breathing and healthy projection regularly and you’ll be less likely to fall into poor habits when under the spotlight.

Give your voice longevity and make it easy on the ear by following the techniques we’ve outlined in this article. You can always come back to a yell effect within a song, to accentuate parts of the track. But your newfound sweet tone and controlled power will help you go further as an up and coming artist. Many of the tips we’ve shared will not only solve this issue of – am I singing or yelling, but will also make you a better vocalist overall. So, even if you don’t tend to shout when you sing, you’ll still benefit from employing them.