# EQ Screaming vocals, yes/no?



## LewisMembery (Jun 1, 2011)

I'm basically struggling here ha!
Is it recommended to EQ screaming vocals, I've heard boosting at 14/16khz can add some air to the vocals, but is there anything else?

What do you guys do?

I've got a Highpass filter on set at 149Hz to get rid of the un heard low frequencies, but what else EQ wise would you do?

Cheers guys,
all the best.
Lewis


----------



## LewisMembery (Jun 1, 2011)

Oh, and I did try to search for something like this thread but couldn't find anything, so apologies in advanced if there was something out there.

Lewis


----------



## String7th (Jun 2, 2011)

Here's my usual starting points to screaming vocals:
Shure Beta58 into a tube preamp, overdriven to get some high-end saturation and distortion. There are plug ins that add some tube drive to tracks, my fav is the BootEQ mk2.

This will get you a loud and wild track that needs to fit in the mix. Its good to start your high pass at 150 or higher, it's not as "unheard" as you think. Make a deep and thin cut at 1-2khz to make room for the snare. Then depending on how your guitars are, you may need to shelf down a couple dbs at 6khz, the fuzzier guitars, the more need to be cut from the top end. Some mics may also need a boost at 700hz if it sounds too thin.


----------



## Charlez (Jun 2, 2011)

I usually high pass at 100hz, lo pass at 12k, boost at 3k for presence and boost at 8k for clarity if it needs it.


----------



## KingAenarion (Jun 2, 2011)

I record growled Vocals with a Large Diaphragm mic and an SM57. I stole this trick after reading an article on Tools 10,000 days. 

Just to give you context anways.

I tend to do my surgical cuts first on screaming vocals, because I tend to find quite a few resonances that are unpleasantly harsh.

Then I do my EQ balancing. Growls compete for guitar mid range so I find you need to sculpt some mid range to share. High screams tend to compete with cymbals, so the same sculpting needs to happen.

I tend to EQ the mics different and automate the SM57 to come in when I need some more gain.


----------



## LewisMembery (Jun 2, 2011)

So far I've got a High Pass set at 149Hz,
Compressor just to keep the levels the same,
A noise gate,
and I've tried the EQ techniques but it still seems a bit muddy, any suggestions?


----------



## KingAenarion (Jun 3, 2011)

LewisMembery said:


> So far I've got a High Pass set at 149Hz,
> Compressor just to keep the levels the same,
> A noise gate,
> and I've tried the EQ techniques but it still seems a bit muddy, any suggestions?



What did you use to record them?


----------



## LewisMembery (Jun 3, 2011)

Unfortunately an SM58, so its pretty bass heavy and muddy, on a budget at the moment ha!


----------



## KingAenarion (Jun 3, 2011)

Yea you're always going to struggle getting clarity in a Dynamic mic, particularly one like a 58


----------

