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Deep within the labyrinthine halls of the imaging research center, a gaggle of voice scientists crowded around a small window with expressions of utter astonishment. Trading theories in hushed voices, they peered into the tiny, soundproofed room where their current study participant got ready to do what he did best. As they watched, he cupped his ears, opened his mouth, and roared: a guttural, crocodilian rattle that rolled out from the two-way mic.
To those unfamiliar with Will Ramos鈥 oeuvre, the sound seemed almost inhuman. But as one of the biggest names in deathcore belted out another note鈥攖his one strangely resonant, as if he stood in a cave instead of a cramped recording lab鈥攈e proved that the human voice is an instrument that defies expectations.
To understand that instrument, the researchers were embarking upon a comprehensive scientific study of the harsh vocals that characterize deathcore and many other musical genres, revealing for the first time the complex internal acrobatics that produce these unique sounds.
鈥淲e鈥檙e still in the infancy of being able to understand harsh vocals,鈥 said Amanda Stark, PhD, speech-language pathologist in otolaryngology in the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine (SFESOM) and the lead researcher on the study. 鈥淭he goal is to begin to understand how a scream or a harsh vocal is different from a clean vowel, a spoken sentence, or other singing styles.鈥
Stark hopes that by breaking down the technique of skilled harsh vocalists like Ramos, she can lay the groundwork for artists to learn harsh vocals safely, prove to the skeptical that these singing styles aren鈥檛 inherently damaging, and empower everyday people to explore the full potential of their voices.
Sound Strategy
Collecting high-quality sound recordings was the first step in the process. Capturing each note in the absence of background noise or instrumental accompaniment let the researchers define the precise acoustic differences between, for instance, a 鈥渕oose scream鈥 and a 鈥減terodactyl scream.鈥
They could also start to predict which parts of the vocal anatomy, from the larynx to the lips, control different aspects of each sound. But especially in cases like Ramos鈥檚, whose singing styles are understudied in voice science, understanding how the sounds were produced鈥攁nd whether they鈥檙e causing damage鈥攔equired taking a look at the complex internal workings of the throat.
鈥═his is where the expertise of the Voice, Airway, Swallowing Translational (VAST) research lab came to the fore, as techniques routinely used for patients with voice disorders were repurposed to understand Ramos鈥檚 unique sound. The research team looked at Ramos鈥檚 vocal cords with an internal camera and used a technique called electromyography to measure the activity of his throat muscles. Finally, they captured video of his internal vocal acrobatics in real time using dynamic MRI. Together, this panel of tests provided a comprehensive view of how Ramos sings, screams, and squeals.
Elizabeth Zharoff, producer of the YouTube channel The Charismatic Voice, said that electromyography and dynamic MRI analysis were firsts for the musical genre. 鈥淣obody has done this before. Ever,鈥 she added.
The results were stunning, according to Derrik Legler, speech-language pathologist in otolaryngology in SFESOM and a researcher on the study. Song and speech are produced in large part by vibrations of specialized tissue in the throat called the vocal folds. These are attached to cartilage-based structures that normally just open to allow us to breathe and close when we use our voice, but Ramos was torquing his to one side as he sang. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so fascinating,鈥 Legler said. 鈥淲atching his throat do that was鈥攊t doesn鈥檛 usually do that. The human body just doesn鈥檛 usually do that.鈥
Stark hopes that studying vocal specialists like Ramos can expand the scope of what鈥檚 possible for everyone with a voice. Professional singers have the expertise to demonstrate a wide range of vocal strategies in a research setting, revealing new aspects of the human voice that are applicable to the population at large.
鈥淚f we study these 鈥榰nicorns鈥 that have this diversity in their sound, it can empower other people to say, 鈥業 can have that diversity in my own voice,鈥欌 Stark said. 鈥溾楬oly cow, I don鈥檛 have to just expect my voice to sound like this. I can do this.鈥欌
Changing the Landscape
There鈥檚 a common perception that harsh vocals are physically unhealthy. To the untrained ear, the rough-edged growls of deathcore sound like they must be painful. But while some metal vocalists do damage their voices, others have careers that last for decades with no apparent harm.
Partway through the voice recording session, after Ramos had sung dozens of acoustically distinct vocals, Stark asked him to rank his level of vocal fatigue on a scale of one to ten, with ten being the most fatigued he鈥檇 ever felt. 鈥淢aybe a two,鈥 Ramos replied, in a completely normal speaking voice.
The voice scientists in attendance judged Ramos鈥 vocal health as 鈥渇antastic,鈥 an assessment that was later borne out by the dynamic MRI scans. Ramos had learned how to scream, squeal, and hiss like a teakettle, all without jeopardizing his vocal cords.
By demonstrating that harsh vocals can be sung safely, the researchers hope to reduce the stigma around deathcore and related musical genres. Having a clear picture of how to produce those sounds without compromising vocal health could also help teach aspiring artists to master these styles. 鈥淗ow cool would it be if someone could go to Juilliard to learn harsh vocals?鈥 mused Kirk McCune, COO of The Charismatic Voice. 鈥淚t changes the landscape of how music can be created.鈥