019: Will Ramos: Make Weird Noises - Part I

Imagine a goblin meeting a Nazgul, and together they decided to sing an epic opera using only harsh vocals. That's what our guest today, Will Ramos sounds like. Will is the lead harsh vocalist of the deathcore band, Lorna Shore – and the sounds he makes are almost unreal! 

Many traditional singing teachers would point to his grunts and gurgles and say that he's destroying his voice – but he isn't. 

We actually decided to put a camera down his throat, and surprisingly, it was even more amazing than I had anticipated. Will engaged multiple areas of his vocal tract, from false folds to aryepiglottic. At one point, his throat even constricted so much that it looked like a black hole trying to suck the camera down. Whoa!

But the most fascinating thing from putting a camera down Will's throat was the asymmetry we found, where there's a twisting motion that happens inside his larynx. It's likely part of what contributes to Will's unique sound.

In this episode, you will hear:

• How word noises can lead to a career
• Transitioning from classical studies to metal
• Singing live is like mixing your vocals
• Will's unique sound and vocal technique
• Vocal effort vs. efficiency
• Vocal warm-up and exercise for false chord vocals 

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Supporting Resources:

Here's the YouTube video of Will's throat being scoped: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ua8SuWNPrLE 

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.