Need Help recording Metal'ish lyrics, any tips, pointers?!?

[gemini8026]

ok, here's the tune im applying the lyrics too.

http://www.chrisflook.com/Jeffstuff/digz.mp3

Anyhow, Ive learned how to get a semi decent mix using samples and guitar stuff, BUT, im a total vocal n00b, and it shows. I cant get ANYTHING to sound like it belongs in the mix.

I have a full suite of plugins and vst's to play with, so im not limited by processing power.

But im not sure wha tkind of room I should record for this type of material. Im not sure what is the best mic, I currently own an 80's realstic junker that aint too bad, and was a quality unit back in the day.

But yah, any tips on where i should sing, how, mic placement, reverb, compression?!? ETC ETC> I need help, I cant get it to sound like anything of decency!!!!

[Two hands31]

I'd recommend getting a better mic maybe.

Other than that, try going hand-held, try standing back from the mic a bit, try putting the mic below your mouth and angled up towards it (rather than singing straight into it), try all sorts of things and see what works. There's no wrong way, as long as it sounds good. Just don't overprocess it. Don't use EQ unless you have to, don't use much reverb (like, enough that you can hear it when the track's solo-ed, but not enough to hear in the full mix, just enough to smooth it out a bit), maybe a bit of compression if it's really agressive vocals.

Though I'd work on the rest of the music myself. Guitars need a lot less reverb (like, no reverb, maybe a little on lead parts). Of course, real drums would be ideal, but those samples work pretty well for this.

Basically, don't over-process things. Get things sounding good when you're micing it, and then don't EQ it unless you absolutely have to. I just had an experience with this in the studio today. I threw up a rough mix of a track (not one I recorded, one a previous class recorded) and someone else turned to me and said "That sounds great, is there any EQ on that?" At which point I looked down and realized that no, there wasn't any EQ at all in there.

And I hope that's just a clip you posted, cuz the ending seems a little too sudden for my tastes. But that's just my opinion.