The Definition of Metal and the Metallic Sound in Singing
Some sounds have a more metallic sound than others. All singers, singing all musical styles, sing with metal in the tone although they sound different. A pop/rock singer, for example, uses a more distinct metallic sound than a classical singer does. A DISTINCT metallic tone could be called a harder, more raw or direct sound. In pop/rock music, distinct metallic sounds are used frequently, whilst the metallic sounds in classical singing are more difficult to recognise because they are “covered” or disguised in the classical sound. A metallic tone’s sound may vary but the volume is often relatively loud.
There are different amounts of metal; the metal can be omitted or made more or less distinct. Hence, we distinguish between non-metallic, half-metallic and full-metallic sounds.
The modes and their amount of metal can be described as:
Non-metallic = Neutral
Half-metallic = Curbing
Full-metallic = Overdrive
Full-metallic = Edge
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