How to develop a RASPY SINGING VOICE: exercise included |

Singing with a clean, balanced tone is not always a desirable aesthetic in contemporary genres like rock, country and even jazz. Sometimes you want to add a rough, raspy quality to your voice to enhance the overall sound.
Is it ok to have a raspy or rough edge to the sound occasionally? Absolutely. I guess the key to achieving a raspy voice all while you work to avoid the development of benign vocal fold lesions, is to develop the ability to turn the sound quality on and perhaps, more importantly, be able to turn it off. I used the word, ‘mindlessly’ earlier. In my humble opinion, raspy voice quality is not something you should set and forget.
-- References --
Hoch, M. (Ed.) (2014) A dictionary for the modern singer. Lanham, ML: Rowman and Littlefield.
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[@Rybz]

I wanna sound like a motorcycle

[@masamasamun]

Pedro Ribeiro That made my day

[@valkywalky3202]

@dallas villella lol yes

[@johnjamyt]

Same

[@nekomi9119]

felt 😩✊

[@officialpursuitriches]

🤣🤣🤣

[@marielyyy.2455]

I wanna sound like a creaking door

[@gabrielappleby8887]

I want to sound like I'm pouring my heat out when I sing with the rasp

[@evadaily9229]

Gabriel Appleby harry styles

[@maasals]

@@evadaily9229 YESSIR

[@brandonharkins6900]

Then pour your heart out

[@giselleorlasvegas]

this fr

[@jazong-wj9zm]

courtney love

[@anduro7448]

I wanna sound like Filthy Frank...

[@bgassVI]

Eey bo$ss

[@SilverrWolfx715]

Yes!!!!! We need more people like u

[@Admiral_Bongo]

I blew my voice out 4 times in one summer. It worked and it eventually came back, but deeper and rougher.

[@yaoming1399]

Admiral Bongo how’d you blow it out?

[@brandonyong678]

Yeah how'd ya blow it out? I wanna know toooo

[@Daniela-1999]

How?

[@Admiral_Bongo]

@@Daniela-1999 By singing clean (as opposed to death metal growling I'm generally used to) REALLY FUCKING LOUD.

[@Admiral_Bongo]

@@Daniela-1999 I guess, I stretched the cords.

[@wicaksonolm]

i wanna sound like danny devito

[@jayholm4077]

I wanna sound like Kurt Cobain...

[@DrDanRobinson]

Jay Holm, the following video may prove helpful - kzbin.info/www/bejne/r6rQcpWogdZprKM

[@renemuller6967]

I had the same illusion with Chester Bennington. The problem is that many singers try to sound like their Idols. I can understand you absolutely.

[@bizimikimizenedenir]

ME TOOO

[@jet535]

Smoke cigarettes if you wanna sound like him

[@demonsanddenial3705]

Thats why Im here lmao

[@Trudragon88]

I have successfully imitate singers with raspy voices . The best way to do it , is just practice it . Keep singing songs of raspy singers . You’ll get there

[@Fire-dk4pi]

Me: Blue spanish eyes and no more la paloma

[@DrDanRobinson]

Be careful...copying other singers can be dangerous. Watch this to learn more - kzbin.info/www/bejne/porKZmegr8t4obs

[@suedelacy]

I’ve always sung with a raspy voice no wonder why I struggle with breathing problems lol now I know

[@caldre]

i wanna sound like emma chamberlain

[@cocochanel290]

Me too

[@jezieldevera3736]

Same here

[@y2kallday665]

Same

[@stephanietrejo2565]

I want to sound like asthma

[@melinawelch8374]

Gurllll yassss though I have it

[@sumboi6575]

I just wanna sound like Roger Taylor...

[@baviddowie745]

😂😂

[@edgelord8382]

I just wanna sing with rasp like Freddie :(

[@lifegood3183]

Freddie Mercury Same man

[@YoO161]

Same Thing, to bad roger is a Natural and doesnt Need technique

[@fistdapammatsvyy9057]

That's why I'm here

[@LadyAxe13]

I'm cursed. I'm a metal singer with the clean, clear voice of a soprano choir girl. The louder I sing, the cleaner my vocals become and it pisses me off no end! Hahaha!

[@sagauer]

I am going for Janis Joplin and a little Axel Rose... yeeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[@brunojurze4325]

I just want to sound like corpsegrinder...

[@pp-te5wp]

false chord tutorial

[@a.od-reszki4674]

Check out vishurddha's vocalist. He's better than grinfer now.

[@sibilaextremevocal]

@@a.od-reszki4674 Thanks, didn't expect you here :D

[@johnmcfadden3149]

I just liked it when he said "to add sound and cala"

[@ztillusion]

I wanna sound like Candace Flynn when she's around wild parsnips

[@WYTBLACCSONTV]

I wanna sound like Covid-19

[@peivandryks5217]

I still don't understand how Dave Grohl hasn't lost his voice.

[@aaronschocke2147]

It's because his last name Grohl 😂

[@shae482]

I’d love to sound like John cooper from Skillet. I get chills hearing his voice in their song “rebirthing”

[@wooyulan]

Hi Dr Dan, Thanks for this video and the exercises, will definitely be giving them a go :) I take it that you are using the words raspy and husky interchangeably. So would you suggest this is a big departure from breathiness (which I recently learned about on an earlier vid of yours)....in that breathiness is essentially quiet singing, but raspy or husky sounds can be any volume, and get loud as the singer and song requires? Guess what I am asking is..is there any overlap with technique, at least initially, to achieve these two effects? Many thanks as always, Lin.

[@DrDanRobinson]

Good question, Linda. To my way of thinking (and definition), raspy voice sits somewhere between breathy phonation and distorted voice.

[@bassboy8910]

You nailed the when and how to use a “husky” raspy voice. Excellent advice ! ❤

[@gdudbdbekfhf5146]

I want to sound like my father saying he is proud of me

[@duckyguitarboi2760]

This makes a lot of sense. Thanks! Also quick question. I've heard this concept called hitting the glass ceiling, and people that do it have a gruff and raspier voice, and It sounds like they are applying a lot of pressure to the throat even though they are singing directly from their abdomen. Is this unhealthy if only used in moderation?

[@DrDanRobinson]

I'm not familiar with the term, "hitting the glass ceiling" in this context. Regarding throat tension and pressure, perhaps the following video will prove helpful - kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5KbfJKMmLSenbM

[@duckyguitarboi2760]

Thanks! This video was very helpful, and I realize that this was one of the major issues I was suffering, especially when belting. Thanks a lot!

[@mr.echo24]

Hey, great video man! Your demonstration helped quite a lot, and I'm going to practice this exercise often. I have a quick question, are you familiar with the band's Testament, Slayer, and Metallica? Would their vocal style count as raspy or clean? And how would one attempt that? An example I mean is the song The Pale King by Testament

[@DrDanRobinson]

At times the bands (singers) that you mention use clean vocals and at other times they employ distorted vocals.

[@ARASH-zo2cu]

I wanna sound like Michael Jackson

[@kennethwoody5897]

Work on strengthening your Falsetto range and mixed voice

[@aydanneilson-bourke7378]

Get the kids

[@XJacksonvilleX]

PFFFT SMD

[@trevormcgowan5195]

@@aydanneilson-bourke7378 thanks!

[@damf5488]

@@trevormcgowan5195 haha what

[@aaronpapke5240]

This was immensely helpful. I've definitely been trying to push my voice too hard and didn't realize it.

[@yafilthyanimal1]

Thanks for that, love this stuff, SO interesting! 😉😉😉

[@DrDanRobinson]

I'm glad you enjoyed the video Phil France. Thanks for watching.

[@TeenageVogue]

I just have a deep voice and it makes me have these raspy cracks when I sing which sound kinda nice I guess

[@SleezyWeezel]

I wanna sound like The Notorious B.I.G.

[@2eyecyclope634]

Just gain weight

[@magieleno5676]

2eyecyclope bruh lmao

[@coolcatmcswirly]

@@2eyecyclope634 💀💀💀You're wrong for that

[@MistrGrimyLikesCofey3961]

Just watch JoJo's

[@weebnation3904]

@@MistrGrimyLikesCofey3961 killarr qween

[@soundseeker63]

This was a HUSKY tone, not raspy. When I think raspy singers I think Tina Turner, Jocelyn Brown etc. The tone has a serrated quality to it. Jocelyn can turn that sound on and off to excellent dramatic effect. I have the opposite problem, lately my voice just sounds kind of gritty/crackly/brassy randomly when I'm just trying to sing normally. I've no idea why. I've not been doing anything unusual it just seems stuck like that now. Guess it might be time to get it checked out as I don't want to do permenant damage if it turns out something IS wrong, though I've been putting it off for ages because I feel a bit silly asking for a doctors appointment (which are really hard to get in any case!) because my singing isn't great, it seems a bit spoiled somehow... 🤔

[@thesnipingspider3852]

Are there any raspy rappers or anything like that

[@Ntmonmegng]

@@thesnipingspider3852 Jcole has a moderately raspy voice

[@DavidBenbelkacem]

I didn t hear any rasp

[@dragosfgv]

Normally my voice is warm and smooth. But in the morning it’s raspy and husky. Is a raspy voice a mix of mid and bass?

[@chrxnxs2794]

Cringe

[@victoriousgray5479]

@@chrxnxs2794 I thought your username was degenerate

[@26kito]

@@chrxnxs2794 who hurt u?

[@elijah_godslayer9904]

I wanna sound like that that guy who sang "I SEE TREES OF GREEN... RED ROSES TOO, I SEE THEM BLOOM.... FOR ME AND YOU AND I THINK TO MYSELF............... what a wonderful world."❤💕

[@TroubledGothMime]

Idk if I wanna sing with a raspy voice or if I don’t wanna quit cigs and whisky

[@mariesmeadow]

I wanna sound like Alex Brightman in Beetlejuice-

[@seriesly3929]

most relatable comment here haha

[@colorfulconartist5680]

Me too lol; did it work?

[@docbaker1127]

I already have a raspy voice but I love to sing and play guitar though I can't for long. When I was a baby I was prematurely born thx to the Dr breaking my mom's water anyways I was on a ventilator that breaths for us me and my twin brother that is. I have a bunch of scare tissue around my vocal cords and have been told only one actually works while my voice is soft, raspy. I would like to learn how to sing better more so where my throat won't hurt as much afterwards. Or maybe I should hive up on my dream to singing cause I already play many instruments.

[@DrDanRobinson]

docbaker1127, the following video may prove helpful - kzbin.info/www/bejne/fHfOmX58eLipnZo

[@thesnipingspider3852]

I got a naturally raspy voice and thought this was gonna be a vid about how to rap or sing better w/ a raspy voice. Not trick ur voice to being raspy and also to sing better mines been higher and softer???

[@kilroyfrills3084]

My first thought was that we were gonna learn to sing thrash. After the video I’m curious on if, I’m your opinion singers like James Hetfield and his contemporaries use good healthy technique to get the rasp like in 80’s heavy metal?

[@DrDanRobinson]

Great question, Jawnboi. I think you might be referring to 'distorted vocals' which you can learn more about here - kzbin.info/www/bejne/r6rQcpWogdZprKM

[@trophywolfe]

The way to sound like him is by listening to "to whom the bell tolls" live from the 90s there's a specific video where you can see his additude while doing it. He is practically yelling with a harmonic. Like just say "Hey!" as if someone just stole something from you but then put harmonic on it.

[@07.8-k5f]

i want to sound like Grace Vanderwaal :((

[@raulzarate7723]

So how does this exercise make my voice raspy? I understand that the singing wasn’t clean or crystal clear but your voice also didn’t sound how I want my voice to sound

[@MsNoMotiv]

2:21 - actually showing how to do it/getting the actual answer 🥳. Somewhat

[@NoHaBi02]

I just want to sound like Alex Jones

[@shinobi1014]

Took more than half of this how-to video to actually get to the how-to

[@bruna9588]

My voice is a mezzo soprano naturally raspy, I can sing all day like this in high and low notes and don't hurt. I didn't no this is uncommon, I thought a lot of people have this ability hahaahh

[@Kareggan]

This feels the same way as going with vocal fry is a bass singer.

[@DrDanRobinson]

Interesting.

[@nofacedgoldfish6216]

I'm trying to learn how to get a good Doctor Claw voice from original Inspector Gadget to use behind vocoding to get the perfect Transformers G1 Soundwave(for those unaware, yes, Frank Welker uses his Doctor Claw voice behind the Soundwave autotune).

[@SunnyCapricious]

I wanna sound like ado because i love her voice 💜

[@SunnyCapricious]

@GIANNAH OBANDO YOU KNOW ADO???!!!?? :0 :0

[@aiylavayu9572]

Yessir Ado an instant G.o.a.t.

[@grapejuicevapor]

litrally why im wtaching these videos

[@divamom1000]

what about Angelina Jordan? She's been singing with an incredible rasp since she was a very little girl.

[@ericmichael6024]

I wanna sound like Tina turner

[@LeandroLemus]

i would like to sound like Michael Jackson

[@sambeaz2881]

I want to sound like Rihanna! The best voice ever my opinion!

[@yukkobruh1819]

I just wanna sing like Liam Gallagher

[@tylergray2528]

For me it's a little harder i need to find my mid if I go alittle over the top i may I end up doing like metal/harsh vocals

[@ddau2855]

This is great now I sound like Mariah Carrey

[@yowhux7224]

I wanna sound like Bon Scott !!! Hope u make the tutorial how to do sound like one 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@ilandsect]

What is the difference between raspy voice and vocal fry?

[@zoltankovacs4399]

I wanna sound like Tom Araya and James Hetfield combined

[@gabriellagelir2027]

I have a naturally husky singing voice but no rasp. Some vocal fry on softer notes but I am really trying to go for some Beth hart, Tina turner rasp.... I'll likely barely get to Miley Cyrus rasp if I'm lucky. Rasp at a louder volume ( without coughing) is a lot harder than folks think.

[@user-dc8kr5wk2j]

Thanks I am step away from being a motorcycle

[@iconicdragon3603]

I want to sound like Matt Shadows

[@thoudiscorddisruption7549]

I wanna sound like Andy Black when singing and screaming like Chester Bennington🥰

[@beefyburritoboy9675]

I wanna sound like a fork in the garbage disposal

[@ulisesvera3132]

I can do it in my low and middle notes but as I get higher it's impossible :(

[@OO-hq6rw]

Samee

[@spanishvibess]

THANK YOU SO MUCH I DID ITTTT

[@chloeabaddon8727]

I dk why but he reminds me of Charles Boyle..

[@statc0313]

All i learned from this sadly is that i've damaged my voice from screaming nirvana too much

[@OVI-Wan-Kenobi-8]

You either naturally have it or you don't, it's not really something you can reproduce, at least long term wise. Raspy vocalists include ROD STEWART, KIM CARNES, TINA TURNER, SASS JORDAN, AXL ROSE, BRAIN JOHNSON, JANIS JOPLIN. It's actually very rare for a vocalist to actually have naturally raspy vocals because it requires a certain type of unique vocal chords.

[@nikkienova129]

Yea I sound like Janis Joplin...I don't know how to sing with out my raspy voice...

[@thesnipingspider3852]

I have a naturally raspy ass voice so is that good or bad?

[@nirhymeswithhi4849]

I think you might want to spend a little more time defining what you mean by "rasp," because it's one of those vague terms (like "falsetto") that different people use to mean different things. In your case it seems to mean a controlled breathy voice, where the vocal folds don't completely close. In other cases people mean sounds you get from certain supraglottic tissues/cartilages vibrating. The vocal folds can be fully closed in those cases, although of course you can use a breathy voice in conjunction with it. I've also heard people describe the "Louis Armstrong" voice as rasp, which is *very* different from what I think of as "rasp." :)

[@DrDanRobinson]

Yeah, the terminology means different things to different people.

[@notsitanshu2458]

I want to sound like Paul McCartney

[@SurprisedBabyPenguin-zk5cc]

I still sound like a dying bull when I add rasp to my voice but at least it no longer hurts. 10/10 would recommend to a friend.

[@juanmanuelferreyra5128]

Yeah I wanna sing like Chris Cornell and play like Messi.

[@al2639]

Rip Cornell

[@ximenaarmenta1852]

No one sings like you anymore

[@eleanorgarden2002]

I wanna sound similar to Chris Cornell.

[@supersavior_gamer9373]

Im having issues getting my highs and lows what do i do its hard because i love singing and i mix highs and lows and it ruins my singing any tips?

[@DrDanRobinson]

Lillie Rouse, the following video about vocal range may prove helpful - kzbin.info/www/bejne/rGPaqWVoobKpe5I

[@supersavior_gamer9373]

Dr Dan's Voice Essentials omgosh thank u im glad i found ur channle😁

[@lotchenpotchen2997]

I wanna sound like I wash down tobacco with a smokey whiskey for breakfast.

[@momok3025]

I'm a 14y old girl and I'm here cuz I wanna sound like marilyn manson 👌😂

[@ellenaze5452]

Gurl same age HAHAAH

[@MAJALIJU]

thank you Dr Dan!

[@DrDanRobinson]

You're welcome MAJ ALIJU. Thanks for watching.

[@Snj2805]

I wanna sound like husky version of myself🖤🦁

[@bjo7964]

Can I smoke 2 packs a day to achieve this as well?

[@billysbasement4498]

I want to sound like DMX...

[@reginaldperiwinkle]

I wanna sound like a combination of George Burns and George C. Scott.

[@kids-zb9kd]

I just want to sing like camila cabello

[@hyunchoeun6064]

Yes she's the best one👊🤗

[@sportsaddict9104]

4:09 you're welcome! Stop yapping uncle

[@GigaChad-tv7xl]

I wanna sound like McCartney in Oh! Darling

[@Hottie1156]

I wanna sound like Miley Cyrus

[@unicornspiritreikiasmr]

Thank you for the excellent tips!

[@martinnezhdanov7870]

I'd really like to have that raspy voice, cuz whatever i sing sounds like a highschool kid.

[@jirehponcedeleon8897]

mah voice kinda sounds raspy for me.. How to enhance with this kind of voice?

[@kaykovuskerteus90]

I wanna sound like a diesel engine.

[@krystinmarie297]

I wanna read normal comments

[@MenACE_135]

*I JUST WANNA SOUND LIKE A HUMAN.* :(

[@trassl3celick304]

I wanna sound like sia

[@mansoorkaghaz9669]

Can you do the 11 northern Indian raaga which is taken from Persian scales but if u can do them all together in one lesson or two ur viewers will become 10 times more ..I mean do the scales

[@NyaCrea]

Great excercise!

[@DrDanRobinson]

Glad you think so!

[@Adi-wd8ve]

I want sound like Chester Bennington. Yes, i know its impossible.

[@lightikariofficial1756]

1997 Chester

[@JamesTaylor-pj2zw]

Chris Stapleton , Lane Hardy , Morgan Wallen

[@ethanweig9988]

I wanna sound like John Fogerty...

[@namelesschannel4103]

No I want to treat my naturally raspy voice but google keeps giving me "how to sing with a raspy voice" or "natural remedies for hoarse throat" COME ON

[@liam_olson]

When most people sing, its like a Cadillac... when I sing, its like an old Ford Super Duty sh*tbox work truck, lol

[@StefTedder]

I wanna sound like a raspberry

[@sujanjungchhetri3664]

I m just wondering, Does getting drunk support to get more raspyness in vocal?

[@liz4873]

I wanna sound like a grown up. My voice sounds like an 8 yo’s 😭