Making my voice "rough" for rock songs

Drummerbones

Drummerbones

New member
I'm an accomplished rock drummer and guitarist/songwriter. I have played in several bands as the drummer while writing the majority of the music and lyrics in the past. These days I mostly just do session work or create my own music in my studio. Here's my problem...I can write good rock songs and I was blessed with the ability to sing....like Garth Brooks or Kenny Chesney! Ugh...while this certainly helps when I write and record country music, it shoots me in the foot when creating rock music. I have to bring in my rock singer buddy to lay down my vocals.

Long story short, are there any tricks any of you use to "rough up" a vocal? Distortion? Effects? I realize that the end result will be processed and I will never pass for Phil Ansomo or Layne Staley, but is there any approach I can take to get closer to what I want? I appreciate your input
 
There's no effect you can buy that will give you what you want.

I'm going to suggest that you're wanting something that's not worthwhile.

For years I tried to sing "rough." I have the tapes to prove that it sucked. Once I began simply singing naturally, it didn't suck anymore. In fact, I'm pretty good.

Just be yourself.
 
My vocalist has that "rough" style. He does it on command pretty much. He can go from all pretty to a rock style vocal at the drop of a hat.

I should ask him how he does it...never bothered to before.
 
Hi..

do you mean rough up a recorded vox take? You can try duplicating the track, throwing on a virtual guitar amp with some distortion,..bring it back up under the original.

Live - if yoiu mean that, raspy-type rock voice,..thats all throat, or 'the incorrect' way of singing. People who smoke seem to have the ability to do this.

Actually.. a vocal instructor I know can sing like anyone..the 'right' way, from the diaphragm, and can nail that raspyness...

Cheers,

-LIMiT
 
Yeah, cigarettes and Wild Turkey for the next 20 years and you'll be right there dude. :p

disclaimer: the surgeon general does not endorse this post.
 
scrubs said:
Yeah, cigarettes and Wild Turkey for the next 20 years and you'll be right there dude. :p
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Damn, you beat me to it! That's exactly what I was going to say :p

If you don't want to wait that long, you can do it the other old-fashioned way, practice copying someone else's voice who's already been hitting the Lucky Strikes and Old Panther for 20 years. Get a few Tom Waits CDs and start trying to imitate his voice, keeping some of your own character in there too.

G.
 
There is a "right" way to get the raspy vocal sound. You use twice as much air as usual and flex your glottis. If it makes you want to cough, you're doing it wrong. :) A good voice teacher (and not a classical voice teacher) can teach you how to do it so that you don't damage your voice, but it takes a lot of practice.
 
I think that's it. just open up your chest and let go. or run a dynamic into a small practice amp and mic that.
 
Thanks for the replies so far. To clarify, I would like to be able to perform my vocals this way, though I was more asking for recording tricks to apply to a recorded track. I can sing raspy for about 2 bars but then it hurts my throat. My singer buddy, who founded many bands with me, just has that natural ability. He can go from Tom Petty to Judas Priest to Pantera in one measure...amazing natural ability, and without straining his voice in the slightest. I've asked him how the hell he does it and he doesn't know. He just opens his mouth and out it comes. I wish there was some type of instructional book or DVD that teaches how to use the movement of air, your diaphragm and throat to produce raspiness without injury. I thought I found one about a year ago, but after emailing the creator I realized that it only helped people who could already scream, scream more musically...if there is such a thing. :rolleyes:
 
The last time I stayed up on crack for about 3 days smoking weed and drinking tequilla, I started posting retarded and extremely poor advise about singing techniques to members seeking real, helpful advise! :D

Just messin' with ya...Though of no use whatsoever, your suggestion would undoubtedly do the trick.

Anyone else??? :eek:
 
Drummerbones said:
Thanks for the replies so far. To clarify, I would like to be able to perform my vocals this way, though I was more asking for recording tricks to apply to a recorded track. I can sing raspy for about 2 bars but then it hurts my throat. My singer buddy, who founded many bands with me, just has that natural ability. He can go from Tom Petty to Judas Priest to Pantera in one measure...amazing natural ability, and without straining his voice in the slightest. I've asked him how the hell he does it and he doesn't know. He just opens his mouth and out it comes. I wish there was some type of instructional book or DVD that teaches how to use the movement of air, your diaphragm and throat to produce raspiness without injury. I thought I found one about a year ago, but after emailing the creator I realized that it only helped people who could already scream, scream more musically...if there is such a thing. :rolleyes:
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if you can do it at all you're on the right track. just like anything it takes practice. most of the people that sing like this have been doing it for years and years and their throat and lungs are accustomed to it.
 
Before recording, Eat a good sized block of mature cheddar cheese followed by a thick milkshake. This should give you the required amount of phlem for a raspy vocal take.

Remember not to spit it out though and try and keep it logded at the back of your throat. This technique is essentially the same as inserting an effect into a signal chain.
 
reamping a vocal and mixing it back in with the clean one can help considerablely. you can also distort a pair of headphones, mic them up and get the same type of thing going. the amp way just gives you more options. it really can help the john denvers of the world.

i did a record this past year for a pal who sounds like he gargles with shards of glass. i love his voice. real rod stewart type stuff...i know a long way from pantera but same type of thing vocally...his is natural.

www.myspace.com/dougmckeanampthestuntmen

good luck.

Mike
 
Holy cow...that guy sounds like he is in pain! It's amazing that that is his natural voice. I'm not looking to get anywhere near that raspy, more of the Scott Wieland type of edge to my voice. I appreciate everyone's tips. I'll be trying them all...except perhaps the crack, tequilla, and a big block of cheese! (I'm still trying to decide if you were kidding or not there fasterthanu!)
 
Scream, and then try to tame it. It's the furthest thing from proper, but it's worked for a million screamo bands!

Listen to Rise Against and try to imitate Tim's voice. Tom Waits and The guy from the Mighty Mighty Bosstones have similar voices (and got them the same way, which is booze and ciggs). Tim does neither, as far as I know, his voice is just naturally raspy like that, and it sounds amazing, and very controlled.

From experience, you can get that type of voice from really opening up and singing loud and full. The sound distorts at the back of your mouth, not in your throat. You'll hurt yourself if you try to do it that way.
 
Drummerbones said:
Thanks for the replies so far. To clarify, I would like to be able to perform my vocals this way, though I was more asking for recording tricks to apply to a recorded track. I can sing raspy for about 2 bars but then it hurts my throat. My singer buddy, who founded many bands with me, just has that natural ability. He can go from Tom Petty to Judas Priest to Pantera in one measure...amazing natural ability, and without straining his voice in the slightest. I've asked him how the hell he does it and he doesn't know. He just opens his mouth and out it comes. I wish there was some type of instructional book or DVD that teaches how to use the movement of air, your diaphragm and throat to produce raspiness without injury. I thought I found one about a year ago, but after emailing the creator I realized that it only helped people who could already scream, scream more musically...if there is such a thing. :rolleyes:
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I have a dvd, called "the zen of screaming" (im not sure if this is what you found), but it teaches everything from beautiful singing, raspy, crunchy vocals, to extreme metal technique. the instructor is a woman called Melissa Cross who teaches how this is done (properly, with no tricks like recording techniques, effects, or dairy products). check it out I really reccommend it www.melissacross.com
good luck
 
Actually, that IS the DVD I found. I emailed Melissa and her reply lead me to believe it wouldn't help teach me how to "scream" but just help those who COULD scream do it in a proper & musical way without injuring themselves. So are you telling me that it in fact does teach techniques to develop a raspy voice? Have you had personal success with it?
 
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