How To Sing With A Raspy Voice The SAFE Way! Sing RASPY without KILLING your voice!

Summary

In this vocal tutorial, Jim Chandler teaches viewers how to safely sing with a raspy voice, focusing on maintaining vocal health. He demonstrates the damaging method, where excessive air is pushed through the vocal cords, versus the safe approach using vocal fry. By showcasing an example from Bryan Adams' 'Summer of '69,' Chandler explains how to achieve the desired rasp without risking vocal damage. The key takeaway is to control airflow and use exercises like sirens and semi-occluded sounds to develop a sustainable, raspy tone.

Takeaways

• 😀 Singing with a raspy voice can add emotion and character to your performance, but it must be done safely to prevent vocal damage.
• 😀 The wrong way to sing with rasp is by pushing excess air through your vocal cords, which can cause swelling and long-term damage.
• 😀 A safer alternative to damaging techniques is using vocal fry, which involves controlled vibration of the vocal cords without excessive airflow.
• 😀 Bryan Adams' 'Summer of '69' is used as an example to demonstrate how a raspy voice should sound when sung correctly.
• 😀 When attempting to achieve a raspy sound, it's important to avoid forcing air through the vocal cords, as this can cause strain and fatigue.
• 😀 The safe method involves singing softly and slowly at first, focusing on minimal airflow and creating a resonant, controlled rasp.
• 😀 Using vocal fry should feel like a gentle buzzing or rattling in the back and top of your throat, which is a sign that you're using the correct technique.
• 😀 Practicing with sirens or other semi-occluded vocal exercises helps improve resonance and strengthens the vocal cords without straining them.
• 😀 The key difference between the unsafe and safe rasp is that the unsafe method pushes too much air through, while the safe method controls the airflow.
• 😀 Regular vocal warm-ups and hydration are essential for maintaining vocal health, especially when singing with a raspy tone.

Q & A

What is the main focus of this vocal training video?

The video focuses on teaching how to sing with a raspy voice safely, while avoiding vocal damage that can occur from improper techniques.

What is the 'damaging way' of singing with a raspy voice?

The damaging way involves pushing too much air through the vocal cords, which causes them to over-expand and potentially swell, leading to long-term damage and vocal fatigue.

Why is letting too much air pass through the vocal cords harmful?

Allowing too much air to pass through the vocal cords can prevent them from closing properly, which causes swelling and wears them down, ultimately leading to difficulty producing a clean sound.

What is vocal fry and how is it used in safe raspy singing?

Vocal fry is a low, rattling sound that comes from the back and top of the throat. It's used to safely create a raspy sound by controlling the airflow and using minimal air pressure while singing.

Can you explain how the Bryan Adams song 'Summer of '69' demonstrates raspy singing?

In 'Summer of '69', Bryan Adams has a naturally raspy voice. The video uses this song as an example of the kind of rasp one can achieve, but it contrasts the damaging technique with the safe vocal fry method.

How can you distinguish between the damaging and safe raspy singing methods?

The damaging method involves excessive airflow, which leads to vocal fatigue, while the safe method uses controlled vocal fry with minimal breath. The safe method feels less straining on the voice.

What should you focus on to avoid damaging your vocal cords while singing raspy?

You should focus on controlling your breath, ensuring minimal air passes through the vocal cords while using vocal fry to create the raspy sound.

What are semi-occluded vocal exercises, and why are they recommended?

Semi-occluded vocal exercises involve creating partial vocal tract closure (like humming or lip trills) to help build vocal strength without over-straining the vocal cords, which is ideal for safe raspy singing.

Why is it important not to 'breathe through' your raspy singing?

Breathing through the raspy sound causes excessive airflow, which puts too much pressure on the vocal cords, leading to strain and potential long-term damage.

What is the recommended way to practice raspy singing safely?

The safe way to practice raspy singing is to start slowly and quietly, using vocal fry to produce a controlled rasp, focusing on minimal air release while maintaining a relaxed throat.