how do you make a voice sound "gruffy?"

I've been thinking about this for the longest time.

I sing pretty well, but my voice (I think) is really only good for the legit stuff (Sinatra, Broadway, etc). When one is singing R&R how could he process a voice to sound rough like Mick Jagger...or...any of the great blues men...or...like rock singers in general?

that comes from drinking hard booze and smoking, working the blues bars 6 to 7 nights a week. modern vocal teachers can show you tricks. there are you tube videos out there, but getting in the trenches is (IMO) the only way to really do it. Even then only a few are successful. ive been trying for years.
I had a good voice for soul and blues with that raspiness , but when I quit drinking and smoking , my voice smoothed out . then add years of not singing ,my voice sounds like that character on family
guy (herb the perv) when he sings. not very soulful, but funny.

You may want to google “Bradley Cooper raspy voice coach”. He studied with a guy for quite a while prior to shooting “A Star is Born”. If I remember correctly...Cooper said it hurt like hell.
JM

Another interesting example is Kevin Costner. Although not a singer...if you compare his voice in his earlier movies to his last few...including his TV show “Yellowstone” on Paramount, his voice is much more raspy with some depth. As I’m sure Gary will attest to...early Hollywood actors came from radio. Voice training and technique were already engrained in them.

I remember listening to Costner’s voice when he was younger and thinking it sounded like Bart Simpson But I guess not everyone can be blessed with the “Sam Elliot” chops!
JM

Mark, I have asked the same question many times. Received my answer after listening to Frank Sinatra sing a rock type of song, he was tribble. My voice gave me a successful career – trying to sound like someone else puts me at the bottom of the list. I tried using vocal effects, but there is no vocalizer that can make me sing like Don, it’s not me.

When music stated to change, I did my best, which was not very good. (By my standards) Barbara Streisand lost some of the quality of her voice when she left her comfort zone. In trying to stay up with the times I hired a man who played terrible sax and a fair guitar, BUT his voice and feel for rock was great. He killed what you called legit music. The duo lasted four very successful years.

When you have high standards in music, which I fell you have, you will never be happy trying to sing like someone else.

Your “Mony Pony” was real good, you surprised me. Mark you are close enough. You reminds me of a guy who buys a new beautiful car and then begins to make it look like something else.

I have enjoyed your posts, Joh

John Fogerty of Creedance was asked how he got that rough vocal sound. He said he would go into the woods and scream as loud as he could till his voice roughed up. I would say this is not a good idea and will just lead to vocal chord damage. If its any help I think singing more from the back of yoir throat instead of deep down will help but again be careful. Sort of like when you first wake up and your voice isn't loose yet.
As most pro singers do just choose songs that fit your voice.

we all cant be a ray charles, frank sinatra, bill medley or joe cocker, but like those singers that were influenced by a previous singer, they became their own style that later influenced the new singers that came along. my singers i wanted to sound like was otis redding, sam cook , joe cocker, i worked with a guy that was considered the male aretha franklin his named was freddie empire. toured with him in the 70's. one greatest unknown club singers i've ever worked with. also boyd williams,i've work with, a good blues singer. both of these guys have youtube videos and have taught me alot on how to sing.

I haven‘t read all posts, but couldn‘t you technically apply the same effects that make a saxophone a growling sax? Maybe one could experiment with such effects.

Sometimes I can get a 'growl' in my voice for a word or two, but I don't know if it's the key I'm singing in, the note I'm hitting, the phrasing, or what that allows me to do it ...

I always marvelled at Elvis's ability to growl a whole song and then sing a ballad as smooth as silk ...

BTW, Mark, I thought your "Mony Pony" (Mony Mony) sounded pretty darn good ...

OK, I was thinking of digital effects; in synthesizers, a growling sax often uses the same samples as the softer tenor sax, but certain effects are applied...

I think the actual "effect" you're looking for is achieved by closing the throat ... just a bit, and pushing the air from lower in your throat. Wind players (like myself) learn to support the air flow with a contraction of our diaphragm muscle. It's hard to explain, but think of the feeling you get in your lower abdomen when you're constipated, and trying to push out ... well, you know.💩(sorry, not trying to be gross)
When done correctly, using supported air, and not just volume, it is not damaging, and can be controlled quite easily.
I've said many times that the best vocal lessons I ever learned were actually techniques from playing woodwind instruments. Clarinet, sax, flute etc ... all gave me valuable breath control, and stamina that I might not have had otherwise.

Try this ... open your mouth (a normal distance) and sing the syllable "Ahhhhh" ... gradually lower the intensity of your air flow, and start to close off your throat. You should hear that "Growl" start to emerge. Experiment with adding different sounds, words etc, and see if you can grasp the concept. How this helps.
BTW:
The sax growl, in a real instrument is actually achieved by rolling the tongue, like a long RRRRRR-type sound. It forces the air to travel quicker, and the reed vibrates in a more unpredictable pattern.

If you want to learn about some important logopedic facts for variation of singing, this video is helpful:

Not the right way, but drinking too much, staying up all night
and screaming your lungs out does work...BELIEVE ME!


Russ

But you have to start doing that when you are young ...

Very interesting topic Mark, I wish I had an answer. I do ponder this often though.

I agree with Tony, that Elvis had both a great smooth voice and a great rock voice. That made him unique for sure. I think Linda Ronstatd also had an amazing and versatile voice too.

It’s seems very few can sing equally well with either a clear or gritty voice .

Good well thought out replies....and....sensible....don't DAMAGE the vocal chords!

I even watched the video that CROSSOVER posted. As Charlie Chan once said.....verrrry verrrry in-ta-rest-ing!!!

I suppose I didn't say the question correctly. I didn't so much mean "strain my voice"....I meant "process my voice" with today's modern technology. Take out the "highs" or the "lows" or do whatever they do in a studio to change the voice.

A great example (among many great examples) is Ian Gillan-lead singer for Deep Purple. I mean, I could never sing like THAT but the sound of his voice has been electronically processed. Are my correct?:



Would you believe....look at what I just found!

As I said, I can get a 'growl' for a word or two, and at today's gig (job) at a really nice AL/IL venue ( I wish I could afford) I did it a couple of times on different songs... as I was packing up, a fellow came up to me and said I should sing "What a Wonderful World" like Louis Armstrong ...
I didn't have the heart to tell him that isn't going to happen ...