The rolled “r” is common in Spanish (“Rápido corren

los carros”), Italian (“Prostrarre”) and Russian

(“Russki teatre”). It is present in Scottish English
(“Round the rugged rocks the ragged rascals ran the
rural races”). Generally, we don’t find the rolled “r”
in American English, but it sure comes in handy for
classical singers — imagine “The Trumpet Shall
Sound” from Handel’s Messiah without a rolled “r”, or
the elocution lesson in “Singin’ in the Rain”—“Moses
supposes erroneously” without a rolled “r”. It’s just
not as good!

The “back of the throat” rolled “r” (spoken French) is

not the same as the Alveolar Trill or “front of the
mouth” rolled “r” (spoken Spanish).

Basics:

• Tongue placement is key. The alveolar ridge is

located behind the top front teeth. It’s the area
between the soft palate (roof of the mouth) and
the front teeth. If your rolled “r” doesn’t work,
experiment with where you place the tip of your
tongue before releasing air.

• Tongue relaxation is key. The back, or root of the

tongue should be relaxed. Some of the exercises
below are designed to relax the tongue where
needed and energize the tongue where needed.
If your rolled “r” doesn’t work, it could be that
your tongue is too tense.
• Air flows between the tongue and the alveolar
ridge. This should feel like sighing than blowing.
If the air stops, the tongue will not flutter.

Exercises for developing a Rolled “r”. (You don’t have

to do them all, just until you meet success):

1) Repeat the phrase: “Put it up.” Say it slowly, and

then increase speed. Observe the placement of the
tongue, which is essentially where it needs to be for
a rolled “r”. As you repeat the phrase, remain
relaxed and send more air through the tongue as you
increase speed–like a breathy sigh.

2) With a Scottish accent, say: “that’s great.” Having

the hard “g” before the flipped “r”, helps release the
back of the tongue. Be sure the tongue relaxes after
making the hard “g” sound. Increase the intensity of
the Scottish accent and you may find yourself rolling
the “r”.

3) Say the phrase: “Vision Dream.” Do so very, very

slowly, elongating every vowel and consonant.
Crescendo into the “n” of “visionnnnnnnn”, prepare
the tongue for the “d” of “dream” with a “stopped d”.
The pent up air flowing from the “n” crescendo into
the stopped “d” leads to a burst of air into the “r” of
“drrrrrrrrrrrream”.

4) Say the word “Dracula”. You can do this with an

eastern European accent to help get the flipped “r”
going, then the rolled “r” rolling. Notice how the
tongue moves loosely but quickly from the tips of
your teeth to the roof of your mouth. Try other words
using this tongue combination: Drake, Trade, Brake,
Pray. Flip the “r” by making it a “d” sound. Elongate
the time the tongue stays on the alveolar ridge with
a stopped “d”, then allow the air to burst through the
“d” into a rolled “r”.

5) Push Trill Method. This uses the mechanics of a

French rolled “r” to remind the tongue how to vibrate
in another area besides the alveolar ridge. Many find
the French “r” much easier to produce than the rolled
“r”. To begin, start a vibration in the back of your
throat. Think of a mild hock-a-loogie action. This
places the back of your tongue at the back of your
soft palate. Once you can get this trill full and
constant, add voice and try relocating the vibration
forward by touching the tip of your tongue to the
alveolar ridge.

6) Raspberry Method. This assumes you already

know how to blow a raspberry or to do a Bronx
cheer. Place your tongue against the underside of
your top lip and blow air between the tongue and top
lip. This sound is technically known as an “unvoiced
linguolabial trill”. There is a great similarity between
a raspberry and a rolled “r”. Both sounds feature the
tongue vibrating against the underside of either the
lip or the alveolar ridge. Blow a raspberry; add
voicing by humming. Continue the voiced-raspberry
and lower your jaw as quickly as possible until the
tongue shifts from you upper lip to the roof of your
mouth. If quickly doesn’t work, try moving the jaw
down slowly.

7) Bilabial Trill Method. If you are able to produce a

lip trill, get it going. While continuing the lip trill, try
placing the tip of your tongue on the alveolar ridge
while allowing your cheeks to puff out like a
chipmunk. If the tongue begins to flutter, you’re
halfway there because you’re now producing both
the lip trill and the rolled “r”. Observe the sensation
in your tongue. Slowly, after several successful
attempts of producing both sounds simultaneously,
try releasing the cheeks and lips and drop the jaw
slowly while maintaining the rolled “r”.

Genetics and environment are two factors that

determine one’s ability to roll the “r”. Conditions that
may prevent you from producing a rolled “r”:

• Some have found that if you can’t fold your tongue,

or roll your tongue, you will likely not be able to
roll your “r”. If you can perform either of these
tongue tricks, chances are you can learn to roll
your “r”.

• Tongue Tied Condition (ankyloglossia inferior, or

tight frenulum) where the piece of skin inside
the mouth located below the tongue (where the
 tongue joins the lower palate) is too short and
the tongue cannot reach to top palate for any
dental fricatives.

• Cleft Palate. When the two sides of the soft palate

have not fused properly during fetal
development.