Jessica Marie S. Borromeo Journal No.

IV-E

Prof. Perlita M. Angeles December 5, 2011

Sound Production Vocal production can seem like a complicated phenomenon, and therefore, I would like to break the voice down into the simplest components as possible. I will discuss what the voice is physically made up of, what variables it uses, and how the singer or speaker can use these variables and physical components in order to have vocal ease, strength and a pleasant vocal quality. What is the human voice made of? Very simply- the muscles of the larynx, air, space and the articulators (tongue, teeth, palate, lips). That's it! These components interact with each other to produce your unique vocal sound. But you need to keep in mind that a vocalist uses the entire body to sing. This is why body alignment work is so important. Voice lessons, if taught by a competent teacher, should address each of these components through various exercises and concepts. It is also equally important to know which muscles and functions potentially interfere with the voice. The muscle/mucous part of the voice is the vocal folds (aka vocal cords), which are a tiny paired muscle found in the larynx or voice box in your throat. The vocal cords are covered with a very important layer of mucous which basically has the consistency of jello. Other tiny muscles within the larynx control the space between the cords as well as the length of the cords. The vocal cords need to be brought together in order to produce sound. If they are too tightly brought together or not taut enough the vocal quality suffers. The larynx must be free to vibrate without excessive tensions from the throat constrictor muscles. Once they are brought together airflow makes them vibrate very quickly through the mucous layer that sits on them. If you are not getting enough water or are consuming products that dehydrate yourself, the vocal cords do not function freely. A symptom of this is a frequent need to clear your throat. I suggest 8 glasses of pure water or decaffeinated herbal tea per day. You should limit alcohol and caffeine consumption. The voice is also made up of air. The air is the voice's energy source that you control with each breath that you take while singing or speaking. The air sets the vocal cords vibrating and oscillating through the mucous covering. Singing/speaking without a healthy air supply is like trying to drive a car without gas! Your breath is your fuel and it is vitally important. Vocalizing requires a sustained breath. When we inhale high in the body and raise our sternum/shoulder area for the breath, the exhalation cannot be sustained or controlled easily and actually tires the tiny throat muscles used for singing/speaking, producing vocal fatigue, tension and often, an airy sound. On the other hand, learning how to take a breath which expands the ribcage and pelvic floor gives the vocalist ease and control over the voice once this technique is learned. A vocalist doesn't need more air, just more control over the air supply. One important fact that is almost always over-looked by voice teachers is how to prepare the body before taking a breath. It is almost impossible to take a healthy ribcage breath if your stomach muscles (the abdominals) are tense. The first step to proper breathing for voice, then, is to relax the abdominal area.

Normal Voice Function Voice is produced by vibration of the vocal folds. The vocal folds are a pair of pliable shelves of tissue that stretch across the top of the trachea . They are enclosed within the thyroid cartilage, which is the hard structure that forms the mass in the neck known as the Adams apple. The vocal folds, together with the muscles and cartilages that support them, are known as the larynx . Biologically, the larynx evolved as a valve to protect the airway and lungs. Thus, it is positioned where the airway and the esophagus separate. The vocal folds open to allow breathing and close during swallowing to prevent food from entering into the lungs and during voicing. y Vocal fold - is the modern term for vocal cord. The change in terminology came about because of a better understanding of the anatomy and function of the larynx. Vocal cord suggests a band or string suspended in the air that vibrates when it is plucked or struck. In fact, the vocal fold is a part of a muscle on the side of the larynx, covered with special tissues that can vibrate at a high speed. It resembles a lip of tissue much more than a cord. Only its outer covering vibrates. Larynx - Highly specialized structure atop the windpipe responsible for sound production, air passage during breathing and protecting the airway during swallowing. Glottis (also called Rima Glottides) - Opening between the two vocal folds; the glottis opens during breathing and closes during swallowing and sound production

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Aspect of Voice: Sound In order to produce voice, the lungs blow air against vocal folds that are closed, but more loosely than they would be during swallowing. Air pushes through the very small space between them and in so doing, makes the covering of the vocal folds, known as the mucosa, vibrate. This occurs by means of a phenomenon known as the venturi effect. As air passes through a constriction (or venturi), it speeds up and creates a suction in its wake. This suction draws in the pliable mucosa from each vocal fold, which meets in the midline, only to be pushed aside by more air from the lungs. This cycle creates a repeating undulation which is known as the mucosal wave. The regularity of the mucosal wave is essential to the production of good voice. The pliability of the mucosa depends on the integrity of the layer immediately beneath it, known as the superficial lamina propria, or Reinkes layer, named after the man who described it. It is a special network of substances, unique in the body, that can support the stresses of vocal fold vibration over the long term. Loudness The volume of sound is principally a result of the pressure of the air that is blown past the vocal folds. A more forceful expulsion of air from the lungs raises this pressure. Of course, the vocal folds must increase tension to maintain the near-closure that is needed for the venturi effect. If they do not, the increased air pressure will simply blow them aside and interrupt vibration. This tensing of the vocal folds usually happens instinctively, without conscious effort. People with vocal fold paralysis or other types of vocal fold weakness are often unable to do this, and frequently complain of an inability to increase the volume of their voice.

Pitch The frequency of the mucosal wave determines the pitch of the voice. In addition to opening and closing, the vocal folds are able to lengthen and shorten, and this forms an important means of increasing vocal fold tension. Just as tuning a guitar string will adjust its pitch, so will changing tension on the vocal folds. In the case of vocal folds, however, tension must be altered symmetrically. A person performs this activity rapidly and precisely, and many times over the course of a short conversation. Hoarseness Hoarseness is the result of irregularity of mucosal vibration. Very many factors influence the formation and maintenance of the mucosal wave, but broadly speaking, these can be simplified to two: vocal fold closure and the integrity of the superficial lamina propria. Inability of the vocal folds to close sufficiently, as in some cases of vocal fold paralysis, may make it impossible to create the venturi effect which underlies mucosal vibration. Tethered or stiff mucosa resulting from a change in the lamina propria, as in vocal fold scar, will not vibrate well or at all, regardless of the vocal fold closure. Sometimes, a large mass like a cyst or polyp blocks both the vocal folds from closing and the mucosa from vibrating. Vocal Sound Production

Diaphragm action pushes air from the lungs through the vocal folds, producing a periodic train of air pulses. This pulse train is shaped by the resonances of the vocal tract. The basic resonances, called vocal formants, can be changed by the action of the articulators to produce distinguishable voice sounds, like the vowel sounds.

Phonation

The process of speech production by the human voice may be divided into phonation, resonation, and articulation. Phonation is the process by which energy from the lungs in the form of air pressure is converted into audible vibrations. One method of phonation involves using the air pressure to set the elastic vocal folds into vibration, a process called voicing. The other involves allowing air to pass through the larynx in to the vocal tract where modifications of the airstream produce transient or aperiodic sound waves. Understanding Voice Disorders Knowing how normal voice is produced and the roles the voice box and its parts play in speaking and singing helps patients understand their voice disorders Voice "As We Know It" The "spoken word" results from three components of voice production: voiced sound, resonance, and articulation. y Voiced sound: The basic sound produced by vocal fold vibration is called "voiced sound." This is frequently described as a "buzzy" sound. Voiced sound for singing differs significantly from voiced sound for speech. Resonance: Voice sound is amplified and modified by the vocal tract resonators (the throat, mouth cavity, and nasal passages). The resonators produce a person's recognizable voice. Articulation: The vocal tract articulators (the tongue, soft palate, and lips) modify the voiced sound. The articulators produce recognizable words.

Voice Mechanism Speaking and singing involve a voice mechanism that is composed of three subsystems. Each subsystem is composed of different parts of the body and has specific roles in voice production.

Three Voice Subsystems Subsystem Air pressure system Voice Organs Diaphragm, chest muscles, ribs, abdominal muscles Lungs Vibratory system Voice box (larynx) Vocal folds Vocal folds vibrate, changing air pressure to sound waves producing "voiced sound," frequently described as a "buzzy sound" Varies pitch of sound Resonating system Vocal tract: throat (pharynx), oral cavity, nasal passages Changes the "buzzy sound" into a person's recognizable voice Role in Sound Production Provides and regulates air pressure to cause vocal folds to vibrate

Key Function of the Voice Box The key function of the voice box is to open and close the glottis (the space between the two vocal folds).
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Role in breathing: Open glottis Role in cough reflex: Close, then open glottis Role in swallowing: Close glottis Role in voice: Close glottis and adjust vocal fold tension (plus additional functions for singing)

Key Components of the Voice Box Cartilages Muscles y Nerves y Vocal folds Abnormalities or Changes in the Vibratory System Result in Voice Disorders
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Breakdowns can occur in any one or all three subsystems of voice production. This patient education series focuses on voice disorders, specifically breakdowns in the vibratory system. Footnotes: 1. Voice Medicine by Dr. Lucian Sulica
http://www.voicemedicine.com/normal_voice_functioning.htm 2. Hyperphysics by R. Nave http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/music/voice.html 3. Ronnie Lederman, Vocalfucus.com http://www.vocalfocus.com/voice.html

4. Voice Foundation
http://www.voicefoundation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=85%3Aanat omy-and-physiology-of-voice-production-highlights-&catid=47%3Avoice-problems&Itemid=49 5. Hyperphysics http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/music/voice2.html