The Vocal Subsystems

This week, we take a look at how the voice works and explore vocal subsystems.

The voice is an instrument much like other musical instruments.
All instruments have 3 basic components in common:

1. Something that powers the sound
2. Something that vibrates (also called the source or oscillator), and
3. A resonator or filter that shapes and amplifies the sound

For voice, power is air from the lungs, the vocal folds create the vibration, and the resonator is the vocal tract (everything between the vocal folds and the lips or nose). 

We can think of these as the 3 subsystems of the voice:

a. Resonating System
Vibratory System
Air Pressure System

The resonating system also includes our moveable articulators (lips, tongue, jaw, soft palate, throat) and fixed articulators (teeth, hard palate, etc).

The 3 subsystems share the work of producing voice, and have to interact in an optimal way for our voices to work well and stay healthy. We can manipulate all of these components to enhance or undermine how well the voice works/sounds. Semi-occluded vocal tract sounds are a great way to help coordinate the vocal subsystems in the most efficient way.

More soon,
Your SonoVoice Team

Next Week: Semi-Occluded
Vocal Tract Sounds for Vocal Athletes