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How the Voice Works |
Note: For those interested in more detail, an expanded and updated version of this page can be found at our sister website, Narrator.com, at this address:http://www.narrator.com/nvoice.html
Although singing, acting, public speaking and other types of performance require different training and techniques, the process of making vocal sound is basically the same. An understanding of the underlying physiology of the voice can help improve any performance, and that is the purpose of this page.
This simplified diagram is too small to include them, but 1) the lungs and diaphragm are used for breath control that is crucial to voice performance. From there, air passes through 2) the trachea or "wind pipe" and over 3) vocal folds ("vocal cords") within the 4) larynx or "voice box." When the folds lie flat no sound is created, but when stretched out, passing air makes them vibrate. Air then passes the glottis and 5) epiglottis, and into the mouth.
The mouth is a cavity whose shape can change depending on the position of certain organs. This reshaping alone can change the tone of the sound being made. Some of the same organs also articulate the specific sounds that go together to make speech. They include 6) the uvula, a moveable extension of 7) the soft palate; 8) unmoving parts like the 8) hard palate and 10 teeth; and of course, the 9)tongue and 11) lips. The 12) nose, nasal passage and sinuses are important not only for breath control, but also for resonance.
Complete control over speech is even more complex than this. Muscle tension in the neck can affect the larynx, which is why coaches emphasize relaxation as part of performance preparation. Changing the position of the lower jaw, and of some facrial muscles, can also change the shape of the mouth, and thus the sound created. Also, most of the upper body vibrates during speech, and bones in the head and chest serve as sounding boards that further amplify vocal sound.
Any performer who uses his/her voice well is controlling all the parts and processes described here, whether consciously or instinctively. Accurate, precise and repeatable delivery of the spoken word requires mastery of these complex interactions. Add to that the challenge of emotional and intellectual interpretation of the words themselves, and you get some idea of the real complexity behind high-quality voice performance.
