How Singing Works- Respiration, Phonation, and Resonation

Anatomy is the study of the body and physiology is the study of how the systems in the body function. An understanding of how the cooperative components of our amazing vocal system work together will give you a solid fact-based foundation on which to build good vocal technique and train great singers.

Some singers are sensation based; they are mostly concerned with what feels right. However, others may be interested in knowing some of the science behind this marvelously designed system. An understanding of how the voice works will make the vocal training process much more meaningful and effective for you.

Think of the singing voice as a system. Systems are made up of various components or smaller systems that must all work cooperatively together.

The system of the voice consists of three components: respiration (air, or energy source), phonation (the vibrator or oscillator) and resonation (a filtering and selective reinforcement/damping system).

Respiration for singing is produced by the lungs, trachea, diaphragm, and other muscles of respiration. The diaphragm, the transversus abdominis, the internal and external oblique muscles, the internal and external intercostal muscles and the rectus abdominis are our main focus in singing.

Phonation occurs in the larynx, which houses the vocal folds. Air pressure causes the vocal folds to vibrate as air is moved out of the lungs by the coordinated action of the diaphragm, ribcage, and respiratory muscles. As the vocal folds rapidly open and close, air is converted from aerodynamic energy to acoustic energy.

A soft, buzz-like fundamental frequency along with various partials are produced at the vocal fold level and are subsequently filtered, then selectively reinforced (boosted) or damped in the vocal tract.

Resonation occurs in the vocal tract- the pharyngeal (throat) and oral (mouth) cavities, where harmonics are filtered and selectively reinforced or damped.

The vocal tract is also where articulation happens. Articulation is the shaping of the vocal tract by various positions of the lips, lower jaw, tongue, velum or soft palate, pharyngeal walls, and larynx. The lips, teeth, tongue, soft palate, and hard palate are referred to as articulators because they modify the sound, creating vowels and consonants.

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