How to Sing Better: The Tongue

VOWEL FORMANTS AND THE TONGUE

F₁ correlates inversely with tongue height; the higher the tongue is, the more closed the vowel is and the lower the F₁ frequency is. As the tongue moves from a high to a low position (from closed to open vowels), the pharyngeal cavity decreases in volume or space, and the mouth cavity (meaning the area in front of the tongue constriction) increases in volume or space.

Closed vowels, because the tongue is high in the mouth and pulled upward and out of the pharynx, create more pharyngeal space and less mouth space.

Lower F₁ correlates with less hold. Higher F₁ correlates with more hold.  A high tongue produces a closed vowel and lower F₁ frequencies, effectively creating more release. A flat tongue produces an open vowel and higher F₁ frequencies, effectively creating more hold.

Singers who pull chest sing with a wide grimace, extremely spread lips, and a raised larynx, raising F₁ frequencies. The raised larynx creates a smaller pharyngeal resonator.

Along with tongue height, tongue forwardness or retraction affects formants; moving the tongue forward raises F₂; retracting the tongue lowers F₂. When the distance from the tongue constriction to the lips is smaller, F₂ is raised.

For example, to form the vowel [i] the constriction of the tongue is high and forward; F₂ is high because the distance from the constriction of the tongue to the lips is relatively short.

Vowels formed toward the back of the tongue are called back vowels; these vowels have much lower F₂ frequencies than the front vowels and are correspondingly less brilliant.

Vowels, all comprised of a balance of F₁  and F_2, affect laryngeal, or vocal fold activity. Open and closed vowels affect the vocal folds differently.