How to Sing- The Muscles of Your Voice Box

The intrinsic muscles are those within and around the larynx. The intrinsic muscles that contribute to vocal production include:

1. The TA or thyroarytenoid muscles comprise the main body of the vocal fold. They contract to shorten and thicken the vocal folds and are predominantly active in the lower register or chest voice.

The terms TA and vocalis are often used interchangeably, though they are different muscle bundles. The vocalis is the medial (inside) portion of the fold body (the part closest to the ligament) and is comprised of slow-twitch muscle fibers. The thyroarytenoid (TA) portion is comprised of fast-twitch muscle fibers.

The thyroarytenoid (TA) muscle adducts, shortens, and thickens the vocal folds, rounding their edges as the body of the folds contracts. When TA activity shortens the folds, the first two outer layers of the fold (the epithelium and superficial lamina propria (mucosa) and the intermediate and deep lamina propria (ligament) become slacker. The innermost layer (the thyroarytenoid (TA) muscle and vocalis (body) is stiffened.

2. The CT or cricothyroid muscles that elongate the vocal folds by tilting the thyroid cartilage downward. The CT muscles are more active in the upper register.

3. The IA (interarytenoid) muscle that draws the arytenoid cartilages together, bringing the vocal folds to the midline.

4. The LCA (lateral cricoarytenoid) muscles that rotate the arytenoid cartilages, assisting the process of vocal fold adduction by creating medial compression.

5. The PCA (posterior cricoarytenoid) muscles that abduct or open the folds.

The extrinsic muscles connect the thyroid, cricoid, and arytenoid cartilages to other structures of the head and neck. Some of these, the elevator muscles, raise the larynx when we swallow. When the extrinsic muscles are activated during singing, they can interfere with good vocal production; they are therefore also known as interfering muscles.

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