Summary:
The vocal folds are tiny: their length equal to the diameter of a dime for women and a quarter for men, yet the instrument can still sound incredibly large.
The cover of the vocal folds--made of skin cells and mucus--and the lamina propria--made of varying levels of viscous layers--work together. The cover slips over the body of the vocal folds to facilitate oscillation and the lamina propria cushions impact when vocal folds are in use.
Our vocal folds must contract and relax at an incredible rate and this can only be executed through proper airflow.
Our larynx, home to our vocal folds, is also incredibly small--the size of a walnut for men, a pecan for women.
Because our vocal instrument is all connected to the hyoid bone, problems with posture and tension can throw off the harmonious connection of all pieces.
QUESTION: because cricoid is attached to the thyroid through synovial joints, can you get arthritis in those joints? (pg. 45)
UPDATE: yes, you can!
Vocal folds must be brought together and glottis must be closed in order to create sound. When vocal folds lengthen, they produce a sound higher in pitch/frequency.
The thyroarytenoid--located at the thyroid cartilage and inserted in the arytenoid cartilage--is chiefly responsible for shortening and thickening the vocal folds (producing a lower pitch).
QUESTION: This part confused me because he also writes about the vocal folds thickening during higher pitches. Can it do both? Did he mean to write that it gets thinner when singing higher pitches? (pg. 48) (This is covered on pgs. 54-55 but it’s still confusing to me.)
The cricothyroid--located in the space between the cricoid and thyroid cartilages--is primarily responsible for elongating and thinning the vocal folds (producing a higher pitch).
Silent glottal vs. silent “h”--allows for a balanced sound without starting a phrase in a breathy way or with a hard glottal onset, which can cause a pressed sound.
Application: All of the anatomical structures surrounding our vocal folds that are used to sing and create sound at all can be used in right and wrong ways. It is important to know these structures and how to properly care for and maintain our instrument. When it comes to teaching, it is important to address tension and posture, so as to create the correct shape of the instrument and prevent damage, especially to our hyoid bones and larynx. It is also important to address onsets and how balanced onsets can help us keep our vocal folds healthy, as well as create clear, focused sounds. Our voice is an instrument and it is of the utmost importance that we know how to care for it.
No comments:
Post a Comment