COMPONENTS

• Power Source
• Oscillator 
• Resonator
• Transmitter
• Receiver

POWER SOURCE

AIR PRESSURE: Breath

Breath Support: Managing Air Pressure

When singing, we want to extend the engagement of the muscles of inspiration (the diaphragm and intercostal muscles) to control the amount, pressure, and rate of air being expelled from the lungs. This means we keep our inhalation muscles in use while we exhale (sing).

Diaphragm​

• Our "Breathing Pump" - contracts downward to pull air into the lungs. We can only control it's downward contraction. 

Intercostals

• Help to keep the ribcage (and therefore our lungs) expanded. 

Abdominals (engaging our "Core")

• ​Helps to create stability or a fulcrum for our inspiration muscles to lean against. 

OSCILLATOR 

Vocal Folds a.k.a Vocal Cords

Pitch Production: Vibratory Cycles Per Second
Air moving past our vocal cords gets them vibrating. That vibration creates a tone. Depending on how fast or slow  (how many oscillations per second) they vibrate, we get a higher or lower tone. When our vocal cords are stretched longer, they vibrate faster, when they are relaxed and shorter, they vibrate slower.
(i.e.) 440 cycles per sec = 440hz = A4

Vocal Registers: "Chest Voice" & "Head Voice"

• M1 or Chest Register: Vocal Folds are thick and relaxed.
• M2 or Head Register: Vocal Folds are thin and stretched.

RESONATOR

Vocal Tract: Pharynx (Laryngo-, Oro-, Naso-)

Amplifier & Individuality

Without our vocal tract resonator, our voice would sound like a reedy buzz and we wouldn't be able to form vowels, express any kind of nuance, or project our voice. 

Resonance Adjusters = Sound Sculptors 

• Tongue + Lips ----> VOWELS!​
• Soft Palate -----> NASO vs THROATY tone quality.
• Larynx Position ------> Ease of sound production & style. 

TRANSMITTER

​Any Medium: Gas, Liquid, Solid

• Gas = Air!

...another example... Helium: helium is lighter than air so sound waves move faster - this doesn't change the main (fundamental) pitch of our voice, but amplifies the higher frequencies (harmonics) in our resonating vocal tract. 

• Liquid: Water (whale song...)
• Solid: Sound moves fastest in dense "elastic" solids. ​

RECEIVER

EARS AND BRAIN - Our sound wave interpreters.

As singers, improving our musical "ear" is VERY important. 
Improving our sight singing, interval and chord quality recognition, scale precision, harmonizing skills, theory . . . all help us be better singers :)