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 to control the amount, pressure, and rate of air being expelled from the lungs = 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
(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.

Onset: How We Start A Tone

• ​Aspirate Onset: (Soft)
• Glottal Onset: (Hard)
• Coordinated Onset: (Balanced)​

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 :)