"Welcome students. Today we will take a look at the basic parts of our vocal
instrument. I’m sure you considered cutting this class; singers rarely educate
themselves on the various parts of the body. They fear the knowledge will hamper free
spirit. Ironically, this attitude often inhibits vocal ability due to common
misconceptions. Many of us maintain a cartoon-like perception of anatomy. We picture, for
instance, the lungs to be hollow, balloon-like organs occupying the entire area inside the
rib cage. Muscle behavior is based on these larger-than-life perceptions, causing problems
with control.
Singing starts with an inhale. Most people know this action requires the diaphragm
but are not aware of its location or how it works. Place your hand over your belly button.
This area is NOT your diaphragm; it is the abdominal wall. The diaphragm is a dome-shaped
muscle which divides your torso, separating the lungs and heart above (thoracic cavity)
from the digestive organs below (abdominal cavity). To locate, place your finger at the
bottom of your sternum bone (breast plate); the diaphragm crosses directly behind. Notice
it is fairly high up inside the rib cage. Now place your hands on your chest, fingers
facing up, with the base of the palms on your nipples. This provides a good visual of the
size of your lungs. Made of thousands of tiny air sacks called alveoli, the lungs resemble
dense sponges more than balloons. They do not draw in air themselves; they are enlarged as
the diaphragm descends (inhale) and reduced as the diaphragm returns (exhale). When you
hear the term ‘support’ in relation to singing, it means the diaphragm is able
to move up and down freely and make minute adjustments in air pressure. It does not mean
to push from the abdominal wall.
The larynx is in the middle of the throat, sitting on top of the windpipe and is
the vibrator of the instrument. Its inside diameter is about the size of a quarter. There
are two horizontal flaps within the larynx, called vocal folds, which can partially cover
the windpipe and vibrate when air passes through. These folds are similar to eyelids in
size and shape but are covered by mucus membranes and need to be kept lubricated. There is
a network of muscles in and around the folds which manipulate their tension for pitch
change, thickness for volume and their position for a variety of tonal qualities. These
muscles operate reflexively, like those of the eye, and work best when provided with an
appropriate amount of air pressure.
There is a short stretch of throat above the larynx called the pharynx. It is the
main resonator of the voice. Most of us imagine this area as having a large diameter; yet
we know better than to swallow a penny. The pharynx is lined with sensitive muscles which
narrow the internal space further in response to contractions of the abdominal wall. The
pharynx connects to the mouth and nasal cavities, also important resonators. The muscles
of the tongue and jaw are the strongest in the body, and both brace instinctively to
provide extra rigidity to the throat. All these closing actions greatly reduce the
potential for overtones. Another reason not to over-drive your air pressure.
Every instrument requires a specific touch and the voice is no exception.
Visualizing how small the parts of your instrument really are will help balance muscle
activity. What I have provided is a very basic overview. Do yourself a favor and explore
an anatomy book. The more you know about the functions of each part, the easier it is to
make any instrument sing. That’s all for today. Class dismissed."
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