VOICE PEDAGOGY

Scott McCoy, Associate Editor

Vehicular Vocalizing to Start Your Day

Kari Ragan and Mara Kapsner-Smith

S
INTRODUCTION
ingers spend a lifetime training their singing voice, often not
considering that it is the same vocal instrument used in speech and
song. They understand the necessity to train the singing voice, but
consideration for healthy speaking patterns also should be a part of a
complete vocal training regimen. Singers with high voice usage (often called
vocal dose), such as teachers or choral directors, should be particularly aware
of how they use their speaking voice, since it can contribute to vocal health
Kari Ragan
concerns. Warming up the singing voice as preparation for a rehearsal or
performance is considered routine training; those whose profession depends
on speaking, such as teachers, should also warm up the voice to maintain an
overall healthy mechanism for speaking and singing.
Outlined in this article is a four-tiered system that provides guidelines to
prepare the speaking voice at the beginning of the day. The goal is to condi-
tion healthy voice production and reduce potential for voice fatigue. The
exercises outlined could be used as daily maintenance before speaking or
for anyone experiencing heavy vocal demands. The mechanics of the voice
involve respiration, phonation, articulation, and resonation systems for the
Mara Kapsner-Smith production of sound. The vocal exercises outlined coordinate these systems
and include 1) stretching, 2) breathing, 3) semi-occluded vocal tract exercises
(SOVT), and 4) resonant voice exercises. The order of the four tiers could be
arranged to suit the singer’s individual needs but are presented to include each
important component of warm ups. Because singers recognize the necessity
of training the voice, the idea of integrating a daily routine will be familiar.
Commuter time provides an opportunity to vocalize, with some obvious
safety considerations outlined. It must be noted that if one has a complaint
of hoarseness, pain, voice fatigue, or other related vocal health concerns, an
examination by a qualified laryngologist or otolaryngologist voice specialist
is necessary.1 The general guideline is to seek medical evaluation after two
weeks of voice concerns. This article is not intended as a substitute for medi-
cal advice or voice treatment.

PRINCIPLES OF PHONATION
Journal of Singing, November/December 2019 The goal in achieving a “healthy” speaking voice is to produce a voice that
Volume 76, No. 2, pp. 165–170
Copyright © 2019 carries a message effectively, without discomfort or fatigue, and to avoid
National Association of Teachers of Singing excessive stresses to the vocal fold tissues that may lead to swelling and pathol-

November/December 2019 165

Kari Ragan and Mara Kapsner-Smith

ogy. Well aligned posture, efficient breathing, and good range of frequencies, and either boosts or dampens
vocal hygiene set the stage for effective voicing. Good the harmonics produced by the vocal folds at those
“vocal posture” is also necessary; it involves balancing frequencies. To facilitate sustained vocal fold vibration
the degree of vocal fold closure with airflow and maxi- and amplify our acoustic output, we want to achieve a
mizing the way the vocal tract feeds energy back to the lot of inertance at a wide range of frequencies.
vocal folds to facilitate easy and efficient voicing.
To create voicing, we bring our vocal folds together HARNESSING THE ENERGY
during exhalation and they are set into vibration. This OF THE VOCAL TRACT
vibration converts aerodynamic energy into acoustic
How can we achieve a healthy (barely ab/adducted) vocal
energy. If our vocal folds are too spread apart, there will
fold posture and a high degree of vocal tract inertance
be very little impact on the vocal folds as they vibrate, but
during voicing? Exercises known as semi-occlusions of
they will do a poor job of creating acoustic energy. This
creates a breathy voice quality that is limited in loudness. If the vocal tract (SOVT), such as straw phonation, can
the vocal folds are pressed tightly together, they will create help to achieve both of these goals. Studies using compu-
a lot of acoustic energy, but at the cost of high impact on tational models to simulate voicing have demonstrated
the vocal fold tissues. This creates a bright, “brassy” quality that narrowing and lengthening the vocal tract (e.g., put-
which carries well, but may be harmful in large doses. For ting a straw between the lips) paired with narrowing the
healthy voicing, we want to achieve a vocal fold posture epilarynx leads to inertance gains across a wide range of
that maximizes acoustic output, while minimizing vocal frequencies.5 This boosts the acoustic energy produced
fold impact stresses, that is, an efficient voice. Berry et al. by the vocal folds across a wide range of frequencies,
investigated this cost-output ratio in an in-vitro study and including a band of frequencies around 2500–3500 Hz,
found that the most efficient voice was produced with the known as the singer’s (or speaker’s) formant cluster.6 This
vocal folds barely touching or slightly separated.2 This is formant cluster is associated with the sudden expansion
consistent with resonant voice, a technique that is fre- from a narrow epilarynx tube to a wide pharynx, and cre-
quently used in voice therapy. Laryngoscopy of trained ates a ringing quality in the voice that allows it to carry
vocalists producing pressed, breathy, and resonant voice without amplification. Semi-occlusion also facilitates
qualities found that resonant voice was consistently pro- healthy adduction of the vocal folds. SOVT exercises cre-
duced with a barely ab/adducted vocal fold posture.3 ate increased intraoral pressure due to the narrowing of
The shape of our vocal tract (the area from the glot- the lips (or other articulators). This increased pressure in
tis/vocal folds to the lips) can also affect how well our the vocal tract helps to “spread” the vocal folds and pre-
vocal folds vibrate and the acoustic energy they create. vent hyperadduction, avoiding a pressed voice quality.7
As sound waves travel through the vocal tract, some of Research with human subjects using SOVT exercises
this energy feeds back to the vocal folds and may either has had mixed results, but evidence demonstrates that
help or hinder vibration. When increased acoustic pres- even brief use of SOVT may improve several aspects of
sures occur above the vocal folds during the opening voicing, including acoustic output,8 vocal tract posture,9
phase of vibration, and decreased acoustic pressures and perceptual voice quality.10 The variability of research
occur during the closing phase, these changes in pressure findings may be partially attributed to the fact that there
help to “push” and “pull” the vocal folds and facilitate are many types of SOVT exercises, and they are not one-
sustained vibration with lower subglottal pressure.4 This size-fits-all. SOVT exercises are an important feature
is known as vocal tract inertance. When the opposite of most voice therapy approaches.11 Even for healthy
occurs, it is known as compliance, and it can disrupt voices, spending a few minutes doing voice exercises to
vocal fold vibration. You likely have experienced this as reset good vocal posture can be a helpful way to prepare
voice breaks or instability, such as occurs when singing for, and recover from, your speaking day. The following
through the passaggio. Inertance also impacts acoustic sections will describe some specific exercises you may
output. Vocal tract posture determines whether there use, and strategies for incorporating them into your
is inertance or compliance, and how much, at a wide busy schedule.

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 Voice Pedagogy

GUIDELINES FOR VEHICULAR Jaw Unvoiced Stretches

VOCALIZING 1. Begin by gently wiggling the jaw in multiple direc-
Vehicular Vocalizing is not meant to be just a clever title. tions, back and forth in a circular motion both direc-
Time efficiency is a constant goal in our busy lives, and tions, and then as if you are chewing.
the car can be a useful place to prepare the voice for the 2. Slowly extend to a broader range of motion by gradu-
day in order to maintain an overall healthy mechanism ally opening the jaw. The jaw should remain flexible
for speaking and singing. Whether driving a long or a and never locked or rigid. You can add lip movement
short commute to work, carpooling, or running errands, to the stretch as well.
using the time to vocalize can be productive. The car is 3. Place a thumb on the masseter muscle and massage
certainly not a proper place for daily singing practice while slowly opening your jaw (one hand at a time
needing a high level of vocal efficiency and training. while driving). The masseter muscle can be found
Posture is often one of the first considerations by placing a thumb just below the middle of the
of voice production. In the car, begin with postural cheekbone and clenching the jaw until you feel the
awareness by sitting tall and lengthening the spine. (Of bulge of the insertion point of the muscle. This area
course, this is after you have buckled up, put your cell might be tender.
phone away, and carefully pulled out of the driveway
or parking spot.) Shoulders should be relaxed (even in Tongue Unvoiced Stretches
bad traffic), and hands should be on the steering wheel 1. Gently and slowly stick the tongue straight out,
at 9:00 and 3:00 o’clock. Not only is this hand position directing it toward the floor. Stretch the tongue as
advocated by safety experts, the lateral elevation of if rolling it off a mounted water hose reel. Repeat
arms facilitates an expanded rib posture allowing for several times.
good inhalation. In the seated position it can be easier 2. Place the tongue below the inside of the bottom teeth
to feel the abdominal wall release on inhalation; use and gently and slowly roll the middle of the tongue
the lower seat belt to help with this sensation. Other forward out of the mouth. Repeat several times.
car considerations include remaining in a narrow vocal 3. Move the tongue in a 360-degree circular motion
range, not too high or low, and at a moderate dynamic slowly around the outside of the teeth in both direc-
level; not too loud—remember there is a lot of ambient tions ten times. Remember to release any tension at
noise in a car. Extremes of either require concentra- the base of the tongue while doing this exercise.
tion and physical energy not suited to vocalizing while
operating a motor vehicle. Plus, remember road rage Jaw and Tongue Voiced Exercises
can contribute to pressed phonation, so stay calm. 1. Using the dental consonants /l,d,n,t/, speak the syl-
Experientially, 10–12 minutes of warming up the voice lables /la,la,la,la,la,da,da,da,da,da,na,na,na,na,na,ta,
are recommended; however, a shorter or longer time ta,ta,ta,ta/. Careful awareness should be made to use
frame could be suitable. only the tip of the tongue for this gesture. Jaw should
remain stationary but not rigid. The tongue should
TIER ONE: ARTICULATORY be “liquid,” not tense. Next sing a 5-note scale 1-2-3-
STRETCHES AND EXERCISES 4-5-4-3-2-1 while singing each syllable (one at a time
Due to the muscular interconnections between the jaw, or rotating through l,d,n,t) with the same principles
tongue, palate, and larynx, it is understandable that ten- described above. Start in a comfortable range and
sions can be inadvertently created. For voice athletes, it is ascend a few half steps then descend a few half steps
important to acquire independence within the articula- staying in a moderate range.
tory system. The following exercises encourage flexibility 2. Using consonants /j/ (sounds like y), /k/, /g/, speak
and mobility between the jaw, tongue, and larynx, with the syllables /ja,ja,ja,ja,ka,ka,ka,ka,ga,ga,ga,ga/
the intent of optimal voice production. Stretches can be bringing careful awareness that the tongue remains
done with and without voicing. released of tension. The tongue gesture should be in

November/December 2019 167

Kari Ragan and Mara Kapsner-Smith

the middle of the roof of the mouth between the hard • /sssss/-/zzzzz/-/sssss/-/zzzzz/
and soft palates. The jaw should remain stationary • /fffff/-/vvvvv/-/fffff/-/vvvvv/
but not rigid. Next sing the triad 1-3-5-3-1 on each • /θθθθθ/-/ððððð/-/θθθθθ/-/ððððð/
syllable. Start in a comfortable range and move up or • /ʃʃʃʃʃ/-/ʒʒʒʒʒʒ/
down a few half steps staying in a moderate range. 3. Using the sound /ʃum/(“shoom”).
3. Place the tip of the tongue behind the front teeth, • Slowly drone /ʃʃʃʃʃʃʃʃʃʃʃʃuuuuuuuuummmmmm
making certain it stays liquid, not rigid. Slowly move mmm/
the jaw up and down while singing /n/ on either a glide • Descending pitch glide in a comfortable range
or a 3–5 note scale (1-2-3-2-1, 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1). /ʃʃʃʃʃʃʃʃʃʃʃhuuuuuuuuummmmm/
4. Perform tongue trills and/or “raspberry” (tongue • On a sustained comfortable (low/middle voice)
between the lips) on both unvoiced, and voiced glides. pitch, sing /ʃʃʃʃʃʃʃʃʃʃʃuuuuuuuummmmm/. Repeat
ascending and descending on a comfortable range
TIER TWO: BREATHING EXERCISES between C4–C5.
Since the respiratory system is the power source of the
voice, it is important to condition balanced onset for TIER THREE: SEMI-OCCLUDED
optimal vocal fold vibration. We know that a “breathy VOCAL TRACT EXERCISES
voice” occurs when airflow is excessive, and a “pressed Semi-occluded vocal tract (SOVT) exercises facilitate
voice” occurs when there is not enough airflow.12 Too coordination of breath, vocal fold adduction, and vocal
much subglottic air pressure can create tension in the tract posture to make voicing efficient. Because of the
mechanics of the voice leading to a strident, pressed low impact nature of SOVT exercises, you can produce
sound, and can be taxing to the vocal mechanism. a wide range of pitches and volumes without too much
Conversely, too little airflow is problematic and can impact on the vocal folds.
alter voice quality, for example, creating vocal fry. The There are a number of options for how to semi-
ideal is a balanced onset: coordination of subglottic air occlude your vocal tract during voicing exercises. Try a
pressure, airflow, and vocal fold closure. number of them to see what works best for you. SOVTs
Exercises for respiration should include those that vary in terms of the amount of “back pressure” they cre-
coordinate breath and phonation. The following exer- ate in the vocal tract. Higher pressure SOVTs include
cises move the vocalist from solely breathing exercises to phonation through narrow straws, through a straw in
ones that coordinate both the respiration and phonation water (or your morning coffee), and lip trills and rasp-
systems of the voice. berries. Nasal consonants are relatively low pressure
Respiration Exercises SOVTs. Voiced fricatives fall somewhere in between.13 If
1. Hissing in different rhythmic patterns: you tend to “press” your voice, or hyperadduct, a higher
• Sustained hiss /s/ or /ʃ/ (sounds like sh). This should pressure SOVT may help you to spread the vocal folds
be done for a comfortable length of time. Keep the during phonation. If you do not, you may find that a
airflow consistent throughout the exercise. Bring lower pressure SOVT, which still provides the benefit
awareness to posture before beginning, and gentle of increased vocal tract inertance, works just as well
abdominal engagement during the exercises. for you.
• Hiss while pulsing airflow in different rhythmic SOVT exercises also vary in terms of being steady
patterns such as moving from duplets to triplets. or oscillatory. Trills, such as lip trills, tongue trills, and
2. Unvoiced/voiced consonant pairs: /s-z/; /f-v/; /θ-ð/; tongue-out trills (raspberries), and phonation through
/ʃ-/ʒ/. Bring awareness to breath management strate- a tube in water have two sources of vibration—your
gies, while coordinating between the paired sounds. vocal folds and the semi-occlusion. These maneuvers
Tongue and jaw should be released of tension. Time tend to stimulate increased breath support to keep both
measurement should be approximately one second vibration sources going. Trills also require you to reduce
per sound. tension in the articulators that are trilling (e.g., lips,

168 Journal of Singing

 Voice Pedagogy

tongue). If you became aware of some tension in your 1. On a comfortable pitch, say “hmmmm.” Does your
articulators during the previous exercises, try a trill and voice feel effortless? Do you feel vibration in the front
see if it helps you release that tension. of your face? Where do you feel the vibration? Play
Check that your posture is still upright and relaxed. with humming and move your pitch around until
Relax your shoulders, neck, and face. Using your pre- you feel an easy voice that creates a lot of buzzing.
ferred SOVT, do a few repetitions of the following 2. Try adding different vowels to your hum. Does
exercises: your voice remain effortless throughout? Do you
1. Pitch glides or sirens. Glide your voice up the scale still feel vibration? /mɑm/ /mim/ /moʊm/ /mum/ /
and back down with ease. Do not worry about pitch meɪm/ /maɪm/
breaks, which may move or become exaggerated dur- 3. With your resonant voice, say a few words and
ing some SOVTs. Allow your voice to move easily phrases that are full of nasal sounds. “Mom.” “Man.”
through your range. “Moon.” “Many men.” “Maybe Monday.” “Mary
2. Accents. Create pulses of sound from your belly. Vary made me mad.” “Marvelous lemon muffins.” Say
the pitch and speed of the accents. some phrases you might use at work or home and
3. Singing. Sing the melody of a simple song through the try to maintain your resonant voice.
4. Hum while gliding on scale degrees 1-3-1, moving
straw or other semi-occlusion. Use accents to support
directly into a group of words or sentence on the
changes in pitch and loudness.
same breath and resonant voice (e.g., hum 1-3-1-1-2-
4. Speech. Recite a few favorite lines of poetry or read
3-4-5) or (hum 1-3-1 -a,b,c,d,e,f,g) or (hum 1-3-1-hi
out the street signs along your commute. Note that
how are you).
you will not be articulating speech, but rather produc-
ing just the rhythm and melody of speech. Use lots of
CONCLUSION
expression in your voice.
Thoughtful preparation of the speaking voice can help
As you complete these exercises, notice how your
ready your instrument for daily demands and may pre-
voice feels. Do you feel tension in your throat or shoul-
vent vocal fatigue. Outlined in this article is a four-tier
ders that you need to release? Does your voice feel easy? system to prepare the speaking voice using a systematic
approach familiar to singers. It is important to reiterate
TIER FOUR: RESONANCE EXERCISES that any voice concerns lasting longer than two weeks
The term resonance can mean many things. It has a should be evaluated by an appropriate medical voice
perceptual meaning in terms of voice, referring to a team. Vocal health considerations are necessary for
fullness or robustness of sound. It also has a meaning any voice athlete and should include education about
in physics, referring to reinforcement of vibration or the speaking voice, since the same mechanism is used
specifically sound through reflection of waves (recall for both tasks.
vocal tract inertance). It also has sensations associated
NOTES
with it for the speaker; a resonant voice should feel easy
to produce and create a sensation of buzzing or vibration   1. Kari Ragan, “Understanding Voice Doctors: Whom to
in the front of the face. Call and When to Call Them,” Journal of Singing 74, no. 1
(September/October 2017): 53–57.
During the SOVT exercises from the previous sec-
tion, you were likely creating strong resonances between   2. David Berry, Katherine Verdolini, Douglas Montequin,
Markus Hess, Roger Chan, and Ingo Titze, “A Quantitative
your vocal tract and vocal folds because of vocal tract
Output-Cost Ratio in Voice Production,” Journal of Speech,
inertance. These resonances allow you to produce a lot Language, and Hearing Research 44, no. 1 (February 2001):
of sound without a lot of effort or impact. Unfortunately, 29–37.
we can’t spend our days semi-occluding, so resonant   3. Katherine Verdolini, David Druker, Phyllis Palmer, and Hani
speech exercises are in order to help bring what you Samawi, “Laryngeal Adduction in Resonant Voice,” Journal
have learned into your daily communication. of Voice 12, no. 3 (September 1998): 315–327.

November/December 2019 169

Kari Ragan and Mara Kapsner-Smith

  4. Ingo Titze, “Theoretical Analysis of Maximum Flow Trial of Two Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract Voice Therapy
Declination Rate Versus Maximum Area Declination Rate Protocols,” Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing
in Phonation,” Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research 58, no. 3 (June 2015): 535–549.
Research 49, no. 2 (April 2006): 439–447. 12. Rolf Leanderson and Johan Sundberg, “Breathing for
  5. Ingo Titze and Anne-Maria Laukkanen, “Can Vocal Economy Singing,” Journal of Voice 2, no. 1 (1988): 2–12.
in Phonation be Increased with an Artificially Lengthened
13. Lynn Maxfield, Ingo Titze, Eric Hunter, and Mara Kapsner-
Vocal Tract? A Computer Modeling Study,” Logopedics,
Smith, “Intraoral Pressures Produced by Thirteen Semi-
Phoniatrics, Vocology 32, no. 4 (February 2007): 147–156;
Occluded Vocal Tract Gestures,” Logopedics Phoniatrics
Ingo Titze and Katherine Verdolini Abbott, Vocology: The
Vocology 40, no. 2 (May 2014): 86–92.
Science and Practice of Voice Habilitation (Salt Lake City:
The National Center for Voice & Speech, 2012), 302.
  6. Johan Sundberg, “The Acoustics of the Singing Voice,” Kari Ragan, soprano, teaches voice and voice pedagogy at the University
Scientific American 236, no. 3 (March 1977): 82–91. of Washington School of Music in Seattle. Dr. Ragan works in affiliation
with the University of Washington Department of Laryngology program
  7. Ingo Titze, “Bi-stable Vocal Fold Adduction: A Mechanism
as an SVS to rehabilitate injured singers. She maintains an independent
of Modal-Falsetto Register Shifts and Mixed Registration,”
voice studio teaching both classical and Contemporary Commercial
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 135, no. 4
Music (CCM) genres.
(April 2014): 2091–2101.
  8. Marilia Sampaio, Giselle Oliveira, and Mara Behlau, Dr. Ragan holds degrees from Indiana University (BM, MM) and University
“Investigation of the Immediate Effects of Two Semi- of Washington (DMA). In 2012, she was awarded the Van L. Lawrence
Occluded Vocal Tract Exercises,” Pro-fono: Revista de Fellowship, and in 2009 the NATS Foundation Pedagogy Award. Dr. Ragan
Atualizacao Cientifica 20, no. 4 (October 2008): 261–266; has presented at conferences for NATS, Voice Foundation Symposium,
Marco Guzman, Anne-Maria Laukkanen, Petr Krupa, National Center for Voice and Speech, PAVA, International Congress of
Jaromir Horáček, Jan Švec, and Ahmed Geneid, “Vocal Tract Voice Teachers (ICVT), and the Vennard Symposium. She is a founding
and Glottal Function During and After Vocal Exercising member and organizer of the Northwest Voice: Art and Science of the
with Resonance Tube and Straw,” Journal of Voice 27, no. 4 Performing Voice Conference, a charter member of the Pan American
(July 2013): 523. Vocology Association (PAVA), a NATS Foundation Board Member, and
  9. Guzman et al., 523; Tomas Vampola, Anne-Maria Laukkanen, serves as chair of the NATS Advancement Committee.
Jaromir Horácek, and Jan Svec, “Vocal Tract Changes Caused Mara Kapsner-Smith, MS, CCC-SLP, is a Lecturer and doctoral student
by Phonation into a Tube: A Case Study Using Computer
in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of
Tomography and Finite-element Modeling,” Journal of the
Washington. After completing her Master’s degree in Medical Speech-
Acoustical Society of America 129, no. 1 (January 2011): 310–
Language Pathology at the University of Washington, Mara completed a
315; Marco Guzman, Gonzalo Miranda, Christian Olavarria,
fellowship providing inpatient and outpatient SLP services at St. Francis
Sofia Madrid, Daniel Muñoz, Miguel Leiva, Lorena Lopez,
and St. Joseph hospitals in Washington. Following her fellowship, Mara
and Cori Bortnem, “Computerized Tomography Measures
joined the laryngology team at University of Washington Medical Center,
During and After Artificial Lengthening of the Vocal Tract
where she specialized in the assessment and management of voice,
in Subjects with Voice Disorders,” Journal of Voice 31, no.
1 (January 2017): 124. swallowing, and upper airway disorders. She became involved in research
and teaching as a Research Scientist at the National Center for Voice and
10. Laura Enflo, Johan Sundberg, Camilla Romedahl, and Anita
Speech, and as faculty at the Summer Vocology Institute. As faculty at
McAllister, “Effects on Vocal Fold Collision and Phonation
the University of Washington, Mara teaches undergraduate and graduate
Threshold Pressure of Resonance Tube Phonation with
courses and trains graduate student clinicians in assessment and treat-
Tube End in Water,” Journal of Speech, Language, and
ment of voice disorders.
Hearing Research 56, no. 5 (October 2013): 1530–1538;
Guzman et al., 523; Sampaio, Oliveira, and Behlau, 261–266; Mara is a founding member of the Pan American Vocology Association,
Karine Schwarz and Carla Aparecida Cielo, “Vocal and and current President of the Northwest Chapter of the Voice Foundation.
Laryngeal Modifications Produced by the Sonorous Tongue She has contributed to published articles on auditory-perceptual judg-
Vibration Technique,” Pro-fono: Revista de Atualizacao ment of voice quality, voice therapy techniques, aging voice, and head
Cientifica 21, no. 2 (April-June 2009): 161–166. and neck cancer. Her research interests include identifying factors that
11. Mara Kapsner-Smith, Eric Hunter, Kimberly Kirkham, predispose individuals to hyperfunctional voice disorders, and efficacy
Karin Cox, and Ingo Titze, “A Randomized Controlled of voice therapy techniques.

170 Journal of Singing