Phonation

Phonation is simply the vibration of the vocal cords. The cords are quite small and delicate, so phonation needs to be studied and exercised properly in order to improve tone quality. Bringing your cords together precisely on a consistent basis, as required to obtain a pure tone, takes practice. Doing so consistently increases your sensitivity to your cords, which is important in order to keep your voice healthy, fresh, and in top shape. It also improves your breath efficiency (see vocal cords).

When phonation begins, the vocal cords vibrate from bottom to top in a wave-like motion. It is a mucosal membrane of the epithelial layer of each vocal cord that touches during phonation, and sometimes clear secretions can be seen dancing on the surface of well-lubricated, healthy vocal cords (see epithelium). During low notes, the cords shorten and thicken, becoming deeper from bottom to top. For high notes, the cords are stretched long and thin, becoming narrower from bottom to top. Because the cords are pulled thinner for high notes, the wave is narrower and faster, hence the tighter feeling for a high note as opposed to the relaxed feeling for a low note.

Many singers lean too heavily on their phonation, known as belting, in order to project their voice. This is based on a misunderstanding about how the voice functions. Projection is the job of your resonance. How to tap into resonance is not the job of the vocal cords. This misunderstanding causes pushing and straining, leading to vocal fatigue and, if the situation becomes chronic, may also cause vocal nodules. These are calluses on the vocal cords, usually treated by extensive vocal rest and sometimes surgery—a situation most singers would prefer to avoid.

Another common problem advocated by many teachers is to “open your throat” while singing. This idea originally came from bel canto, regarded by many as the apex of classical singing. What this glotta aperta actually meant in 16th-century Italy is quite different than how it’s applied today. When your vocal cords vibrate, they need to touch each other; therefore, a closed throat is what is actually needed in order to phonate properly. When singers try to open their throats, they add a lot of unnecessary tension to the tongue and soft palate by overly lowering the larynx. All of which negatively affects phonation and resonance. We never attempt to open our throats while talking, so why is this a good idea while singing? It simply isn’t. Try it for yourself; it sounds silly. It creates an artificial sound that makes a 12-year-old sound like she’s forty. Impressive perhaps in the moment, but at what cost? I don’t think it’s sustainable or beautiful, as the most unique qualities of the voice are lost.

Lesley believes glotta aperta is another widely misunderstood concept, which refers to something else entirely. She has translated it differently and included it in her approach to alignment.

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