The 3 Subsystems of Voice

Image of the three subsystems of voice and where they are located on the body, as well as some landmarks like the diaphragm, lungs, larynx, and resonators.

There are three separate systems involved in speaking: breathing, phonation, and resonance. It is important that all three systems are working efficiently and in conjunction with one another to ensure proper voicing. Below we have provided a brief overview of each system, how the system relates to the voice, as well as how the voice can be impacted if the system is not working effectively.

Breath support: The breath serves as the powerhouse of the voice. Optimal breath support is important for a clear and healthy voice. When we speak, the air in our lungs vibrates the vocal folds which creates phonation. Abdominal diaphragmatic breathing (AD breathing) can be a helpful exercise to work on improving overall breath support. In short, AD breathing involves full oxygen exchanges by taking a deep inhalation through the nose to fill the lungs. Adequate positioning, such as laying on your back or sitting in an upright position with shoulders relaxed, can help to optimize breath support. It can help to place a hand on your chest and/or stomach during inhalations and exhalations to feel if you are breathing into your chest or your diaphragm. Poor breath support can cause the voice to sound dysphonic (e.g., strained, breathy). It is also likely that individuals will experience increased tension in the muscles involved in voicing, which can lead to inefficient movement of the vocal folds during phonation.

Phonation: The vocal folds, also known as the vocal cords, are housed within the larynx and serve as the “sound source”. Pitch is changed by adjusting the tension on our vocal folds. A higher pitch will result from vocal folds that are elongated and vibrating at a higher frequency and lower pitches will result from vocal folds that are shortened and vibrating at a lower frequency. It is important that the vocal folds are healthy and lubricated in order to ensure optimal voice quality. You can keep your vocal folds healthy by maintaining good hydration and managing underlying medical conditions that could lead to irritation or inflammation of the vocal fold (e.g., GERD, acid reflux).

Resonance: The sound produced by the vocal folds travels up through the vocal tract and the oral and nasal cavities when speaking. The size and shape of these cavities helps to filter the voice to make it sound perceptually “brighter” or “darker.” There are many techniques that we can incorporate into our therapy sessions to help adjust the resonance to suit the clients voice concerns. Particularly when adjusting for bright resonance, it is important to avoid hypertension which can lead to strain or nasality.

This basic overview can help you to understand the systems at play when making modifications to your voice. To learn more about how we can help you achieve your voice goals, reach out to schedule a consultation call.