VOCAL

IMMANUEL FLOYD
WITH REFERENCE ON "SINGING: THE MECHANISM AND THE TECHNIC"
BY WILLIAM VENNARD
 HIGHLIGHTS

01 What is Resonance? - Vocal

Resonance In Acoustics
05 What Is Nasopharynx Resonance?

02 Where Does Vocal Resonance

Occur?
06 Using Your Imagination to
Resonate

03 What Is Laryngopharynx
Resonance?
07 Integrating Resonators

04 What is Oropharynx Resonance? 08 Why You Should Spend More Time

on Vocal Resonance?
WHAT IS
RESONANCE?
In music, resonance is used to increase the intensity (loudness) of a sound. The
comparatively weak vibrations produced at the end of an organ pipe, for example, cause
a column of air in the pipe to vibrate in resonance, thus greatly increasing the loud-ness
of the sound. This principle also applies to the human voice, in which the vibrations of the
vocal cords are reinforced by resonant vibrations in the oral and nasal passages.

In vocal resonance, when we say "adding resonance" it means to improve the quality,
usually associated with the "ring" or brilliance of the quality of the voice. Resonance
amplifies sound. It also adjusts the color and timbre of the voice by intensifying certain
vocal qualities over others. In other words, some resonators make the tone quality of the
singer warm and others bright. All increase the overall volume.

Vocal cords start sound. And like a well-designed recital hall, the body reflects and
increases the sound. Learning to create the best, most efficient space for resonance
begins with learning about the main resonance chambers of the human body that singers
have an influence over.
WHERE DOES VOCAL
RESONANCE OCCUR?
The pharyngeal cavity is where most vocal resonance occurs. It consists
of the cavities above the larynx including the throat, mouth, and nasal
cavities. The names for these three areas are the laryngopharynx,
oropharynx, and nasopharynx.

Other cavity resonators within the body contribute to vocal sound but are
not generally thought to be consciously controllable. The trachea is one
example, which some claim can be accessed by listening for a deep rattling
sound and grunting. The lungs themselves and bronchi may vibrate sound,
as well as the laryngeal cavities themselves. In addition to cavities,
surfaces of the body reflect resonance and vibrate like sounding boards.
Everything between the chest and head contributes to vocal resonance.
Singers have no control over surface resonators, but may feel them
vibrate.
The laryngopharynx is located in the upper part of the throat between the top of the larynx and
base of the tongue and adds warmth to the voice. The space is surrounded by muscle and is
tube-like in shape. Singers can change the diameter and length of the laryngopharynx, but not the
shape. A high larynx shortens the tube and a lower one lengthens it. A neutral laryngeal position is
ideal for singing, making the tube around four to five inches in length. The diameter is reduced or
enlarged slightly be engaging or disengaging the muscles on the inside of the tube.

HOW TO ADD WARMTH AND

VOLUME TO VOICE USING
LARYNGOPHARYNX RESONANCE
If your voice is overly bright, then focusing on laryngopharynx resonance will significantly
improve your tone. However, placing too much focus on the area creates a swallowed tone.
Learn to resonate using the laryngopharynx by creating a larger diameter inside your throat
by lowering the larynx and relaxing throat muscles. Do this by closing the mouth and
breathing deeply as if about to yawn. You should feel the back of the throat enlarge and
larynx lower. Seek a neutral laryngeal position, not higher and only slightly lower than when
speaking normally. Sing a note on ‘ah’ while maintaining the feeling of a deep breath before
a yawn. How are your sound and projection affected? If your volume and warmth increase,
then you have increased laryngopharynx resonance.
The oropharynx is the space located from the base of the tongue to the soft palate. The mouth,
tongue, jaw, and lips affect its shape and size. Lowering the jaw widens the space, and closing the
jaw decreases its space. Pressing the back of the tongue against the back of the mouth as in ‘ng’
creates a humming sound as it stops air from passing through the mouth. The oropharynx is where
consonants are created. While its adjustability makes language possible; when used as a sole
resonator, the vocal sound becomes inconsistent or wonky.

WHAT SHOULD I CONSIDER WHEN

APPLY OROPHARYNX RESONANCE
TO SINGING?
The mouth is constantly moving to create words. If singers focus their energy into the
mouth, then the result is inconsistent resonance. On the other hand, singers who spend
ninety percent of the time on vowels and focus vowel resonance in the laryngopharynx and
nasopharynx find consistency of timbre and volume throughout the range of their voice
and regardless of the words sung. Sometimes vowel resonance created in the oropharynx
is referred to as “mouthy singing.” It means a singer neither projects well nor sounds
beautiful on a consistent basis. The sound goes in and out creating a ‘wa-wa’ effect. Learn
to hold the mouth steady while singing vowels in order to avoid this.
 The nasopharynx is made up of the nasal cavities above the soft palate and adds a bright quality to
the voice. While singers should avoid singing through the nose by lowering the soft palate
excessively, with some air flowing through the nasal cavities vocal sound is bright, beautiful, and
projected. High notes are easy to sing and hear. Flaring the nostrils also adjusts the shape and size of
the nasopharynx. Many singers learn to raise their soft palate by imitating a yawn, which raises the
palate high enough to close off nasopharynx resonance completely. While yawning familiarizes
students with the soft palate, carefully avoid raising the palate as high when singing.

HOW TO ADD BRIGHTNESS AND

VOLUME TO VOICE USING
NASOPHARYNX RESONANCE
Inexperienced singers close off the space almost automatically, particularly as they sing up
the scale. You may test nasopharynx resonance by pinching your nostrils as you sing.
Some consonants will feel impossible to sing because they require large amounts of air to
pass through the nostrils. These are: ‘m,’ ‘n,’ and ‘ng.’ If all your notes feel like these three
consonants, then you are singing too nasally. If you instead feel vibrations in the bridge of
your nose as you touch it, then you sing with nasopharynx resonance. If no sensation is
felt, then try to imagine singing into the mask of the face, or the area below the eyes where
a Mardi Gras mask touches (the bridge of the nose and upper cheeks). The entire area
should feel buzzed or full of vibrations.
 USING YOUR
IMAGINATION TO
RESONATE

tone. You may envision your sound coming out
Resonance is greatly improved by imagining a focused
of your forehead for high notes or out of the top of your head. Pointing the tone or singing into the
mask of your face will also greatly affect your vocal resonance. These imaginations work better for
some than others. As you learn what works, a friend or voice teacher with a trained ear is vital. Your
voice sounds different from within your body than from without, so specific feedback will guide you to
create the most beautiful tone quality. Though recording and listening to yourself sing may be better
than guessing what you sound like, many students are uncomfortable by significant resonance
changes because they no longer “sound like themselves.” A little reassurance from a professional or
semi-professional can go a long way in these cases.
 INTEGRAING
RESONATORS

Though you may focus on one area of the pharynx over another as you familiarize yourself with
resonance, professionals use all the spaces to resonate. Combining both bright and warm qualities
makes a voice interesting and brings out its natural uniqueness. Avoid imitating other singers as your
voice may be entirely different than theirs. Though you may successfully sound like someone by
altering your resonance chambers, doing so does not help you reach your fullest vocal potential.
Over-focus on one area of the pharynx is detrimental. For instance, focusing on the laryngopharynx
alone can make a singer sound swallowed or too dark. The oropharynx is so diverse that fixating on it
causes inconsistent sound going back and forth from loud and soft.

Too much nasopharynx resonance makes singers overly bright. Using the entire pharyngeal cavity
throughout the range of your voice will provide balance in volume and timbre. Dr. Clayne Robison, a
prominent voice coach in Utah, expressed integration of resonance as a “crusty banana” with two
black ends. One black end represents nasopharynx resonance and the other represents
laryngopharynx resonance. The analogy represents the two being on opposite sides and also
provides a somewhat tubular shape similar to the inside of the throat to visualize. When looked at this
way, the center of the banana represents the oropharynx between the two extremes. Learn to use the
entire pharynx as you sing and the result is lovely, loud, long-lasting, and laudable.
 WHY YOU SHOULD
SPEND MORE TIME ON
VOCAL RESONANCE
Vocal resonance improves projection,
vocal beauty, and articulation.
Resonance is like learning to roller skate or ride a bike. It may take some
time to master the skill, but once learned it is never lost. That is why it has
the most bang for your buck, in terms of effort versus results. Other vocal
skills like breath management require muscles to be constantly in shape.
Many popular singers have mastered the skill of vocal resonance and avoid
having to use other skills by singing songs with short phrases, a narrow
vocal range, easy to articulate words, and fewer dynamic variations. If all
you want to do is sing simple songs well, then it makes sense to start your
vocal journey by understanding and controlling vocal resonance first. To aid
in your journey, practice these ten vocal warm-ups to improve resonance.