A little history
Scientists have not yet come to a consensus on the origin of human speech. Archaeological finds indicate that people who lived during the Early Paleolithic period already had a developed vocal apparatus, but whether they communicated with each other using words is unknown.
It is quite possible that sound signals were enough for our primitive ancestors to communicate - with the help of the voice it was possible to sound an alarm, ask for help, express anger or joy. And even today, despite tens of thousands of years separating us from people who lived in prehistory, we can communicate with each other without using words. Of course, such communication will be very limited, but even in this way we can convey information and make sure that we are heard.
Chaliapin's exercise for tuning your voice
The great Russian singer Fyodor Chaliapin also began every morning with a growl. But he did not perform it alone, but together with his bulldog. After training the sound “r”, Fyodor Ivanovich began to bark at his pet: “av-av-av”.
You can repeat Chaliapin’s exercise or, if you can’t relax your larynx, replace it with a villainous theatrical laugh. This is done simply. With your mouth open, as you exhale, you laugh evilly: “a-a-a-a-ha-ha-ha-ha-a-a-a-a.” The sound should come out easily and freely. At the same time, you can jump and beat yourself in the chest with your hands. This exercise will instantly clear your voice and prepare it for work.
Voice Characteristics
The human voice has 8 characteristics. These are intonation, diction, resonance, pitch, tone, rhythm, volume and timbre. Each of these characteristics is very important, since each of them directly affects the sound of the voice and how other people perceive it. But the biggest impact on people is timbre.
Voice timbre plays a huge role in communication; it allows you to more clearly express emotions and impressions. Anyone can change the timbre of their voice. Sometimes this happens involuntarily, but in most cases people consciously change their voice coloring. For example, when trying to draw attention to something important, most people speak in a lower tone. This type of voice is called a chest voice; it is somewhat lower than the normal timbre of a person, since the lower vocal cords are involved, and the chest is used as a resonator. The chest voice sounds soft, rich, without sharp sound changes.
How to use registers in singing?
Each person has his own individual timbre and voice coloring. Can use multiple registers. His repertoire becomes wider, richer, and brighter in color. But where to start? Here are some tips:
- determine your range from the lower to the upper register of the singing voice. A tuner or online programs will help. You will understand where it is comfortable to sing, choose the style and compositions that suit you;
- be sure to use the highest and lowest notes you can hit. This will develop the power of singing and ear for music. Chants and glissandos will stretch the ligaments;
- observe, analyze other people's singing. Where the singer's voice becomes rougher, lower, where it goes into the upper register.
Finding out your singing voice register and developing vocal coordination is not difficult. You need desire, perseverance and a good teacher.
What is chest voice
The human vocal apparatus makes it possible to produce sounds of different frequencies due to the presence of head and chest resonators. The head resonators allow you to reproduce clear, sharp sounds with high frequencies. The chest resonator reproduces low sounds, so any person, trying to gently convince his interlocutor of something, automatically begins to speak with low intonation.
Anyone can speak in a chest voice - to make sure of this, just put your hand to your chest and say a few words using your lower ligaments. The chest will begin to vibrate noticeably - it is these low vibrations that give the voice a very recognizable intonation.
Can you use your voice to achieve your goals?
The advantages of a chest voice are obvious - such a timbre sounds more friendly, which means it promotes more constructive communication. This feature of the chest voice is often used for their own purposes by politicians, company executives, sales managers, psychologists, announcers - that is, those people for whom the voice is one of the tools for influencing a specific person or a mass audience.
In business and sales, voice intonation is sometimes crucial, especially if a serious deal is being concluded and you need to appear as convincing as possible. In this case, it makes sense to switch to a lower sound. No one wants to speak in a raised voice - too high a voice timbre indicates uncertainty and a tendency to conflict. On the contrary, a chest voice speaks of friendliness, reliability and the desire to establish good mutually beneficial relationships.
Main types of registers
“You sing low. Sing higher.” Or vice versa. You've probably heard something similar from your teacher if you've already started studying vocals. This sentence contains the main types of registers of singing voices.
- lower or chest;
- middle register of singing voices;
- upper (head).
The register depends on the thickness of the ligaments, as we said above, on the frequency of vibration of the vocal folds, on the flow of air pushed through the gap between the ligaments, structural features and even hormonal levels. It was because of the last factor that in ancient times the boy was castrated to stop the release of hormones during puberty. In this case, the voice remained high, the chords did not become rough. Details about the types of voice registers:
- You can feel the lower sound by placing your hand on your chest. At the same time, it is not necessary to sing; even spoken speech occurs in this department. Most often, chest singing is the main thing for many vocalists. It is denser and richly colored.
- The upper head register of the singing voice is felt higher: in the head, crown, nose, bridge of the nose. A person stretches his ligaments, lengthening them, more frequent vibrations occur - as a result, the sound becomes higher.
- Some teachers call the middle register of singing voices mixed, mixed. This is the range where low and high registers overlap, overlap each other. A low sound is heard in the high register or high notes in the chest. We hear it in everyday conversation. The middle register is saturated with mid frequencies, it seems natural and pleasant to us. Professional singers skillfully use it to seamlessly transition from the high register to the low register. Because this is where beginners often fail. The ear detects a change in the sound, which does not add color to the song.
Proponents of the three-register theory divide the female voice into: chest, middle register of the female singing voice, head; for men: chest, head, falsetto. Falsetto is a sound with strongly compressed chords, vibrations occur only at their edges. This register is also called “false”, “false”, fristula (pipe). It is quite poor in overtones. It is used in rock music, pop music, and for opera performance.
We would not like to confuse you with the classification, but for information we consider it necessary to note that there is a division into 4 registers:
- strobass. The lowest. The upper limit is the lower for the chest register. The vocal folds practically do not vibrate;
- modal (speech). Low frequencies are rich in overtones. The sound is characteristic of conversational speech;
- falsetto. You already know about him;
- whistle In order for the head register to move into the “whistle” category (up to 2400 Hz), you need to try hard, and some male singers are not at all able to do this. But children sometimes test their parents with this high-pitched sound.
How to speak in a chest voice
To learn to speak in a chest voice, you must first find the most suitable timbre. Too low an intonation will not allow you to give your words the proper coloring. Simply put, the vocal cords simply cannot cope with sounds that are too low and the sound will turn out to be very quiet. Even if a person naturally has a very high voice, this does not mean that he will never be able to add soft and smooth overtones to his timbre. You should not strive to imitate the intonations of professional speakers or announcers - their convincing manner of speaking and velvety voice is not so much the fruit of hard training as an innate quality.
To speak with a chest voice, you need to “speak with your body” and not “speak with your head.” The head resonators need to be used to a minimum so that sharp and abrupt sounds do not slip into the intonation. You should try to make the lower ligaments vibrate smoothly, producing a soft, rolling sound. The smoother the vibration, the better the chest voice will sound.
To prevent your voice from sounding hoarse or tense, you need to be moderately relaxed - in no case should you tense up. The absence of stiffness in the muscles of the neck, shoulders and chest will make speech smoother and more pleasant to hear.
Voice timbre and smile
People who have achieved success in business understand the importance of friendly communication. When there is mutual sympathy, it is much easier to achieve mutual understanding. When communicating, people not only talk, they also use facial expressions and gestures. A smile is one of the gestures that speaks of friendliness and willingness to make contact.
We see a smile and immediately interpret it as a sign of joy, fun or friendly attention. But you can also hear a smile. When a smiling person speaks, the timbre of his voice subtly changes, but those around him unmistakably recognize this intonation. Combined with a deep voice, a smile can work wonders.
To make your voice stronger
These exercises will give your voice strength and energy. You will begin to sound louder and more powerful.
Sounds “i”, “e”, “a”, “o”, “u”
Exhale, then take a deep breath and on the second exhale say a long “i” sound. Do this freely as long as you have enough air. Do not force the air out of your lungs. Pronounce the remaining sounds in the same way: “e”, “a”, “o”, “u”. Perform three repetitions.
The sequence of these sounds is not random: they are distributed in height. Accordingly, “i” is the highest (activates the upper area of the head), “u” is the lowest (activates the lower abdomen). If you want to make your voice lower and deeper, practice the “u” sound more often.
Tarzan Exercise
Complete the previous task, only now beat yourself in the chest with your fists, like Tarzan. The exercise is designed to fill your voice with energy and clear your bronchi, so if you feel like clearing your throat, don’t stop yourself.
Moo
This exercise activates the chest and abdomen. Exhale and inhale. On the next exhalation, begin to pronounce the sound “m” with your mouth closed. Perform three approaches: first moo quietly, then at medium volume and finally at very loud volume.
Growl
Raise your relaxed tongue to the palate and begin to pronounce the sound “r”. It should turn out “r-r-r”, like a tractor. Repeat the exercise three times, then expressively read about a dozen words that contain the sound “r”. Be sure to accompany the reading with a rolling “r”.
A simple growl will not only give your voice strength and energy, but will also improve your diction.
Voice development and formation
The human voice has a very significant impact on the communication interaction of people, on the implementation by a particular individual of his communicative functions, since in the event of its violations, the intelligibility and intelligibility of speech is reduced and, consequently, its perception by others is difficult.
Considering the importance of the voice in the process of communication, it is impossible to diminish its role in the transmission of intonation, which determines not only the emotional, but in many ways the semantic side of the utterance. Vocal function is inextricably linked with expressive speech. The ability to speak and express one's thoughts cannot be achieved without the full development of the voice. A healthy child masters the norm of correct sound pronunciation on the basis of speech experience, gradually adjusting the organs of articulation to obtain a product that corresponds to the perceived auditory patterns. The formation of an individual voice is influenced not only by the anatomical and physiological data of the person (child) himself. In many respects, the formation of the voice is based on imitation, which is most effective at the age of up to 7 years, and depends on what the voice and manners of its use were like among those around them - parents, educators, teachers and, often, peers.
Of course, the reflex cry of a newborn is the first phonation. The voice of newborns varies in strength, but has the same pitch, according to J. Kittel (Kittel G., 1978) 425-435 Hz, and does not differ in timbre. It is built on the continuous sound of a vowel. From two to three weeks of age, the functional purpose and method of vocalization begin to change. The child expresses with his voice a protest against his feelings of pain, hunger and any discomfort, as well as the need for attention. When the child sees the mother, the child's voice indicates pleasure and the way it is presented becomes softer. When feeling hungry or in pain, the child makes sharper cries with a firm vocal attack.
The structure and formation of individual organs of the child’s vocal apparatus has a number of features that affect their physiology. These features are: 1) disproportion in the development of individual organs of the vocal apparatus; 2) lack of gradual development and the presence of leaps in this process; 3) the existence in the general period of development of the vocal apparatus of such intervals when the formation of its individual organs proceeds almost imperceptibly, without manifesting itself in anything; 4) non-simultaneous completion of the growth process of individual organs of the vocal apparatus.
The development of any organ of the vocal apparatus is characterized by three approximate degrees of growth - intensive, normal and reduced. Their predominant influence manifests itself at different periods of the child’s life. For example, the lungs develop more intensively only during the first two months after birth, and then until puberty their growth proceeds at a normal pace. The larynx of newborns of both sexes grows rapidly in the first year of life. In boys, this is observed in the first three months, as well as in the 8-9th months, and in girls in the 1st month, then in the 4-7th months. The nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses and nasopharynx grow rapidly in the first six months of life. Then they continue to develop at the usual pace: the paranasal sinuses up to three years, and the nasopharynx up to six years. The bronchi and trachea grow rapidly throughout the first year of a child’s life. The larynx grows only in the first six months, and the vocal folds continue to grow until the end of the 1st year of life. The formation of the nasopharynx and paranasal sinuses is mainly completed by the beginning of puberty, i.e. by the age of 14; all other vocal organs stop growing with the end of puberty, by the age of 19.
The period of voice formation is conventionally divided into several stages: preschool - up to 6-7 years, pre-mutation - up to 13-14 years, mutation - 13-15 years and post-mutation - up to 17-19 years.
In preschool children, phonation is carried out due to the marginal tension of short thin vocal folds, consisting of connective tissue and glands. From the age of five, separate bundles of vocal muscles begin to form. The voice has a high sound, its range is 5-6 notes. In the pre-mutation period, in parallel with the anatomical growth of the vocal organs, the receptor apparatus of the larynx is formed. M. S. Gracheva (1956) described three reflexogenic zones of the larynx - areas of the mucous membrane of the larynx, abundantly supplied with receptors that ensure its functioning as a respiratory organ, protection of the respiratory tract and voice formation. The first zone is located around the entrance to the larynx, on the surface of the epiglottis and along the edges of the aryepiglottic folds. The second occupies the entire anterior surface of the arytenoid cartilages. The third zone is covered by the vocal folds, i.e. located in the subglottic space of the larynx on the inner surface of the cricoid cartilage. The first two zones lie in the path of inhaled air and provide protective and respiratory functions. The third is on the path of exhaled air and provides a phonatory function. In the mucous membrane of the larynx of a 7-year-old child, all these reflexogenic zones are already highlighted and the formation of the vocal muscle begins. By the age of 12, both the formation of the vocal muscles and the development of the receptor apparatus of the larynx are completed. When muscles contract, when the cartilages of the larynx move, sensitive nerve endings (receptors) signal to the central nervous system about the position of the cartilages, the degree of tension in the muscles of the vocal apparatus, and the condition of the vocal folds.
Feedback (internal sensations) plays a big role during speech and singing. In both cases, muscle sensations underlie the acquisition of vocal skills.
Gradually, the child's voice develops; its range reaches 11-12 notes. The most sonorous is the segment from fa' to do", i.e. five notes. The voice is distinguished by its delicate coloring, sonority, and “silvery” quality. An important condition for the correct, normal development of the voice is its use within the age range. This applies to both singing and speaking.
For full-fledged voice formation, the correct structure and functioning of the articulatory apparatus is required; speech sounds must comply with the norms of the phonetic system of the language. In a healthy young child, the left and right halves of the body are symmetrical, this also applies to internal organs. From about five years of age, mild asymmetry develops, which is the physiological norm. E. N. Malyutin (1934) pointed out the less active function of the left vocal fold. But significant asymmetry of the larynx already indicates its pathological changes. The scientific literature contains a description of the pronounced asymmetry of the larynx of the famous Enrique Caruso, but this did not prevent him from becoming an unsurpassed singer.
The endocrine glands influence a person’s voice not only during puberty, but throughout life. The process of ossification of the larynx (calcification) depends on the functions of the parathyroid glands. Calcification begins at age 20 and ends by age 50 in men and much later in women. A decrease in the functions of the gonads with age changes the voice: the female voice decreases, becomes rougher, the male voice loses strength and often rises. The activity of all endocrine glands directly or indirectly affects voice formation, and their disturbances cause specific changes in the voice. To form a voice with special properties in Europe in the 17th-18th centuries. resorted to castration. The operation was performed on well-singing boys aged 7-8 years. At the same time, changes in the larynx characteristic of the pubertal period did not occur, and the chest and lungs increased in size more than usual. The combination of a child's larynx with a powerful respiratory system created the conditions for the formation of special voices - female in tonal range with a neutral timbre. With targeted training, castrati's voices acquired a beautiful timbre, greater strength, endurance, and were widely used in opera roles.
The dependence of the voice on a person’s mental state is well known. With diseases such as schizophrenia, epilepsy, and mental retardation, the voice loses sonority and its melody is disrupted. According to I. Maksimov (1987), if infants have screams at a high pitch (750 Hz) for a long time and they do not tend to decrease, then this may indicate a mental disorder. The relationship between voice pathology and neuropsychiatric disorders will be discussed in subsequent sections of the manual. Lavrova E. V
But these cultural constructs are deceiving you - give birth to young voices
– Well, since history differs from cinema and theater, will everything be different in different countries?
– Not a fact, but this topic works in conjunction with cultural constructs. An experiment was conducted: women were shown photographs of different men - it was expected that when they saw an exciting man, their voice should become low, velvety, sensual, but it turned out that this was not the case.
Women sound sexier not when they are with a handsome man, but when they see a woman who can also lay claim to this man. When I found out about this, I thought for days about how subtle everything is and how culture influences the sense of sexuality of both myself and my partner.
– I’ve never heard this before. Do you have any specialized magazine subscriptions?
– Yes, I had to invest in order to gain access to closed scientific publications: imagine, you have to pay $150 for access for 24 hours. About the conclusion about unconscious attempts to win with one's vocal capital - this is the work of Susan Huge (Albright College, Pennsylvania).
Here's another cool fact from an Australian study: 50 recordings of men's voices lost to women, and the women chose lower voices. Then the spermogram of these selected men was checked, and it turned out that high testosterone levels have a positive effect on a deep voice, but a negative effect on spermogenesis.
Spermatozoa were inactive and in small quantities - the culture is deceiving us! Give birth to young voices - the older the lion, the worse his seed.
Practice: the best exercises for lovers
– Let’s go over the recipe for a sexy voice again: subtone, intonation, chest register. How to “deepen” your voice?
– The singing position inside the larynx is three points: when the larynx goes down (low voice), when the larynx goes deep (rounded) and up (flying).
When we train the larynx in this mode—relaxing it and building that nice, beautiful half-yawn—we get a deep, free voice that has access to sensual alpha notes.
The alpha voice is a chesty, voluminous voice, filled with vital energy and tone, a free voice that is not compressed anywhere. How to make such a voice? Work on your clamps and learn to easily move your voice to any point in the speech apparatus.
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– I heard from you that women have a better voice after orgasm. That's it, we're lucky - we don't have to work on our speech image, but just masturbate more?
– Masturbating is good not only for your voice. But masturbation alone cannot solve all problems.
In women, orgasms actually increase their vocal range, and some singers take advantage of this. In our modest crowd, this is what they call: “tuning up the singer before the concert.”
The vagina and vocal cords are similar in appearance (watch this video - some people are even scared for the first time). These organs are interconnected: when a woman has her period, the ligaments swell and loosen, making it difficult to sing and sound clear.
When a woman experiences an orgasm, the vaginal muscles contract and the ligaments “blink.” It’s like standing up and stretching for our body: the voice becomes fresher, high notes are easier to hit.
If you urgently need to adjust your voice (for example, to lower it and so that it is freed from the clamp of the larynx), then the best way is to throw up. When we feel sick, our entire larynx contracts wildly - and thus frees itself from the clamp. It sounds crazy, but it works.
A less effective but accessible way is to yawn.
Slow
A speech rate that is too slow can also reveal a lot about a person's personality. “We call such people slow-witted. Slow speech is characteristic of people who think step by step, analysts. Often these are scientists, mathematicians, physicists, they live in a completely different dimension. For example, to engage in theoretical physics, you need to have a mindset that does not tolerate fuss. By speaking slowly, a person follows his unhurried thoughts,” says Polyanova.
Article on the topic
Nails, eyes, skin color. Little things that may indicate a serious illness
Short
Researchers from Duke University and the University of California at San Diego (USA) found that male leaders with deep voices are more successful than their colleagues with higher voices, and they also pay “bass” more. Another study conducted by researchers from Duke University found that politicians with lower voices, regardless of gender, are more credible among the electorate.
Jean Abitbol notes that many people who want to demonstrate strength deliberately lower their voices. Most often, men resort to this: they even lower their chin for better voice resonance. It is also better for female leaders in the modern world to have a lower timbre, as the doctor notes. However, according to him, any otolaryngologist can recognize falsehood. And the person himself knows that he is “faking” his timbre: he will feel uncomfortable, and ultimately this can lead to psychological problems.
