The voice instrument is composed of three basic sub-systems: the pulmonary apparatus, the laryngeal voice source, and the vocal tract for sound modification. In this chapter, the laryngeal sound generation is examined in closer detail, with a special focus on singing voice production. In particular, the relation between the quality of vocal fold vibration, the consistence of the glottal airflow, and the spectral composition of the resulting laryngeal sound output (before being filtered by the vocal tract) is discussed. Two basic physiological parameters for controlling these features are described: cartilaginous adduction (controlled along the dimension of “breathy” vs. “pressed” voice); and membranous medialization (influenced by the choice of singing voice register). It is shown that these two physiological parameters can be varied independently, and how they can be incorporated into a pedagogical model. Based on this model, a typical application from the singing studio is described. Finally, the range of sound qualities resulting from independent variation of cartilaginous adduction and membranous medialization is being commented on by five known voice pedagogues, in an attempt to unify the respective terminology in voice pedagogy.
Voice Pedagogy: The Current Landscape and a Blueprint for Moving Forward
