The human larynx is a flexible, thinly structured organ of the respiratory system that connects the pharynx to the trachea. It is extremely important for the process of breathing and digestion, as it pushes out harmful elements that try to enter the respiratory tract. Sounds are also formed in the larynx, with the help of the vocal folds, the timbre, tone and volume of a person’s speech are regulated.
Larynx device
The larynx consists of dense tissues and is a short tube of nine cartilages, covered with an epithelium characteristic only of the throat. Cartilages are connected to each other by special ligaments.
The human larynx is located in the region of the sixth and fourth vertebrae, behind the skin of the front side of the neck. The top of the organ approaches the nasal part of the pharynx, in contact with the bone located under the tongue.
The structural features of the larynx are completely dependent on the functions assigned to this organ. Outwardly, the tube of the laryngeal system schematically resembles two connected, touching triangle vertices. The tube tapers towards the center but widens on both edges. The middle of the laryngeal system is the glottis - the uppermost fold of the vestibule of the vocal cords. The areas above and below the glottis are called supraglottic and infraglottic, respectively.
On the sides of the organ, between the vocal fold and the vestibule of the larynx, there are deep pockets - the so-called blinking ventricles of the larynx. These components of the larynx go up and forward to the arytenoid folds. When infected, in the first place, it is they who lose their original form, which indicates the development of the disease. The vestibular parts of the larynx, which, in case of disruption of the vocal cords, can perform their function, sometimes become the center of inflammatory processes and edema.
On the back of the larynx is the pharynx, on the sides are large blood vessels and nerve endings. The pulsation of the carotid arteries can be easily felt in the neck on either side of the throat.
The vocal cords are formed by a pair of yellowish-white, parallel folds connected by muscles and stretched in the cavity of the larynx. One side of the vocal cords is attached to the angle of the thyroid cartilage, the other side to the arytenoid cartilage. A little above the sound gap is the vestibule of the larynx - the upper part of the cavity of this organ. It is surrounded by the edges of the plates of the thyroid cartilage, closed with folds from below, in front of the top above the vestibule there is a corner of the thyroid cartilage (commissure - the area of the vocal cords where the thyroid plates form an angle) and the epiglottis. Between the lateral sides of the vestibule of the larynx are slit-like ventricles, stretching to the aryepiglottic folds.
The lower part of the larynx, located under the glottis and outwardly resembling a cone, is connected with the trachea. In a child at an early age, the elastic cone of the larynx consists of a plastic connective tissue. This place is prone to increased swelling and the development of inflammatory processes.
Laryngeal cartilages
The anatomy of the larynx is quite complex. This organ is a framework of six forms of cartilage. Three paired and three unpaired cartilages support the overall structure. Let's consider each cartilage separately.
Paired cartilages:
- Horn-shaped - elastic formations having the shape of a cone. This type of cartilage is found on top of the two arytenoids.
- The arytenoids are areas of connective tissue visually resembling triangles located on the plates of the cricoid cartilage. They are made up of hyaline cartilage.
- Cuneiform - like horn-shaped, are elastic cartilages located near the top of the arytenoid plates.
Unpaired cartilages:
- Ring-shaped - consists of two parts of different shapes. The first part is a lamellar structure, the second part is formed from hyaline cartilage, which forms the laryngeal border of the lower part, and is similar in shape to a thin arc.
- Epiglottic - elastic tissue that creates cartilage in the form of a groove. Its task is to raise the pharynx in the process of eating, more precisely, directly at the moment of swallowing it. Descending, the epiglottic cartilage completely closes the glottis.
- Thyroid - cartilage formed by two plates at an angle. It is this cartilage that is called the Adam's apple. When connecting the plates at an angle of 90 degrees - typical for men - it sticks out noticeably on the surface of the neck. In women, the cartilages that make up the Adam's apple converge at an angle of more than 90 degrees, making it invisible under the skin. A special membrane connects this cartilage to the hyoid bone.
Muscles of the larynx
The structure of the human larynx suggests the presence of various muscles. These muscles are divided into two types - external and internal muscles of the larynx. Internal muscles are responsible for changing the length of the vocal cords, the degree of their tension and location in the throat. During their transformation, the regulation of the reproduced sound occurs. The extrinsic muscles act as a single unit, carrying out the movements of the pharynx during eating, breathing and voice formation. The following types of muscles of the larynx cavity are distinguished:
- adductors (constrictors) - three types of muscles, two paired and one unpaired, which compress the glottis;
- Abductors (dilitators) are a fragile muscular structure, problems with which can lead to paralysis of the ligaments of the larynx. The main task of this type of muscle is to expand, open the glottis - a function that is the opposite of the purpose of the laryngeal adductors;
- cricothyroid muscle - when it contracts, the thyroid cartilage moves up or forward, thereby regulating the tension of the vocal cords and keeping them in good shape.
Functions
The anatomy and physiology of the larynx is completely dependent on the functions of the larynx. Human life is directly related to its three main tasks - respiratory, protective and voice-forming. Let's consider each of them in more detail.
- Respiratory function: Without air, the human body cannot exist. The larynx, being part of the respiratory system, regulates the supply of oxygen to the throat. This activity is carried out by expanding and contracting the glottis. Also in the throat, too cold air warms up to pass into the lungs in this form.
- Protective function: carried out due to the work of many glands located on the epithelial layer. One of the ways of protection is the presence of so-called cilia - nerve endings. If pieces of food accidentally fall not into the esophagus, but into the respiratory system, the cilia immediately react and coughing fits occur, allowing the foreign object to be pushed out. The epithelium sends any harmful element back to the external environment. When a foreign object enters the glottis, it completely closes access to the inside of the larynx and pushes it out with the help of reflex actions (coughing). The tonsils are located in the larynx immune system, which fights elements of the pathogenic environment and does not allow them to penetrate into the body. Porous tonsils trap microbes and viruses with the help of special recesses - lacunae.
- The voice-forming function of the larynx (phonator): the sound reproduced by a person is regulated here. The timbre of the voice depends on the structure of the human larynx, its individual features. The length of the vocal cords determines the tone of the voice - the shorter the vocal cords, the higher the tone. Therefore, high voices are characteristic of women and children with short bundles. In boys, by a certain age, a metamorphosis of the laryngeal structure occurs, and the voice begins to break. The phonator function of the larynx is the most musical: the vocal cords allow us to sing and speak beautifully, subject to professional voice control. It is interesting that only a couple of octaves can be enough for singing, and up to seven octaves are usually involved in the formation of speech.
The respiratory function is directly related to the protective one, since the muscles and cartilages control the strength and volume of inhalation, warm the air before it enters the lungs.
Voice-forming function
The structure of the throat and larynx may vary with age. Babies have a short larynx that is three vertebrae higher than adults. The entrance to the larynx in children is much wider, they still do not have corniculate cartilages and hyoid joints, which appear only by the age of seven.
In boys and girls up to ten years old, the structure of the larynx is practically the same. Further, age-related features of the larynx are formed - at a transitional age (after twelve years), the boys' voice begins to break. This is due to the increased production of male sex hormones and the development of the gonads, which leads to an increase in the length of the vocal cords. The transformation of the larynx is also characteristic of girls, but the change in the voice of women appears slowly and imperceptibly, and in men the voice can be significantly modified within one year.
The male larynx is about a third larger than the female, and the vocal cords are thicker and longer, so the voice of the stronger sex is usually rougher and lower. The volume of speech depends on the width of the glottis, which is regulated by five muscles - the larger the gap, the louder the sound. When air is exhaled, the vocal cords move, this affects the change in the strength of the voice, its timbre, and pitch. In addition to the larynx, the lungs and chest muscles are involved in the process of speech formation - the sonority of the voice also depends on their strength.
The phonatory function of the larynx is the result of the coordinated work of all human body. The larynx is involved in the formation of sound, the oral cavity, lips and tongue transform it into speech. Many organs are associated with the larynx, and human health depends on their general condition.
This suggests that human speech - the timbre and tone of voice - are a reflection not only of the structural features of the larynx, the mood of the individual, but also an indicator of the activity of other body systems. A change in a person's voice can indicate his physical condition, the presence of health problems. The timbre of the voice changes when a person is sick with a cold, sore throat, and suffers from other diseases of the throat. Even taking hormones can lead to a temporary change in voice.
Due to the fact that the muscle creates a local tension of the vocal cords, it becomes possible to reproduce additional sounds - overtones. It is their combination that determines the timbre of human speech.
Innervation and circulation
Blood supply to the larynx, thyroid glands is carried out with the help of the carotid and subclavian arteries. The posterior laryngeal and thyroid arteries also adjoin the larynx.
The innervation of the larynx is the presence of nerve endings in the anatomy of the throat. Excitation and transmission of nerve impulses occurs due to the vagus nerve, which consists of parasympathetic, sensitive motor fibers. The vagus nerve ensures the performance of the reflex function of the organ - the transfer of neurons to the cortical speech and sound centers. Nerve fibers form a pair of large ganglions.
The first node consists of fibers of two types: the outer one - innervates the lower muscle responsible for the contractions of the throat and cricoid cartilage, and the inner one - penetrates the mucous membrane of the larynx, located above the sound lumen, the mucous membrane of the epiglottis and the beginning of the tongue.
The recurrent nerve contains the same types of fibers, the right recurrent laryngeal nerve separates from the vagus nerve where it crosses with the subclavian artery. On the left, the recurrent nerve splits off from the wandering nerve at the height of the arched aorta. Two nerves surround the vessels and rise up on opposite sides of the larynx, cross under the thyroid gland and adjoin the subvocal cavity of the larynx.
CHOIR LEADER'S NOTEBOOK
The tongues are a special muscle ... it can be tensed not only as a whole, but also in separate areas, which allows it to tune in to different vibration frequencies. Vibrations of the ligaments along the entire length cause the appearance of the lowest tone, and vibrations of shorter sections - high tones, or overtones, give the sound different shades. The pharynx, oral cavity and nose constitute, as it were, an extension tube, as well as the trachea and bronchi at the same time serve as a kind of resonators /24/.
Oh, for the opinion that
Hm ligaments are shorter and stronger their tension, the higher the tone.
For the formation of the correct tone, the true vocal cords must be very close to each other and be correspondingly tense, and the air pressure in the lungs could cause them to vibrate.
If the distance between the cords is more than two millimeters, then the voice loses its sonority and becomes hoarse. The mechanism of the larynx in a spoken voice is somewhat different than in singing, the function of the vocal cords is less complex /3/.
The main factor in the formation of the quality of singing sound is the duplication of mucous tissue, which covers the true vocal cords and the elastic cone of the larynx ...
If we force a student to sing loudly from the first lesson? As a rule, in sound extraction, immediately, prematurely, roughly, with great energy, the entire thickness of the muscles of the vocal muscle roller is turned on and the initial phase of sound generation is ignored. In this case, the edges of the vocal cords turn upwards and, of course, in this case one cannot demand a diminuendo from the singer, since when switching to the piano, kicking will certainly appear, which just tells us about the violation of the natural physical laws of the biomechanics of the vocal mechanism.
With the excessive development of the strength of the sound, its timbre is lost ... the edges of the folds of the mucous tissue of the true vocal cords remain, as it were, out of work, since the air, breaking through the glottis with great force, turns them upward and passes without touching the inverted edges.
The edge of the mucous folds of the true vocal cords is the most necessary component of sound production for the timbre of the voice.
P and unforced sound ... the functional picture does not change, and with the strongest sound, the deep layers of the vocal muscles are regularly and consistently included in the work, without losing contact with the edges of the vocal folds.
Ph rma of the vocal cords provides a basis for functional analysis features of the singing sound when moving to the upper notes. When sound is extracted, the lower parts of the muscular-ligamentous apparatus are gradually turned off, and only the edge of this apparatus, that is, the ligament itself, remains on the uppermost part of the tessitura possibility.
And it is at this moment that it is very important to find the desired acoustic form in the articulatory apparatus of the mouth and pharynx.
Thus, the analysis of singing movements suggests that there are no material prerequisites for the existence of the mechanism of registers in singing, but there is only an organic property of the tissue association of the voice-forming part of the larynx, which allows differentially performing singing movements along the steps of the scale, forming a functional balance in each semitone. motor skill /37/.
P and whisper, the ligaments do not oscillate, and if they begin to oscillate, then minimally /38/.
About breathing
“... the breathing technique, the “physiological” tuning of the singing apparatus are only a means for correct sound production.”
The ohs should not be frequent, one must learn to gradually expend air, to keep it as long as possible /2/.
After a quick breath before singing, you need to hold your breath for a moment. This delay organizes the singing apparatus and contributes to the simultaneous start of singing. Holding the breath lasts one moment and is, as it were, part of the process of inhalation.
One breath must be taken before the air supply in the lungs is completely exhausted.
The breath should be completely calm, without any hint of forcible "pushing out" of the taken air. The lack of control over the exhalation process often leads to forcing, detonation.
... The advice of many masters ... when inhaling, as if to feel the delicate smell of a flower, and exhaling - so that the flame of the candle placed at the mouth does not stir.
To learn how to use your breath sparingly while singing, you need to move on to an exercise that trains exhalation. As you exhale, count to yourself first to five or six, and then increase to ten. For a clearer feeling of this process, exhalation can be done on some hissing or whistling sound (s, z, u, sh).
For the development of "chain breathing" you can sing the scale for long durations, without pauses. Singers should not all take breath at the same time and predominantly in the middle of long sounds. "Chain Breath" is a collective skill /26/.
In the choir, "chain" breathing allows you to pause (to take a breath) at any point in the piece /28/.
A man who does not know how to properly control his breath will not be able to read a long phrase without tension. Proper breathing helps to express certain feelings, to create the necessary emotional coloring, that is, it provides the necessary expressiveness of speech.
O organized, skillful breathing helps the singer and master of the word subtly convey all the shades of sincere lyrics.
Try, while reading a poem, to take a breath after each line, when the thought is not yet finished. The whole impression will be hopelessly spoiled.
P and reading, as well as during exercises, it is necessary to take in air through the nose. Such breathing is deeper, the air fills the lungs better and does not dry the throat: passing through the nose, it is slightly moistened.
You should not take too much air. It should feel like you could take another breath.
Filling the lungs with air can lead to unpleasant sensations of “air hunger”, when you want to inhale even deeper and more fully. In addition, if you take in too much air, it can be difficult to keep it in the airways - therefore, there will be a sharp attack of sound, and this is exactly what we do not need (see breathing exercises, p. 24).
C-diaphragmatic breathing provides a larger supply of air /36/.
H m smoother and more even breathing, the longer you can hold the sound and the more pleasant it sounds.
It is good to end the exhalation loudly.
Before singing or after a middle pause, it is recommended to take relatively deep breaths through the nose, and in the process of singing - short and soundless breaths simultaneously through the nose and mouth.
Hundred involuntarily breathing intensifies during melodic rises and as it rises, breathing is forced, which is unacceptable /16/.
“... gave his body a position devoid of any tension, and put one foot forward, as if in order to take a step ... kept the body completely free, without slightest tension. Then he contracted the muscles of the abdomen hardly noticeably and inhaled calmly, without haste.
With a conscious control of breathing, he contributed to his skill in turning every particle of exhaled air into sound when singing.
Kruzo used for each musical phrase, even for each note, only the amount of breathing necessary for the musical transmission of this phrase or note, but no more. He kept an excess of breathing in reserve: this created in the listeners the feeling that the master was far from using his vocal means to the limit and still had sufficient strength for everything that the case would require of him. This is the basis of the great art of singing.”
The process of inhalation should be visible to the observer only by the rising chest, and not by the rising shoulders.
A man cannot master the power of his sound if he does not first learn to control his breath.
Breathing is a matter of great importance for equalizing the voice in its entire volume /27/.
Five “on the exhale” is a great evil, you need to hold your breath.
Before phonation, the ribs took a “breath”, but did not remain in the state of maximum inspiration, but immediately dropped to the state of an average moderate inspiration. Then phonation began, but the singer's ribs do not fall off: they are confidently held in their original position until the end of the note. And for some - not only non-fall, but separation of the ribs! (Paradoxical breathing).
Due to the different subglottic pressure required for different vowels to sound approximately the same volume, the diaphragm behaves differently during phonation exhalation.
By chanting “I - A” in one breath, the diaphragm first rises (exhale to “I”), but when “A” begins, the diaphragm first stops, and then goes ... down! The exhalation continues and the ribs gradually subside, and during this time the diaphragm manages to make an “exhale” and “inhale” depending on the vowel.
The fact that under the influence of strong pressure in the lungs and the maximum expansion of the ribs, the diaphragm flattens, descends and cannot perform its regulating paradoxical movements, deprives it of support /20/.
And of all sports that have a positive effect on breathing, rowing takes the first place.
It is useful to remember that to the detriment of being able to take a full breath, one should never draw out musical phrases. Keep them in a strict rhythm and use every opportunity to renew the amount of air. But do not distort the logic of the phrase by inappropriate breath-taking. Remember that first of all the audience demands the word, they want to know what the singer is talking about. Having accustomed yourself to the frequent resumption of breathing, you will lose the cantilena /3/.
By finding a deep meaning in what he sings, a person thereby helps the correct regulation of breathing and other functions. This is the result of the manifestation of complex feedbacks between the first and second signal systems /4/.
Pnie is not the sum of separate full-fledged sounds. These sounds should be linked into a melody by a single breath, flexibly changing depending on the height, strength, timbre of the vowel /6/.
The volume of sound increases with the increase in subglottic pressure /9/.
Smirnov worked on the development of breathing in the following way: holding an ostrich feather in front of him at a distance of twenty centimeters and pursing his lips, as if about to extinguish a candle, he pulled the scale on the piano and so that the feather oscillated evenly when any voice register sounded. His breath struck with immensity /10/
Support of breath
Are little children crying? They work, the whole body vibrates, and the voice is free and never breaks, because it is always supported. Here is the source and basis of the singing sound /2/.
K ruzo did not recognize the subtle sound, not supported by full breathing, taken by the so-called falsetto. It is colorless and violates the uniformity of the entire gamut. (I rarely used falsetto, but I supported it with my breath). /27/
The "center of gravity" of the singer's sensations with proper singing lies not in the region of the vocal cords and larynx. Dominant are the sensations from the complex work of the respiratory muscles (respiratory support) and the strongest vibrational sensations of the singing resonators.
The throat, as well as the soft palate, function properly only when the diaphragm is in good tone and in a high position. The dependence between the diaphragm and the work of the larynx is explained by the fact that these organs located far from each other are controlled by the same nerve (the vagus nerve or "vagus").
When singing on good footing, the vibration of the chest resonator in all singers increases more or less as the note is held. When singing without support, the vibration intensity chest decreases markedly towards the end of the sound.
Sound without ear support can be characterized as sluggish, lifeless, non-flying, often without vibrato or with very irregular, unstable vibrato. The sound on the support is bright, sonorous, rich, well carried.
The decrease in the singing support of the sound is closely connected in the singer with the sensation of a well-defined and, as a rule, progressive vibration of the chest resonator /20/.
As a technique for developing a breath support when singing, many recommend a short pause on inspiration and a small additional breath.
... the student in this lesson "does not hold his breath", the sound is unstable. In this case, an excessive load falls on the larynx, a throaty shade is obtained. The teacher draws the student's attention to the need to increase attention to breathing. In response to this, he begins to activate the internal muscles of the larynx, strains the external cervical and internal laryngeal-pharyngeal muscles /4/.
“In singing, we feel life through breathing: the iridescence of sound, supported by breathing, is what attracts us!” (Astafiev) /5/.
Wishing to introduce breathing into work, he used the methods of “groaning”, “groaning” /6/.
You should not swarm singing phonation on the abdominal press (fatigue of the abdominal muscle). The presence of a large number of red muscles in the diaphragm and its low fatigue indicate that this muscle is an excellent energy source that feeds singing phonation. The entire singing sound should be based on the muscle complex of automatic singing exhalation, that is, on the work of the smooth muscles and the elastic network of the bronchi, trachea and diaphragm, and the striated muscles of the abdominal muscle complex is a necessary and effective reserve in case of the necessary forte or fortissimo / 37 / .
Under conditions of counter resistance (back pressure, impedance), a large subglottic pressure can be created, and the vibration energy of the resonators excited by the air breaking through the glottis will be large - the sound will be strong. In this case, the vocal muscles will do their work with a moderate expenditure of energy, since the supra-ligamentous air column will take over part of the work with the subglottic pressure.
When the sound is removed from the support (an unsupported piano), the supra-ligamentous cavity opens and the “prevention chamber” ceases to exist. A well-formed "warning chamber" is a sine qua non correct supported singing voice formation.
The feeling of support includes both auditory sensations from sound, and sensations of tension in the muscles of respiration, and ligamentous-laryngeal sensation, and sensation from raised subglottic pressure (sensation of a column of air) and, finally, vibration resonator sensations /9/.
If you remove your voice from breathing, then the muscles of the larynx immediately come into play - after all, something must support the sound. And with muscle tension (not to mention the fact that you don’t sing for so long), the sound, as a rule, turns out to be ugly in color, clamped, flat, open, otherwise it can just happen “kiks”, that is, the sound will break for a moment.
In order to get rid of the interference of the muscles of the larynx, you need to completely release the lower jaw, then muscle tension will be impossible /10/.
... the stronger the support on the diaphragm, the fuller and more stable the sound will be /43/
Resonators. Registers. Timbre
R zonators - sound amplifiers. Head resonator - for high sounds. Chest - for low.
R hysters are named according to the resonators.
The mixed register is medium, mixed /26/.
The selection of certain overtones depends on the size and shape of the resonators.
In what way do singers differ so much from each other as in the nature of their voices.
K ruzo controlled the resonators with such perfection, from which he extracted his huge, rich and powerful voice, that slightest change in the movement of the lips and cheeks, which accompanied the slightest transition in the emotions depicted, gave his sound a different color.
“Hear, or maybe it’s only me who hears, the moral spirit of a person in his timbre of voice” / 1 /.
It is said that the upper resonators are "vowel formers".
The upper resonator vibrations contain a large number of high overtones, while the chest resonator vibrations are an almost pure fundamental tone free of overtones.
For this, the teacher strives with all his might to make the student feel the so-called “mask”, so that the sound is “in a high position”, “oozing out of the eyes”, and with a particularly successful note, so that the “head is spinning” from feeling the strong vibration of the upper resonators. This means that the feeling of a “mask” is nothing but vibrational sensations.
For good singers, both resonators sound equally good not only on all notes of the range, but also on all vowels, which ensures the sound of the same timbre, regardless of the pitch of the note and the difference in vowels.
K Everardi advised his students to "put the head on the chest, and the chest on the head."
The teachers still advise to pay attention to the lower resonator when singing high notes and to the upper resonator when singing low ones (the feeling “the higher - the lower, and the lower - the higher” is recommended).
E o speaks of an important role in voice diagnostics /20/.
The beauty of timbre is 90 percent of a singer's success /3/.
Teachers' observations show that when a novice singer reaches the so-called medium, which lies between the upper and lower limits of the range, the voice acquires an unpleasant timbre /4/.
In timbre, Glinka saw one of the main means of vocal expressiveness.
The slightest change in the shape of the oral cavity is reflected in the timbre of the sound. The mouth, opened in the form of a vertical oval (letter O), causes a darker color, gives the sound "roundness". A horizontally stretched mouth results in a lighter coloration of the sound.
Oh, but the same word can be pronounced in a thousand ways, without even changing the intonation, the notes in the voice, but only changing the accent, giving the lips either a smile or a serious, stern expression. Singing teachers usually do not pay attention to this, but true singers, quite rare, always know all these resources well.
"Gloomy" - this indication of the composer refers mainly to the timbre of the performer's voice.
Thus, during one song, depending on the content, mood, the composer requires to repeatedly change the timbre.
Ginka preferred the method of internal representation, the mobilization of fantasy, to direct demonstration.
O different, colorful word, according to Glinka, should color the singer's voice /5/.
Russian is a timbre language.
In Etnam language - tonal /21/.
For mastering the mix (mixed sound formation), I recommended, going up, not to amplify the voices, not to strive for a powerful sound resonating in the chest. On the contrary, he asked to soften the sound and, liberating the work of the laryngeal muscles, to find, as it were, a falsetto, light, transparent sound. As you master this light sound, you can saturate it with a large chest resonance.
T to creates a smooth transition to the upper segment of the voice range, which has a mixed character.
"Flute" sounds are poor in overtones, they do not have that vibration that gives the sound a vitality that excites the ear. "Flute" sounds are a kind of technical impotence, which is shown even by outstanding singers who are not able to maintain a minimal participation of the chest sound on the ultimate upper sounds.
P vec, according to Rossini, acquires as much in the strength of his upper notes as he loses them in timbre / 6 /
Grebov said: “Never forget that you should not get carried away by the power of sound. All the charm and beauty of singing lies in the timbre.
P y always on the timbre, and you will be a singer! /8/.
The timbre enrichers also include the entire supraglottic and supraglottic space, from the false vocal cords to the tip of the tongue and teeth.
T mbr speech and singing voice is not always similar. A beautiful singing voice often hides behind an ugly speech voice and vice versa /33/.
P zoning is the reason for the amplification of various groups of overtones, that is, the main timbre-forming mechanism.
At resonance, sound amplification is obtained, although no new energy arises, is not added / p. 168-169/.
H m the smaller the volume of the resonator, the higher its own tone (the sound in the same time is reflected many times from the walls than in a large resonator). When pouring water into a bottle, the pitch increases with filling.
Pvtsy say: “The sound that is placed on the teeth or sent “to the bone”, that is, to the skull, acquires “metal” and strength. The sounds that fall into the soft parts of the palate or into the glottis resonate like in cotton wool.
... all my free time, at home, I mumbled, felt new resonators, stops, adapting to them in a new way. During these searches, I noticed that when you try to bring the sound into the very "mask", you tilt your head and lower your chin down. This position helps to skip the note as far forward as possible ...
T to developed a whole scale with high marginal notes. But so far all this has been achieved by lowing, and not by genuine singing with an open mouth.
... as always, lay down on the sofa, began, as usual, to hum, and after almost a year's interval, for the first time, I decided to open my mouth with a note well set on the hum ... and suddenly, unexpectedly, a long-awaited new, unknown to me sound similar to to the one that always seemed to me, which I overheard from the singers and have long been looking for in myself.
Previously, before my systematic studies, I quickly hoarse from loud long singing, but now, on the contrary, it had a healing effect on the throat and cleansed it.
There was another pleasant surprise: notes sounded that were not previously in my range. There was a new coloring in the voice, a different timbre, nobler, velvety than the former.
It was clear that with the help of low lowing one could not only develop the sound, but also equalize all notes on vowels.
Further tests revealed that the higher the voice went, turning into artificially closed notes, the more the emphasis of the sound moved up and to the front of the “mask”, to the region of the nasal cavities.
N ... at one of the opera rehearsals, a famous conductor criticized the singer for sticking out the sound too much in front of the “mask”, which caused the singing to get an unpleasant gypsy tinge of a slightly nasal tone.
… without abandoning what I had found, I began to look for new resonant places in my skull at all points of the hard palate, in the area of the maxillary cavity, the upper part of the skull, and even in the back of the head - everywhere I found resonators. In one way or another, they did their job and painted the sound with new colors.
And after these trials it became clear to me that the technique of singing is more complicated and subtle than I thought, and that the secret of vocal art is not only in the “mask” /13/.
A person has two mechanisms for changing timbre:
– change the shape and size of resonant cavities /9/
A flaxenlarged larynx leads to the fact that the timbre loses its overtone, becomes colorless. The voice begins to sound dull, not young, and loses its flight /41/.
R zonators fully respond to sound only when it is properly formed.
... the strength of the chest resonance is more pronounced in thin people and weaker in full ones, more in men than in women, stronger on the letters "O" and "U" than on other vowels.
The loss of smooth muscle tone in old age is the cause of the weakening of the voice.
... Every singer should strive to develop his middle and lower registers on the chest support and chest resonator. Singing on the chest support gives the voice warmth, sincerity, exciting naturalness.
The soft palate… gives the singer the opportunity to freely master the extreme upper register and feel its stability… We must strive to make the soft palate shrink more in breadth than in
…the absolute closure of the passage to the nasopharynx in the upper register makes the sound narrow, monotonous, losing flight and timbre saturation.
It is good to own the middle register - it means to keep the voice for a long time /43/
Covered sound. White sound. Belcanto
Sound covering - tuning the vocal apparatus mainly due to the expansion of the lower part of the pharynx and the corresponding formation oral cavity /18/
The essence of the manner of singing with a covered sound is expressed in the fact that some vowels, for example, “I”, “E”, “A”, are sung, approaching “Y”, “E”, “O”, that is, they are rounded. Increasingly
this applies to the unfortunate
The mouthpiece should not be opened too wide - this may result in a "white" sound.
And the articulatory apparatus of all singers must take the form corresponding to a given vowel (mouth, lips, tongue, teeth, soft
and hard palate).
Uppercase letters require especially careful rounding. The oral cavity plays an important role in rounding.
Rounding is achieved by the maximum elevation of the upper palate, due to which the resonator cavity of the mouth expands and takes on a domed shape.
The degree of "cover" in the practice of academic singing can be extremely different /26/.
In order to avoid changing the timbre on the medium, according to some singers, it is necessary to soften the previous notes and strengthen the subsequent ones, which is quite amenable to the efforts of the will. /41/
It is necessary to sing in rural things with a lighter sound, without turning into “white”, which is unpleasant, vulgar and tires the throat /6/.
The white, open sound is due to the increased sound of the upper harmonics and the insufficient sound of the lower formant, which gives the sound depth and roundness.
The requirement: “Do not stretch the mouth horizontally”, freely open it downwards, pronounce words significantly, rounding the vowels “A”, “E”, “I”, helps to master the correct, covered sound.
Bel canto - beautiful singing - is characterized by melodiousness, fullness, nobility of sound (singing on a support), mobility to perform virtuoso passages /18/.
And the alliance bel canto is closer to the Russian chant /5/
Formants
The term formant (from the word form, form) is used where there are enhanced overtones that form the characteristic coloring of the timbre of a given sound or instrument.
Due to the change in some cavities of the oropharynx, the resonator amplification of the initial overtones occurs within a wide range. That is why in the spectrum of a person's voice, “peaks” of amplification of individual overtones are obtained, which often turn out to be stronger than the main tone.
The value of a violin is determined by the peculiarities of the structure of its body, decks, and not by the quality of the strings stretched over it.
Each vowel contains in its overtone composition two main relatively enhanced frequency regions, the so-called characteristic Helmholtz tones, by which our ear distinguishes one vowel from another.
E and the frequency ranges that characterize the sound of each vowel sound are called vowel formants. One of them is formed due to the resonance of the pharynx, the second - the oral cavity. This determines the need to move the language during the transition from one vowel to another - to ensure a change in the volume of air to form the necessary formants.
P and a single position of the tongue it is impossible to pronounce different vowels.
Thus, the transition from vowel to vowel is a timbre change in sound, which owes its origin to a change in the resonance of the oropharyngeal cavities. And the rest of the set of overtones characteristic of a particular person creates an individual timbre.
A low singing formant (frequency 517 Hz), with its presence is associated with a round, full and soft sound. If you remove it, then the sound becomes whiter, becomes flat.
In juice singing formant (for low voices 2500-2800 Hz, higher - 3200 Hz) brings brightness, brilliance, "metal" to the sound. From its presence depends on the "range", the flight of the sound, the ability to "pierce" the orchestra.
The voice without HMF ... is significantly reduced in strength.
For masters of vocals, 30-35% of the entire sound energy of the voice is concentrated in the field of HMF.
In F and NPF, they impart a specific singing character to the sound.
The singer's task is to learn to articulate vowels, to use the dynamics of sound so that the VPF and NPF are always equally present in the voice.
V F occurs in the human larynx. The supra-ligamentous cavity of the larynx, which is formed between the vocal cords and the entrance to the larynx, has dimensions of 2.5-3.0 cm and resonates at a frequency of 2500-3000 Hz, that is, just in the HMF region.
This cavity in skilled singers during singing is always clearly limited from the pharyngeal cavity by a narrowed entrance to the larynx. Its size and shape, and hence the resonance, is preserved on all vowels and on the entire range, which is not observed in the speech of the same singers.
Singing formants are formed in the trachea and larynx, and vowel formants are formed in the pharynx and mouth.
The position of the larynx of the vocal master is strictly fixed, which ensures the constancy of the resonating cavities.
If for the main tones of the voice and low-frequency overtones the sound propagates in all directions from the mouth opening with approximately equal intensity, then for the HMF region there is a pronounced forward direction of the sound. The main energy of sound has a clear direction.
The directionality of consonants is especially great, having many very high frequencies in their composition, for example, whistling and hissing: “C”, “C”, “Sh”, “H”, “Sch”, etc. It is important to know this for correct diction. A good delivery of consonants towards the audience ensures sufficient intelligibility even at a very large distance /9/.
“A clearly expressed high singing formant should be considered the main and most important quality of a well-placed voice” (Rzhevkin S. N.)
In juice singing formant - a group of high overtones.
The phonic formant, which determines the sonority of the voice, is usually more pronounced in dramatic voices than in soft lyrical ones. On the piano, the voicing coefficient is somewhat less than on the forte, however, with excessive forcing of the voice, especially among inexperienced singers, the coefficient, on the contrary, decreases.
A good singer differs from a bad one in that all his vowels have a fairly high ringing factor. The sonority of a good singer's voice depends little on the pitch of the note: all notes are sonorous.
Sounds that are rich in high overtones and have a well-defined singing formant (which makes them sonorous) are qualified by the term "high position".
Observing the spectrum of one's own voice on the spectrometer screen allows the singer to quickly achieve an increase in the relative level of the HMF, increase the sonority and make sure what sensations this is associated with /20/.
– The impulses of the upper formant originate in the larynx, the oropharyngeal horn does not affect them.
– The position of the epiglottis is not significant in the formation of HMF frequencies.
It is known that in the process of singing and speaking the epiglottis is in motion and does not occupy a strictly fixed position. On the "open" singing sounds it is lowered, on the "covered" ones it is raised. However, in both cases, intense frequencies in the region of 3000 counts/sec are preserved in the voice. /21/
The oral cavity is divided into two connected resonators: the posterior one, the pharyngeal cavity, and the anterior one, the oral cavity, in which the formants characteristic of each vowel are formed. Both resonators are separated by a narrow air gap formed between the palate and the raised tongue (its front or middle part). For vowels "U", "O", "A" the anterior cavity is larger than the posterior one, for "E", "I" the posterior cavity is larger than the anterior one. Consequently, for "U", "O", "A" the most characteristic is a low formant, for "E", "I" - a high one /16/.
Tessitura. Key
T ssitura - the degree of voice tension associated with a relatively long stay in the corresponding part of the range /26/.
T ssitura is the part of the voice range most used in the piece. The most convenient tessitura for a singer is medium, high and low tessitura quickly tire the singers, and are unfavorable for the purity of intonation.
T ansposition (lat.) - permutation.
T ansposing is the transfer of the sounds of a musical work up or down a certain interval. With any transposition, with the exception of transposition by an octave, the tonality of the work changes. Often used when learning tessitura difficult pieces (mainly down).
There is also a well-known method of singing a work at rehearsals in other keys, so that when performing, the singers confidently keep the author's key, which in this case is perceived by them more freshly /18/.
But to give back to the churchmen - as a rule, they use melodic music, which takes, as they say, for the soul. At the same time, one curious detail attracts attention - out of the entire sound range, the church has always preferred low-frequency registers, and out of all musical instruments - low-frequency, bass sounding instruments.
The powerful, especially low sounds of the organ in Catholic churches or the thick rumble of large bells and the beautiful bass of the deacon in Orthodox churches as much as possible stirred the souls of believers.
At the same time, the low trills of small bells or the high voices of boys only set off the bass sounds that carry the main load.
For centuries, the special effect of low sounds was felt by believers intuitively, but a scientific explanation for this phenomenon could not be given for a long time.
Scientists have found out that only in the low-frequency region - up to about 500 counts / sec, the ear sensitively picks up the pitches of the harmonic character that we need for a more complete perception of the melody. In this frequency domain, the melodic difference between two sounds is determined only by the ratio of their frequencies. In the region above 500 counts / sec, the feeling of pitch ceases to be harmonic. The same frequency interval in the region up to 500 counts/sec and in the region above 500 counts/sec gives a different feeling of melodic pitch.
If any motive is shifted, observing the laws of harmony, from a low key to a higher one, then in a melodic sense its range will narrow. If, however, the arrangement is performed in compliance with the ratios characteristic of hearing, then the harmonic ratios in the melody are completely violated and the melody ceases to exist.
But is it because fundamental tones with a frequency much higher than 500 counts / sec, as a rule, are used very rarely in music or they are generally avoided.
Thus, only in the low-frequency region does hearing have the ability to most fully perceive sound combinations.
It follows from acoustic laws that the larger the instrument, the lower the sound it can produce.
The theoretician of church singing V. F. Komarov wrote: “What is a big good bell with its relatively simple monotonous rumble?.. In all nature and art there is no sound that, with the same power, would have so much softness and peculiar harmony in itself .. .» /24/.
For melted performers (a cappella) at the end of the performance, they often tend to lower their tone.
In practice, there are examples when a singer, learning a work in an undertone, intones correctly, but as soon as he sings in full sound, an intonation inaccuracy is revealed. This does not come from a lack of hearing, but from a wrong attitude. An increase in intonation is a consequence of excessive forcing of sound, when breathing overstrains the vocal cords and the sound from this becomes higher than normal (this happens when the string of a musical instrument is overstretched) /15/.
K chchini suggests choosing a key that is comfortable for the singer. Caruso advises against raping the tessitura /16/.
Is the deafening noise dominated low frequencies, then such noise is assessed as "soft", "pleasant", and it, as a rule, stimulates the voice function.
Sh we with a predominance of high overtones are rated as "hard", "prickly" and have a bad effect on the voice.
In the waters: the accompaniment of singers should contain more low "soft" sounds and less high, sharp ones.
The negative effect of high frequencies is explained by the fact that they mask, drown out the most important acoustic quality of a singing voice - a high singing formant. The singer ceases to feel the sonority of his voice, makes all kinds of attempts to restore, but does not achieve results and refuses to sing. In addition, sounds with a predominance of high frequencies in themselves have a negative effect on a person’s hearing and his nervous system.
Voices that are higher in nature retain good intelligibility of vocal speech at higher notes than low voices - the criterion of "natural articulation" also refers to the features that characterize the type of voice /20/.
There are fewer errors in diction on low and middle notes. The higher the note, the more difficult it is to articulate the sounds.
A particularly strong deterioration in diction when approaching the tops is observed in women's, as well as in children's voices. In practice, this means that not a single syllable sung on these notes can be recorded by the listeners without errors.
Sobinov complained that Napravnik “doesn't want to understand that the simplicity and naturalness of the performance that Gluck demanded are possible only if the voice is comfortable. And before settling on one or another key, I tried them all and chose the one where my performance can be calm and natural.
In simple tonality, it did not play a role for him if it slowed down the creation of the image / 6 /
H intonation is also affected by the position of the sound. The singer should only sing in a "high position", "approaching" the sound and using the head resonators more. The tessitura affects the position of the sound, and consequently, the intonation. A low tessitura can cause the sound to drop. Therefore, it is necessary to educate singers in the ability to sing in a high position under any tessitura conditions /22/.
sound attack
In e, the further sounding of the voice depends on its beginning. Having started sound correctly, we are already laying the foundation for further sound science. The next task of the singer is to keep the right beginning. In the attack, as in the grain, the entire voice of the singer is laid. In it, breathing and vocal cords interact very clearly, tangibly, and therefore, through these sensations that accompany the attack, it is easy to realize the correct interaction of these two main components of voice formation (breath - cords).
The requirements for the attack of sound were common, characteristic of Russian vocal pedagogy: a calm, moderate breath “down”, a feeling of freedom of the pharynx as with a slight yawn, a freely open mouth, a short delay in breath and an accurate, light attack of the sound.
Lessons over the attack, as a rule, on the pure vowel sound “A”, which requires the least connective and respiratory energy for its formation compared to other vowels /6/.
And such a sound is the instantaneous setting of the ligaments of the larynx to one or another note of the singing range, which is achieved by hard or soft closure of the ligaments, which occurs in accordance with the strength of the jet.
With abaya, an attack that is not audible to others without the effort of the sound being taken, reduces excessive irradiation of excitation in the brain, and at the same time eliminates the tension of the external and internal muscles of the larynx, prevents the “clamping” of the ligaments.
By restoring physiological breathing to complete silence, returning to a soft attack of sound produced without any tension, one can then amplify the resulting sound with the help of a system of resonators and the correct arrangement of formants that can turn a piano that looks like a light groan into a thunderous forte and make it fly into space, overcoming the “wall” of orchestra sounds along the way. (This recommendation probably cannot be universal). /four/
It is in no way possible to turn a picture of a correct attack of sound visually, except for hearing.
An extremely true and expedient technique for forming the correct attack of a singing sound is a light, unconstrained, without any violence to the larynx, movement of the voice to staccato in the middle part of the tessitura tuning of a given individuality.
In this case, the sound acquires those timbre qualities that characterize the best part of the singer's sound scale.
The training process of the attack of the singing sound and its influence on the singing voice as a whole is such that it gives us the opportunity to educate singers with the inviolable preservation of their individual colorful features of the voice.
The most valuable property of such a sound is, first of all, a pronounced perspective of development; after a relatively short period of time, composure, brilliance, softness and cantileverness appear. Moreover, the cantilence is distinguished by its naturalness and unconstrained purity /37/.
With a hard attack there are many high-frequency overtones, with a soft attack there are few, and the sound is “scattered”, “uncollected”, soft.
Therefore, the nature of the closing of the glottis plays a decisive role in the formation of the primary spectrum of the larynx, and hence the sound of the voice as a whole /9/.
After the change of breath, each singer must use a soft attack, the voice must imperceptibly merge into the general sound /26/.
high notes
The one preceding the high or awkward note should be a "springboard", taken in the same manner as the subsequent difficult note will be taken. It is necessary to prepare both the place of sounding and the position of the mouth. Well prepared - the note will appear as if by itself (although the same difficult note in another case can be taken differently, easier).
It greatly helps to take an uncomfortable note by clearly pronouncing the consonant preceding it, especially if it is sonorous or helps to resonate well /26/.
P and high tones are never recommended to take in excess air. Anyone who thinks that an upper register note requires a lot of air is deeply mistaken. Everything lies in the ability to approach this note.
Do not get carried away singing on high notes, take them in fast passages, and most importantly - do not shout them out - harm.
If a high note is after a pause and you have to take it with a special attack, you should try to keep the position of the larynx of the previous note and, when breathing resumes, do not forget it, do not lose it /3/.
Lvov figuratively said that each singer is allotted only a strictly limited number of extreme upper sounds and therefore they must be “spent” extremely economically.
The cell of the sound is directly proportional to the voltage, but it is necessary that the listener does not feel this.
About the young singer's ibka - this is carelessly, inattentively sung previous sounds and the desire to "take" the top sound. A carelessly sung end of one phrase inevitably leads to a convulsive restructuring of the vocal apparatus for the upper beginning of the next one. This deprives the singing of smoothness and sound evenness.
It is necessary to have the habit of tirelessly monitoring the preservation of the unity of the sound position. This will facilitate the development of a move to the upper sounds /6/.
“... to remove the clamp on a high note, you need to put the larynx and pharynx in exactly the same way as it is done during yawning” /13/.
If it is necessary to perform extreme high sounds, very concentrated breathing with a retracted stomach and an extremely open pharynx is required at a high position of the voice.
Zuk should produce a "piercing" impression / 16 /
Not only is it not necessary to start from the lower notes in the awakening of the upper sounds, but on the contrary, it is very dangerous. At the same time, we run the risk of including muscle elements in the sound extraction when the voice moves to the upper notes, which can create a picture of functional inhibition and delay further development high tones, because the muscles are included in the work with their entire mass, and when the sound moves up, they try to fully participate in the formation of upper sounds. This is a hindrance to work, and therefore, the participation of muscle elements in the formation of high notes should be individually limited /37/.
Don't forget that pushing the voice on one or several extreme notes of the vocal range only irritates the viewer /13/.
LARYNX- the initial cartilaginous section of the respiratory system in humans and terrestrial vertebrates between the pharynx and trachea, is involved in voice formation.
Outside, its position is noticeable by the protrusion of the thyroid cartilage - Adam's apple ( Adam's apple) more developed in ♂.
Cartilages of the larynx:
- epiglottis,
- thyroid,
- cricoid,
- two arytenoids.
When swallowing, the epiglottis closes the entrance to the larynx.
Mucous folds go from arytenoid to thyroid - vocal cords (there are two pairs of them, and only the lower pair is involved in voice formation). They oscillate at a frequency of 80-10,000 vibrations/s. The shorter the vocal cords, the higher the voice and the more frequent the vibrations.
Ligaments close when talking, rub when screaming and become inflamed (alcohol, smoking).
Functions of the larynx:
1) breathing tube;
Standing calmly Breathing deeply Singing
Articulation- the work of the organs of speech, performed when pronouncing a particular sound; degree of pronunciation. Articulate speech sounds are formed in the oral and nasal cavities depending on the position of the tongue, lips, jaws and the distribution of sound streams.
tonsils- organs lymphatic system in terrestrial vertebrates and humans, located in the mucous membrane of the oral cavity and pharynx. Participate in the protection of the body from pathogenic microbes, in the development of immunity.
TRACHEA
Trachea (windpipe)- part of the respiratory tract of vertebrates and humans, between the bronchi and the larynx in front of the esophagus. Its length is 15 cm. The anterior wall consists of 18-20 hyaline half-rings connected by ligaments and muscles with the soft side facing the esophagus. The trachea is lined with ciliated epithelium, the vibrations of the cilia of which remove dust particles from the lungs into the pharynx. It divides into two bronchi - this is a bifurcation.
BRONCHI
Bronchi- tubular air-bearing branches of the trachea.
The development of the voice always requires a correct diagnosis of its type. To make a correct diagnosis - to correctly determine the type of voice at the beginning of training is one of the conditions for its correct formation. In shaping the character of the voice, not only constitutional factors play a role, but also adaptations, i.e., acquired skills, habits.
When a novice singer, copying some favorite artist, sings with an unusual character of his voice, “bass”, “tenor”, etc., then most often it is easy to determine by ear and correct it. In this case, the natural, natural character of the voice is revealed with all obviousness. However, there are cases when the voice sounds natural, relaxed, basically true, and yet its character remains intermediate, unrevealed.
Determination of the type of voice should be conducted on a number of grounds. Among them are such voice qualities as timbre, range, location of transitional notes and primary tones, the ability to withstand tessitura, as well as constitutional features, in particular the anatomical and physiological features of the vocal apparatus.
The timbre and range are usually revealed already at the admission tests, but neither one nor the other feature taken separately can yet tell us with certainty what kind of voice the student has. It happens that the timbre speaks for one type of voice, but the range does not correspond to it. The timbre of the voice is easily deformed by imitation or incorrect singing and can deceive even the picky ear.
There are also voices with a very wide range, exciting notes uncharacteristic for this type of voice. On the other hand, there are also those that have a short range that does not reach the tones necessary for singing in a given character of the voice. The range of such singers is most often shortened at one end, i.e., either a few notes are missing in its upper segment or in its lower one. It is rare when it is narrowed at both ends.
Additional data to help classify the voice comes from the analysis of transitional notes. Different types of voices have transitional sounds at different pitches. This is what the teacher uses to more accurately diagnose the type of voice.
Typical transitional notes, also varying between singers:
Tenor - mi-fa-fa-sharp - salt of the first octave.
Baritone - D-E-flat - E of the first octave.
Bass - la-si - si-flat small C-C-sharp of the first octave.
Soprano - mi-fa-fa-sharp of the first octave.
Mezzo-soprano in C-D-D-sharp of the first octave.
In women, this typical register transition is in the lower segment of the range, while in men it is in the upper one.
In addition to this feature, the so-called primary sounds, or sounds that sound most easily and naturally in a given singer, can help in determining the type of voice. As it has been established by practice, they are most often located in the middle part of the voice, that is, for a tenor in the region up to the first octave, for a baritone - in the region of A small, for a bass - F of a small octave. Accordingly, the female voices.
The correct solution to the question of the type of voice can also be suggested by the singer's ability to withstand the tessitura inherent in this type of voice. Under the tessitura (from the word tissu - fabric) is meant the average sound-height load on the voice, available in this work.
Thus, the concept of tessitura reflects that part of the range where the voice most often has to stay when singing a given work. If a voice close in character to a tenor one stubbornly does not hold a tenor tessitura, then one can doubt the correctness of the manner of voice formation chosen by him and speaks for the fact that this voice is probably a baritone.
Among the signs that help determine the type of voice, there are anatomical and physiological. It has long been noted that different types of voices correspond to different lengths of vocal cords. It should also be remembered that vocal cords can be organized in different ways in work and therefore used to form different timbres. This is clearly evidenced by cases of a change in the type of voice among professional singers. The same vocal cords can serve for singing with different types of voices, depending on their adaptation. Nevertheless, their typical length, and with an experienced look of the phoniatrist and an approximate idea of the thickness of the vocal cords, can orient in relation to the type of voice.
Phoniatricians have long deduced the relationship between the length of the vocal cords and the type of voice. According to this criterion, the shorter the cords, the higher the voice. For example, for a soprano, the length of the vocal cords is 10-12 mm, for a mezzo-soprano, the length of the ligaments is 12-14 mm, for a contralto - 13-15 mm. The length of the vocal cords of male singing voices is: tenor 15-17 mm, baritone 18-21 mm, bass 23-25 mm.
In a number of cases, even when a singer enters the stage, one can accurately judge the type of his voice. Therefore, there are, for example, such terms as "tenor" or "bass" appearance. However, the relationship between the type of voice and the constitutional features of the body cannot be considered a developed area of knowledge and rely on it when determining the type of voice.
The human vocal apparatus consists of the respiratory organs, the larynx with the vocal cords and the air resonator cavities (nasal, oral, nasopharynx and pharynx). The dimensions of the resonators are larger for low voices than for high ones.
The larynx is formed by three unpaired cartilages: cricoid, thyroid (Adam's apple) and epiglottis - and three paired: arytenoid, santorini and vrisberg. The main cartilage is the cricoid. Behind it, symmetrically on the right and left sides, there are two triangular arytenoid cartilages, movably articulated with its rear part. With the contraction of the muscles that pull back the outer ends of the arytenoid cartilages and the relaxation of the intercartilaginous muscles, the arytenoid cartilages rotate around the axis and the glottis is opened wide, which is necessary for inspiration. With the contraction of the muscles located between the arytenoid cartilages and the tension of the vocal cords, the glottis takes the form of two tightly stretched parallel muscle rollers, which happens when protecting the respiratory tract from foreign bodies. In humans, the true vocal cords are located in the sagittal direction from the inner corner of the junction of the plates of the thyroid cartilage to the vocal processes of the arytenoid cartilages. The true vocal cords are composed of the internal thyroid-arytenoid muscles.
The lengthening of the ligaments occurs with the contraction of the muscles located in front between the thyroid and cricoid cartilages. In this case, the thyroid cartilage, rotating on the joints located in the back of the cricoid cartilage, leans forward; its upper part, to which the ligaments are attached, departs from the posterior wall of the cricoid and arytenoid cartilages, which is accompanied by an increase in the length of the ligaments. There is a certain relationship between the degree of tension of the vocal cords and the pressure of the air coming from the lungs. The more the ligaments close, the more the air leaving the lungs presses on them. Consequently, the main role in the regulation of the voice belongs to the degree of tension of the muscles of the vocal cords and the sufficient amount of air pressure under them, created by the respiratory system. As a rule, the ability to speak is preceded by a deep breath.
Innervation of the larynx. In an adult, there are numerous receptors in the mucous membrane of the larynx, located where the mucous membrane directly covers the cartilage. There are three reflexogenic zones: 1) around the entrance to the larynx, on the posterior surface of the epiglottis and along the edges of the scoop-epiglottic folds. 2) on the anterior surface of the arytenoid cartilages and in the interval between their vocal processes, 3) on the inner surface of the cricoid cartilage, in a strip 0.5 cm wide under the vocal cords. The first and second zones of receptors differ in diversity. In an adult, they are in contact only at the tops of the arytenoid cartilages. Surface receptors of both zones are located on the path of the inhaled air and perceive tactile, temperature, chemical and pain stimuli. They are involved in the reflex regulation of breathing, voice formation, and in the protective reflex of closing the glottis. Deeply located receptors of both zones are located in the perichondrium, in the places of muscle attachment, in the pointed parts of the vocal processes. They are irritated during voice formation, signaling changes in the position of the cartilage and contractions of the muscles of the vocal apparatus. Monotonous receptors of the third zone are located on the path of exhaled air and are irritated by fluctuations in air pressure during exhalation.
Since in the muscles of the human larynx, unlike other skeletal muscles, muscle spindles are not found, the function of proprioceptors is performed by deep receptors of the first and second zones.
Most of the afferent fibers of the larynx run in the superior laryngeal nerve, and the smaller part in the inferior laryngeal nerve, which is a continuation of the laryngeal recurrent nerve. Efferent fibers to the cricothyroid muscle pass in the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve, and to the rest of the muscles of the larynx - in the recurrent nerve.
Theory of voice formation. For the formation of voice and the pronunciation of speech sounds, air pressure under the vocal cords is necessary, which is created by the expiratory muscles. However, speech sounds are not caused by passive vibrations of the vocal cords by the air current from the lungs, oscillating their edges, but by active contraction of the muscles of the vocal cords. From the medulla oblongata to the internal thyroid-arytenoid muscles of the true vocal cords, efferent impulses arrive through the recurrent nerves at a frequency of 500 per 1 s (for the middle voice). Due to the transmission of impulses with different frequencies in separate groups of fibers of the recurrent nerve, the number of efferent impulses can double, up to 1000 per 1 s. Since in the human vocal cords all muscle fibers are woven, like the teeth of a comb, into the elastic tissue that covers each vocal cord from the inside, a volley of recurrent nerve impulses is very accurately reproduced on the free edge of the cord. Each muscle fiber contracts with extreme speed. The duration of the muscle potential is 0.8 ms. The latent period of the muscles of the vocal cords is much shorter than that of other muscles. These muscles are distinguished by exceptional tirelessness, resistance to oxygen starvation, which indicates a very high efficiency of the processes occurring in them. biochemical processes, and extreme sensitivity to the action of hormones.
The contractions of the muscles of the vocal cords are about 10 times the maximum air under them. The pressure under the vocal cords is mainly regulated by the contraction of the smooth muscles of the bronchi. When inhaling, it relaxes somewhat, and when exhaling, the inspiratory striated muscles relax, and the smooth muscles of the bronchi contract. The frequency of the fundamental tone of the voice is equal to the frequency of efferent impulses entering the muscles of the vocal cords, which depends on the emotional state. The higher the voice, the less chronaxia of the recurrent nerve and muscles of the vocal cords.
During the pronunciation of speech sounds (phonation), all the muscle fibers of the vocal cords simultaneously contract in a rhythm exactly equal to the frequency of the voice. The vibration of the vocal cords is the result of rapid rhythmic contractions of the muscle fibers of the vocal cords, caused by bursts of efferent impulses from the recurrent nerve. In the absence of air flow from the lungs, the muscle fibers of the vocal cords contract, but there are no sounds. Therefore, to produce speech sounds, contraction of the muscles of the vocal cords and air flow through the glottis are necessary.
The vocal cords are sensitive to the amount of air pressure below them. The strength and tension of the internal muscles of the larynx are very diverse and change not only with intensification and elevation of the voice, but also with its different timbres, even when pronouncing each vowel. The voice range can vary within about two octaves (an octave is a frequency interval corresponding to a 2-fold increase in the frequency of sound vibrations). The following voice registers are distinguished: bass - 80-341 vibrations per 1 s, tenor - 128-518, alto - 170-683, soprano - 246-1024.
The vocal register depends on the frequency of contractions of the muscle fibers of the vocal cords, therefore, on the frequency of the efferent impulses of the recurrent nerve. But the length of the vocal cords also matters. In men, due to the large size of the larynx and vocal cords, the voice is lower than in children and women, by about an octave. Bass vocal cords are 2.5 times thicker than sopranos. The pitch of the voice depends on the frequency of vibration of the vocal cords: the more often they vibrate, the higher the voice.
During puberty in male adolescents, the size of the larynx increases significantly. The resulting lengthening of the vocal cords leads to a decrease in the voice register.
The pitch of the sound produced by the larynx does not depend on the amount of air pressure under the vocal cords and does not change with its increase or decrease. The air pressure below them only affects the intensity of the sound formed in the larynx (the power of the voice), which is small at low pressure and increases parabolically with a linear increase in pressure. Sound intensity is measured by power in watts or microwatts per square meter (W/m2, µW/m2). The voice power during a normal conversation is about 10 microwatts. The weakest speech sounds have a power of 0.01 microwatts. The sound pressure level for an average conversational voice is 70 dB (decibel).
The strength of the voice depends on the amplitude of the vibrations of the vocal cords, therefore, on the pressure under the cords. The more pressure, the stronger. The timbre of the voice is characterized by the presence in the sound of certain partial tones, or overtones. There are more than 20 overtones in the human voice, of which the first 5-6 have the highest volume with the number of oscillations 256-1024 in 1 s. The timbre of the voice depends on the shape of the resonator cavities.
Resonator cavities have a great influence on the act of speech. since the pronunciation of vowels and consonants does not depend on the larynx, which determines only the pitch of the sound, but on the shape of the oral cavity and pharynx and the relative position of the organs located in them. The shape and volume of the oral cavity and pharynx vary widely due to the exceptional mobility of the tongue, movements of the soft palate and lower jaw, contractions of the pharyngeal constrictors, and movements of the epiglottis. The walls of these cavities are soft, so forced vibrations are excited in them by sounds of different frequencies and in a fairly wide range. In addition, the oral cavity is a resonator with a large opening into the outer space and therefore emits sound, or is a sound antenna.
The nasopharyngeal cavity, lying on the side of the main air flow, can be a sound filter that absorbs certain tones and does not let them out. When the soft palate is raised up to contact with the back wall of the pharynx, the nose and nasopharynx are completely separated from the oral cavity and excluded as resonators, while sound waves propagate into space through the open mouth. In the formation of all vowels without exception, the resonator cavity is divided into two parts, interconnected by a narrow gap. As a result, two different resonant frequencies are formed. When pronouncing "u", "o", "a", a narrowing is formed between the root of the tongue and the palatal valve, and when phonation "e" and "and" - between the raised tongue and the hard palate. Thus, two resonators are obtained: the rear one is of large volume (low tone) and the front one is narrow, small (high tone). Opening the mouth increases the tone of the resonator and its decay. Big influence Lips, teeth, hard and soft palate, tongue, epiglottis, pharyngeal walls, and false ligaments affect the quality of the sound and the character of the vowel. When consonants are formed, the sound is caused not only by the vocal cords, but also by the friction of air strings between the teeth (s), between the tongue and the hard palate (g, h, w, h) or between the tongue and the soft palate (g, k), between the lips ( b, n), between the tongue and teeth (e, t), with intermittent movement of the tongue (p), with the sound of the nasal cavity (m, n). During phonation of vowels, regardless of the fundamental tone, the overtones are amplified. These rising overtones are called formants.
Formants are resonant amplifications corresponding to the natural frequency of the vocal tract. The maximum number of them depends on its total length. An adult male may have 7 formants, but 2-3 formants are important for distinguishing speech sounds.
Each of the five basic vowels is characterized by formants of different heights. For "y" the number of oscillations in 1 s is 260-315, "o" - 520-615, "a" - 650-775, "e" - 580-650, "u" 2500-2700. In addition to these tones, each vowel has even higher formants - up to 2500-3500. A consonant sound is a modified vowel that appears when there are obstacles to the sound wave coming from the larynx, in the oral and nasal cavities. In this case, the parts of the wave run into each other and noise occurs.
Basic speech - phoneme. Phonemes do not coincide with sound, they may not consist of one sound. Set of phonemes in different languages different. There are 42 phonemes in Russian. Phonemes retain the same distinctive features - a spectrum of tones of a certain intensity and duration. There can be several formants in a phoneme, for example, "a" contains 2 main formants - 900 and 1500 Hz, "i" - 300 and 3000 Hz. The phonemes of consonants have the highest frequency (“s” - 8000 Hz, “f” - 12000 Hz). Speech uses sounds from 100 to 12,000 Hz.
The difference between loud speech and whispering depends on the function of the vocal cords. When whispering, there is a friction noise of air on the blunt edge of the vocal cord during its passage through a moderately narrowed glottis. With loud speech, due to the position of the vocal processes, the sharp edges of the vocal cords are directed towards the air stream. The variety of speech sounds depends on the muscles of the vocal apparatus. It is caused mainly by contraction of the muscles of the lips, tongue, lower jaw, soft palate, pharynx and larynx.
The muscles of the larynx perform three functions: 1) opening the vocal cords during inhalation, 2) closing them while protecting the airways, and 3) producing voice.
Consequently, during oral speech, a very complex and fine coordination of the speech muscles occurs, caused by the cerebral hemispheres and, above all, the speech analyzers located in them, which occurs due to hearing and the influx of afferent kinesthetic impulses from the speech and respiratory organs, which are combined with impulses from all external and internal analyzers. This complex coordination of movements of the muscles of the larynx, vocal cords, soft palate, lips, tongue, lower jaw and respiratory muscles that provide oral speech is called articulation. It is carried out complex system conditional and unconditioned reflexes these muscles.
In the process of speech formation, the motor activity of the speech apparatus passes into aerodynamic phenomena and then into acoustic ones.
Under the control of auditory feedback, kinesthetic feedback is continuously active when pronouncing words. When a person thinks, but does not pronounce a word (inner speech), kinesthetic impulses come in volleys, with unequal intensity and different intervals between them. When solving new and difficult problems in the mind, the strongest kinesthetic impulses enter the nervous system. When listening to speech for the purpose of memorization, these impulses are also great.
Human hearing is not equally sensitive to sounds of different frequencies. A person not only hears the sounds of speech, but also simultaneously reproduces them with his vocal apparatus in a very reduced form. Consequently, in addition to hearing, speech perception involves proprioceptors of the vocal apparatus, especially vibration receptors located in the mucous membrane under the ligaments and in the soft palate. Irritation of vibrational receptors increases the tone of the sympathetic nervous system and thereby changes the functions of the respiratory and vocal apparatus.