- The position of the larynx when singing
is hotly debated among singing teachers.
The longstanding classical ideal instructs the singer
to lower the larynx.
The contemporary methodology of Speech Level Singing,
otherwise known as SLS, encourages a laryngeal position
that resembles speech patterns.
That is middle-of-the-road position.
While other contemporary singing teachers
believe the larynx should be held high.
Low, middle, high, confused, who's right?
Come on, let's look at this contentious subject
and clear the muddy waters a little.
- [Female] Sound check.
(guitar reverberates)
(crowd cheers)
Check one, check two.
(drums beating)
(crowd cheering)
- Hey there, everyone.
My name is Dr. Dan,
and I'm a contemporary singing voice specialist.
Welcome to Voice Essentials, where everyone sings.
The topic of laryngeal position sounds like
a subject best left to the academics and voice scientists,
but it's an important issue for us to discuss
because the position of your larynx
will significantly affect your pitch accuracy,
your voice's stamina, and your vocal resonance.
Now, I think many of us fall into the trap
of only thinking about the sound
that we're making when we sing.
But have you every stopped to think about the passage,
the vocal tract, that the sound must travel along
before it enters the big, bad world?
The vocal tract is measured from the glottis,
the space between the vocal folds, and extends all the way
to the outer edge of your nostrils and lips.
The length of the vocal tract is never fixed.
Not only can your lips produce different shapes,
protruding for some vowels, and receding for others,
your larynx also has the capacity for movement,
both up and down, and yes, side to side.
This laryngeal movement, among other things,
affects the way your voice sounds and behaves.
So, let's get practical.
In today's video, we're going to acquaint ourselves
with your laryngeal movement,
and we'll finish with a brief explanation
of the optimal position of the larynx
for contemporary singing.
- [Female] Sound check.
(crowd cheers)
(guitar reverberates)
- Firstly, let's get all touchy-feely.
Place your thumb on one side of your larynx,
specifically your thyroid cartilage,
and then rest your index and middle finger
on the other side.
Now, swallow.
Notice that your larynx moves up as you swallow
returning immediately to its point of origin
between your fingers once the swallow is complete.
Try it again.
Now, let's try moving the larynx side to side.
I want us to be gentle with this activity.
For some, the extrinsic muscles,
the muscles surrounding the larynx,
may not want to allow a sideways movement.
So, try lightly moving the structure side to side,
and if your larynx does move easily,
try swallowing at the same time.
You'll notice that the sideways movement
is interrupted as the larynx moves up and down.
Now, let's add some sound to the movements.
We'll make it fun with some role-playing.
To start, let's pretend you're Willie the Giant
from Jack and the Beanstalk.
"Fee-fi-fo-fum."
Notice how the deep voice of our pretend giant
causes the larynx to lower somewhat.
"Fee-fi-fo-fum."
This is the position
that many classical singers advocate for.
Now, let's experience the exact opposite
with your best Bugs Bunny impersonation.
"Neh, what's up Doc?"
You should feel your larynx rise
in a similar manner to the swallow position.
Only this time the larynx is raised and remains high
for the duration of the phrase.
Now, as we continue,
don't forget to hit the thumbs up button
if you're enjoying the video.
- [Female] Sound check.
(crowd cheering)
(drums beating)
(guitar reverberating)
- So, let's get back to our earlier question.
What's the best laryngeal position for contemporary vocals?
Well, to answer that question, we need to recognize
the pros and cons of all three positions,
low, high, and middle.
The main benefit of the lowered classical position
is the lengthening of the vocal tract
which in turn gives the singer access
to deeper hues of vocal timbre.
The disadvantage of the low larynx,
certainly for the contemporary singer
is the continuous activation
of the sternohyoid and the sternothyroid muscles
which activate to depress the larynx.
This level of muscular tension
creates a labor-intensive environment
and can lead to wear and tear over time.
Now, the benefits of a high larynx
are similar to that of the low larynx in that
the high larynx creates a shortened vocal tract
and implements brighter tonalities.
But a larynx that is continually pushed high
will also lead to wear and tear
because of its tendency to constrict easily.
And that leaves us with the position
advocated for by many SLS teachers,
a position that is continually held in the middle.
The benefits of the speech level larynx orientate the singer
to a vocal output that is supposedly comfortable and easy,
and you might be forgiven for thinking
this is what I encourage my students to produce,
a speech level sound.
Well, yes and no.
I'm far more pragmatic in my teaching
than a single methodology like SLS allows for.
So, what I teach is a combination of all three positions.
I refer to the ideal laryngeal position as neutral larynx.
- [Female] Sound check.
(crowd cheering)
(drum beating)
(guitar reverberating)
- When I use the word "neutral",
I want you to think about the position of neutral
in a manual gearbox.
Unlike an automatic gearbox,
where neutral is a fixed position,
with a manual gearbox, neutral is the central point
that gives access to all other geared positions.
Often, the neutral position will have
a little bit of play in it also,
and that's what I'm looking for
in my singers' laryngeal positions.
The reality is at times your larynx does need
to move downwards for certain notes and colors.
Equally, there are times that the larynx will need to travel
high in the neck for high intensity vocals, such as build.
But the larynx should always return to a central position.
Another way to think about a neutral larynx position is
picture a buoy in the sea,
the B-U-O-Y buoy moves up and down
with the swell of the ocean,
but it never rides high and stays high.
That's a good illustration of your laryngeal position.
Your larynx should follow the swell of the phrase
sometimes riding high, and sometimes dipping low,
but always returning to a neutral position
that is free from muscular tension.
Now, let me give you one final practical exercise,
designed to reduce muscular tension
around and inside your larynx,
helping you to achieve a neutral position.
Placing your thumb and fingers
on either side of your larynx, like before,
pretend you're smiling at the back of your throat.
And when you've got that position in place,
add a gentle sigh in the middle of your range.
(descending sigh)
You should notice that your larynx
moves towards a central position,
that is neither high nor low.
If you're unsure about the position, swallow a few times,
take note of where the larynx comes to rest
and then try the sigh again.
(descending sigh)
As always, I'll be keen to hear about your experiences
with the activities I've included in today's tutorial,
as well as your experience with other instruction.
Leave a comment below,
so that we can all gain from your knowledge.
And if this is your first time
watching a Voice Essentials video, welcome.
Please take a moment to check out my channel.
I'd love for you to subscribe
and join our ever-growing community of singers
from across the globe who, just like you
wanna raise their voice in song.
I'll catch you again soon.
I'm Dr. Dan.
Sing well.