[Jessi:] Oh, hi Sam!
[Jessi:] Oh, hi Sam!

[Sam:] Hey there, Jessi!
[Sam:] Hey there, Jessi!

[Jessi:] This is our friend Sam the Bat!
[Jessi:] This is our friend Sam the Bat!

Sam’s visiting the Fort today.
Sam’s visiting the Fort today.

[Sam:] Hey everyone!
[Sam:] Hey everyone!

[Jessi:] Sam, want to see a cool trick I can do with this balloon?
[Jessi:] Sam, want to see a cool trick I can do with this balloon?

[Sam:] I like cool tricks and balloons!
[Sam:] I like cool tricks and balloons!

[Jessi:] Me, too.
[Jessi:] Me, too.

Okay, here goes.
Okay, here goes.

[Jessi lets air out of the balloon and changes the pitch of the sound of the air coming out
[Jessi lets air out of the balloon and changes the pitch of the sound of the air coming out

by pulling the neck of the balloon.]
by pulling the neck of the balloon.]

[Sam:] Whoa!
[Sam:] Whoa!

How did you get that balloon to make different kinds of sounds?
How did you get that balloon to make different kinds of sounds?

[Jessi:] Well, when I pull the balloon tight, so there’s only a tiny little space for
[Jessi:] Well, when I pull the balloon tight, so there’s only a tiny little space for

the air to come out, it makes a high sound.
the air to come out, it makes a high sound.

Jessi demonstrates.
Jessi demonstrates.

[Sam:] Interesting!
[Sam:] Interesting!

[Jessi:] And when I don’t pull it as tight, so the air comes out of a bigger space, it
[Jessi:] And when I don’t pull it as tight, so the air comes out of a bigger space, it

makes a lower sound.
makes a lower sound.

[Sam:] I see!
[Sam:] I see!

[Jessi:] But you want to know something really cool?
[Jessi:] But you want to know something really cool?

[Sam:] What?
[Sam:] What?

[Jessi:] This balloon is actually a lot like the way people can sing.
[Jessi:] This balloon is actually a lot like the way people can sing.

[Sam:] What do you mean?
[Sam:] What do you mean?

[Jessi:] Well, try singing a high note.
[Jessi:] Well, try singing a high note.

[Sam sings a high note.]
[Sam sings a high note.]

[Jessi:] Wow, great singing!
[Jessi:] Wow, great singing!

[Sam:] Why, thank you!
[Sam:] Why, thank you!

[Jessi:] So when you hit that high note, you tightened something down in your throat, inside
[Jessi:] So when you hit that high note, you tightened something down in your throat, inside

your neck.
your neck.

They’re called your /vocal folds/ which are like folds of skin.
They’re called your /vocal folds/ which are like folds of skin.

People also sometimes call them vocal cords.
People also sometimes call them vocal cords.

[Sam:] I tightened my vocal folds?
[Sam:] I tightened my vocal folds?

Really?
Really?

But I’ve never even heard of them!
But I’ve never even heard of them!

[Jessi:] That’s because we do it without even thinking about it!
[Jessi:] That’s because we do it without even thinking about it!

You don’t have to think to yourself, “Now I’m going to tighten my vocal folds.”
You don’t have to think to yourself, “Now I’m going to tighten my vocal folds.”

You just sing that high note, and your body knows what to do.
You just sing that high note, and your body knows what to do.

[Sam:] That’s really neat.
[Sam:] That’s really neat.

And let me guess, when I sing a low note… shall I?
And let me guess, when I sing a low note… shall I?

[Jessi:] Please!
[Jessi:] Please!

[Sam clears his throat, then sings a low note.]
[Sam clears his throat, then sings a low note.]

[Jessi:] Lovely!
[Jessi:] Lovely!

[Sam:] Thank you!
[Sam:] Thank you!

So when you sing a low note, the… what were those called?
So when you sing a low note, the… what were those called?

[Jessi:] Vocal folds.
[Jessi:] Vocal folds.

[Sam:] The vocal folds aren’t as tight.
[Sam:] The vocal folds aren’t as tight.

Is that right?
Is that right?

[Jessi:] Exactly.
[Jessi:] Exactly.

So you know how a balloon has air in it?
So you know how a balloon has air in it?

That’s what I was letting out of the balloon.
That’s what I was letting out of the balloon.

[Sam:] Yep!
[Sam:] Yep!

[Jessi:] Remember how I controlled how much air I let out?
[Jessi:] Remember how I controlled how much air I let out?

If I held it tight, not much air was let out.
If I held it tight, not much air was let out.

And if I held it a little looser, more air came out.
And if I held it a little looser, more air came out.

[Sam:] Right!
[Sam:] Right!

[Jessi:] So when I held it tight, the air coming out made the neck of the balloon vibrate,
[Jessi:] So when I held it tight, the air coming out made the neck of the balloon vibrate,

or move back and forth, really really fast.
or move back and forth, really really fast.

That’s what made the high sound!
That’s what made the high sound!

And when I held it a little looser, the balloon didn’t vibrate as fast, so it made a lower
And when I held it a little looser, the balloon didn’t vibrate as fast, so it made a lower

sound.
sound.

When we sing, our lungs and throat are kind of like this balloon.
When we sing, our lungs and throat are kind of like this balloon.

Our lungs are located in the middle of our body, in our chest, and they fill up with
Our lungs are located in the middle of our body, in our chest, and they fill up with

air, and then let that air out.
air, and then let that air out.

That’s how we breathe!
That’s how we breathe!

We take air in and we breathe it out.
We take air in and we breathe it out.

[Jessi demonstrates breathing and Sam breathes with her.]
[Jessi demonstrates breathing and Sam breathes with her.]

[Jessi:] Breathe in.
[Jessi:] Breathe in.

And breathe out.
And breathe out.

We let out air when we talk or sing, too.
We let out air when we talk or sing, too.

Your lungs deliver air to something called the /larynx/, which is in the middle of your
Your lungs deliver air to something called the /larynx/, which is in the middle of your

throat.
throat.

And those vocal folds we talked about are on the top of the larynx.
And those vocal folds we talked about are on the top of the larynx.

Then that air travels through your throat and your mouth.
Then that air travels through your throat and your mouth.

And just like the air coming out of the balloon made a sound because it made the neck of the
And just like the air coming out of the balloon made a sound because it made the neck of the

balloon vibrate, when you talk or sing, the air traveling through your throat makes your
balloon vibrate, when you talk or sing, the air traveling through your throat makes your

vocal folds vibrate.
vocal folds vibrate.

[Sam:] Wow, that’s [singing] /amaaaazing!/
[Sam:] Wow, that’s [singing] /amaaaazing!/

[Jessi:] Beautiful, Sam!
[Jessi:] Beautiful, Sam!

Did you know that professional singers actually work on training their breath so they have
Did you know that professional singers actually work on training their breath so they have

a whole lot of control over it, so they can make a really soft sound —
a whole lot of control over it, so they can make a really soft sound —

[Sam sings a really soft sound]
[Sam sings a really soft sound]

[Jessi:] -- or a big, bold sound!
[Jessi:] -- or a big, bold sound!

[Sam sings a big, bold sound]
[Sam sings a big, bold sound]

[Jessi:] Their vocal folds aren’t really different from anyone else’s; it’s that
[Jessi:] Their vocal folds aren’t really different from anyone else’s; it’s that

control that makes the difference.
control that makes the difference.

[Sam:] Wow, cool!
[Sam:] Wow, cool!

[Jessi:] Sam, can I show you one more thing?
[Jessi:] Sam, can I show you one more thing?

[Sam:] Sure!
[Sam:] Sure!

[Jessi pulls out a rubber band.
[Jessi pulls out a rubber band.

She plucks the rubber band.]
She plucks the rubber band.]

[Jessi:] See how when I pluck the rubber band, it makes a sound, but it’s not that loud?
[Jessi:] See how when I pluck the rubber band, it makes a sound, but it’s not that loud?

[Sam:] Uh-huh.
[Sam:] Uh-huh.

[Jessi:] But what about when I pluck that rubber band inside this box?
[Jessi:] But what about when I pluck that rubber band inside this box?

[Sam:] Let’s see!
[Sam:] Let’s see!

Jessi plucks the rubber band inside a box.
Jessi plucks the rubber band inside a box.

It makes a deeper, richer sound.
It makes a deeper, richer sound.

[Sam:] Oh, it’s definitely louder now, and nicer sounding, too.
[Sam:] Oh, it’s definitely louder now, and nicer sounding, too.

[Jessi:] You can think of the rubber band as like your vocal folds.
[Jessi:] You can think of the rubber band as like your vocal folds.

It vibrates when I pluck it, just like your vocal folds or the neck of the balloon.
It vibrates when I pluck it, just like your vocal folds or the neck of the balloon.

The box is like your throat and mouth.
The box is like your throat and mouth.

They help make your voice sound fuller and louder.
They help make your voice sound fuller and louder.

[Jessi:] Well, I think I’m going to go play my favorite instrument.
[Jessi:] Well, I think I’m going to go play my favorite instrument.

[Sam:] What’s that, Jessi?
[Sam:] What’s that, Jessi?

Mine’s the piano.
Mine’s the piano.

[Jessi:] I do like the piano!
[Jessi:] I do like the piano!

But really, my favorite instrument is my voice!
But really, my favorite instrument is my voice!

[Sam:] Ohhhh!
[Sam:] Ohhhh!

Well then, let’s go play!
Well then, let’s go play!

[Jessi:] Thanks for joining us!
[Jessi:] Thanks for joining us!

If you want to keep learning more about our amazing bodies and our incredible world, hit
If you want to keep learning more about our amazing bodies and our incredible world, hit

the subscribe button, and don’t forget to check us out on the YouTube Kids app.
the subscribe button, and don’t forget to check us out on the YouTube Kids app.

We’ll see you next time, here at the Fort!
We’ll see you next time, here at the Fort!

[Sam:] Bye!
[Sam:] Bye!