Week 3! Sound and More on Breathing

 Summary

The creation of sound is a very complex scientific process, but as singers it is important to have a basic grasp on sound physics to understand how our voices execute the sounds we hear. This comes in conjunction with many anatomical features of the vocal folds as well as the application of breath options from our previous week. 

What even is sound?

------> sound is the disturbance of air (NOT air "traveling")

----------->the air is disturbed by sound waves that oscillate air molecules from their source to our ears

-there are lots of very cool physics equations that can calculate and explain the speed, size, frequency, and loudness of sound waves/sound, but I will provide just the bare bones understanding here as to not overwhelm the learning singer! I personally love physics, and recommend checking out Khan Academy's website and YouTube page for more in-depth information. 

---a sound wave's shape is broken into units called a period (one "chunk" of the wave)

---the frequency of that period is determined by the time it takes for one period to repeat itself 

---the speed of sound waves is affected by the medium through which it travels, NOT VOLUME

---loudness of a sound is measured in units called decibels

---sound loses intensity as it travels or passes through interferences, which is why things far away can be very loud at their source but very soft when they reach your ear (someone shouting from across the house, a plane flying over)

Understanding that sound travels in waves is the most important information to grasp from these bullets, because it will ease the understanding of the vocal folds' movement and function.

Vocal Folds! What are they? Where are they? What do they do?

------>The vocal folds are the infant baby of the singer's body, responsible for our entire lives, essentially, but also incredibly fragile, needing lots of care, patience, and understanding.

------>They are the SOURCE of the Power, Source, Filter model (power=breath, remember?)

------>They are located down in the throat and are visible through endoscope technology. Videos and images taken from endoscopies are very cool and very helpful in understanding this anatomy, and I will attempt to attach one or two to this blog!

-Main anatomy involved: trachea, epiglottis, larynx, hyoid bone, vocal folds (false and true), arytenoids, thyroid cartilage, cricoid cartilage, and the thyroarytenoid and crycothyroid muscles

-the vocal folds are two very thin, angled structures that keep particles from going into the windpipe, allow us to breathe, and come together to make sound

---the vocal folds oscillate when they make sound, creating waves of contact with each other

---diameter of vocal folds changes with maturity and leads to voice changes, and generally determines voice type 

---protected by epithelium tissue, but very susceptible to injury!! (pathologies, nodules, cysts, ruptures, and polyps)

---vocal folds are not a muscle, and therefore are moved by another body part: the arytenoids

------>coming together of the vocal folds is called adduction, pulling apart is abduction

------>the posterior cricoarytenoid muscles engage to "open and close" the vocal folds, and the arytenoids pivot at the back of the folds (in relation to the front of the face) and open them up. The thyroarytenoid contracts for this action as well, and to create a faster oscillation of the folds and therefore a higher pitch, the thyroarytenoid is stretched by the pull of the cricothyroid. It is a lot of long words and visualizing, which is why I think endoscopy videos from accredited sources are most helpful.

I am going to attempt to attach a few scope videos on my next post, one from a very unhealthy exam evaluation, and another after voice therapy. This shows motion of the folds, how they change to alter pitch, and what pathologies will do to their adduction!