To work, your voice needs:
- a power supply—your breath
- a sound source—your vocal folds (or vocal cords)
- a sound resonator—your mouth, nose, and throat
Power supply
The air you breathe out (exhale) is your voice’s power supply. It’s used when you talk or sing. To feel how the power supply works:
- Keep your shoulders, belly, and upper chest relaxed with good posture.
- Put one hand on your belly and another on your upper chest.
- Breathe in through your nose or mouth.
- You should feel your belly move out as you breathe in.
- As you breathe out, your belly should move back in.
- Breathe in again. Talk. You talk on the air that is going out.
Sound source
Your vocal folds vibrate to make sound. The vocal folds are small bands of muscle and other tissues inside your larynx (voice box). When you breathe normally, the vocal folds are open and air passes through them freely. When you use your voice, air from your lungs makes your vocal folds vibrate and come together in a wave motion. This is what makes sound.
To feel how your vocal folds work:
- Put your fingers on your neck (under your chin) and swallow. You’ll feel your larynx move up and down.
- Now that you’ve found your larynx, make a humming sound. You’ll feel your larynx vibrate against your fingers.
Resonator
Your mouth, nose, and throat make up your voice’s sound resonator (like an amplifier).
When sound vibrations move through your mouth, nose, and throat, they become louder. The sound is louder when your mouth is more open and quieter when your mouth is more closed.
Why voices sound different
The pitch (high to low), loudness, and quality of your voice are different from other people’s because vocal folds are different in length, thickness, and tension.
Throats, mouths, and nostrils also come in different shapes and sizes, which affect how your voice sounds. You may also use your voice to reflect who you are and express your identity.
How voices change
Body and feelings
Your voice changes as your body changes. Your voice may be affected by things like your age, the size of your larynx, and how well you can hear.
Your feelings can also change your voice—for example, your voice may get higher when you’re excited.
Health and environment
Physical health can affect your voice. Dry mouth, allergies, or diseases like Parkinson’s can change your voice.
How and where you use your voice makes a difference, too. For example, your voice sounds different when you talk in a noisy restaurant versus a quiet room in your home.
Identity
Your voice can reflect your identity, including your gender identity and how you choose to express yourself.
Where to get help
If you have concerns about your voice, visit your healthcare provider.
Speech-language pathologists and audiologists can help with speech, language, and hearing concerns. Ask your healthcare provider or visit Adult Community Rehabilitation or Pediatric Rehabilitation to learn more.
