Physical Sensations In Singing Pt. 1

One notion that has gained enormous popularity in contemporary voice coaching is the idea that the presence of physical sensations in certain instances, and the absence of sensations in other instances, hold important clues for the correct way to sing. We have to admit in advance that this is a curious idea since singing is largely devoid of distinct physical sensations. Nonetheless, since many noted voice professionals subscribe to the importance of sensations to singing, we should give this idea a fair hearing. Advocates of this view maintain that sensation-based singing is an experiential fact. So let’s try to fathom what a singer might mean by sensation-based singing.

The first issue to settle is whether or not singers do, in fact, experience sensations, and if they do, to try to determine what these sensations are and where they originate. Finally, we should try to determine if these alleged sensations could be reliable guides to good singing. One of the countless benefits of living in modern times is the astounding success that science has had in unveiling many facts about the physical and living world. For example, we now understand, thanks to voice scientists, anatomists, and biologists, how the vocal mechanism functions, what it does and, as importantly, what it doesn’t do. Let’s see if our secure knowledge about the mechanics of voice production is consistent with the notion of sensation-based singing. There are three areas where singers report sensations during singing: the chest area, the head cavity, and the facial area; this last location is often referred to as the “mask.”

Chest Sensations Of the three areas, the chest sensations are the most difficult to dispute. Many singers, and speakers for that matter, experience sensations in the chest area when producing lower register, resonant tones. The sources of these sensations are sound waves that travel from a vibrating larynx to and through the collarbone, and into the bony structure of the rib cage. In physics, energy flowing through some object or medium is called “conduction.” Since the larynx, collarbone, and rib cage are relatively close to each another, extreme conduction that produces sensations is an easy process to accomplish, particularly in a singer’s lower register. Chest sensations, therefore, make sense, both from an experiential and scientific perspective, so there is little reason to doubt its validity.

Head Sensations When we try to understand head sensations, however, it’s difficult to know exactly what singers are talking about. It’s clear that many singers don't experience anything during singing that might be called head sensations, and those who do report the presence of head sensations, sometimes called “head resonance” or “head voice,” often have different stories to tell. Some singers speak of sensations occurring “behind the eyes,” others claim some that they occur at the “top of the head,” while still others refer to “vibrations between the ears.” According to the most favorable testimonials, head sensations seem to be more prevalent during high-note singing.

From a scientific viewpoint, unfortunately, we cannot account for head sensations. Although voice scientists agree that vibrations from the larynx could be conducted through the bony structure of the head cavity, they are quick to point out that conducted vocal fold vibrations are unlikely to result in experiential “head sensations.” The reason why is quite simple: conducted sound waves through the bony structures of the head are so weak that they could not produce head sensations of any significance. If one wants to argue that head sensations result from “head resonance,” there is another serious problem: there are no empty spaces in the head cavity in which sound waves could possibly resonate to create sensations, even in the case of our more thoughtless singers and voice coaches. On the contrary, the head chamber is amply filled with spongy, resonance-inhibiting thinking matter and protective liquid. So then what are these head-sensation singers talking about? It’s most likely that singers who argue for sensations in the head cavity are misinterpreting their experiences, and are mistaking a generalized form of nasal resonance for what they often call head resonance. This brings us to the final structures where sensations are said to occur.

Mask and facial sensations coming in Pt. 2...