Muscular, Agile, And Lowered Larynx

Singing well requires strong, well-coordinated laryngeal movements. The larynx should assume a variety of vertical positions during singing to correspond to the demands being placed on it. When singing in the lower register in full volume, for example, the larynx should remain relatively low and stable. In male falsetto singing, by contrast, the larynx should attain a comfortably higher and stable position. When the larynx moves vertically during the dynamic process of singing, the vocal folds, and its controlling muscles, should remain strong enough to support securely significant sub-glottal pressure, and by extension, be able to valve the release of breath through the vocal folds efficiently.

A singer should not consciously lower his larynx during singing. Nonetheless, it is critical that a singer has the capacity to do so because, in some instances, a lowered larynx is precisely what is necessary to carry out high level, artistic singing. For instance, a lowered larynx can stabilizes the larynx for challenging vocal passages in both lower and higher registers; in this case, a lowered larynx may help to coordinate efficiently the actions of the vocal folds and the vocal muscles generally. A lowered larynx also enables the larynx to manage the high vocal stress that sometimes results from energetic singing. During resonant high note production the larynx may also need to drop to a lower position in order for the soft palate to rise to eliminate nasalized tones. Furthermore, a lowered larynx lengthens and widens the pharyngeal cavity, which creates the space for the formation of vibrantly open and resonant vowel sounds that are often required in more dramatic singing. Finally, a singer having the capacity to lower his larynx can promote the health, longevity, and over-all performance of a voice.

The guiding principle regarding the lowered larynx is relatively simple: healthy, artistic singing absolutely requires that a singer have the capacity to lower his larynx when it is necessary. This does not mean that a performer should consciously lower his larynx as a general, artistic maneuver. Quite the contrary, a strong, well-coordinated larynx will move to the right vertical positions automatically when a singer’s artistic aims call for it.

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