Vocal Resonation - Human Resonating Chambers

Human Resonating Chambers

The voice, like all acoustic instruments such as the guitar, trumpet, piano, or violin, has its own special chambers for resonating the tone. Once the tone is produced by the vibrating vocal cords, it vibrates in and through the open resonating chambers, activating the four primary colors (resonances): 1) chest, 2) mouth, 3) nasal (or mask) and 4) head.

Think of the various resonances as vocal colors in a continuous spectrum, from dark or chest resonance to bright or head/nasal resonance. We may call this spectrum a resonance track. In the lower range, the chest resonance or dark color predominates; in the middle range, the mouth-nasal resonance is dominant; in the higher range, the head-nasal resonance (bright color) predominates. The objective is to have command of all the colors of the spectrum, which allows you, the artist, greater scope of emotional expression. The emotional content of the lyric or phrase suggests the color and volume of the tone and is the personal choice of the artist.

HEAD RESONANCE should not be confused with head register or falsetto. It is used primarily for softer singing in either register throughout the range.

MOUTH RESONANCE is used for a conversational vocal color in singing and, in combination with nasal resonance, it creates forward placement or mask resonance.

CHEST RESONANCE adds richer, darker, deeper tone coloring for a sense of power, warmth and sensuality. It creates a feeling of depth and drama in the voice.

NASAL or MASK RESONANCE is present at all times in a well-produced tone, except, perhaps, in the instance of the pure head tone or at very soft volume. Nasal resonance is bright and edgy and is used in combination with mouth resonance to create forward placement (mask resonance). In an over-all sense, it adds overtones that give clarity and projection to the voice.

There are some singers who are recognized by their pronounced nasal quality and others noted for a deep, dark and chesty sound and still others for their breathy or heady sound ... and so on. In part, such individuality depends on the structure of the singer's vocal instrument, that is, the inherent shape and size of the vocal cords and resonating chambers.

The quality or color of your voice also depends on your ability to develop and use various resonances by controlling the shape and size of the chambers through which the sound flows. It has been demonstrated electrographically in the form of "voice-prints" that, like fingerprints, no two voices are exactly alike.