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Keeping the tension out of your larynx, that’s one way to learn how to sing better and one of the most effective. The larynx, also named and more commonly called the ‘voice box’ is actually like a small box that holds the vocal cords. It is surrounded and supported by other muscles and is mostly made of cartilage

The larynx plays an important role in the tones you produce while singing. A sound is formed by the following process:

* You decide to sing and the brain prepares the vocal cords * The vocal folds start to fold shut * Air rises up from the lungs * The air forces itself against the vocal folds, causing them to vibrate

If you look at a picture of the larynx, you will see the trachea tube running up to the vocal cords contained in the larynx, and above that the epiglottis. The air that rises up and forces the vocal folds to vibrate is called subglottic pressure.

If you lay a finger gently at the base of your throat, you can easily feel your larynx. When you yawn or swallow, the larynx will move down. The lower position of the larynx indicates the throat is in an open position. For creating solid and rich sounding tones, the lower position of the larynx is good because there is unrestricted air flow.

Producing the Best Tones

The subglottic pressure and the position of the larynx can both directly affect your singing. To learn how to sing better, you need to manage the flow of air to the vocal cords and keep your larynx in the lower or central position.

But when the vocal flaps may close completely as subglottic pressure is formed caused by the larynx being tense. When that happens, the pressure becomes high and the flaps will burst open. This can result in an odd sound, almost like a clicking noise, before a tone is even produced. The term for this is glottal attack.

When you begin to sing, the onset of tone resulting from the vibrating vocal folds is called the attack. Its name sounds more vicious than it really is; you don’t actually want pressure attacking your vocal cords, but you do want air flowing smoothly.

Take notes of the following points to produce the best tones:

* Repeated glottal attacks can damage vocal cords * Improper posture can lead to vocal cords not closing properly and allowing air to escape * A larynx that is pushed upward will result in a nasal sounding tone * Tense muscles around the larynx will cause the vocal cords to function improperly, leading to a poor tone * Singers who sound breathy have too much air flowing through the vocal cords

As you can see, the quality of tones that you produce is largely because of the larynx.

Keeping Control

We don’t usually think of our vocal cords as something we can control, but even something as simple as the positioning of your head can affect their ability to open and close properly. That is just one of the reasons why you should also focus on good posture.

To keep your larynx in the down position, hold your head up straight so your neck is in line with your spine. Relax your jaw, it should not be tense. Tightening the muscles around the larynx can cause a tightening of the vocal cords.

Learning how to sing better involves a lot more than just forming notes. Good singers understand how the body’s components work in unison, and that includes the larynx.

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