Nuggets of Wisdom
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Resonation is the process by which the basic product of phonation is enhanced in timbre and/or intensity by the air filled cavities through which it passes on its way to the outside air.
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The end result of resonation is, or should be, to make a better sound.
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The vibrations created by the vocal folds travel along the bones, cartilages, and muscles of the neck, head, and upper chest, causing them to vibrate.
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There are seven areas that may be listed as possible vocal resonators. In sequence from the lowest within the body to the highest, these areas are the chest, the tracheal tree, the larynx itself, the pharynx, the oral cavity, the nasal cavity, and the sinuses.
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One of the desirable attributes of good vocal tone is a prominent overtone lying between 2800 and 3200 Hertz, with male voices nearer the lower limit and female voices nearer the upper. This attribute is identified as brilliance, or more frequently as 'ring'.
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By virtue of its position, size, and degree of adjustability, the pharynx (throat) has to qualify as the most important resonator.
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The oral cavity or mouth is second in importance only to the pharynx.
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The nasal cavity or nose is third in rank in the hierarchy of vocal resonators.
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The nose is ideal for its main purpose: cleaning, adjusting the temperature of, and adding moisture to the incoming air.
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A balanced sound has a lot of hard palate vibration behind the front teeth and seems to be centered more in the mouth, whereas a honk has more vibration around the soft palate and seems to be centered up behind the nose.
Adjusting the Resonators
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The beginning of a yawn position is ideal for singing and should be cultivated.
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Lips should be free to move at all times, mouth and lower jaw should drop open.
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Too bright=too much emphasis on the mouth as a resonator and not enough on the pharynx.
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Too dark=too much emphasis on the pharynx and not enough on the mouth
