Introducing . . . The Straw Technique!
What is The Straw Technique?!
Simply stated, this technique has a singer sing specific exercises through a straw to create an environment that has less impact, collision, and stress on the vocal folds while they continue to stretch in a balanced position.
Check out this video created by one of the world’s leading voice scientists, Dr. Ingo R. Titze explaining The Straw Technique!
. . . And For You Science Nerds!
Pressure in the vocal tract is a huge contributor to vocal fold vibration. Without the vocal tract the vocal folds would not be able to sustain vibration.
When the mouth is partially closed, or wrapped around a straw, more of the pressure in the vocal tract is forced to stay in the vocal tract. This makes vocal fold vibration easier.
When the mouth is open during phonation, air comes up from the lungs, impacts the bottom of the folds, and is expelled through the mouth.
While some pressure always returns, when the mouth is partially closed (semi-occluded), more pressure reflects at the lips and returns to the vocal folds.
This back pressure helps align the vocal folds in a more balanced, squared-up position.
This balanced position is key for coordinating around transition points in the voice. Sliding slowly on the straw through a tricky ‘break’ point in the voice trains the vocal folds to vibrate in a balanced, medial position instead of shifting abruptly from one position to the next.
A big THANK YOU to Dr. Ingo Titze for his research to back up the brilliance of straw phonation.
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