Estill Voice

Training®
Level One:
Figures for Voice Control

Workbook
2nd Edition
 Welcome to
Estill Voice Training
Level One!
When you feel, hear, and see how vocal knowledge becomes
vocal power, you will want to explore these offerings from Estill
Voice International.
For deeper knowledge ...
For visual feedback ...

For fun practice ...

For focused exercise ...

To continue your Estill journey ...

Find a course Find a trainer Get certified
 THiNK

S E R I E S

Estill Voice

Training
Level One:
Figures for Voice Control

Workbook
2nd Edition
Written by Jo Estill
Revised, Edited and Illustrated
by Mary McDonald Klimek
with Kerrie
Obert
& Kimberly Steinhauer
Copyright © 2019, 2005 by Estill Voice International, LLC
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Library of Congress Registration Number
ISBN: 978-0-9859023-2-2

Illustrations: Mary McDonald Klimek

Cover Design Concept: Michele Baker, Baker Creative
Interior Layout: Daniel Edward Klimek

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording
or otherwise, without the prior, written permission of the publisher.
Dedication and Acknowledgement

This book contains the latest evolution of Estill Voice Training®.

There would be no Estill Voice Training® without the insight and

perseverance of Jo Estill, singer, educator, and scientist. We gratefully
acknowledge Jo Estill’s vision of bringing scientific understanding and
technical innovation to the teaching and rehabilitation of voice. She was
the source of the Estill Voice Model and remains our inspiration.

Preparation of this text was a collaborative effort, with contributions from

Estill Mentors and Course Instructors and Estill Master Trainers.

Thanks to one and all who lent assistance.

Table of Contents
vi Welcome!

1 Course Introduction

9 Effort

13 Power

19 Pitch

25 True Vocal Folds: Onset/Offset

33 False Vocal Folds

41 True Vocal Folds: Body-Cover

51 Thyroid Cartilage

57 The Siren

59 Cricoid Cartilage

65 Aryepiglottic Sphincter

71 Larynx

77 Tongue

85 Velum

93 Jaw

99 Lips

105 Head and Neck

111 Torso

117 What’s Next?

119 References

v
 Level One Workbook

Welcome!
Estill Voice International hopes that this learning experience will prove both powerful and
rewarding. This course Workbook has been developed to assist in the process of learning
Estill Voice Training®. The heart of this unique approach is the assumption that everyone has
a beautiful voice. The balance of vocal health and aesthetic freedom is central to our teaching.
Figures for Voice, the exercises that translate the theory of the Estill Voice Model into practical
application, will provide course participants with the tools to achieve personal vocal goals and to
discover the beauty in every voice.

Write in this book...

This is a workbook, not a text. It is to be used under the supervision of an Estill Mentor and
Course Instructor or Estill Master Trainer – a teacher uniquely qualified to offer guidance. This
teacher will expand upon this information. There are blank spaces provided for notes.

Practice, practice, practice...

Control of muscles, which is the essence of Estill Voice Training®, is not accomplished by reading,
or even theoretical understanding – it is learned by doing, and doing, and doing. Be patient
during this process, and know that this system is not absorbed into the body in the course of a
few days, or even weeks. Practice is required for mastery. Working one-on-one with a teacher
or in small practice groups is invaluable. You may also practice with materials from the Think
Voice Series available for purchase on www.estillvoice.com: Estill Voiceprint Plus (a sound analysis
program created specifically to be used while practicing Figures for Voice and loaded with pre-
recorded samples in both male and female voices); Figures in a Flash (flash cards containing the
Figures and prompts), Estill Etudes: Volume 1 (exercises with music). If you practice - and learn
- by teaching others, you might want another “Make & Move Larynx” for your studio (you will
build one in this course) or a copy of The Estill Adventure: Figures for Beginners (a book with fun
graphics and exercises for young students).
Stay connected by reading the Estill E-News (in your email inbox or on www.estillvoice.com) and
attending the Estill World Voice Symposium, held every other year. Learn even more by reading
The Estill Voice Model: Theory & Translation, a book available in print and e-book versions from
our website.

vi
 Level One Workbook

Take care of your voice...

Vocal health is your responsibility. Exercises in any course may hurt the voice if done incorrectly.
Practicing without coaching and feedback from a certified Estill Voice Training® teacher and/or
taking an exercise out of context may place the voice at risk.
Students should be in good vocal health. If an instructor has any concerns regarding the health
of a student’s voice – in a workshop, course, classroom, or studio – the teacher will refer that
individual to a Laryngologist (an Ear-Nose-Throat doctor who specializes in the voice and
larynx).
Estill Voice International wants everyone to have a long and healthy vocal life, however no claims
or guarantees are made. Each individual is solely responsible for the health of his or her own
voice.

Last, but not least: Have fun!

Learning to use the voice flexibly, in new and exciting ways, is very satisfying. Enjoy this
experience.
We look forward to working with you.

vii
Level One Workbook

viii
 Level One Workbook

Course Introduction
Introductory Exercise
Notes
Sing Happy Birthday, as a:
Party guest (Speech)
Innocent child (Falsetto)
Teasing bully (Belt/Twang)
Remorseful/repentant child (Sob)
“Proper” singer (Opera)

Guiding Principles of Estill Voice Training®

• Estill Voice Training® has no aesthetic bias
• All qualities are acceptable as long as vocal health is not jeopardized
• Everyone has a beautiful voice

Origins of Estill Voice Training®

Jo Estill, world-renowned educator, researcher, and singer, developed Estill Voice Training®.
Although she started singing at a young age, lifted up onto the dining room table to sing for
company, she often wondered, “How am I doing this?” When she left her performing career and
went back to school for a Master’s Degree in Music Education, she found some of the answers
in course electives in the Speech and Hearing Department. As she learned about the anatomy
and physiology of the head and neck (of the larynx, the ear, the vocal tract), and the principles
of speech science (respiration, phonation, and resonance/acoustics), she began to acquire
some of the answers to that long-standing question. Her inquisitive nature motivated a career
move from performance to voice research and teaching. Her insights led to the development
of the Estill Voice Model, the theoretical foundation for this approach to vocal training. Estill
Voice Training®, also known as Estill Voice Craft®, with its Figures for VoiceTM, has been taught
throughout the world. Jo Estill’s achievements in voice research and teaching were recognized in
2004 with an honorary doctorate from East Anglia University.

Introduction 1
 Level One Workbook
The Estill Voice Model® Evolved from Research

In 1981, X-Rays were taken of Jo Estill’s vocal tract as she sang in four voice qualities.
Changes were observed in the anatomical structures of the vocal tract that define its shape.

Lips & Teeth Soft Palate

Tongue Pharynx (throat)

Larynx (“voice box”) Laryngeal Vestibule

(space above)
& True Vocal Folds
(line below)

Conduct an Experiment -- Sing “Happy Birthday” (as in the Introductory

Exercise) and complete the following questionnaires:

Sing in SPEECH and describe:

The movement of the larynx? None Up Down

The muscles surrounding the larynx? Relaxed Active

The sensation of space in your larynx and

Neutral Large Small
throat?
High Low
Tongue posture & space in the mouth? Neutral
Small Large

Notice anything else?

Introduction 2
 Level One Workbook

Sing in FALSETTO and describe:

The movement of the larynx? None Up Down

The muscles surrounding the larynx? Relaxed Active

The sensation of space in your larynx and throat? Neutral Large Small
High Low
Tongue posture & space in the mouth? Neutral
Small Large
Notice anything else?

Sing in TWANG and describe:

The movement of the larynx? None Up Down

The muscles surrounding the larynx? Relaxed Active

The sensation of space in your larynx and throat? Neutral Large Small
High Low
Tongue posture & space in the mouth? Neutral
Small Large
Notice anything else?

Sing in SOB and describe:

The movement of the larynx? None Up Down

The muscles surrounding the larynx? Relaxed Active

The sensation of space in your larynx and throat? Neutral Large Small
High Low
Tongue posture & space in the mouth? Neutral
Small Large
Notice anything else?

Sing in OPERA and describe:

The movement of the larynx? None Up Down

The muscles surrounding the larynx? Relaxed Active

The sensation of space in your larynx and throat? Neutral Large Small
High Low
Tongue posture & space in the mouth? Neutral
Small Large
Notice anything else?

Introduction 3
 Level One Workbook
Continue the experiment by comparing observations to X-Rays of Jo Estill
singing in Speech, Sob, Twang and Opera. (from Colton and Estill, 1981)

Notes
Differences in shape
contribute to differences
inNeutral
sound spectrum
Position
MODE 1 (SPEECH) MODE 2 (SOB)
LENGTH (cm) 14.91 294 Hz LENGTH (cm) 17.45 294 Hz
14.73 587 Hz 17.05 587 Hz

Differences in shape
contribute to differences in
Notesound
circled changes in
spectrum.
throat and larynx
between Twang and Sob
MODE 3 (TWANG) MODE 4 (OPERA)
LENGTH (cm) 15.45 294 Hz LENGTH (cm) 15.82 294 Hz
14.64 587 Hz 16.32 587 Hz
(Colton & Estill, 1981)

Estill Voice Training® Operating Principles:

• Knowledge is power; understanding how the voice works is a good thing
• Voice production begins before the voice is heard; muscle effort makes it happen
• The breath must be allowed to respond to what it meets on the way out
• Voice training is optimized when separated into 3 disciplines:
Craft, Artistry, and Performance Magic

Notes

Craft Artistry Performance Magic

Introduction 4
 Level One Workbook
The Power-Source-Filter Model
• Breath (Power) draws true vocal folds (TVFs) into vibration
• True vocal fold vibration (Source) generates a pitch and overtones
• Vocal tract resonance (Filter) processes the frequency components of the voice into patterns
recognized as vowels, consonants, and voice quality

Contributions of Voice Production Components

Breath Tone Resonance
POWER SOURCE FILTER

Lungs & Torso Larynx - True Vocal Folds Vocal Tract Structures
Aerodynamics Bioelasticity Treble-Bass Balance
Volume/Intensity Pitch & Harmonics Vowel & Singer’s Formants
Breath Noise Volume/Intensity Volume/Loudness
Tone Clarity Consonants

Notes

Estill Voice Training® Teaches Isolated Control of

Individual Anatomical Structures within the Voice Production System

Structures Controlled in Estill Voice Training

Head & Neck
Velum
Lips
Tongue
Jaw
Larynx
Aryepiglottic Sphincter
False Vocal Folds
True Vocal Folds
Thyroid Cartilage
Cricoid Cartilage

Torso

Introduction 5
 Level One Workbook
Overview of Voice Production Structures and Options in Level One
Larynx Structures
TVF
Onset/Offset
False
Vocal Folds
TVF
Body-Cover
Notes

Glottal Aspirate Smooth Constrict Mid Retract Slack Thick Thin Stiff

Thyroid Cricoid
AES
Cartilage Cartilage

Vertical Tilt Vertical Tilt Wide Narrow

Vocal Tract Structures

Larynx Tongue Velum

Low Mid High Low Mid High Compress Low Mid High
(Advanced Option)

Jaw Lips

Forward Mid Back Drop Protrude Mid Spread

Support Structures
Head & Neck Torso

R A R A
Relax Anchor Relax Anchor

Structural Combinations
and the Dynamic Nature of Voice Production
Combinations of structural conditions are used in speaking and singing. These habitual
structural adjustments may have been acquired by trial and error or through years of training.
Generally, conditions change between speaking and singing.
Voice quality is the characteristic of an individual voice or style of voicing, independent of
speech sounds, pitch, and loudness. The term quality does not imply good or bad. In Estill Voice
Training®, all voice qualities may be useful for a specific expressive purpose; however, vocal health
always remains a priority.
The voice production system is dynamic and complex. The learning process is simplified by
focusing on one structure at a time. Ultimately, Estill voice training® enables the speaker or singer
to differentiate and voluntarily control each structure to the extent that the biomechanical and
aerodynamic nature of the system will allow. Dynamical Systems Theory (e.g. Kelso, 1995, and
Wallace, 1996) describes the relationship that exists among the physical, environmental, and

Introduction 6
 Level One Workbook
behavioral properties of motor (muscle and movement) control. Dynamical Systems Theory in
voice production is evident in control of intensity during speaking and singing. For example, a
speaker may instinctively take a larger breath to make a loud sound and a smaller breath to make
a soft sound. The interaction between the respiratory and phonatory systems is what results in
the change in volume. Dynamic principles apply to many other aspects of voice production and
are integrated throughout Estill Voice Training®. The term attractor state is used in dynamical
systems theory to describe a condition of stability during motor tasks. Some structures are
naturally attracted to a specific condition at a given pitch or volume. For example, the condition
of stability, or attractor state, for chest voice is low pitch, and the condition of stability, or attractor
state, for head voice is high pitch. As the untrained singer moves up the scale in chest voice, the
sound becomes unstable (voice cracks) and eventually gives way to a head voice at the higher
pitches. The abrupt change of quality and conditions some singers experience between their chest
and head voices is one example of attractor states in action. Attractor states are influenced by
task, environment, training, and physical make-up (i.e., size of muscle, flexibility…). Attractor
states can be modified with training. During the initial phase of training, movement away from
an attractor state may cause a period of instability, but after deliberate and focused practice a
consistent new attractor state can be established.

Levels of Study in Estill Voice Training®

Level One teaches Figures for Voice Control. The Figures for Voice, also called Compulsory
Figures, or simply Figures, include isolation exercises for each of the structures previously
discussed. On the next page is a blank Worksheet that provides yet another view of all the voice
control options that will be presented in this Level One course.
Level Two introduces the Figure Combinations for Six Voice Qualities. This course focuses on
Jo Estill’s recipes and mixing instructions for six arbitrary modes: Speech, Falsetto, Sob, Twang,
Opera, and Belt.

In Summary
The focus is on Craft
• Makes this approach useful for everyone: Speakers, Singers, Therapists, Teachers,
Performers
• Lends itself to group learning, saving both time and money
In Estill Voice Training®, the student is empowered to make choices!
Knowledge of voice quality control...
• Reduces performance anxiety
• Provides confident use of the voice in vocally healthful manner
• Gives teachers and performers new vocal color choices

Introduction 7
 STRUCTURE OPTIONS ESTILL VOICE TRAINING® LEVEL ONE: Figures for Voice
WORKSHEET

TVF1 FVF TVF2 THY CRI AES LARYNX TONGUE VELUM JAW LIPS H&N TOR
*
OPTIONS R A R A

Introduction
Level One Workbook

EFFORT DIAL

tilt
tilt

stiff
low
low
low

thin

mid
mid
mid
mid
mid
mid

high
high
high

thick
relax
relax

drop

wide

slack
back

glottal
retract
narrow
spread
anchor
anchor

vertical
vertical

smooth
forward

aspirate
constrict
protrude

compress*

MIN MAX

KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS
TVF1 = True Vocal Fold: Onset/Offset FVF = False Vocal Folds TVF2 = True Vocal Fold: Body-Cover THY = Thyroid Cartilage CRI = Cricoid Cartilage
AES = Aryepiglottic Sphincter H&N = Head & Neck TOR = Torso * = Advanced Option
© 2019 Estill Voice International

8
 Level One Workbook

Effort
Introductory Exercise
Notes
Bring forefinger to thumb and maintain the
lightest contact.
Press as hard as possible.
What kind of work is being done?
Where is it?
Was the breath held?
Press as hard as possible again, but breathe this
time!
If the lightest contact is a 1 and the hardest is a
10, what would a 3 feel like?
How about a 7?
Notice the other fingers in the hand, the muscles of the arm and shoulder, and release the tension
accumulating anywhere other than within the muscles of the lower arm required for this task.
Gradually increase the numbers (starting at 1, moving on to 2, and on up to 10), notice any
uninvited muscle work, and release that tension as well.

Anatomy & Physiology

Kinesthetic Perception
• Indicates where the muscles are working, and how hard they are working
• Perception of work, Magnitude Estimation, corresponds to objective measurements of that
work, Magnitude Production (e.g., S.S. Stevens, 1957)
• Kinesthetic sense combined with the auditory sense helps to maximize voice motor
control
• Effort is the voltage of the Voice Production System

Effort Controls Vocal Components

Breath Tone Resonance

POWER SOURCE FILTER

EFFORT
(INPUT OF ENERGY)

Torso - Airflow Larynx - True Vocal Folds Vocal Tract Structures

Effort 9
 Level One Workbook
Guidelines for Monitoring Effort
• Locate the Effort
EFFORT DIAL
• Assign it a Number
• Hold the Number
• Perform the Relaxation Maneuvers
Relaxation Maneuvers
1) Breathe, to release tension in vocal folds
2) Massage face, lips, to release tension in facial muscles
Min Max
3) Walk briskly, to release tension in breathing muscles
4) Roll tongue around teeth, to release tension in tongue
5) Chew, to release tension in jaw
6) Make short, soft vowels, to release tensions associated with voicing
7) Speak normally, to release tensions associated with speech
8) Sing an / ŋ / (“ng” in English), to release tensions associated with singing
9) Add music or monologue, to release tensions associated with complex vocal tasks
Rules for Monitoring Effort in Vocalization
• Maintain most-comfortable-vocal-effort (MCVE) at the level of the true vocal folds
• Distinguish vocal trauma from muscle ache
• Listen harder to the muscles than the voice
• No Figure is mastered until all extraneous tensions have been released
• Monitoring Effort requires constant attention
• Hold the Number to the end of the breath
Always listen harder to the muscles than the voice!
The Relaxation Maneuvers ask for short, soft vowels so that the perception of the sound of the
voice does not overpower the perception of how hard the muscles are working, the Number.
In learning and practicing Figures for Voice™, try some of the training exercises, and the
Figures themselves, in silence. Silent practice is often revealing, and has the further advantage
of conserving the voice.

Notes

Effort 10
 Level One Workbook
Training Exercises
Notes
Locating and quantifying Effort
1) Shake the hand of someone.
2) Isolate the effort in the hand clasp
(eliminate extraneous movements).
3) Assign an Effort Number to your hand
clasp.
4) Reveal the Numbers of both partners.
5) Take turns being the active partner in
this exercise, and demonstrate different
Numbers: 1, 7, 5, 9...
A mental inventory of activity in individual
muscles will be required to acquire control
of the vocal tract structures.
Partners in this exercise will likely have
different strengths of grip, Magnitude
Production, for the same Number,
Magnitude Estimation. This is perfectly
fine. Indeed, during mastery of a
given structure, the correspondence of
Magnitude Production and Estimation
will change. Remember how much Effort
it took when first learning any activity –
sewing a hem, playing the piano, riding a
bike?
The amount of work invested today as an
Effort Number of 10 will likely come to feel
easier over time, and will then be assigned
a lower Number.

Holding a Number and

Performing the Relaxation Maneuvers
1) Protrude the lips, hard. Use an 8 or 9
for your Effort Number.
2) Hold this Number, and perform each
of the Relaxation Maneuvers.
3) Monitor the Number closely, and
recover if it changes from task to task.

Effort 11
 Level One Workbook
The Value of Effort
Voice production begins before the voice is heard
Muscle Effort is a more reliable guide than listening. Once the voice is heard it is too late
to change it. It cannot be called back for revision. Furthermore, internal hearing (which
includes input from bone conduction of sound) clouds aural perception.
Working the muscles is satisfying
Effort will make high intensity singing and speaking feel easy.
Effort is also the key to avoiding laryngeal constriction.

Effort 12
 Level One Workbook

Power
Introductory Exercise
Notes
Take a deep breath.
Is the breath being held, and if so, where?
Exhale…
How did you exhale?
Where was the locus of Effort during
inhalation?
What was the Number?
Where was the locus of Effort during
exhalation?
What was the Number?
Did the Effort stay in the same locus
throughout the inhalation, throughout the
exhalation?
Breathing is Dynamic
Dynamic systems change: they do not operate in exactly the same manner under all conditions.
The respiratory system is a good example. The same muscle-pattern-routines are not used to
pump breath in and out of the lungs day in and day out. Think of the contrast in the breath
patterns for resting and running to catch a train before it leaves the station! Consider the changes
in the rate of inhalation and exhalation, in the amount of air moving in and out of the lungs, and
in the location of muscle activity. Posture can also affect breathing. Quiet breathing will change
for sitting, standing, and lying down. The brain and body are adept at making these adjustments.

Breathing can be Involuntary or Voluntary

In most physical states, breathing is naturally governed by the involuntary nervous system, as
lung volume and rates of inhalation/exhalation adjust to maintain oxygen levels in the blood.
During speaking and singing, breathing is regulated by the voluntary nervous system to varying
degrees. In the service of a long musical phrase, the singer’s voluntary control of the exhalation
overrides the natural biological imperative to inhale. This prompted Jo Estill to coin the phrase,
“Singing is an Unnatural Act!” Under some conditions, so is speaking!

Power 13
 Level One Workbook
Anatomy & Physiology

Components of Lower Respiratory System

Larynx Trachea
& Bronchi

Lungs

Thoracic Diaphragm
Cavity (upper surface)

Ribs Abdominal
Cavity

Respiratory Function of the Larynx

The larynx must remain open for breathing to occur. It closes to protect the lungs.

The Larynx opens during Breathing 3 Layers of Protective Closure

Epiglottis Epiglottis
false Aryepiglottic deflects to
vocal folds Sphincter close like a
trap door
ventricles
of Morgagni False
Vocal Folds
Arytenoid
true
vocal folds True Schematic
front view
Vocal Folds closed
true & false
front view of a vocal folds
side-wise “slice”

Notes

Power 14
 Level One Workbook
Inhalation & Exhalation
The lungs are spongy and passive. Lung volume is determined by the space available within
the thorax. Respiratory muscles affect the size of the thorax and are divided into 2 categories:
Inhalatory – these muscles tend to be active during inhalation and create more space for the
lungs. Increased lung volume creates negative air pressure (within the lungs), and breath
flows in. The primary muscles of inhalation are the diaphragm and external intercostal
(between-the-rib) muscles.
Exhalatory – The simple release of contraction in the diaphragm and external intercostals is
sufficient to create less space in the thorax, increase air pressure, and create the outward
flow of breath. Flow will continue until the Resting Expiratory Level (REL) is reached,
a physiological balance point where pressure within the lungs equals the pressure in the
atmosphere. At REL, neither inhaltory nor exhalatory forces are at play. If exhalation
is to continue, different muscles must be engaged. The primary muscles of this further
exhalation are the internal intercostal muscles and the muscles of the abdomen. These
muscles tend to be passive when lung volumes are still above REL, active when lung
volumes are below REL.

Inhalation Exhalation Inhalation Exhalation

Diaphragm Diaphragm External Intercostals Internal Intercostals
Contracts Relaxes Lift & Spread Pull Down, Compress
& Lowers & Rises

Abdominal muscles must cooperate Muscles of chest, back, neck & abdomen assist

Notes

Power 15
 Level One Workbook
Different Lung Volumes for Different Respiratory & Voicing Tasks
100

% Lung Volume Tidal Breathing Speech Breathing Performance Breathing

Resting Expiratory Level

Residual Volume

0
Time

Recoil breaths and respiratory attractor states

A recoil breath may occur when lung volume is low. Increasing activity of the muscles
of exhalation literally squeezes more breath out of the lungs. This activity compresses the
rib cage and displaces abdominal contents upwards, lifting the diaphragm. When this
exhalatory effort is released, the ribs spring up and the diaphragm drops down, creating an
abrupt increase in lung volume with a negative air pressure that draws the air in, before the
individual has time to think about it. Recoil is a term that describes this sensation of breath
rushing in without having to actively breathe.
Generally, individuals can be sorted into 2 categories: belly breathers who experience
abdominal expansion/contraction during breathing, and, chest breathers who experience
a rise/fall in the chest and sometimes even the shoulders. Belly breathing is useful for some
singing styles and speaking situations; chest breathing is useful in others. The point is that
neither one is right or wrong. They are simply individual respiratory attractor states.

Notes

Power 16
 Level One Workbook
Training Exercises
Notes
Exercise in the influence of lung
volume on the direction of the breath
1) Take a comfortable breath (increase
lung volume), and simply let go of the
inhalatory effort.
What happened? Exhalation.
2) Squeeze all your breath out (decrease
your lung volume), and then let go of
the squeezing effort.
What happened? Inhalation.
If exercise 1 was done with Low Effort,
then the body probably returned to
a respiratory balance point where all
the muscles were at rest in a “neutral”
position, Resting Expiratory Level
(REL).
If exercise 2 was done with High Effort,
the following inhalation was probably
spontaneous, and would be described
as a “recoil breath.”
Exercise in the influence of lung
volume on Effort in breath holding
Hold the breath with lung volumes at,
above, and below Resting Expiratory Level
(REL).
Each time, ask the following questions:
What is the Effort Number within the
larynx?
Is there muscle Effort elsewhere? If so,
what is its Number?
1) Find Resting Expiratory Level, and
hold the breath.
2) Exhale below REL and hold the breath.
3) Take in a small breath to a lung volume
above REL and hold it.
4) Take a larger, yet still comfortable
breath above REL and hold it.
5) Take a huge breath, filling the lungs,
and hold it.
What did you observe?

Power 17
 Level One Workbook
Exercise in the influence of lung
volume on Effort in voicing Notes
Notice the Effort in the larynx and
breathing muscles while producing a soft
(so you can “hear” your muscles) / i / (“ee”
in English):
1) At REL
2) Below REL
3) After a small inhalation above REL
4) After a medium inhalation above REL
5) After a huge inhalation above REL
What did you observe?

Application Discussion
There is no Figure for Breath in the Estill Voice Model, nor is there one correct way to breathe.
Each individual may employ a specific muscular pattern during quiet breathing, or speech. This
pattern would be called the attractor state for breathing: the tendency to localize respiratory
movement in the shoulders, chest, or abdomen that is the personalized habit while breathing.
Some attractor state breathing patterns will serve well for particular speaking and singing tasks;
others will not and will need to change.
The breath must be allowed to adjust to what it meets on the way out.
Source and Filter can have feed-back and feed-forward effects on breathing patterns. Certain
structural conditions will trigger changes in the experience of the breath.

Power 18
 Level One Workbook

Pitch
Introductory Exercise
Notes
Observe Effort for a pitch-glide through your
range on an / ŋ /, as if forming the end of the
word “sing” in English (see box below for
explanation of this symbol):
How high did you go?
How low did you go?
Was the vocal tone consistent or variable?
Did the voice have breaks or gear shifts?
Where in the range were pitches
produced with low Numbers, high
Numbers?
What was the breath Effort in different
regions of the range?
Did the breath change for the ascending
or descending glide?
Did the eyebrows rise for the high notes,
and did the chin press down for the low?
As we learn the various Figures for Voice™ we will return to this exercise, solving such
problems as may have been encountered.

The symbol / ŋ / comes from the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), in which there
is a single symbol for each speech sound (or phoneme) in all the languages of the world.
In this case, the sound is the “ng” sound of English. Letters or symbols from the IPA will
appear between two forward slashes.
The following are other IPA symbols you will find in this text

/ i / = see, meet, feet in English /o/ = the first component of the

/ ɪ / = sit, hit, mitt American English diphthong in
/ e / = the first component of the American boat, tote
English diphthong in fate, bait /u/ = blue, moon
/ a / = father /æ/ = fat, hat in American English
/ŋ/ = sing, song
/j/ = yes, yawn

Pitch 19
 Level One Workbook
Anatomy & Physiology
Tone Production Basics
Tone is produced by the interaction of the breath and the true vocal folds.
Cycles per second and frequency of vibration both correspond to pitch.
Pitch is the perception of vibratory frequency.

The true vocal folds are

drawn together and blown
apart by the breath,
changing air pressure.

Changes in air pressure

make sound waves.

Cycles per second in

Time sound waves make
frequency, pitch.

Estill Voiceprint Plus

Analyze range using a piano or record the voice in the Estill Voiceprint Plus
computer program in Spectrogram/Practice mode.
Visual cues for this exercise:
• In a black & white display, the lowest and darkest trace on the screen is the
Fundamental Frequency, or pitch of the tone
• The parallel lines above are overtones, or harmonics
Place the cursor at any point along the lowest pitch trace and the frequency will
be shown in the “Frequency Display” box at the bottom of the screen.

Signal - Wave Form

Spectrogram Overtones/Harmonics

Frequency in kHz Fundamental Frequency

(1 kHz = 1000 Hz)
Time in Seconds (screens 10 - 30 Seconds long)

Pitch 20
 Level One Workbook
Pitch Production in the Voice is a Dynamic Process
Physics tells us that length, mass, and tension can influence frequency. This model works well
for musical instruments with strings. The voice follows laws of physics, but the biomechanics
and aerodynamics of the voice are complex and dynamic. The vocal folds are multi-layered
and can adjust to vibrate in several different ways at any single pitch. As wind instrument
players know, breath can also influence pitch.
There are attractor state adjustments in the breath and true vocal fold mass, tension, and
length for different regions of the total pitch range that support some of the definitions
proposed for vocal registers: fry (creak), chest voice (modal), head voice, and falsetto.
Attractor states in voice motor control can explain the balance between biomechanics and
aerodynamics at different pitches in the range that results in different voice qualities being
more easily produced in one region of the range than another.
Voice breaks result from the abrupt gear shifts between these attractor states.
Figures for Voice™ will enable the vocalist to choose whether or not to accept the attractor
state or create new attractor state/s through training. The terms register, head voice, and chest
voice are not part of the Estill Voice Model.
Pitch Production Basics
In very simple terms, the true vocal folds are short at low pitches, long at high pitches.
The thyroarytenoid (TA) and cricothyroid (CT) are the intrinsic muscles of the larynx that
regulate the length of the true vocal folds.
Intrinsic muscles are those that run between any of the laryngeal cartilages.

TVF Length and Pitch

thyroarytenoid
thyroid c. muscle (TVF)
thyroid c.

cricothyroid muscle
cricoid c. cricoid c.

LOW PITCH HIGH PITCH

Intrinsic Muscles Associated with Pitch

FROM ABOVE SIDE VIEW
FRONT

cricothyroid:
straight
oblique

thyroarytenoid:
vocalis
BACK
lateral TA

Pitch 21
 Level One Workbook

Notes

Extrinsic laryngeal muscles (that run from the cartilages of the larynx to other structures)
can also become involved. For example, the larynx may rise or fall in the neck respective to
moving higher or lower in the pitch range. These changes in larynx height affect the length
and width of the throat (pharynx), thus altering the Filter (vocal tract) to better resonate high
or low frequencies. They may also assist the thyroarytenoid and cricothyroid to adjust for
the extremes of the range. The muscles attaching to the hyoid bone from above and below
affect larynx height/vocal tract length predictably, except for the thyrohyoid. Although an
infrahyoid muscle, it can act as an elevator
Infrahyoid muscles lower the larynx

hyoid bone

3
1 4

1 – sternohyoid 2 – thyrohyoid
3 – sternothyroid 4 – omohyoid

As do pharyngeal
Suprahyoid muscles constrictors
lift the larynx Muscles of tongue and
hyoid 1 velum brace from above
bone
3 2 2
2 1
2 1
1
3
3
3
1 – superior 4
2 – middle 4
3 – inferior Front View

1 – tensor veli palatini 2 – levator veli palatini

1 – geniohyoid 2 – digastric 3 – stylohyoid 3 – palatoglossus 4 – palatopharyngeus

Pitch 22
 Level One Workbook
Training Exercises
Notes
Exploring Effort for pitch
through the range
On an / ŋ / as in “sing”:
1) Match random pitches played on a
keyboard, or simply jump between
various pitches throughout the range.
(If not using a keyboard, think the
pitch before producing it.)
Or
2) Siren a simple song on an / ŋ / as in
“sing.” Sing from note to note very
slowly and breathe as needed.
With either exercise, note the location/s
of Effort and the Effort Number/s for each
note.
When does the larynx adjust for each new
pitch?
What happens to the Number/s as a pitch
is sustained?
What happens to the Breath?
Monitor for the spread of Effort during
this exercise, keeping the sound soft
and performing all of the Relaxation
Maneuvers.

Pitch 23
 Level One Workbook
Application
There are many important observations about Effort in Pitch Production:
• Pitch is prepared in the musculature of the larynx and vocal tract before the tone is made
• The location of Effort at the high and low ends of the range will be different
• Effort numbers associated with pitch production are going to be lower in the middle of the
range, and higher at the extremes of the range
• Beware! Sometimes the Effort required to produce a high/low pitch closes the larynx
down! This is called laryngeal constriction.
Each Figure is designed to be practiced “on any pitch.” To avoid constricting the larynx when first
learning the Figures, keep the pitches of your practice within a comfortable Effort range.
Pitch gliding is often called sirening. If there were voice breaks or gear shifts during these pitch
exercises, if the range was not as high or as low as expected, patience is advised. There are Figures
ahead that will solve these problems. Later in the course there is a specific exercise to extend the
pitch range called The Siren.

Pitch 24
 Level One Workbook

True Vocal Folds: Onset/Offset

Introductory Exercise Notes
Say each of the following aloud, and then
repeat it several times, but silently:
“Uh-oh!”
“Hey!”
“You!”
What did you feel and hear each time?

Anatomy & Physiology

In this Figure, two muscular activities are
coordinated: The larynx viewed from above

• The movement of the true vocal folds

(TVFs) into position for vibration thyroid cartilage
true vocal folds

• The beginning of exhalation

Glottis cricoid cartilage

The muscles that attach to the arytenoid

cartilages open and close the true vocal folds.
The space between the true vocal folds is called
arytenoid cartilages
the glottis.
The posterior cricoarytenoid The lateral cricoarytenoid The interarytenoid muscles (IAs)
muscles (PCAs) open muscles (LCAs) can help help to close posterior
the true vocal folds to close them “cartilaginous chinks”
(transverse runs horizontally,
obliques cross one another)

FRONT
aryepilottic m.

IAs

PCAs
BACK

BACK VIEW

True Vocal Folds: Onset/Offset 25

 Level One Workbook
The Three Options
Icon Option & Description Schematic Hand Signal

Glottal
TVFs close (1) before exhalation begins (2) 1

Aspirate: Abrupt, Gradual 1

Exhalation begins (1) before TVFs close (2) 2

abruptly or gradually

Smooth
Exhalation and TVF movement occur 1
1

simultaneously

Notes

True Vocal Folds: Onset/Offset 26

 Level One Workbook

Estill Voiceprint Plus

When practicing or demonstrating these Options with the Estill Voiceprint Plus
program (Spectrogram Setting), look for the following visual cues:
• Glottal – sharp vertical edge in both spectrogram and waveform (signal),
harmonics start with dark horizontal lines.
• Aspirate Abrupt – step-wise increase/decrease in wave signal, scatter of breath
noise before and after the abrupt entry and exit of harmonic traces.
• Aspirate Gradual – gradual expansion/contraction of wave signal after initial
rise; gradual emergence of harmonic traces from the scatter of noise.
• Smooth – gradual expansion/contraction of the wave signal, with gradual
emergence of harmonic traces, and not all at once.

Glottal Aspirate Abrupt Aspirate Gradual Smooth

Note “scatter” of breath noise

before and after “lines” of tone.

True Vocal Folds: Onset/Offset 27

 Level One Workbook
Training Exercises
Notes
Reminder:
Always begin practice at MCVE (Most
Comfortable Vocal Effort). This may mean
practicing with a favorite vowel and in
the easiest pitch range. After the Figure
for False Vocal Fold Control has been
introduced, the range may be expanded.
Glottal Onset
1) Close the true vocal folds (hold breath
for an instant) then say/sing an
/ i / at a comfortable pitch.
Hear the distinct sound that occurs
at the beginning of the tone as the
true folds gently burst apart and into
vibration. The burst should be no
greater than a simple “uh-oh.” In fact,
say, “uh-oh!”
Feel the Effort levels associated with
this onset.
See the vertical line of this Onset in the
spectrogram.
2) Try Glottal Onsets on other vowels:
/ e, a, o, u /.
3) Practice Glottal Onsets across the
range:
Beginning at the bottom of an octave
scale in the middle of the range, sing
up through the scale on an / i / using a
glottal onset on each tone.
Repeat with other vowels, / e, a, o, u /.
Aspirate Abrupt Onset
1) Blow into an / i / vowel. Hold the true
vocal folds apart as the breath begins,
then allow them to be abruptly pulled
together. There will be a pop-like
sound. Compare/contrast Glottal and
Abrupt Aspirate onsets and feel how
different they are.
Hear the noise of breath prior to the
pop of tone onset.
Feel the Effort levels associated with
this onset.

True Vocal Folds: Onset/Offset 28

 Level One Workbook
See the vertical emergence of
harmonics from the scatter of breath Notes
noise in spectrogram.
2) Try Aspirate Abrupt Onsets on other
vowels: / e, a, o, u /.
3) Practice Aspirate Abrupt Onsets across
the range:
Beginning at the top of an octave scale
(comfortably high) and on the vowel
/ i /, keep the folds open for as long as
possible, blow and pop down the scale,
tone by tone. Repeat on other vowels.

Aspirate Gradual Onset

1) Sigh into the tone, feeling the breath
moving before the sound begins. Blow
into the / i /, but do not just let the true
vocal folds pop together – move them
slowly into the breath stream.
Hear the noise of breath prior to the
gradual emergence of tone.
Feel the Effort levels associated with
this onset.
See the staggered emergence of
harmonics from noise in spectrogram.
2) Try Aspirate Gradual Onsets on other
vowels: / e, a, o, u /.
3) Practice Aspirate Gradual Onset across
the range:
Starting at a comfortably high pitch,
on the vowel / i /, descend the scale
starting each tone “on” the breath.
Control the closing of the true vocal
folds: don’t let them pop.

True Vocal Folds: Onset/Offset 29

 Level One Workbook
Smooth Onset
Notes
1) Say, “you.” This word begins with the
glide / j / (the “y” sound in English).
Say the / j / silently and continue in an
/ i /.
Or
Take a comfortable inhalation, and
at the initiation of exhalation, bring
the TVFs into position for vibration.
Some voice teachers and therapists call
this putting the onset at the top of the
breath.
When this onset is produced correctly
it will feel like “drinking in the tone” –
another common prompt for this onset.
Hear how smoothly and easily the tone
emerges.
Feel the Effort levels associated with this
onset.
See the absence of noise and the
staggered emergence of harmonics in
spectrogram.
2) Try Smooth Onsets on these vowels:
/ e, a, o, u /.
3) Practice Smooth Onsets across the
range:
Try this onset on these different vowels
up and down a comfortably pitched
scale.
The sound should be devoid of:
• the edge of the Glottal Onset
• the pop of the Abrupt Aspirate
• the breathiness of the Gradual
Aspirate
Practice of Offsets:
The exercises above can be repeated with the
conditions at the end of the tone. As the use of
Offsets is heavily influenced by musical style,
these exercises may be practiced in the context
of work with Voice Qualities in Level Two.

True Vocal Folds: Onset/Offset 30

 Level One Workbook

Figure for True Vocal Fold: Onset/Offset Control

Demonstrate the following Onsets and Offsets:
1) Glottal: closure precedes/ends airflow
2) Aspirate Abrupt: abrupt movement in/out of airflow
3) Aspirate Gradual: gradual movement in/out of airflow
4) Smooth: movement and airflow coordinated simultaneously
Perform these tasks on / i, e, a, o, u /, at any pitch.
Practice different Onset/Offset combinations.
Practice with different True Vocal Fold: Body-Cover conditions.

Note: When first learning this Figure, do not attempt to practice with all of the True Vocal
Fold: Body-Cover conditions and on every pitch in the range. Stay within a most comfortable
vocal effort range (MCVE). Once the Figures for True Vocal Fold: Body-Cover and False
Vocal Fold Control and the various Efforts required to access the total range have been
mastered, this Figure can be practiced on a more advanced level.

Application
Note that movement of the true vocal folds and the movement of breath can be controlled
independently and coordinated in different ways.
Also note that Onsets can influence the tone that follows. This is part of the dynamic nature of
voice production.
Know that any Onset can be used to initiate a tone in any True Vocal Fold Body-Cover condition.
This is another demonstration of independent control, a skill acquired as Craft is mastered.
Sample Application Exercise: Try singing “Happy Birthday” with different Onsets. Replace
the consonant at the start of each note with one of the 4 Onsets. Repeat the process with the
remaining Onsets. Does the choice of Onset change the voice quality? Simply observe – once
again there is no right or wrong answer to this question.

True Vocal Folds: Onset/Offset 31

 Level One Workbook

True Vocal Folds: Onset/Offset 32

 Level One Workbook

False Vocal Folds

Introductory Exercise
Notes
Have a good stretch.
Or...
Grab the seat of your chair
and try to ‘lift’ yourself up!
What is happening in the larynx?
What is happening to the breath?

Anatomy & Physiology

There are 3 levels at which the larynx can open/close
• The aryepiglottic sphincter
• The false vocal folds
• The true vocal folds
The larynx closes at different levels in different activities
The larynx closes at the bottom two levels:
• During thoracic (chest) fixation (bracing), a natural action in preparation for strenuous
activity such as lifting heavy objects, defecating, or childbirth — this kind of closure also
occurs when you prepare to fight, flee, or scream
• In preparation for throat clearing or coughing, to increase lung air pressure
During normal voicing, variable laryngeal closure occurs at the lowest level alone (variable in
that the true vocal folds both close and open during the vibratory cycle).

3 Levels of Closure
Aryepiglottic
Sphincter
False
Vocal Folds

True
Vocal Folds

False Vocal Folds 33

 Level One Workbook
The false vocal folds can open/close while the true vocal folds are
approximated (in position to vibrate)
There is a continuum of positions for the false vocal folds during voicing: the closing observed
in straining, the mid-range position associated with Most-Comfortable-Vocal-Effort (MCVE)
spoken voice, and the opening associated with the natural activities of laughter and crying.
Closure of the false vocal folds during voicing, even slightly inward from the mid-range
position, can affect both breath flow and the vibration of the true vocal folds. Both speaker or
singer and listener will perceive the tone as strained or pressed.
The muscles that close the true and false vocal folds in sphincteric (a circle of closure) manner
are thought to be primarily intrinsic (muscles that attach to any two cartilages of the larynx).
(Review diagrams for True Vocal Folds: Onset/Offset).
The muscles that allow the FVFs to be opened and closed independently of the TVFs have not
been identified, but may include extrinsic muscles of the larynx.
Extrinsic laryngeal muscles attach at one end to any of the cartilages of the larynx and at the
other end to the hyoid bone or sternum, or from the hyoid upwards to attachments within the
head.

Notes

False Vocal Folds 34

 Level One Workbook
The Three Options
Icon Option & Description Schematic Hand Signal
Mid
The FVF position of comfortable speaking/
singing, mid-way between squeezed shut and
widely opened.

Constrict
The condition when the FVFs are moved
inward from Mid and toward their closed
position.

Retract
The condition when the FVFs are moved
outward from Mid to a widely opened position.

Estill Voiceprint Plus

When practicing or demonstrating these Options with the Estill Voiceprint Plus
program (Spectrogram Setting), look for the following visual cues:
• Mid – clear harmonics, some interharmonic noise
• Constrict – increased interharmonic noise, irregular harmonic traces
• Retract – minimal interharmonic noise, smoother harmonic traces

Mid Constrict Retract

All this gray is

interharmonic
noise.

False Vocal Folds 35

 Level One Workbook
Training Exercises
Notes
Opening and closing the 2 lower
levels of the larynx at the same time
1) Breathe quietly. The true and false
vocal folds are open.
• What do you feel?
• Where is the Effort?
• What is its Number?
2) Hold the breath. The true and false
vocal folds are closed.
• What do you feel?
• Where is the Effort?
• What is its Number?
Effortful closing and opening
1) Grunt silently as though lifting
something very heavy.
The true and false vocal folds are
constricted.
• What do you feel?
• Where is the Effort?
• What is its Number?
2) Laugh or cry/sob silently.
The true and false vocal folds are
retracted.
• What do you feel?
• Where is the Effort?
• What is its Number?
Hold that Number and perform the
Relaxation Maneuvers.
Sustained Retraction of the False
(and True) Vocal Folds with “Laugh
Posture”
1) Laugh “silently” through the “hee-hee-
hee” of a cartoon or comedy character,
making a wheeze-like noise in the roof
of the mouth from the turbulence of
the air between the tongue and hard
palate.
2) Hold the position of the “hee” and
laugh all the air out of the lungs.
When exhaling far below Resting

False Vocal Folds 36

 Level One Workbook
Expiratory Level, what happens during
the inhalation? A recoil breath, a gasp? Notes
3) Release the tongue from the “hee” and
hold the high Effort Number of “hard
laughter” while exhaling as much air
as possible. This time, hold the Effort
Number beyond the exhalation and
inhale with the “recoil breath.”
4) Breathe comfortably, in and out,
through this high Number “laugh
posture.”
• What do you feel?
• What do you hear?
You should hear nothing!
Try the following experiment:
• Plug your ears and breathe with a
relaxed larynx, no Effort, Mid FVFs
• Plug your ears with your fingers
and breathe in and out through
high Number “laugh posture”
Under the Mid condition, air
turbulence will occur – possibly less of
it during the inhalation, when the vocal
folds tend to actively abduct, or open.
Practice the high Number “laugh
posture” until you the noise of
breathing is eliminated. Remember
the experience of the location of this
Effort, and use it in the exercises that
follow.
2 degrees of Constriction and
Retraction while exhaling
(without tone)
1) Constrict lightly (low Number) and
begin to exhale, as though whispering
“he.” Then suddenly Retract to a low
Number laugh/cry condition for the
remainder of the exhalation.
• What do you feel?
• What do you hear?
• What do you see in the
spectrogram?

False Vocal Folds 37

 Level One Workbook
2) Repeat the previous exercise, but
with high Effort Numbers in both the Notes
Constricted and Retracted conditions.
What are your Numbers?
• What do you feel?
• What do you hear?
• What do you see in spectrogram?

2 Degrees of Constriction and

Retraction while voicing
1) Constrict lightly while saying / i /.
After holding the constriction for a
short period of time, suddenly Retract,
using a low Number laugh/cry posture.
• What do you feel?
• What do you hear?
• What do you see in spectrogram?
Try this exercise on other vowels:
/ e, a, o, u /.
Practice it on other pitches.
2) Repeat the exercise above, but with
high Effort Numbers in both the
Constricted and Retracted conditions.
• What do you feel?
• What do you hear?
• What do you see in spectrogram?
Try this exercise on other vowels:
/ e, a, o, u /.
Practice it on other pitches.

False Vocal Folds 38

 Level One Workbook

Figure for False Vocal Fold Control

1) Demonstrate these conditions of the Vocal Folds:
Open vs Closed Constricted vs Retracted
2) Demonstrate without tone:
2 Effort levels of FVF Constriction and Retraction
3) Demonstrate with tone:
2 Effort levels of FVF Constriction and Retraction
4) On a vowel, the following sequence:
| ↑↑ | Mid
| →← | Constrict
| ↑↑ | Mid
| ←→ | Retract
| ↑↑ | Mid
Perform these tasks on / i, e, a, o, u /, at any pitch.
Practice moving between conditions abruptly, gradually.
Practice with different True Vocal Fold: Body-Cover conditions.

Application
Singing and Speaking are “Unnatural Acts.”
Many common situations in speech and song can trigger FVF Constriction, for example:
• ends of phrases (holding back the breath)
• high intensity voice qualities, such as Opera and Belt (strenuous vocal activities)
• emotionally challenging entrances (due to stage fright or due to exposure)
• high notes, low notes (strenuous vocal activities)
As the naturally de-constrictive or Retracting property of laughter and crying is engaged, the
triggers for Constriction are overcome. Active Retraction of the False Vocal Folds is obligatory in
the voice qualities that tend to trigger constriction: Twang, Opera and Belt. It is built in to Sob.
Mid FVF condition in Speech or Falsetto is acceptable – as long as pitch or intensity does not
trigger Constriction.
Maintaining Retraction all the time is a choice, but it colors the voice in a way that may make
it sound unnatural. In some vocal styles, where a natural sound is prized, Mid and even
Constricted FVFs will be required some/all of the time. If performing in such a style, monitor the
Effort of breath very carefully to avoid scratching.
Application Exercise: Return to the Exercise for Pitch Control and at the extremes of the range
Retract to a high Number. This may solve the cutting out at the top phenomenon and extend the
range.

False Vocal Folds 39

Level One Workbook

False Vocal Folds 40

 Level One Workbook

True Vocal Folds: Body-Cover

Introductory Exercises
Notes
Say/sing an / i / loudly.
Say/sing an / i / softly.
Now, start loud and suddenly go soft.
Now, start soft and suddenly go loud.
What do you feel in the larynx?
What do you feel in the breath?
Use an Aspirate Abrupt onset and simply
“blow” into an / u /, sung or spoken.
Make the sound of a creaky door.
What do you feel in the larynx and
breathwith these sounds?

Anatomy & Physiology

Conditions required for TVF vibration
True vocal fold vibration occurs when the TVFs are adducted (brought together) near
the mid-line of the larynx with the edges close enough for the breath stream to suck them
together and then blow them apart (Bernoulli’s Principle).
Conditions for tone production
When the TVFs are closing or closed, air pressure builds up beneath them – subglottal
(below-the-glottis) air pressure. When the TVFs open, subglottal air pressure drops.
The air pressure changes that occur as a result of TVF vibration make the sound waves that
resonate within the vocal tract and propogate into the space around the speaker/singer.
Subglottal air pressure builds
while the true vocal folds are
closing or closed.

The longer the closed phase,

the higher the pressure.

The greater the pressure

build-up and drop-off, the
greater the amplitude of
the sound wave.

Time A larger amplitude means

a more intense sound.

True Vocal Folds: Body-Cover 41

 Level One Workbook
The extent to which the true vocal folds close, and the length of time that they remain closed
will influence subglottal pressure (the pressure below the true vocal folds). The amount of
pressure that builds is directly related to the intensity or volume of the vocal tone.
The cycles per second of these sound waves make the Fundamental Frequency or pitch of
the voice. Because the cycling of vibrations/sound waves is regular (or periodic), harmonics
are also produced. Harmonics are whole number multiples of the Fundamental, also called
overtones or partials.
The structure and mechanics of the true vocal fold edge
There are 4 layers of cells in the edges of the TVFs, which make them appear differently from
other structures in the respiratory system. Most people are surprised by their whiteness.
Each layer has a different biomechanical property. The complexity of the TVF edge is part
of what allows humans to voice with such an extraordinary range of vocal colors, timbres,
or qualities. A useful model that describes how these layers interact with each other and
function during vibration is called the the “body-cover model of fundamental frequency
control” (e.g., Hirano, 1977; Titze, 1988), hence the name of this Figure.
The deepest layer is the vocalis bundle of the thyroarytenoid muscle. Like other muscles in
the body, it can be soft and pliant when relaxed, hard when contracted. It can be shortened or
stretched, bunched up or pulled taut, and with or without isometric contraction at any length.
The next two layers of tissue (intermediate and deep lamina propria) comprise the vocal
ligament. It is elastic, and its flexibility will vary with both length and the status of the muscle
just beneath it.
The vocalis and vocal ligament form the body of the true vocal fold.
The superficial lamina propria is a soft gel-like layer of cells. The epithelium of the true vocal
fold edge is a mere 4-6 cells thick. Together, these 2 layers comprise the cover.

Layered structure of True Vocal Fold

FVF

epithelium
superficial lamina propria (very pliant )
vocal ligament
vocalis bundle of thyroarytenoid
TVF
BODY = muscle & ligament
COVER = skin & pliant SLP

True Vocal Folds: Body-Cover 42

 Level One Workbook
Mucosal wave
Under certain conditions of vocal fold vibration, the edge of the true vocal folds deforms
in such a manner that there is a fluid wave visible, rippling through the cover and possibly
deforming body as well, from the lower border of the edge upward and then out to the side
over the superior surface of the true vocal fold. This mucosal wave is produced within the
tissue of the true vocal folds – not in the mucous secretions that lubricate them.
Mechanics of modes of vibration
The different vibratory modes of the true vocal folds can be explained by Dynamical Systems
Theory. The complex mechanical interplay of body and cover as the length of the true
vocal folds changes (via contraction of the thyroarytenoid and/or cricothyroid), together
with the aerodynamic influence of the breath, results in different vibratory modes, gears or
registers. Within this “dynamic system” are those attractor state vibratory modes that are
most recognizable – for example, Modal/Speech and Loft/Falsetto. In Estill Voice Training®,
the challenge is to learn how to maintain the conditions that produce a given vibratory mode
beyond the frequency boundary of its attractor state.

Notes

True Vocal Folds: Body-Cover 43

 Level One Workbook
The Four Options
Icon Option & Description Hand Signal

Slack
Recognized as glottal fry, or creaky voice. Both body and
cover are loose. This Body-Cover combination results in a
unique vibratory pattern producing pulses of sound energy.

Thick
Known as the modal or speech register. The true vocal folds
are relatively short, with some contraction/muscle tone in
the vocalis muscle within the body. The cover is pliant, and
the folds ripple (mucosal wave) from the lower border to the
upper border of the fold edge, with a thick depth of contact
through the cycle.

Thin
May occur naturally at higher pitches where the true vocal
folds are elongated, and/or during soft voicing. Less cover
flexibility and/or less breath result in vibration without the
lower-to-upper ripple, a thin or shallow depth of contact.

Stiff
May occur naturally at higher pitches. Associated with
falsetto. The true vocal folds are elongated, pulled taut, and
positioned slightly away from the midline. There is little or
no contact during vibration. The tone may or may not be
breathy.

Notes

True Vocal Folds: Body-Cover 44

 Level One Workbook
Schematic drawings of the Options:

Time

repeats
Slack irregularly

repeats
Thick regularly

repeats
Thin regularly

repeats
Stiff regularly

Estill Voiceprint Plus

When practicing or demonstrating these Options with the Estill Voiceprint Plus
program (Spectrogram Setting), look for the following visual cues:
• Slack – vertical striations, no horizontal harmonic lines
• Thick – larger waveform, dark harmonic traces, some interharmonic noise
• Thin – smaller wave signal, lighter harmonics, minimal interharmonic noise
• Stiff – increased interharmonic noise that may create a “blurry” spectrogram

Slack Thick Thin Stiff

Irregular waveform
and spectrogram

Strong signal,
dark harmonics

Fewer and lighter

harmonics

Weakest signal,
interharmonic noise

True Vocal Folds: Body-Cover 45

 Level One Workbook
Training Exercises
Notes
Slack
1) Make a creaky door sound on an
/ a /. Shift back and forth between
Slack folds and a regular speaking tone
(Thick folds).
What is going on with the breath?
What do you feel in the larynx?
What do you see on the spectrogram?
2) Try Slack folds on these vowels:
/ i, e, o, u /.
3) Practice Slack folds through a
comfortable speaking range:
A low pitch will facilitate Slack folds;
so does low breath Effort.
Note: Slack folds also facilitates FVF
Constriction, particularly higher in the
range. For this reason, we recommend
practicing Slack folds only within the
comfortable range of the speaking voice.
We find it useful, recognizing that those
who train and rehabilitate the voice disgree
about its value and risks.
Thick
1) Say a loud / i /. Sustain the / i / at that
pitch, singing it.
Use a Glottal Onset to facilitate Thick
folds.
2) Try Thick folds on these other vowels:
/ e, a, o, u /.
3) Practice Thick folds across the range.
Starting at the low end of your range,
sing on / i / up through an octave scale
using Thick folds.
Use a Glottal Onset on each tone.
Retract the FVFs |←→|, if you feel
Constriction.
Note: There is a point in your range
where this Thick condition is no longer
comfortable (where the vocal folds are
drawn to an easier attractor state). The
ultimate point of this exercise is to be
able to maintain all the conditions for

True Vocal Folds: Body-Cover 46

 Level One Workbook
Thick folds throughout the entire range.
Beyond the break, the tone produced in Notes
this vibratory mode weakens. By accepting
the challenge and discomfort (both in
what you feel and what you hear), and
by allowing the tone to become smaller
-- less volume -- while ascending, it will
be possible to sustain Thick folds into the
upper pitches of the range. Go as high as
possible. Subsequent Figures will provide
enhanced control.
Do not use more breath to equalize the
volume while ascending the scale; it may
produce a break into Stiff folds and/or
trigger FVF Constriction.

Thin
1) Say or sing a loud / i /, say or sing a soft
/ i /. Sustain the soft / i /.
Use a Smooth Onset to facilitate Thin
folds.
2) Try Thin folds on other vowels:
/ e, a, o, u /.
3) Practice Thin folds across the range
Beginning at a comfortably high pitch,
sing down an octave scale on / i /, using
a Thin folds. Use a facilitating Smooth
Onset on each tone.

Stiff
1) Hold the thumb on the lower lip and
blow an / i /, as if blowing across the
neck of a little bottle. Use an Aspirate
Abrupt Onset to facilitate Stiff folds.
Try to maintain the same Stiff fold
adjustment, but with less breathiness in
the tone.

True Vocal Folds: Body-Cover 47

 Level One Workbook
2) Try Stiff folds on these other vowels:
/ e, a, o, u /. Notes
3) Practice Stiff folds across the range.
Because the TVFs are already stretched
and stiffened somewhat at higher
frequencies, begin on a comfortably
high pitch and sing an / i / with Stiff
folds on each step of a descending
scale. Use a facilitating Aspirate
Abrupt Onset on each scale step.
Note: As this vibratory mode is taken
lower in pitch, into the range where it is
not an attractor state, invest more Effort in
sustaining the condition. Again observe
that the tone weakens when it passes this
boundary. Allowing for this fact, Stiff folds
will readily descend the scale. Using more
breath in attempt to equalize the volume
while descending, may cause a break into
Thick folds.

Figure for True Vocal Fold: Body-Cover Control

On a vowel, demonstrate the following
TVF: Body-Cover conditions:
1) Begin with Thick folds, change to Thin folds
2) Begin with Thin folds, change to Thick folds
3) Begin with Stiff folds, change to Thin folds
4) Begin with Thin folds, change to Stiff folds
5) Begin with Thick folds, change to Stiff folds
6) Begin with Stiff folds, change to Thick folds
7) Begin with Thick folds change to Slack folds
8) Begin with Slack folds, change to Thick folds
Practice these tasks on / i, e, a, o, u /.
Practice moving between conditions abruptly, gradually.
Perform tasks 1 – 6 on any pitch; 7 & 8 in mid-low range.

True Vocal Folds: Body-Cover 48

 Level One Workbook
Application
In figure skating, the conceptual source of Figures for Voice, control of the edges of the skate
blade is critical in all aspects of performance. Control of the vocal fold edges are every bit as
important to singers and speakers.
Control of TVF: Body-Cover will contribute to:
• consistent quality throughout the range (avoiding breaks)
• consistent loudness through the range by change of TVF: Body-Cover condition
• planned voicing breaks (‘cracking’ with emotion, yodeling)
• sudden intensity changes for dramatic/musical effect
• changes in intensity to preserve the stress patterns of words in songs
Application Exercise: Return to “Happy Birthday,” as sung in Onset practice, only this time,
consciously control the TVF: Body-Cover that follows the Onset, using Glottal to Thick, Aspirate
to Stiff, or Simultaneous to Thin. Lower the key, and add some Slack. Try singing the lyrics
with consonants restored while maintaining a Thick, Thin, or Stiff TVF: Body-Cover condition
throughout the song. Remember, this is only an exercise. Once Craft is mastered, any Onset can
precede any TVF: Body-Cover. Take another song and experiment with the effects created by
changing Body-Cover condition from note to note, or even within a single note.

True Vocal Folds: Body-Cover 49

 Level One Workbook

True Vocal Folds: Body-Cover 50

 Level One Workbook

Thyroid Cartilage
Introductory Exercise
“Meow” high, soft, like a kitten crying.
Notes
Or
“Whimper” on an / ŋ / like a puppy or dog.
Place the fingers over the larynx and prepare
to make either of these sounds. Where is the
Effort?
“Meow” or “whimper” while descending a
scale, maintaining all of the numbers.
What do you feel?
What do you hear?

Anatomy & Physiology

The thyroid cartilage is connected to the cricoid cartilage at the cricothyroid joint. The two
cartilages can rotate relative to each other along the axis of the cricothyroid joint. There is a space
between the lower edge of the main body of the thyroid and the arch of the cricoid, called the
cricothyroid space. This space can be opened or closed. These 2 conditions influence True Vocal
Fold: Body-Cover.
Cricothyroid gives way Cricothyroid engages
for vertical alignment to tilt the thyroid cartilage

straight part
Cricothyroid space oblique part
CT joint

Thyroid Cartilage 51
 Level One Workbook
As was felt in the whimper preparation, the cricothyroid muscle does not always work alone.

Extrinsic muscles can assist

in aligning the thyroid cartilage
3 3
2 2
2 2
4 4

5 5
1 1
6 6

7 7

1 – geniohyoid m. 5 – thyrohyoid m.
2 – digastric m.(2 bellies) 6 – inferior pharyngeal constrictor m.
3 – stylohyoid m. 7 – sternothyroid m.
4 – middle pharyngeal constrictor m.

The Two Options

Icon Option & Description Schematic Hand Signal

Vertical
The condition of the thyroid cartilage in quiet
breathing.

Tilt
The condition when the cricothyroid muscle
is actively engaged and the thyroid cartilage is
rotating forward.

Notes

Thyroid Cartilage 52
 Level One Workbook

Notes

Estill Voiceprint Plus

When practicing or demonstrating these Options with the Estill Voiceprint Plus
program (Spectrogram Setting), look for the following visual cue:
• Tilt will have a marked reduction in interharmonic noise compared to Vertical.
This reduction in noise is likely the source of our perception of sweetness in this
condition.

Vertical Tilt

More interharmonic noise

Less interharmonic noise

Thyroid Cartilage 53
 Level One Workbook
Training Exercises
Notes
Finding the crico-thyroid space
(C-T space)
There should be an indentation or a space
between the thyroid and cricoid cartilages,
referred to as the crico-thyroid space,
“C-T space” for short. To find it, feel for
the bump of the thyroid notch and slide
down, or feel for the bump of the cricoid
arch and slide up.

Vertical Thyroid
1) Relax the musculature surrounding the
larynx and breathe quietly.
What do you feel in the C-T space and
higher up?
This should be the Vertical Thyroid
Cartilage condition.
Assign it a Number.
2) Say or sing / i / with a Vertical Thyroid
Cartilage.
3) Say or sing other vowels, / e, a, o, u /
with Vertical Thyroid Cartilage.
4) Start at a comfortably low pitch and
sing up the scale, on / i /, maintaining
this Vertical Thyroid Cartilage posture.

Thyroid Tilt
1) Whimper on / ŋ / or “meow” at a
relatively high pitch.
What do you feel?
What do you hear?
This should be the Tilted Thyroid
Cartilage condition.
Assign this Effort a Number, hold
it, and perform the Relaxation
Maneuvers.

Thyroid Cartilage 54
 Level One Workbook
2) Say or sing / i / with Thyroid Cartilage Notes
Tilt. If using a high Effort Number, the
folds may already be thin.
3) Say or sing some other vowels,
/ e, a, o, u /, with Thyroid Cartilage
Tilt.
4) Start at a comfortably high pitch and
sing down the scale, on
/ i /, maintaining the Tilted Thyroid
Cartilage condition.

Thyroid Cartilage control

independent of TVF: Body-Cover
1) Say or sing / i / with Thick folds and
Vertical Thyroid Cartilage.
2) Add Thyroid Cartilage Tilting, but
monitor carefully to keep the Thick
fold condition.
What do you feel?
What do you hear?
There should be a “sweetening” of the
tone without a change of TVF: Body-
Cover condition.
3) Repeat with other vowels, / e, a, o, u /.
4) Repeat steps 1, 2, and 3 with Thin folds,
and then with Stiff folds.

Thyroid Cartilage 55
 Level One Workbook

Figure for Thyroid Cartilage Control

On a vowel, demonstrate the following
Thyroid Cartilage conditions:
1) Begin with Vertical and change to Thyroid Tilt.
2) Begin with Thyroid Tilt and change to Vertical.
Perform these tasks on / i, e, a, o, u /, at any pitch.
Practice moving between conditions abruptly, gradually.
Practice with different True Vocal Fold: Body-Cover conditions.

Application
Holding the Thyroid Cartilage in a Vertical or Tilted condition is another way to influence True
Vocal Folds: Body-Cover. This becomes important under pitch conditions that might naturally
move the cartilages into a different postural relationship with one another. For example, Effort
to maintain Thyroid Cartilage Tilt may help an operatic singer avoid the shift to a speech-like
chest voice in the low range. Maintaining a Vertical Thyroid Cartilage may help a Pop or Musical
Theatre singer to stay in speech-like quality when singing in mid to upper range.
Many singers, in any number of musical styles, add a bit of Thyroid Cartilage Tilt to a note as they
hold it, “sweetening” the tone. With this sweetening sometimes comes vibrato.
Thyroid Cartilage Tilt can be used to “sweeten” any voice quality, even belting.
A bit of extra effort in Thyroid Tilt will also enhance the upper range. This principle is employed
in the Estill Siren, an exercise for controlling pitch throughout the range. If some of the top notes
are still missing, the Siren may help recover them.

Thyroid Cartilage 56
 Level One Workbook
The Siren

The Siren - Exercise for Finding the Range

On an / ŋ / as in / ɪŋ /, Siren as high and as low as possible.
To produce the particular recipe for a Siren, use Thin TVF: Body-Cover,
a High Tongue, a Tilted Thyroid Cartilage, FVF |←→|, and maximum
Effort. At the highest pitches in the range, use as hard a feeling of Effort in
the head with as soft a sound as possible in the larynx. The Siren should
move from the lowest to highest pitches in the range without any break or
roughness and no change of quality.

Training Exercises
Notes
Pretend you are a child with a toy fire
truck that has no siren
1) Siren on an / ŋ /, noting that the tongue
and the velum allow no sound to pass
through the mouth.
2) Make sure the tongue is positioned for
the / ŋ / of “sing” rather than “song,” to
keep the tongue high and not too far
back in the mouth.
3) Go as high and low as possible.
For this exercise, keep the TVF: Body-
Cover Thin by using Effort in Thyroid Tilt,
particularly in the low range where Tilt
does not come “naturally.”
Invest a higher number of both Thyroid
Tilt and FVF Retraction at the top of the
range.
Did the range expand?

The Siren 57
 Level One Workbook
Isolate the awareness of muscles
working to establish pitch in silent Notes
practice
1) While exhaling, silently Siren the
whole range.
2) Stop and hold the sensation of the
highest note, the lowest, and several in
between.
3) Hear the pitch in the mind and come
as close to actually making the sound
as possible, remaining silent.
Miren
What’s Mirening? Forming the words in
the mouth while Sirening a song.
(Mouth + Siren = Miren.)
Miren a simple song.
Mirening demonstrates independent
control of the front and back of the tongue,
and can be used to release the jaw during
singing – regardless of the pitch.
Learning a new song
1) Siren the song to establish the muscle
memory for the melody.
(Remember that FVF retraction |←→|
is part of the Siren recipe.)
2) Miren the words, to “program” the
memory of the lyrics.
3) Extract the vowel in each syllable, each
note.
4) Siren from note to note, very slowly,
and:
• Hold the Effort for the Siren at that
pitch while breathing in
• Sing the pitch and vowel with the
desired TVF: Onset and Body-
Cover condition
Once all of the Figures have been learned,
add Effort in other structures to pre-set
all of the elements required for the voice
quality chosen.

The Siren 58
 Level One Workbook

Cricoid Cartilage
Introductory Exercise
Notes
Shout out a “Yay!” (happy, excited!).
Or
Pretend you are Italian, and shout out an / e /
(“ay!”) with a Glottal Onset.
What did you hear?
What did you feel?
In the breath...
In the larynx...
In the crico-thyroid space?

Anatomy & Physiology

There is a set of attractor state structural conditions for shouting, a natural human activity
that can serve as an expression of joy, excitement, warning, or anger. A Narrow Aryepiglottic
Sphincter is one of those conditions, as are a High Larynx and Cricoid Tilt.
The crico-thyroid joint that allowed for the closing down of the C-T space during Thyroid
Cartilage Tilt can also be rotated for an opening stretch of the cricothyroid membrane.

Opening the cricothyroid space

Cricoid Cartilage 59
 Level One Workbook
As with the muscular mediation of False Vocal Fold Retraction, the action that accomplishes
this shift in cartilage alignment is not anatomically obvious. The cricopharyngeus division of
the inferior pharyngeal constrictor may play a role. These muscle fibers run from the front of
the spine to the sides of the cricoid. As with other structures studied, this muscle would have
to be aided by secondary muscles attaching to the hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage to succeed
in opening the C-T space. This action would explain the experience of a downward tug on the
larynx during shouting, even though the larynx is clearly high in the neck.

inferior pharyngeal
constrictor

cricopharyngeus

An alternative physiological strategy

There is another physiological possibility: the thyroid cartilage could rock backwards on the
ends of its lower horns, opening the C-T space.
The middle pharyngeal constrictors and supra hyoids, or even the thyroarytenoids could
pull back on the thyroid cartilage for this option, which might explain the head-thrown-back
position some people use when they shout, assisting the up and back action on the hyoid bone
and thyroid cartilage.
Another muscular strategy

Cricoid Tilt increased loudness with less breath

One common misconception about how the voice works is that more breath must be used to
make a louder voice. The functions of shouting require that a very loud noise be produced
as quickly as possible. A deep breath would slow the process down. Clearly, another
physiological solution is employed.
Remember that air pressure changes make sound waves. Making the respiratory apparatus
work harder will not necessarily make the vocal sound bigger. There is a complex and
dynamic interplay of Power and Source in shouting. The longer the true vocal folds remain

Cricoid Cartilage 60
 Level One Workbook
closed during each vibratory cycle, the more intense the glottal source tone can become.
In context of shouting, the introduction of Cricoid Tilt makes Thick folds thicker resulting
in a very long closed phase. In belting, the true vocal folds remain closed for 70% of each
vibratory cycle. For the shouter/belter, this increased sub-glottal air pressure is generated
without the perception of additional airflow. Indeed, increased movement of breath (as in the
common misconception of pushed breath for belt-voice production) will tend to blow the true
vocal folds open, dropping the pressure. Production of a high intensity sound like shouting
(and belting) with increased breath Effort will almost certainly trigger FVF Constriction to
help hold the TVFs closed long enough to make the sound intense.
High intensity voicing poses a risk to vocal health
All high intensity voice production -- shouting, screaming, belting, operatic singing – has
the potential to injure the voice. In Estill Voice Training®, vocal health is paramount. This
Figure is best learned and understood in context of shouting and/or belting, which in turn
are best learned and understood once other Figures have been mastered. When this Figure
is practiced in a Level One Course, limit practice to the silent preparation for a shout. It is
recommended that this Figure be revisited during a Level Two Course.

Notes

Cricoid Cartilage 61
 Level One Workbook
The Two Options
Icon Option & Description Schematic Hand Signal

Vertical
This is the condition during quiet breathing.

Tilt
This is the condition during shouting.

Vertical Thyroid, with right hand

representing Vertical Cricoid

Estill Voiceprint Plus

When practicing or demonstrating these Options with the Estill Voiceprint Plus
program (Spectrogram Setting), look for the following visual cues in Tilt:
• Larger waveform
• Darker harmonics throughout the spectrum

Vertical Tilt

Lighter - less intense

Darker - more intense

Cricoid Cartilage 62
 Level One Workbook
Training Exercises
Notes
Vertical Cricoid
Relax the musculature surrounding the
larynx and breathe quietly.
What do you feel in the C-T space?
This should be the Vertical Cricoid
Cartilage condition.
Assign it a Number.

Cricoid Tilt
1) Make the preparation to shout as if at
a sporting event and excited that the
home team has just broken a tie and
taken the lead. Start the preparation
for a “Yeah!” But don’t actually make
the sound. Don’t hold the breath,
either. In fact, find the locus of Effort,
assign it a number, and perform all of
the Relaxation Maneuvers.
2) Make the preparation as above, Retract
the FVFs, and actually shout / e / with
a Glottal Onset or “yay!”
What do you feel?
If you feel a scratch at the true vocal
folds, stop! Continue your practice of
Cricoid Tilt in silence. You will learn
how to apply Cricoid Tilt in the context
of a safe Belt Quality in Level Two.

Cricoid Cartilage 63
 Level One Workbook

Figure for Cricoid Cartilage Control

On a vowel with Thick TVF: Body-Cover, demonstrate the
following Cricoid Cartilage conditions:
1) Begin with Vertical Cricoid cartilage and change to Cricoid Tilt.
2) Begin with Cricoid Tilt and change to Vertical Cricoid.
Perform these tasks on / i, e, a, o, u /, at any pitch.
Practice moving between conditions abruptly, gradually.

Application
Cricoid Tilt is a defining attribute of the Belt voice quality and loud voicing.
Some of the concepts presented in this section of the course – most notably that more breath is
not the only solution to making a more intense vocal sound – will help preserve vocal health.

Cricoid Cartilage 64
 Level One Workbook

Aryepiglottic Sphincter
Introductory Exercise
Notes
Say/sing “nyae, nyae, nyae, nyae, nyae!”
(The schoolyard sing-song taunt)
What do you hear?
What do you feel?
Is the tone bright and piercing?
To make this sound brighter yet, use High
Tongue.
Did you feel FVF constriction?
If you did, use a Mid Velum, and Retract the
FVFs.

Anatomy & Physiology

Narrowing of the epilarynx (the tube above the true vocal folds formed by the aryepiglottic
sphincter or AES) creates a formant between 2-4 kHz (2000 – 4000 Hz). The bright and piercing
change in voice quality associated with AES narrowing is the primary feature of the voice quality
called “Twang” in Estill Voice Training®.
Aryepiglottis muscle & interarytenoids

3
SIDE VIEW BACK VIEW

1 – aryepiglottic m. 2 – transverse interarytenoid

Wide Narrow 3 – oblique interarytenoids

AES Narrowing makes the voice loud

The bandwidth of the AES Narrowing corresponds to the resonant frequency of the ear canal.
This means that sounds matching this frequency will resonate in the ear canals of a listener,
making them louder. Loudness is a perception, not an absolute, and does not correspond to
intensity directly. Loudness is heavily influenced by pitch/frequency.
There may be breath and true vocal fold side-effects when the epilarynx is narrowed as well.
It is hypothesized that with this narrowing, the vocal folds stay closed a little longer, as they
might were they thicker. A longer closed phase means higher subglottal air pressure, a more
intense sound source.

Aryepiglottic Sphincter 65
 Level One Workbook
False Vocal Fold Constriction is a risk with AES Narrowing and Twang Quality
Constrictive closure of the true vocal folds, false vocal folds, and velopharygeal port all occur
in swallowing. Aryepiglottic narrowing is part of that swallowing sequence. Because of this,
AES Narrowing during phonation may trigger other swallowing muscle activity in the larynx,
i.e. FVF Constriction.
Problem: “Closure” is desired at both the lowest and highest levels of the larynx without
engaging FVF Constriction in the middle.
Solution: “Block” the physiological muscle patterns of swallowing by leaving the
velopharyngeal port open and learn to Narrow the AES with a Mid Velum.
Confusion is a risk with AES Narrowing and Twang Quality
The piercingly bright tone produced with AES Narrowing is often misunderstood and
described as a “nasal” sound. Remember that nasal resonance favors low frequencies. The
high frequency formant of Twang Quality is produced in the epilaryngeal space. For reasons
explained above it may be nasalized, which might actually dull the tone slightly.

Notes

The Two Options

Icon Option & Description Schematic Hand Signal

Wide
This is the option where there is no brightness in
the tone; the AES is Wide from front to back.

Narrow
This is the option we have been experiencing in
the “nyae-nyae’s”.

Aryepiglottic Sphincter 66
 Level One Workbook

Notes

Estill Voiceprint Plus

When practicing or demonstrating these Options with the Estill Voiceprint Plus
program (Spectrogram Setting), look for the following visual cues:
• Wide – low acoustic energy in the 2000 to 4000 Hz region
• Narrow – high energy (darker lines) in the band of formants between 2000
and 4000 Hz, across all vowels

Wide with Mid Velum → Narrow with Mid Velum

4 kHz
Increase in energy
between 2 - 4 kHz when
the AES is Narrow

2 kHz

Aryepiglottic Sphincter 67
 Level One Workbook
Training Exercises
Notes
Narrow, without FVF Constriction
1) Demonstrate nasality with a Thin TVF:
Body-Cover on all vowels.
Use the nose test to verify that the
Velum is in its Mid condition, with
breath escaping through both the
mouth and the nose.
2) Start with a nasalized / i /, as above,
and Narrow the AES.
3) Start with other vowels, / e, a, o, u /,
and Narrow the AES.
4) Sing up and down octave scales with a
Narrow AES.
Problem: Vowels are not equally bright.
Solution:
1) Find the pitch and vowel where
Twang is the brightest.
2) While moving from this “best”
vowel into each of the others, move
the tongue dorsum forward/back,
higher/lower, until each vowel
matches the best one.
Problem: Pitches are not equally bright.
Solution:
1) Find the pitch and vowel where the
nasalized Twang is brightest.
2) Ascend or descend a scale from
that pitch, on that vowel, matching
each note in brightness with the
first (best, Twangiest) tone. Sing
back and forth from the starting
pitch through all the scale steps.

Aryepiglottic Sphincter 68
 Level One Workbook

Notes

Wide
1) Speak or sing an / a / with a Wide AES.
2) Speak or sing other vowels with a Wide
AES, / i, e, o, u /.
3) Sing up and down octave scales with a
Wide AES.
Sing scales on different vowels.

Isolating Velum condition from the

Narrowed AES
Narrow the AES and move between the 3
conditions of the Velum:
Low – Mid – High – Mid – Low.
This is not an easy task, but it demonstrates
that the presence/absence of Twang is
independent of the presence/absence of
nasality.

Aryepiglottic Sphincter 69
 Level One Workbook

Figure for Aryepiglottic Sphincter Control

Demonstrate the following AES conditions:
1) On a vowel with Thin TVF: Body-Cover and Mid Velum
(nasalized), a Wide AES.
2) On a nasalized Thin fold vowel, change from Wide to Narrow AES.
3) On a nasalized Thin fold vowel with Narrow AES, an octave scale
with equal brightness between pitches.
4) In nasalized Thin folds with Narrow AES, the sequence
/ i→e→a→o→u / demonstrating equal brightness between vowels.
5) From a nasalized Thin fold vowel with Narrow AES, demonstrate a
change from Mid to High Velum.
Perform vowel tasks on / i, e, a, o, u /, at any pitch.
Practice moving between conditions abruptly, gradually.
Practice with different True Vocal Fold: Body-Cover conditions.

Application
Narrowing the AES provides loudness without any increase of Effort at the level of the vocal folds.
It is an essential component of singing in Opera and Belt qualities, but is also heard in comedic
“character” voices, spoken and sung.
A Narrow AES can also be used to monitor tongue control, to equalize vowels and identify
aspects of consonant production that compromise consistent voice quality.
Application Exercise: Sing “Happy Birthday” again, with a Narrow AES. Match the resonant
brightness from vowel to vowel. Some vowels, some pitches, will be easier than others. Using a
High Tongue and FVF Retraction will help.

Aryepiglottic Sphincter 70
 Level One Workbook

Larynx
Introductory Exercise
Place your hand over the larynx during this
Notes
exercise.
Sustain / i / on a pitch in your speaking range.
What do you feel? What do you hear?
Repeat the / i / at the same pitch, but this time
pretending you are a very small, young child.
What do you feel? What do you hear?
What changed?
Repeat the / i / at the same pitch, but this time
pretending you are a great opera singer.
What do you feel? What do you hear?
What changed?

Anatomy & Physiology

The muscles responsible for larynx height were discussed in the Pitch section: the supra- and
infra-hyoids. The activity of these muscles changes the length of the pharyngeal portion of the
vocal tract.

Suprahyoid muscles
lift the larynx
As do pharyngeal
3 constrictors
Infrahyoid muscles 2 1
lower the larynx 1

2 3
1 1 – superior
1 – geniohyoid 2 – middle
2 – digastric 3 – inferior
3 3 – stylohyoid

1 – sternohyoid 2 – thyrohyoid
3 – sternothyroid 4 – omohyoid

Larynx 71
 Level One Workbook
The Three Options
Icon Option & Description Schematic Hand Signal

Low
This is the condition of the larynx at low
pitches, and in the preparation to sob.

Mid
This position should correspond to the position
of the larynx during quiet breathing

High
This is the condition of the larynx at high
pitches, and in the preparation to scream or
squeal.

Notes

Larynx 72
 Level One Workbook

Estill Voiceprint Plus

When practicing or demonstrating these Options with the Estill Voiceprint Plus
program (Spectrogram Setting), look for the following visual cues:
• Movement of all formants in direct correlation with movement of the larynx —
lowest with a Low Larynx, highest with a High Larynx.
Enhance the visualization of formants by using the Resonance feature of Estill
Voiceprint Plus. Enabling this setting will add green lines indicating formants.

Low Mid High

This is the vowel / i /.

Note upward movement
of formants.

Training Exercises
Notes
Mid
1) Breathe quietly and feel for the position
of the thyroid notch (“Adam’s Apple”)
or cricoid arch in the neck. This
should be the Mid condition.
2) Say or sing an / i / with Mid Larynx.
What did you feel? What did you hear?
3) Say or sing the other vowels
/ i, e, a, o, u / with Mid Larynx.
What did you feel? What did you hear?
4) From a comfortable mid-range pitch,
sing up a one octave scale with a Mid
Larynx.
Repeat this exercise, singing down
from the starting pitch.
What did you feel? What did you hear?

Larynx 73
 Level One Workbook
High
Notes
1) Breathe quietly and feel for the position
of the thyroid notch (“Adam’s Apple”)
or cricoid arch in the neck, then
silently prepare for a high pitch.
Or
Scream silently as we all might like to
do from time to time, just to “let off
steam.”
Note the location of the sensation of
Effort, give it a Number, hold it and
carefully inhale and exhale. This
should be a High Larynx condition.
2) Say or sing an / i / with High Larynx.
What did you feel? What did you hear?
3) Say or sing the other vowels
/ e, a, o, u / with High Larynx.
What did you feel? What did you hear?
4) From a high pitch, sing down a one
octave scale with a High Larynx.
What did you feel? What did you hear?

Low
1) Breathe quietly and feel for the position
of the thyroid notch (“Adam’s Apple”)
or cricoid arch in the neck, then
silently prepare for a low pitch...
Or
Sob silently...
Or
Laugh silently, and very hard...
Note the location of the sensation of
Effort, give it a Number, hold it and
carefully inhale and exhale. This
should be a Low Larynx condition.
2) Say or sing an / i / with Low Larynx.
What did you feel? What did you hear?
3) Say or sing the other vowels
/ e, a, o, u / with Low Larynx.
What did you feel? What did you hear?
4) From a low pitch, sing up a one octave
scale with a Low Larynx.
What did you feel? What did you hear?

Larynx 74
 Level One Workbook

Figure for Larynx Control

Demonstrate the following Larynx height conditions:
1) In a Mid Larynx position, speak normally.
2) On the same pitch, speak with a High Larynx.
3) On the same pitch, speak with a Low Larynx.
4) On a vowel, in sequence, Mid→ High→ Mid→ Low→Mid.
Perform vowel task on / i, e, a, o, u /, at any pitch.
Practice moving between conditions abruptly, gradually.
Practice with different True Vocal Fold: Body-Cover conditions.

Application
Changing vocal tract length provides us with a variety of colors for speech and song.
• Low Larynx (long vocal tract) for a dark color and emotion
• High Larynx (short vocal tract) for a bright color and projection
Low Larynx is a feature of Operatic singing.
Mid Larynx is a feature of Speech quality.
High Larynx is a feature of Twang and Belt Qualities.

Larynx 75
Level One Workbook

Larynx 76
 Level One Workbook

Tongue
Introductory Exercise
Say/sing / i – a – u /.
What is moving? Notes
Repeat without moving the lips.
What do you hear?
What is moving?
Repeat without moving the tongue.
What do you hear?
What is moving?
Which exercise was easiest?
Allowing the tongue and lips to move as they
usually would to form the vowels, sing a 2
octave scale, first on / i / and then on / a /.
Was one scale easier to sing than the other?

Anatomy & Physiology

The musculature of the tongue is complex. Muscle fibers within the tongue run nearly every
direction. The relaxed tongue expands to fill the oral cavity during quiet breathing through the
nose.
Due to muscular complexity, activity in the tongue tip and blade can be isolated from activity
in the dorsum and root. Vowel production influences pharyngeal dimension and tone
quality. This is because the back of the tongue is the front of the throat. Many singers observe
that / i / and / u / are easier to produce than / a /.

Muscles of the Tongue Parts of the Tongue

Longitudinal Styloglossus
Palatoglossus
d
Transverse a. body c
(front) (back)
Vertical b. tip
b e
c. blade a
Genioglossus Hyoglossus d. dorsum
e. root

Tongue 77
 Level One Workbook
The acoustic characteristics of vowels are expressed as bandwidths of resonant intensity called
formants. Numbered from low to high, the first 2 formants define a vowel. The formants appear
like blocks of darkness on the Estill Voiceprint Plus spectrogram.

Notes

The Three Options

Icon Option & Description Schematic Hand Signal

Low
This is the low, flat tongue dorsum taught in
some voice studios where a dark tone is the goal.

Mid
The tongue dorsum is in the position it usually
occupies during speech, assuming that you speak
without a strong regional accent or voice quality.

High
The dorsum and root of the tongue are lifted, as
they are in the vowel / i / or in the / j / (“y”).

This fourth and advanced option is included here in the Level One Workbook, but will be
taught in Level Two when Level One Figures are reviewed in preparation for Opera Quality.

Compress
An option used in dramatic operatic singing.
The tongue tip is curled up and pulled back,
while the back of the tongue is pushed forward,
compressing the tongue.

Tongue 78
 Level One Workbook

Notes

Estill Voiceprint Plus

When practicing or demonstrating these Options with the Estill Voiceprint Plus
program (Spectrogram Setting), look for the following visual cues:
• Low – the second formant is in a relatively low position.
• Mid – the second and upper formants rise slightly.
• High – the upper formants are relatively high.

Low Mid High

Energy in formants
shifts upward as Tongue
moves from Low to Mid
to High on the vowel / i /.

Tongue 79
 Level One Workbook
Training Exercises
Notes
Isolating the tongue tip-and-blade
from tongue dorsum-and-root.
1) Speak or sing a / ŋ / as in “sing” as
in the Low Velum task. Wiggle the
tongue tip and blade to demonstrate
independent movement of the tongue
tip and blade.
2) Speak or sing a / ŋ / as above, and while
humming, count from one to ten. This
is mouthing the words, mirening.
Exaggerate the movements of the front
half of the tongue, the lips, the jaw,
maintaining a stabile tongue dorsum,
root and velum position.

Finding the tongue height attractor

state
Count aloud from 1 to 10, slowly. Notice
how the sides of the tongue in the region of
the dorsum relate to the upper and lower
molars.
Do the sides of the tongue hover near:
a) The upper molars (High)
b) Between upper and lower molars (Mid)
c) By the lower molars (Low)
One assumption is that the tongue is
relaxed when in speech. It may not be.
Another assumption is that speech would
have a Mid tongue. It may not.

Mid
1) Say / ə / as in an “huh”. The sides of
the tongue at the dorsum should be
between the upper and lower molars,
as if about to be bitten. This is the Mid
condition, and may feel like a “neutral”
posture for the tongue.

Tongue 80
 Level One Workbook
2) Speak the alphabet with a Mid Tongue
(to vary vowels, add consonants). Notes
How easy or difficult is it to speak
clearly with this tongue condition?
3) Sing the alphabet song with a Mid
Tongue (to vary pitch).
What do you hear? What do you feel?
Try it in a higher key, a lower key.

High
1) Say / i / or / ji / (“yee”). The tongue
dorsum will lift, with the sides pressing
on the inner surface of the upper
molars. This is High Tongue.
2) Recite the alphabet with a High Tongue
(to vary vowels, add consonants).
How easy or difficult is it to speak
clearly with this tongue condition?
3) Sing the alphabet song with a High
Tongue (to vary pitch).
What do you hear? What do you feel?
Try it in a higher key, a lower key.

Low
1) Say / a / as you might when a doctor
is peering into your throat. Where
do you feel the sides of your tongue?
By the lower molars? If not, imagine
a mouthful of “hot potatoes” and see
if that brings the tongue into its Low
condition.
2) Recite the alphabet with a Low Tongue
(to vary vowels, add consonants).
How easy or difficult is it to speak
clearly with this tongue condition?
3) Sing the alphabet song with a Low
Tongue (to vary pitch).
What do you hear? What do you feel?
Try it in a higher key, a lower key.

Tongue 81
 Level One Workbook
Tongue Height and Pitch
Notes
1) On a single pitch, speak or sing
alternating between the / ŋ / as in
“sing” and / ŋ / as in “song.” Monitor
the position of the hyoid bone. What
do feel?
2) Hum through a 2 octave range on
the / ŋ / of “sing” and repeat with
the / ŋ / of “song.”
Which was easier, the “sing” or the
“song?”

Compress (Advanced Option)

1) With the forefinger on the underside
of the curled up tip of the tongue,
press the tongue tip as far back as
possible (without choking, of course),
then press the back of the tongue
forward against the finger, as hard as
possible. The dorsum will be high.
Holding these Effort Numbers in the
tongue, remove the finger and hold the
Compress Tongue.
2) Say or sing an / i / with Thin TVF:
Body-Cover and Mid Tongue. In midst
of this / i /, Compress the Tongue.
What do you feel?
What do you hear?
3) Say the alphabet with Compress
Tongue (to vary vowels).
What do you feel?
What do you hear?
4) Sing the alphabet song with Compress
Tongue (to vary pitches).
What do you hear? What do you feel?
Try it in a higher key, a lower key.

Tongue 82
 Level One Workbook

Figure for Tongue Control

Demonstrate the following Tongue conditions:
1) Pitch glide on / ŋ / with High Tongue. Repeat with Low Tongue.
2) Speak clearly with Mid Tongue. Repeat with High Tongue.
3) In sequence, / i→ e→ a→ o→ u / with High Tongue,
to demonstrate equal brightness.
4) With a High Tongue / ŋ /, “Miren” a song demonstrating independent
movement of tongue tip, blade, and jaw.
5) On a vowel, in sequence, Mid→Low→Mid→High.
Perform vowel tasks on / i, e, a, o, u /, at any pitch.
Practice moving between conditions abruptly, gradually.
Practice with different True Vocal Fold: Body-Cover conditions.
Advanced practice: On a vowel, Mid→Compress→Mid.

Application
This Figure increases awareness of the several parts of the tongue that can be independently
controlled.
Because the tongue forms the front wall of the throat, tongue position is crucial to voice quality
control – if there is too much of a change in position between front and back vowels, voice quality
can be compromised. A High Tongue can help to equalize resonance.
As activity in the tongue root can influence the vertical mobility of the larynx, care must be taken
in any singing voice quality to ensure that tongue position does not compromise pitch.
Some coach a Low Tongue for operatic and Shakespearean performance to increase low
frequency resonance. Although a “rich” resonance is desirable, diction and projection may be
compromised. You will use High Tongue for the Opera Quality taught in Level Two to preserve
the “Squillo” in Jo Estill’s “recipe” and to promote intelligible diction. When you learn to
Compress the Tongue, you will have yet another variation to explore.
In EVT Qualities where a high laryngeal position is required, such as Twang and Belt, the High
Tongue is preferred. FVF Retraction is essential in these qualities.
Application Exercise: Try the Pitch Exercise once again. This time, see if a High Tongue helps
extend the range (remember to Retract the FVFs).

Tongue 83
Level One Workbook

Tongue 84
 Level One Workbook

Velum
Introductory Exercise
Notes
Say, “hing” and prolong the / ŋ /.
Now, say “gee” and prolong the / i /.
Put them together, and say, “hing-gee hing-
gee hing-gee”
What do you feel?
What do you hear?
Which condition had the greater sound
energy, the “hing” or the “gee?”
Listen to someone else do this exercise.
Which is louder?

Anatomy & Physiology

The position of the velum (soft palate) functions like a door to open or close the back entrances of
both the oral cavity and the nose. Muscles that attach from above and below control the position
of the velum. The doorway to the back of the nose is called the velopharyngeal port. The degree
of opening or closing of the velopharyngeal port can be said to determine whether the sound
from the larynx is resonated in the nose, the oral cavity, or both.

Muscles of the velum (soft palate)

levator veli palatini m. SIDE VIEW

superior pharyngeal
constrictor m.
VELUM
tensor veli palatini m.

VELUM

palatoglossus

FRONT VIEW palatopharyngeus m.

Velum 85
 Level One Workbook
The nasal passages act like acoustic baffles, filtering out high frequency energy. The nasal
consonants / m /, / n /, and / ŋ / are resonated in the nasal passages only. In English, most vowels
are resonated solely in the oral cavity. When a vowel is resonated in both the nose and oral cavity,
it is nasalized. Nasalization (also called nasalence) is a linguistic feature of some languages, such
as French. “Bon!” In English, vowels may be nasalized on the way to and from a nasal consonant.

Nasal passages, not “cavity”

nasal turbinates, or conchae nasal septum

The Three Options

Icon Option & Description Schematic Hand Signal
Low
The velum is down, in contact with the back
of the tongue.
The velopharyngeal port is all the way open.
The resonance is nasal.
Mid
The velum is lifted away from the
tongue, but not high enough to close the
velopharyngeal port completely.
The resonance is nasalized.
High
The velum is up all the way, in contact
with the walls of the nasopharynx. The
velopharyngeal port is completely closed.
The resonance is oral.

Velum 86
 Level One Workbook

Notes

Estill Voiceprint Plus

When practicing or demonstrating these Options with the Estill Voiceprint Plus
program (Spectrogram Setting), look for the following visual cues:
• Low – small waveform, very little high frequency energy at the top of the screen
• Mid – medium waveform, harmonics visible, but darker at low frequencies
• High – larger waveform, harmonics visible, with the most energy in the
high frequency range

Low Mid High Mid Low

ŋ→ĩ→i→ĩ→ŋ
is shown here with abrupt changes

Velum 87
 Level One Workbook
Training Exercises
Notes
Increasing awareness of the Velum
1) Speak or sing “hing-gee” multiple times
slowly, and with a strong / ŋ / and a
strong / g /.
2) Repeat the exercise with other
vowels, / e, a, o, u /.
The Velum is moving between Low and
High. Listen and feel for the change of
resonance.
Use the “nose test” (lightly and
repeatedly pinch the nostrils closed).
When the Velum is Low, in the / ŋ /, the
tone should stop when pinching the
nose. When the Velum is High, in the
vowel following the / g /, there should
be NO change during the nose test.
3) Repeat the exercise with each vowel,
only this time make the repetitions
as fast as possible. Work hard for
vigorous movement of the velum and
maintain rhythmically equal parts of
the / ŋ / and the vowel.
Singing this exercise on a higher pitch
may make it easier.
What do you feel?
What do you hear?

Low
1) Speak or sing an / ŋ / and hold it.
Feel the contact between velum and
tongue.
Use the “nose test” (lightly and
repeatedly pinch the nostrils closed).
Feel that the breath is escaping through
the nose and not the mouth.
The nose test result will be an on-off
pulse of tone.

Velum 88
 Level One Workbook
2) Practice Low Velum through the range.
Sing up/down one octave scales at Notes
various pitches, on the / ŋ /, with a Low
Velum.
3) Practice Low Velum with different
TVF: Body-Cover Conditions, using
Slack, Thick, Thin, or Stiff.

Mid
1) Start with the / ŋ / and simply “break
contact” between the tongue and the
velum into the vowel which should
become an / ĩ / (the tilde above the
letter is the International Phonetic
Alphabet diacritic marking for
nasality). Or, simply say, “bon” (en
Français).
Use the “nose test” (lightly and
repeatedly pinch the nostrils closed).
Feel that the breath is escaping through
both the nose and the mouth.
Nose test results will be a fluctuation in
tone, a pulsation of louder-softer.
2) Speak/sing other vowels with the
Mid Velum: / i, e, a, o, u /. Nose test
throughout to make sure resonance
remains nasalized.
3) Count to ten with a Mid Velum. This
will sound like the speech of a person
with a neurological or structural defect
preventing complete closure of the
velopharyngeal port.
4) Practice Mid Velum through the range.
Sing up/down one octave scales at
various pitches, on different vowels,
with a Mid Velum.

Velum 89
 Level One Workbook
High
Notes
1) Speak or sing an / i /.
Feel the absence of contact between
velum and tongue.
Use the “nose test” (lightly and
repeatedly pinch your nostrils closed).
Feel that the breath is escaping through
the mouth, not the nose.
Nose test results will be no change in
tone.
2) Speak/sing other vowels with the High
Velum: / i, e, a, o, u /.
Nose test throughout to make sure oral
resonance is retained.
3) Practice High Velum across the range:
Sing up/down one octave scales at
various pitches, on different vowels,
with a HighVelum.

Isolating Velum movement from

tongue movement
1) Speak or sing the basic “hing-gee”
repetition exercise, only this time, pay
attention to the tongue and try to keep
it out of the action. Drop the “hi” and
simply say / ŋ / followed by the / g / and
vowel.
2) Repeat the exercise with other
vowels, / e, a, o, u /.
3) To better isolate the movement of
the velum from the movement of the
tongue, try the following:
• Pre-set” the tongue for each vowel,
holding its position with tactile
landmarks
• Make the / g / softer, less athletic,
less disruptive
• Monitor by feeling the base of the
tongue below the chin, or, use a
mirror
• Relax the tongue as much as the
vowel will allow.

Velum 90
 Level One Workbook

Figure for Velum Control

On a vowel, demonstrate the following Velum conditions:
1) Move the Velum from Low to High, abruptly, as in “hing-gee.”
2) Alternate Low and High Velum as rapidly as possible.
3) Move the Velum from Low to High with no tongue movement.
4) Move the Velum from Low to High as slowly as possible and with
no extraneous sounds.
5) Speak or sing with the Velum in its Mid position.
6) In sequence, Low →Mid →High →Mid →Low
Perform these tasks on / i, e, a, o, u /, at any pitch.
Practice moving between conditions abruptly, gradually.
Practice with different True Vocal Fold: Body-Cover conditions.

Notes

Velum 91
 Level One Workbook
Application
There are times when we might choose to sing or speak with the Velum in any of its conditions:
• To hum...
• To produce an accent or characterization...
• To vary dynamics...
There are times when the Velum unintentionally shifts into its Mid position, “muting” the voice
and prompting more work than would otherwise be needed to sustain a projected tone. This
problem can be corrected by lifting the Velum to High, which will enhance high frequency
resonance and projection.
Application Exercises: Mastering part 4 of the Figure (raising the Velum slowly and without
extraneous sound), can add/subtract nasality to vary the intensity of the voice.
Sing up a scale in a comfortable range and gradually get softer and softer by slowly dropping the
Velum from High to Low, opening the velopharyngeal port. Reverse the Velum’s movement to
grow louder while descending the scale, closing the velopharyngeal port.
Sing at a comfortable pitch with a High Velum and decrescendo (grow softer) by gradually
dropping the Velum from High to Low. Reverse the process to crescendo (grow louder).
In many musical genres, singing high and soft is a much sought-after skill. One of the secrets to
singing high and soft is to make sure the back of the tongue remains high, allowing the larynx the
freedom to find the optimal position for each higher pitch. Remember to keep the larynx high (as
in the Siren, producing high pitches is NOT about making more space). Isolated Velum Control
can turn any pitch in the Siren into a soft tone.
To practice the very small space needed in the mouth to make any of the vowels at a high pitch,
Siren the whole range on an / ŋ /. Make the Siren as soft as possible (review the Siren “recipe”
as needed). Note how little open space there is between the tongue and roof of the mouth.
Continue Sirening up and down and gradually raise the Velum into the vowel / u /, trying to keep
very little open space in the mouth. Technically this will no longer be a Siren, but the sound
should remain so soft that it sounds like the / ŋ /. Use the nose test to make sure that you are not
nasalized.
Siren, gliding through the whole range, into other vowels in just the same way, / i, e, a, o, u /,
changing only the Velum condition – from Low to High – keeping the intensity of each vowel as
close to that of an / ŋ / as possible, and the space in the mouth small.
Siren up to some high pitch on an / ŋ /, and while sustaining that pitch, slowly “peel” the Low
Velum from the tongue and up into its High condition. Use tongue bracing or the “y” glide
device to avoid the noise associated with raising the Velum and closing the velopharyngeal port.
While singing into a series of these high, soft vowels, perform the Relaxation Maneuvers.

Velum 92
 Level One Workbook

Jaw
Introductory Exercise
Sing “Happy Birthday” with the teeth barely Notes
separated – and do not open the mouth
further.
Sing this song again, with the mouth wide
open.
What do you feel?
What do you hear?

Anatomy & Physiology

Flexible movement of the jaw is made possible by the temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ).
This complex joint allows the jaw to move from side to side, forward and back, and up and
down. When opening the mouth, the TMJ allows the jaw to pivot from two positions - a joint
capsule up and back by the ear canal, and another joint capsule slightly forward and down.
When the jaw is pivoting from its resting position, back by the ear, the range of motion is
modest. When the jaw advances, its range of motion is much wider. A normal TMJ allows
the jaw to move in all of its directions freely.

Temporo-mandibular joint
Selected muscles that
attach to the jaw
temporal bone
(of skull)
temporalis

mandible
(jaw bone)

masseter
pterygoids

Please Note: The following exercises presume a healthy jaw joint. If TMJ problems (Temporo-
Mandibular Joint Dysfunction) exist, monitor very carefully in the following exercises. Use very
small Effort Numbers initially, and avoid those conditions that cause pain or immobilize the joint.

Jaw 93
 Level One Workbook
Historical note
Jo Estill developed a variation of the Siren exercise that she called the “Steel Tongue
Maneuver”. Her intention was to create another exercise to reinforce High Tongue as a
strategy for equalizing brightness across vowels and range. The exercise started with a Siren,
adding isolated control of the tip of the tongue in a Mirened / n /. Next, the tip of the tongue
was drawn back along the roof of the mouth. To transition into vowels, the final step was to
raise the Velum from Low to High. Her expectation was that the tone would be “bright”. It
was not. In fact, the sound that resulted was exceedingly “dark.”
In videoendoscopic observation of this
“Steel Tongue Maneuver,” it was noted
that there was a huge space in the vocal The superior pharyngeal constrictor runs
forward to the pterygomandibular ligament
tract at the level of the back of the tongue.
Jo hypothesized that there was forward
stylohyoid ligament
movement of the tongue base, making
this wider tube and darker resonance. To Superior
test her hypothesis, she took X-rays of pterygomandibular
Middle
the exercise. These revealed that it was ligament
backward jaw movement that created the
space, not forward tongue movement.
Inferior
Movement of the jaw could influence
pharyngeal space through the attachment
of superior pharyngeal constrictor to the
pterygomandibular ligament.

Notes

Jaw 94
 Level One Workbook
The Four Options
Icon Option & Description Schematic
Forward
In this condition, the chin is jutted forward,
putting lower teeth and jaw ahead of the upper
teeth.

Mid
This is the alignment of a normal bite, with jaw
slightly dropped.

Back
The lower teeth are pulled back behind the
upper teeth, pronounced “over-bite.”

Drop
This is the extreme “drop” of the jaw.

Notes

Jaw 95
 Level One Workbook

Estill Voiceprint Plus

When practicing or demonstration these options with the Estill Voiceprint Plus
program (Spectrogram & Rsonance Settings), look for the following visual cues:
• Formant shifting – tone will be heard as brighter with an upward shift, darker
with a downward.
Forward Mid Back Drop

These are all on

the vowel / i /.
Note movement
of formants.

Training Exercises
Mid Notes
1) Perform the first few parts of the
Relaxation Maneuver to arrive at a
Mid Jaw condition. The jaw should
“release” into this condition, opening
slightly, with the upper incisors (front
teeth) just forward of the lower.
2) Speak or sing an / i / with Mid Jaw on a
comfortable pitch.
3) Speak or sing these other vowels with
Mid Jaw: / e, a, o, u /.
4) Sing / i-e-a-o-u / (a slow motion “(m)
eow”) with Mid Jaw on every scale step
through a 2 octave range. Use Thin
TVF: Body-Cover and Retracted FVFs,
singing softly.
What do you feel?
What do you hear?

Jaw 96
 Level One Workbook
Forward
Notes
1) Position the jaw so that the lower
incisors are ahead of the uppers,
Forward Jaw.
2) Speak or sing an / i / with Forward Jaw
on a comfortable pitch.
3) Speak or sing these other vowels with
Forward Jaw: / i, e, a, o, u /.
4) Sing / i-e-a-o-u / (a slow motion “(m)
eow”) with Forward Jaw on every scale
step through a 2 octave range. Use
Thin TVF: Body-Cover and Retracted
FVFs, singing softly.
What do you feel?
What do you hear?

Back
1) Pull the jaw straight back. Locate the
Effort of the Jaw Back condition and
then proceed through the Relaxation
Maneuvers to isolate this Effort from
the tongue.
2) Speak or sing an / i / with Back Jaw on
a comfortable pitch.
3) Speak or sing these other vowels with
Back Jaw: / e, a, o, u /.
4) Sing / i-e-a-o-u / (a slow motion “(m)
eow”) with Back Jaw on every scale
step through a 2 octave range. Use
Thin TVF: Body-Cover and Retracted
FVFs, singing softly.
What do you feel?
What do you hear?

Drop
1) Drop the Jaw as far as possible.
Note that the jaw can be dropped in
two ways: from the Mid condition,
or, from the Forward condition. The
Protruded option will allow greater
Drop.
2) Speak or sing an / i / with Dropped Jaw
on a comfortable pitch.

Jaw 97
 Level One Workbook
3) Speak or sing these other vowels with
Dropped Jaw: / e, a, o, u /. Notes
4) Sing / i-e-a-o-u / (a slow motion “(m)
eow”) with Dropped Jaw on every scale
step through a 2 octave range. Use
Thin TVF: Body-Cover and Retracted
FVFs, singing softly.
What do you feel?
What do you hear?

Figure for Jaw Control

Demonstrate the following Jaw conditions:
1) With Mid Jaw, speak normally.
2) On the same pitch, speak with a Forward Jaw.
3) On the same pitch, speak with a Back Jaw.
4) On the same pitch, speak with a Dropped Jaw.
5) On a vowel, in sequence, Mid→Forward→Mid→Back→Mid,
using High Tongue for consistent control of that structure.
6) On a vowel, in sequence, Mid→Drop→Mid, using High Tongue
for consistent control of that structure.
Perform the vowel task on / i, e, a, o, u /, at any pitch.
Practice moving between conditions abruptly, gradually.
Practice with different True Vocal Fold: Body-Cover conditions.

Application
Both actors and singers manipulate jaw position to influence the sound of the voice.
These choices may seem puzzling. For example, why does one singer sing with very “natural” Mid
Jaw position, and another with an exaggerated Drop, or Back position?
The answers may lie in the pharynx and the acoustic effect of that choice on voice quality.

Jaw 98
 Level One Workbook

Lips
Introductory Exercise
Notes
Say, sing, or shout, “Hooo-eeee!”
What do you feel in the lips?
Sing a simple song with exaggerated lip
rounding, as in the “Hooo.”
Sing the same song with exaggerated pulling
back on the corners of the mouth, as in an
exaggerated “eeee!”
What do you feel?
What do you hear?

Anatomy & Physiology

The primary muscle of the lips is the orbicularis oris. It encircles the mouth. It is a sphincter,
as is apparent in puckering the lips. A number of muscles come in to the orbicularis oris from
different angles to pull the lips up, down, and out from different angles. The muscles that spread
the lips are the risorius (pulls straight back) and zygomaticus muscles, major and minor (pull up
and back).
Lip posture affects vocal tract length
With Lip Protrusion, the overall
length of the vocal tract is increased. Muscles in the face ring and retract the lips
With Lip Spreading, the length of
the vocal tract is shortened. The
condition that makes the vocal tract zygomaticus
tubing longer favors bass resonance; minor, major
the condition that shortens the tube
favors treble.

orbicularis oris risorius

Lips 99
 Level One Workbook
The Three Options
Icon Option & Description Schematic

Protrude
The lips extend forward of the face in this
condition.

Mid
The lips are as they typically are in normal speech,
“neutral,” or “relaxed.”

Spread
This is the condition of the broadest possible
smile.

Estill Voiceprint Plus

When practicing or demonstrating these Options with the Estill Voiceprint Plus
program (Spectrogram Setting), look for the following visual cues:
• Upward movement of formants from Protrude to Mid, Mid to Spread.
Using the resonance feature of Estill Voiceprint Plus can enhance formant
visualization.
Protrude Mid Spread

The vowel is / i /.
Note upward movement
of formants.

Lips 100
 Level One Workbook
Training Exercises
Notes
Mid
1) Massage the lips to establish a Mid Lips
condition.
2) Speak or sing an / i / with Mid Lips on
a comfortable pitch.
3) Speak these other vowels with
Mid Lips: / e, a, o, u /. Note that
there will be some lip-rounding on
the / o / and / u /.
4) Sing / i-e-a-o-u / (a slow motion “(m)
eow”) with Mid Lips on every scale
step through a 2 octave range. Use
Thin TVF: Body-Cover and Retracted
FVFs, singing softly. The range of
movement of your lips should remain
the same as the spoken example.
What do you feel?
What do you hear?

Protrude
1) Pucker the lips somewhat, and
Protrude them forward as far as
possible. Locate the Effort, assign it a
Number, and hold.
2) Speak or sing an / i / with Protruded
Lips on a comfortable pitch.
3) Speak these other vowels with
Protruded Lips: / e, a, o, u /.
4) Sing / i-e-a-o-u / (a slow motion “(m)
eow”) with Protruded Lips on every
scale step through a 2 octave range.
Use Thin TVF: Body-Cover and
Retracted FVFs, singing softly.
What do you feel?
What do you hear?

Lips 101
 Level One Workbook
Spread
Notes
1) Smile as widely as possible. Locate the
Effort, assign it a Number, and hold.
2) Speak or sing an / i / with Spread Lips
on a comfortable pitch.
3) Speak these other vowels with Spread
Lips: / e, a, o, u /.
4) Sing / i-e-a-o-u / - a slow motion “(m)
eow” - with Spread Lips on every scale
step through a 2 octave range. Use
Thin TVF: Body-Cover and Retracted
FVFs, singing softly. The range of
movement of the lips should remain
the same as the spoken example,
which is to say that there will be some
accommodation for lip-rounding on
the / o / and / u /.

Figure for Lip Control

Demonstrate the following Lip conditions:
1) With Mid Lips, speak normally.
2) On the same pitch, speak with a Protruded Lips.
3) On the same pitch, speak with a Spread Lips.
4) On a vowel, in sequence, Mid→Protrude→Mid→Spread→Mid,
using High Tongue for consistent control of that structure.
Perform the vowel task on / i, e, a, o, u /, at any pitch.
Practice moving between conditions abruptly, gradually.
Practice with different True Vocal Fold: Body-Cover conditions.

Lips 102
 Level One Workbook
Application
There are differences in vocal color with different lip conditions. The effects of Lip Control are
subtle.
Protruding the lips instantly makes the sound a little darker. Some choral conductors and some
operatic singers use this option all the time.
Conversely, these same conductors and singers would tend to avoid the opposite lip condition
with the corners of the mouth pulled back. Indeed, the brightness of tone associated with this
effectively shortened oral cavity is often called “spread” in a pejorative sense. “Bright” is a choice
and welcomed in some spoken character voices and singing voice qualities.
In this video age, one can find singers in almost every genre choosing to use Protruded Lips to
“darken” a tone, Spread Lips for a “brighter” sound.
Application Exercise: Sing “Happy Birthday” line by line with Protruded, Mid, and then Spread
Lips. What do you hear?

Lips 103
Level One Workbook

Lips 104
 Level One Workbook

Head and Neck

Introductory Exercise
Notes
Take a pen (or pencil) and a piece of paper
and prepare to sign your name, only do NOT
let your hand rest on the writing surface. Go
ahead and sign your name with only the pen
in contact with the paper.
Sign your name again with your hand resting
on the writing surface.
Which was easier, and why?

Anatomy & Physiology

When the skeletal structures of the Head & Neck are Anchored, or “braced,” the smaller muscles
that control the vocal folds can fine-tune their adjustments within a stable external framework.
The result is that these smaller muscles do not have to work so hard.
Please Note: As with good vocal health (see page vii), good postural alignment with no history
of neck or back problems is assumed. Please inform your instructor if back or neck injuries exist
and refrain from practice of this Figure.

X-Rays of Head & Neck Anchoring

sternocleido-
mastoid

At Rest Anchored

Head and Neck 105

 Level One Workbook
The Two Options
Hand
Icon Option & Description Schematic
Signal

Relax
R This is postural “resting” or neutral state.

Anchor
In this condition, muscles above the soft palate,
A to the sides of the neck, and in the occipital
region are engaged.

Notes

Head and Neck 106

 Level One Workbook

Estill Voiceprint Plus

When practicing or demonstrating these Options with the Estill Voiceprint Plus
program (Spectrogram Setting), look for the following visual cue:
• Increased energy in all the harmonic traces with the Anchored condition
Note that if the vowel formants drop during Anchoring, the tongue and/or larynx
may be lowering. To avoid this, brace the tongue on the molars and monitor the
position of the cricoid cartilage in the neck.

Relax Anchor

Visible changes vary

with Effort Number and
intention to maintain or
increase sound level.

Head and Neck 107

 Level One Workbook
Training Exercises
Notes
Exercises to trigger Effort for Head &
Neck Anchoring
1) Sit-ups
Lie on the floor and start do a sit-up –
do not even lift the head off the floor.
What do you feel?
This is a natural way to contract the
sternocleidomastoids (SCMs).
Practice a “sit-up” while standing.
2) Nostril Flare
With the vocal folds open (breathing
easily), dilate the nostrils as far as
possible. Try to reach to the ears with
the nostrils. Do not use your lips.
Where do you feel Effort?
3) The Apple Bite
Pretend to sink the upper teeth into a
hard juicy apple that is covered with
sticky caramel. The teeth sink in
without biting all the way through, and
become stuck in the caramel. Try to
pull the teeth out, without moving the
lower jaw.
Where do you feel Effort?
Feel for the Effort in four places:
• Behind the upper front teeth under the
nose
• Back to the velum, and up into the
center of the head
• Under the ear, to the occipital bone at
the nape of the neck
• A sensation of two struts, or columns,
to either side of the neck
Yet another “trigger” for Head & Neck
Anchoring, with voicing
1) Take a straw and try to suck through
it while blocking the far end with one
finger.
Or... Suck on the end of the thumb.
Feel for Effort locations, as listed above.

Head and Neck 108

 Level One Workbook
2) “Wean” from the straw or the thumb
by placing the thumb-tip lightly on Notes
the lips while sucking in. Continue
holding this sucking-pulling condition,
and simultaneously sing a / ŋ /, softly.
Sing a melody on / ŋ /. Notice the
sensation of pulling “in” and singing
“out” at the same time.
Perform the Relaxation Maneuvers
while singing.
3) Repeat the song above, and while
singing, lift the Velum to High,
continuing the melody on an / i /.
Avoid singing more loudly once the
velopharyngeal port has been closed.
Note: Head & Neck Anchoring is
used for more power in the speaking
or singing voice, but it also adds
“intensity” to soft voicing.

Alternating Relaxed and Anchored

1) Perform the first few Relaxation
Maneuvers to establish the
Relaxed Head & Neck Condition.
2) Practice seeing how quickly
Head and Neck Anchoring can
be assumed. That is, practice
establishing Effort numbers in
the roof of the mouth, above the
velum/in the center of the head,
in the nape of the neck, and to the
sides of the neck.
3) Practice while walking: 4 steps
Anchored, 4 steps Relaxed.
4) Increase the time Anchored,
without losing the Number.
5) Practice changing from Relaxed
to Anchored, with tone, as in the
Figure .
6) Match or exceed the Anchoring
Number with Effort in Retraction
of the FVFs.

Head and Neck 109

 Level One Workbook

Figure for Head & Neck Control

Demonstrate the following Head & Neck conditions:
1) Speak or sing with Thin TVF: Body-Cover on / i /,
add FVF Retraction |←→| and then suddenly Anchor the Head & Neck.
2) Speak or sing with Thin TVF: Body-Cover on / i /,
add FVF Retraction |←→| and then gradually Anchor the Head & Neck.
Perform on / i, e, a, o, u /, at any pitch.
Practice with different Effort Numbers.
Practice with different True Vocal Fold: Body-Cover conditions.
Practice allowing for the inadvertent increase in sound intensity with
Anchoring.
Practice equalizing the intensity between Head & Neck conditions.
Practice independently of and in combination with Torso Anchoring.

Application
Head & Neck Anchoring provides greater stability and consistency in voice performance.
When in a part of the range where the voice might want to involuntarily shift gears, try Head &
Neck Anchoring. This applies equally when trying to remain in a given voice quality outside of
the pitch or dynamic range it naturally favors.
If power or projection is needed, then Head & Neck Anchoring is one option that delivers an
increase in intensity while keeping a MCVE at the level of the true vocal folds.
Head & Neck Anchoring is obligatory in the high intensity voice qualities of Opera and Belt.
As in the pen and paper exercise, Head & Neck Control uses big muscles so the little muscles do
not have to work so hard!

Head and Neck 110

 Level One Workbook

Torso
Introductory Exercise
Notes
Sing or speak part of a song or speech you
would like to perform more powerfully in a
very casual, relaxed posture.
Assume the posture of an operatic singer, or
the strong stance of Superman, and sing or
speak again.
What is happening in the larynx?
What is happening to the breath?

Please Note: As with good vocal health (see page vii), good postural alignment with no
history of neck or back problems is assumed. If back or neck problems are present, please
inform the instructor and refrain from practice of this Figure.

Anatomy & Physiology

The muscle activity we cultivate in Torso Anchoring includes the muscles identified below. There
are other muscles in the back that get recruited as well.
This activity tends to spread the rib cage and lift the sternum slightly. If the torso feels
compressed during practice of the Torso Anchor, the Figure is being performed incorrectly.
This muscle activity appears to stabilize the spine and rib cage. It should not interfere with
breathing: respiratory stuctures and
musculature should remain free to move.
The experience is of the breath being
supported. Muscle Effort sometimes spreads pectoralis latissimus
major dorsi
in fortuitous ways. This is described as a
flow-on effect, and Torso Anchoring is an
example of this phenomenon.

quadratus
lumborum

Torso 111
 Level One Workbook
The Two Options
Icon Option & Description Schematic Hand Signal
Relax

R This is the condition assumed when sitting or

standing in a comfortably upright posture: not
slumping, and not straining to straighten up.

Anchor

A When the Torso Anchor is engaged, the “pecs”

and “lats” are contracted. The shoulders may
pull down slightly; the sternum may lift.

Estill Voiceprint Plus

When practicing or demonstrating these Options with the Estill Voiceprint Plus
program (Spectrogram Setting), look for the following visual cues:
• In the Anchored condition, watch for an increase in the size of the waveform
and increased darkness in all harmonics.
As with Head & Neck Anchoring, watch for formant shifts that might reveal a
change in tongue or larynx height.

Relax Anchor

Visible changes vary

with Effort Number and
intention to maintain or
increase sound level.

Torso 112
 Level One Workbook

Notes

Training Exercises
Notes
Finding the Effort Locations for Torso
Anchoring
1) Pretend to have an under inflated
balloon in each armpit. Squeeze the
balloons with your arms. Do not close
the distance between the shoulder
blades while squeezing.
What do you feel?
Hold the Number and breathe.
2) Pretend to pull on imaginary rings at
the ends of elastic strips:
• Hanging from the ceiling
• Attached to the walls to either side
• Attached to the wall ahead
• Attached to the floor at either sides
Once again, do not close the distance
between the shoulder blades.
What do you feel?
Hold the Number and breathe.
3) Exhale and pull the shoulders down,
hard. Not forward, nor backward.
Down.
Locate and quantify the Effort.
Hold the Number and breathe.
Perform the Relaxation Maneuvers.

Torso 113
 Level One Workbook
Feel for the Effort in four places:
Notes
• Below the shoulder blades in the
contraction of the latissimus dorsi
muscles
• In the outward expansion of the back
just below the arm pits
• In the tug of the quadratus lumborum
in the small of the back
• In the lift of the sternum and pull of
the pectoralis muscles across the chest

Note: This activity does not interfere

with breathing at all. Anchor the
Torso and perform the Relaxation
Maneuvers, Anchoring while breathing
in and out, walking briskly, etc..

Alternating Relaxed and Anchored

conditions
1) Gently stretch and move around to
establish the Relaxed Torso Condition.
2) Practice seeing how fast the condition
of Torso Anchoring can be assumed.
3) Practice Retraction of the FVFs with
the Torso Anchoring.
4) Practice while walking briskly, so many
steps Anchored, then so many steps
Relaxed. Remember that walking
briskly releases the muscles involved in
breathing.
5) Practice using different Numbers each
time the Torso Anchor is engaged.
6) Increase the time holding the
Anchored condition.
Practice of Head & Neck and Torso
Anchoring together, separately
1) Practice seeing how fast both Head
and Neck and Torso Anchoring can be
assumed.
2) While walking briskly, alternate
between Anchoring the Head and Neck
and Anchoring the Torso, then Anchor
both simultaneously.

Torso 114
 Level One Workbook
3) Remember to keep the False Vocal
Folds Retracted throughout! This adds Notes
another dimension of Effort, but it will
be needed when adding the voice

Practicing Anchoring in silence

1) “Speak/sing” several phrases from a
speech/song in silence, with a Relaxed
Torso condition. Pretend to actually
be speaking/singing, inhaling and
exhaling as normal.
What do you feel?
2) “Speak/sing” the same several phrases
from this speech/song in silence, with
an Anchored Torso condition.
What do you feel?
3) Repeat the exercise in the step above,
only this time Retract the FVFs
throughout the phrases, and the
inhalations that follow. Match or
exceed the Anchoring Number with
Effort in Retraction of the FVFs.
What do you feel?
4) Repeat this exercise with Torso
Anchoring and FVF Retraction,
only this time gradually increase the
Numbers on both Anchoring and
Retraction when approaching the end
of every phrase.
What do you feel?

Practicing Anchoring in speech or

song
1) Speak/sing (out loud) several phrases
from the speech/song used in the
exercise above, with a Relaxed Torso
condition.
What do you feel?
2) Speak/sing the same several phrases
from this speech/song, with an
Anchored Torso condition.
What do you feel?

Torso 115
 Level One Workbook
3) Repeat the exercise in the step above,
only this time Retract the FVFs Notes
throughout the phrases, and the
inhalations that follow. Match or
exceed the Anchoring Number with
Effort in Retraction of the FVFs.
What do you feel?
4) Repeat this exercise with Torso
Anchoring and FVF Retraction,
only this time gradually increase the
Numbers on both Anchoring and
Retraction when approaching the end
of every phrase.
What do you feel?

Figure for Torso Control

Demonstrate the following Torso conditions:
1) Speak or sing with Thin TVF: Body-Cover on / i /,
add FVF Retraction |←→|, and then suddenly Anchor the Torso.
2) Speak or sing with Thin TVF: Body-Cover on / i /,
add FVF Retraction |←→|, and then gradually Anchor the Torso.
Perform on / i, e, a, o, u /, at any pitch.
Practice with different Effort Numbers.
Practice with different True Vocal Fold: Body-Cover conditions.
Practice allowing for the inadvertent increase in sound intensity with
Anchoring.
Practice equalizing the intensity between Torso conditions.
Practice independently from and in combination with Head & Neck
Anchoring.

Application
The contribution of Torso Anchoring to singing and speaking is simple: it allows singing and
speaking with increased power and MCVE (most comfortable vocal effort) at the level of the true
vocal folds.
Anchoring in the Torso is singing with SUPPORT.
Anchoring is an option to increase the intensity of any voice quality; it is obligatory with the high
intensity voice qualities, Opera and Belt.
As with Head & Neck Anchoring, Torso Anchoring can also add emotional intensity and/or
stability to a soft tone.

Torso 116
 Level One Workbook

What’s Next?
Many students of this work have stunning insights during their first encounter. Sometimes a
persistent vocal problem is instantly solved through a more-informed awareness of how the voice
works. Paradoxically, although Figures for Voice can fix problems quickly, Estill Voice Training®
is decidedly not a “quick fix.” Estill Mentor and Course Instructors and Estill Master Trainers
can demonstrate impressive feats of vocal control. What is not immediately apparent is the time
invested in study and practice to make this possible.
The exercises in this Workbook have been basic and introductory. The time lines for the
acquisition of intellectual knowledge and kinesthetic skill are very different. Translating basic
understanding into advanced application under performance conditions requires months and
years of practice.
What comes after the Level One course in Estill Voice Training: Figures for Voice Control?
Students may move directly into study of Level Two: Figure Combinations for Six Voice Qualities,
or they may choose to invest some time working on the Level One Figures. In the latter case, here
are some suggestions:
• Practice Figures for a few minutes every day.
• Practice with purpose.
Organize your practice, and concentrate on one or two Figures each day. The choice is up to
you: cycle through the Figures in a Flash randomly, practice the easy Figures to build your
confidence, or focus on the more challenging ones!
• Find “Practice Partners”.
Practice with other participants in the voice studio or Level One course attended. Working in
groups is fun, and shared successes are motivating. Ask your instructor about practice groups
in your area, internet forums where you can connect with others working on their Figures.
• Check in with an Estill Master Trainer or Estill Mentor and Course Instructor.
Take a lesson or have a consultation with someone who is qualified to answer questions and
coach you through the toughest Figures. A list is available on estillvoice.com.
• Purchase and work with Estill Voiceprint Plus.
This sound analysis program is available from Estill Voice Internationa at estillvoice.com.
• Learn more about the anatomy.
On the last page of this booklet is a list of references used in the preparation of this text;
however, almost any anatomy or speech and hearing text will be useful in these early stages of
study. Visit a local library.
• Take another Level One Course. Most people find they learn more the second time they take
this course - whether it is a specific “review course” or not.
• Take a Level Two Course. For those who favor “top – down” information processing, it is just
possible that working in Qualities will assist in refining understanding and implementation of
the Figures in Level One.

117
 Level One Workbook
Know that it is perfectly normal to have questions and to feel insecure in performance of the
Figures after an initial Level One Course – especially if this has been in context of a 3 Day Course.
Most Estill Mentor and Course Instructors and Estill Master Trainers willingly admit that it took
them 3 weeks, 3 months, or even 3 years to reach the point where they felt competent in certain
aspects of the Estill Voice Model.
Estill Voice International wishes you success in achieving your vocal goals. Focused, deliberate
practice will get you there!

118
 Level One Workbook

References
Estill, J. (1988). (The Shiki Papers) A Set of Compulsory Figures for the Master Voice Technician in
Speaking, Acting, or Singing. New York City.
Estill, J. (1992). Basic Figures and Exercise Manual. New York City: Imagetech.
Estill, J. (1995). VOICECRAFT: A User’s Guide to Voice Quality. Volume Two: Some Basic Voice
Qualities. Santa Rosa, California: Estill Voice Training Systems.
Estill, J. (1996). Primer of Compulsory Figures: Level One. Santa Rosa, California: Estill Voice
Training Systems.
Estill, J. (1997). A Programmed Introduction: Anatomy of the Vocal Instrument. Santa Rosa,
California: Estill Voice Training Systems.
Estill, J. (1997). Primer of Compulsory Figures, Level Two: Six Basic Voice Qualities. Santa Rosa,
California: Estill Voice Training Systems.
Estill, J. (1997-2000). Level One: Primer of Basic Figures. Santa Rosa, California: Estill Voice
Training Systems.
Estill, J. (2003). Primer of Compulsory Figures: Level One, Revised Edition. Santa Rosa, California:
Estill Voice Training Systems.
Hirano, M. (1974). Morphological structure of the vocal cord as a vibrator and its variations.
Folia Phoniatrica, 26. 89-94.
Kelso, J.A.S. (1995). Dynamic Patterns: The Self Organization of Brain and Behavior. Cambridge,
MA: MIT Press.
Stevens, S.S. (1957). On the psychophysical law. Psychological Review, 64: 153-181.
Titze, I.R. (1988). A framework for the study of vocal registers. Journal of Voice, 2(3), 183-194.
Titze, I.R. (1988). The physics of small-amplitude oscillation of the vocal folds. Journal of the
Acoustical Society of America, 83(4), 1536-1552.
Wallace, S.A. (1996). Dynamic pattern perspective of rhythmic movement: An introduction. In
H.N. Zelaznik (Ed.) Advances in Motor Learning and Control (155-194). Champaign, IL:
Human Kinetics.

To learn more about the evolution and continuing development

of the Estill Voice Model, see the comprehensive listing at
www.estillvoice.com/research/.

119
Level One Workbook

120
 ISBN 978-0-9859023-2-2
90000

9 780985 902322

www.estillvoice.com
©2019 Estill Voice International