Young Voices: Fun and Easy Exercises

Common Vocal Issues I Encounter with New Students in my Private Vocal Studio
I deeply believe in the importance and beauty of youth choral programs, musical theater, and straight theater programs. They provide wonderful opportunities for young people to explore their creativity, build confidence, and develop their voices. However, when new students aged 10-18 come to my studio, I often see certain vocal challenges, particularly in those who have been heavily involved in these programs.

Many of these students arrive with issues like:
  • Singing too forcefully, which leads to vocal strain and fatigue.
  • Developing habits that cause tension in the jaw, neck, or throat, sometimes resulting in discomfort or pain.
  • Overusing their voices without proper recovery time, leading to vocal fatigue and hoarseness.

These challenges can arise when young singers aren't given enough guidance on healthy vocal technique or when they are asked to sing outside of their natural range or volume.

​This is why I am dedicated to developing this project—to provide valuable information and resources for teachers of group voice classes. My goal is to support educators in creating healthy, effective vocal environments for their students, helping to ensure long-term vocal health and success.
​I believe one reason some people who teach voice, speech, and singing may not delve deeply into vocal anatomy is that it often feels second nature to them. For most, speaking and singing are instinctive, everyday actions, and if they've never experienced vocal issues themselves, their only experience is that everything simply "works." This can make it easy to overlook the complexities of vocal function, especially when it has always seemed effortless. However, understanding the underlying anatomy is crucial for teaching students how to use their voices safely and effectively.
If you work with voices in a speaking or singing capacity it's important to understand how the voice and body work together to create sound. Knowing the basics of vocal anatomy, like how the vocal cords, throat, and mouth function, can help you guide students safely through vocal exercises. Experts like McCoy (2012) and Titze (2000) emphasize that this knowledge is especially important for young singers, whose voices are still developing. By understanding how vocal acoustics and anatomy work, you can help your students sing with proper technique, avoid strain, and develop healthy vocal habits for life.
Goals for Young Singers’ Vocal Exercises:
  1. Teach Proper Mouth Positioning for Optimal Acoustics: Guide young singers to use open, relaxed mouth positions to allow their natural resonance to come through, helping them project without straining.
  2. Encourage Singing, Not Yelling: Help children distinguish between singing and shouting by teaching controlled, supported phonation. This protects their vocal cords from the damage that comes with yelling or straining.
  3. Maintain Exercises Within Safe Vocal Ranges: Design exercises that stay within comfortable vocal ranges to prevent strain. Gradually expand their range over time, but never push them beyond what their voice can safely manage.
  4. Vary Exercises to Avoid Overuse: Ensure that vocal exercises aren’t too repetitive, reducing the risk of vocal fatigue. Incorporate variety, such as different dynamics, tempos, and articulation, to keep the voice flexible and engaged.
  5. Promote Relaxation and Posture: Emphasize exercises that promote good posture and relaxation in the neck and jaw, ensuring that tension doesn’t interfere with healthy singing habits.
Here's a quick summary of how young voices develop: 
  • Early Development: At birth, the larynx (voice box) is positioned high in the neck, allowing infants to breathe and swallow at the same time. As children grow, the larynx lowers, and the vocal folds lengthen, resulting in a deeper voice, especially during puberty (Beckett & Bartlett, 2005; Kent & Vorperian, 2011).
  • Voice Changes During Puberty: Boys, in particular, experience significant growth in their vocal folds due to hormonal changes, which contributes to a much lower pitch. By approximately age 18, vocal anatomy is fully developed (Zemlin, 1998; Hirano et al., 1983).​
​The size and length of a child's vocal folds significantly influence both their pitch range and vocal quality:
  • At birth, the vocal folds are relatively short and thin, which results in a higher pitch range compared to adults (Beckett & Bartlett, 2005).
  • As children grow, their vocal folds gradually lengthen and thicken, contributing to a lower fundamental frequency and a deeper pitch (Kent & Vorperian, 2011).
  • This change in pitch is particularly pronounced during puberty, especially in boys, due to the influence of hormonal changes that accelerate the growth of the vocal folds (Hirano et al., 1983).
  • The shorter and thinner vocal folds in younger children also contribute to a lighter, breathier vocal quality, which becomes richer and fuller as the folds mature and increase in mass (Zemlin, 1998).
  • The anatomical development of the vocal folds is a key determinant of both the pitch range and the overall timbre of the child's voice.
It is important to note that the development of the vocal folds and the resulting pitch range and vocal quality may vary for children who are transitioning gender or undergoing hormone therapy. Hormonal treatments, particularly testosterone, can significantly influence the length and thickness of the vocal folds, leading to changes in vocal pitch and timbre (Davies, Papp, & Antoni, 2015). As with all children, individual experiences of vocal development can differ, and educators should approach each student’s vocal journey with sensitivity and awareness of their unique physiological and emotional needs.
Vocal Health Concerns:
  •  Children’s voices are more vulnerable to strain because their vocal folds are still developing. Overuse, improper technique, or singing in an uncomfortable range can cause fatigue or injury (Boone et al., 2005). Unfortunately, practices like shouting, singing too loudly, or singing in inappropriate ranges are sometimes encouraged in choirs and musical theater, leading to vocal strain (Titze, 2000; Zemlin, 1998).
  • Inappropriate Techniques: Instructors may ask children to "sing louder" or smile while singing to improve tone, but these techniques can lead to unnecessary tension in the vocal tract and increased pressure on the vocal folds, leading to fatigue and possible injury (Scherer & Guo, 1990; Baker et al., 2023).
  • Risk of Injury: Pressing the vocal folds together too tightly or singing without proper breath support can increase the risk of vocal damage, including nodules or trauma (Rosen & Murry, 2000; Patel et al., 2018).
Use Acoustics to Get Volume
When we sing, sound is produced by the vibration of the vocal folds in the larynx (or voice box). This initial sound is quite simple, but it’s transformed into a rich, resonant voice as it travels through the vocal tract, which includes the throat (pharynx), mouth, and sinuses. These structures act as resonators, amplifying and shaping the sound.
  • Throat (Pharynx): The pharynx is the first area the sound waves pass through after being produced by the vocal folds. Its size and shape help determine the voice’s resonance, contributing to the richness or depth of the sound (Sundberg, 1987).
  • Mouth: The mouth acts as a resonating chamber. By adjusting the position of the tongue, lips, and jaw, singers can modify the sound to produce different vowel shapes and tones (Titze, 2000). This is key in articulation and changing vocal tone.
  • Sinuses: The sinuses don’t produce sound but play a role in enhancing resonance by amplifying certain frequencies, making the voice sound fuller (Behrman, 2013). They add to the overall timbre and brightness of the voice.
The shape and size of these resonating chambers can be adjusted by the singer, allowing for a variety of sounds and timbres to be produced, helping create the distinctive qualities of each voice.
Here are some animated video to explore vocal fold function and acoustics:
Videos: jello pressing, air flow diagram, drawing of muscles/cartilage, the fact that your larynx is highly mobile and twisty in your neck 
Research shows that adding movement to singing exercises can greatly improve vocal technique by engaging important muscles, enhancing breath control, and increasing body awareness. For example, Ruddy and Sapienza (2004) found that using exercises like straw phonation with good posture can activate the muscles involved in breathing and improve vocal fold function. Similarly, Callaghan, Wilson, and Thorpe (2004) discovered that aerobic exercises like walking or stepping during warm-ups help engage the diaphragm and other breathing muscles, which leads to better breath support. Zarate et al. (2010) highlight that combining specific movements with vocal exercises can help singers develop muscle memory, making it easier to control their voices. Welch (2006) also notes that gentle movements like stretching or swaying can improve posture and vocal control, while Spahn, Richter, and Zander (2010) explain that exercises like stretching or Pilates can reduce tension and support better breath control and posture, helping singers achieve better results.
add section from module 4 that talks about how the folds dont need too much to get warmed up
Here is a pdf to download and print vocal warm up cards