What Is Tone?

Dimension Five: Tone

Tone refers to the quality of sound.

Improving tone is important because it will help you:

• Project your voice with less effort
• Tell a better emotional story when singing
• Create more intentional sounds, textures and tonal options

Anatomy of Tone

Vocal tone is dependent on the muscles of the pharynx and chambers of space within the vocal tract.

How do the Resonating Spaces of the Vocal Tract Affect the Dimension of Tone?

• Manipulation of the pharyngeal muscles will determine which frequencies are cultivated and amplified, projecting the voice with acoustics rather than force
• The shaping of the vocal tract plays a significant role in cueing a listener into the emotional intent. By highlighting and absorbing certain frequencies, sounds can be made to sound “dark”, “happy”, “light”, “sad”, etc.
• Strategically allowing more or less air into the nasal cavities, lifting the larynx, and narrowing the spaces just above the larynx, are some examples of how to create additional textures and vocal imbalances based on the singer’s intention

Why Don’t You Sound Like Anyone Else?

The shape and size of your larynx, vocal folds and vocal tract are all determined by your genetics. This creates a strong foundation for creating a unique sound. However, there are only very subtle differences between the shape and size of your instrument (genetically) and the other billions of people on the planet. So how is it possible that your voice can be identified from everyone else’s? The answer is simple: your life experiences, the languages you speak, the home you grew up in, and the music you listen to all heavily influence the behaviors of your vocal tract. This is due to exploring, mimicking, and experimenting with your voice when speaking and singing, both consciously and subconsciously, over the course of many years.

Activity

What are five things, or experiences, in your life that heavily influenced the sound of your voice?