https://www.youronlinesingingcoach.com -
I have always loved lip buzzes and lip trills, but last summer I discovered the joy (#singingnerdmoment) of STRAW EXERCISES. These are my new favorite exercises, and I have personally experienced their many benefits. Today I introduce you to Voice Therapist extraordinaire, Mary Hanson, who will share why straw exercises are so effective, and how to do them properly.1. Let’s start super basic - what does phonation mean? What is a straw phonation? Straw phonation is what it sounds like! Really this means that you are “phonating” (i.e., making sound) through the straw. If you put your straw in water, you can think about it as making bubbles with your voice on. Typically, it’s made with an /u/ sound, like we hear in the word “you”. It’s a great exercise for the casual speaker and the professional singer, alike! Straw phonation is part of a group of exercises called “Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract Exercises” or “SOVTEs”. Really this means that you have a small opening for the air to escape at the mouth or nose. That small opening creates back pressure, which is super beneficial as you can read about below. 2. What are the benefits of straw exercises, from the perspective of both singing and vocal therapy?Straw phonation can really be quite magical, and its benefits are endless. However, it really does three main things. It reduces the tension, impact and collision at the level of the vocal cords. Vibration at our vocal cords can only happen because some of the pressure from our lungs is reflected back once it reaches our lips. When we use straw phonation, we increase the level of back pressure, essentially making the vibration at the vocal cords even more efficient. This efficiency acts as a little massage and reduces vocal fatigue. This efficiency also balances the vocal cords in a way that provides extra support for changes in pitch. This is important for anyone with a voice disorder, as we constantly change pitch when we talk, and those can be the moments that our voices give out on us. However, it is especially important for our singers, as it gives them an extra support for tricky transitions. Practicing those transitions with a straw can improve flexibility and power of the vocal folds and can translate to when they are not using the straw. That balance also provides singers with the opportunity to expand their range, without tensing as they explore new notes. Lastly, that efficient voicing and balance, gives opportunity to strengthen the vocal cords in a safe way. Again, this is helpful for singers looking to improve their craft, but also is important in any voice disorder as we look to leave the vocal cords in better condition than how they came to us! 3. Is there any voice type or condition that should NOT do straw exercises?There is no one condition, or voice type, that straw phonation is automatically not appropriate for, but the type of exercise that you do, and what you focus on may be different depending on your voice goals! If you are attempting straw phonation and it’s not clicking after a couple minutes of playing with it, and especially if you feel tense or have increased tension with its practice, its best to consult a professional. Straw phonation should only feel beneficial, and a voice professional can walk you through how to best use the tool for your voice! 4. Does it matter if you use a glass of water or not - is there a greater benefit each way?It depends on what your goal is and also the size/shape of your vocal tract! Water will provide more resistance, resulting in increased back pressure. For most, that is beneficial and can help stabilize a tone and create more tension relief. However, for some that can turn a tension relief exercise into a strengthening exercise, and they may not be ready for that yet. I like to trial both with everyone and do what feels best for the person. (*Note from Your Online Singing Coach - I prefer using a glass of water, but it can be messy, so make sure you use a large/tall glass and don’t fill the water too high. ALSO, I have found that glass straws and paper straws don’t work as well as plastic, silicon, and stainless steel).5. Does size matter (ha ha) - straw size, that is?Straw size does matter! In this case, the smaller, the better (generally)! However, that doesn’t mean you should go grab a coffee straw from your favorite locale. A smaller opening means increased back pressure. While this can have more therapeutic benefit for balancing and tension relief, that’s only if you are doing the exercise correctly! It’s generally recommended to start with a larger sized straw and then work your way down to something smaller as you get better at maintaining a clear forward tone and balancing the back pressure from the smaller opening. Its also important to keep your goal in mind, depending on how you react to the smaller straw, you may turn a tension relief exercise into a strengthening one. If your goal is purely tension relief, do what feels easy-and that may be a whopping smoothie straw! 6. Can you talk us through how to do a straw exercise correctly? Straw phonation can look different for various people, as we all have different shaped vocal tracts. How we complete straw phonation also depends on the goal of the exercise. However, there are a few things that we like to think about for “successful” straw phonation. The first is lip placement. Its important to ensure that all airflow is going through the straw. You need a good lip seal, but at the same time it’s important to not over-tense the lips, as we want straw phonation to feel open and easy. The next is airflow. You want to take a deep (*low, diaphragmatic) breath and start your voice off gently. You can use a /u/ sound like in the word “you”. Use a full breath but keep your volume soft. You should have steady airflow flowing through the straw. You can tell you have that good airflow by either feeling for it with your other hand or putting the straw in water (just the tip!) and make sure you see bubbles. Our voices are really just chopped up air! If you don’t see bubbles or feel air, that’s a very clear sign that your phonatory system (your voice box) and your respiratory system (your lungs/air supply) are out of sync. Pick a note in the middle of your speaking range and hold out the note for as long as is comfortable. Don’t go near the end of your breath, as we need the good pressure in the lungs to balance the back pressure from the straw. If you hear the tone sounding wobbly, or feel pressure in the throat, think about the placement of your articulators (i.e. lips, tongue, teeth). Can you adjust them in ways that makes the tone clearer? Feel easier? If you are unable to make the tone feel good and sound stable, don’t push it too much. Consult a professional and we will help you reap all the benefits of straw phonation! If you want to deep dive into all the excellent research and science behind straw phonation, check out the following page:
https://www.voicescienceworks.org/straw-phonation.html You can also see a demonstration of straw phonation from the straw phonation legend himself, Dr. Ingo TItze:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xYDvwvmBIMAnd scroll below to watch my new Your Online Singing Coach one minute Straw Phonation video. Leave a comment with any questions you may have!
Mary Hanson is from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. She obtained her bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota in Communication Sciences and Disorders with a minor in Spanish and her Master’s degree from George Washington University in Speech-Pathology. Mary has worked in acute care hospitals, skilled nursing and sub-acute facilities, and outpatient clinics.Mary has evaluated and treated individuals with Dysphagia, Dysarthria, Aphasia, Neurogenerative Disorders, Traumatic Brain Injuries, Voice Disorders, Articulation and Phonological Disorders, and Language Disorders and Delays. She also has worked with individuals seeking to improve their business communication skills and pronunciation of Standard American English.Mary is licensed in Wisconsin and California and has her Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She is certified in the McNeill Dysphagia Therapy Program (MDTP), SPEAK OUT! for Parkinson’s patients, Phonation Resistance Training Exercise Program (PhoRTE), and the Rupp Method Accent Training. Mary is very interested in evidence-based practice and is always seeking new information. In 2020 and 2021, she received the ASHA Continuing Education Award for doing twice the required continuing education required for certification. Mary currently lives between Manta, Ecuador, and Wisconsin. She enjoys running, hiking, and spending each morning at the beach with her two Ecuadorian rescue pups, Cierva and Max.
