Voice Research and Technology ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Ingo Titze Application of Vocal Fry to the Training of Singers - -- - - 1 John Nix Kate Emerich Ingo R. Titze Vocal fry, also known as pulse reg- tenoid muscle have been observed in cites the writings of Johann Agricola ister phonation or Strohbass, has been fry as compared to modal (chest) and Mann Mersenne on the practice recognized as having a very low fun- voice.6 Extrinsic to the larynx, greater of using vocal fry to extend the low damental frequency,' where each flow velar closure and reduced nasality has range of baritones and basses."' Later, pulse damps out nearly completely been observed in vocal fry as com- Stark notes that vocal fry is often heard before the next one commences! As pared to modal voice,' and constriction in Russian choral music. His discus- such, vocal fry can be distinguished of the laryngeal vestibule has been sion concludes with a brief descrip- from so-called "creaky voice," which observed in vocal fry.' tion of some of the physiologic, aero- is found at higher frequencies and is Pedagogical opinions on vocal fry dynamic, and acoustic properties of characterized by a perception of vary widely. Some authors, such as fry." Barbara Doscher also takes a roughness and the presence of sub- Ralph Appleman and Meriheth Bunch, descriptive approach in her book, harmonics in the glottal waveform.3 make no mention of vocal fry, pulse detailing the characteristics of fly with- The vocal folds are shorter in length register, or creaky voice in their books; out making any recommendations for in fry than in modal production and other authors have commented on fry's its use. 12 Doscher was the teacher of have little significant change in length existence as a register without mak- one of the authors (Nix), and in his as frequency increases.' Subglottal ing any statements about its utility; observations of hundreds of lessons air pressure and transglottal air flow still others have advised positively or she neither used it in the studio nor are lower in fry than in modal pro- negatively on its use in singing. William advised for or against its use. duction.' Lower activity levels in the Leyerle wrote in Vocal Development Cornelius Reid is very outspoken interarytenoid, posterior cricoary- Through Organic Imagery: "This reg- in his rejection of not only vocal fry tenoid, and cricothyroid muscles, and ister is tight and crackly. It is not gen- as a phonatory mode but also the greater activity levels in the thyroary- erally a usable part of the baritone's terms used to describe this kind of range, but is useful for low basses.. " vocalization. Journal of Singing, September/October 2005 He does not go on to state how it might Volume 62, No. 1, pp. 53-59 Copyright 2005 be used or trained. In Bel Canto: A Pulse register: a term introduced by sci- National Association of Teachers of Singing History of Vocal Pedagoq,y,James Stark entific investigators to refer to vocalized SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2005 53 John Nix, Kate Emerich, and Ingo R. Titze sounds with extremely low frequencies Vennard went on to say that "The cises. Riggs's book also contains a CD and pulse-like oscillations; a "vocal fry," glottal rattle, or fry requires a loose that demonstrates these exercises.2' "glottal fry," "creak," or Strohbass. glottis, and is much more difficult to Riggs's concepts were successfully The concept of a "pulse register" is perform on either Ee or Oo than it is employed by Randy Buescher in a sin- without value to voice culture for the fol- gle-subject case study recently re- lowing reasons: 1. It is a designation based while the resonators are forming an upon acoustic rather than physiological Ah."15 ported in the Journal of Singing." data, and there is no distinct mechani- Oren Brown also advocated an Finally, Richard Miller takes a more cal or muscular system responsible for exploration of vocal fry, especially for cautious view of Strohbass (which he its articulation; 2. The vibratory impulses the development of the low range. In distinguishes from vocal fry) and fry. it describes have no relevance to the Discover Your Voice, the chapter "pulse" or vibrato of a legitimate vocal Just as an occasional falsetto note is "Range and Registers" includes the tone; 3. The vibratory impulses it intruded in legitimate upper range for describes are "musical" only in that they following passage: some specific coloration, so an occasional possess measureable pitch; they contain Strohbass tone may be introduced in the no recognizable vowel phoneme and can- To find the lowest notes in Register 1, the lowest range of the voice.. Strohbass, if not be swelled or diminished; 4. The larynx must rest in a very relaxed, low used at all, should be used judiciously. sounds to which it refers are "freak" position and then apply an almost breathy Exercises for the development of this reg- tones with no aesthetic value; like flow of air. It takes more air flow and less ister phenomenon should be undertaken squeaks, groans, screams, and squeals, pressure to produce low notes than high only with a teacher, and never for more they should be considered forms of affec- notes because the vocal folds are looser than a few brief moments. At times, a tive expression, and not confused with (that is, they do not come together so often) moderate use of vocal fry may help a young, legitimate vocalization, and 5. The sounds and the amount of air that escapes at each low-voiced male develop a "feel" for addi- to which it refers have no pedagogic value opening pulse is greater. Any attempt to tional pitches at the lower extension of since they could never be incorporated produce these notes by tensing and push- his range. Vocaifry encourages an impre- into, or used to influence or improve, the ing down into them prevents the muscles cise onset and should not be relied on as quality of those tones universally accepted from performing their natural function a standard vocalizing technique.22 as being legitimate. and shuts off the resonance. For this part The term "pulse register" should be of the voice, let the tone slide down and let Miller includes a 5-3-1-3-5 exercise abandoned, since a further proliferation the air flow do the work. 21 of terminology, even when justified on (Exercise 9.3 in his text) for devel- acoustic terms, simply adds confusion to oping the Strohbass quality, with only Brown goes on to include a 5-4-3-2- an already confused area of thinking with the lowest note in the pattern being 1 descending vocalise (Exercise XV respect to the number and origin of vocal sung in Strohbass. 13 in his book) for the exploration of registers. Vocal fry has been used by one of fry, 17 and includes audio examples of William Vennard, on the other the authors (Emerich) therapeutically this type of phonation on the CD that to address the efficiency and function hand, advocated the use of fry as a 18 accompanies his book. Additionally, of the glottal sound source and to corrective technique for an overly Brown employed a fry onset exercise breathy voice. restore symmetry to the laryngeal in a lesson with one of the authors mechanism. The therapy employs This exercise is especially good for breathy (Nix) in July 2000. vocal fry to optimize the glottal clo- pupils. A breathy tone can hardly be ini- Seth Riggs advocates the use of sure pattern and to decrease the need tiated by the tension required for the rat- creaky voice exercises in his book tle. However, it is an ideal tension which for lateral or anterior-posterior com- Singing for the Stars as a means to find- adjusts the glottis without tightening the pression as a compensatory reaction throat, and as such benefits students who ing what he calls Speech-Level Singing. to incomplete glottal closure or laryn- are too tense The voiceless [sic] rattle may He begins with a single upward- geal asymmetry. Motor learning prin- rumble into a tone by adding phonation. inflected glide in a creaky voice hum ciples are an essential element of this This approach is the opposite of that (Exercise 14 in the book), then moves program. The therapy works first at described in Par. 182. The "imaginary h" on to arpeggiated patterns on a hum the syllable level, then progresses to is more suitable for attacking high notes, with creaky type onsets (Exercises word, functional phrase, and conver- where tension is a danger, and the "rat- tle" is better for low notes, indeed it builds 15-19).' The number of creaky on- sational voice levels. It also incorpo- the low part of the range. It is especially sets is gradually reduced as the singer rates pitch glides as stretching exer- beneficial for low voices. 4 progresses through the course of exer- cises to reinforce the concept of 54 JOURNAL OF SINGING - - Voice Research and Technology efficient glottal closure and to address The low activity levels observed in recurrent laryngeal nerve, which may cricothyroid muscle weakness and fry in the interarytenoid, posterior cause difficulty with adduction; 2) vocal fold stiffness and/or scarring. cricoarytenoid, and cricothyroid mus- mild paresis of the superior laryngeal The efficacy of therapy with vocal fry cles, and greater activity level observed nerve, which may cause compensa- is currently being clinically tested on in the thyroarytenoid muscle may tory behaviors such as tongue-base a population of school teachers as a result in a vocal fold configuration depression at the onset of phonation part of NIH grant ROl DC04224, that is thicker, with a bulge at the or at an increase in frequency, jaw "Research Towards Occupational lower surface of the fold, and a more tension, lateral and anterior-poste- Safety in Vocalization." "square" contact, yet lacking in undue rior compression of the extrinsic The authors have found that the longitudinal tension.