Phonation

Phonation is how we talk or make sounds with our voice box or larynx inside our throat. The larynx has two small muscles called vocal cords or vocal folds. When we talk or make sounds, these muscles vibrate or move back and forth very fast to create sound waves.

Think of a guitar string that vibrates when it is plucked. The vocal cords vibrate in the same way to make sounds. The difference is that the sound from each guitar string is a specific note or pitch, but we can make lots of different sounds with our vocal cords.

When we breathe in air, the vocal cords relax and open. When we breathe out air, they come together and vibrate, and this produces sound. The sound can be higher or lower depending on how tightly the vocal cords come together, which is controlled by muscles in the larynx.

So, when you speak or sing, you are using your vocal cords to vibrate, and the sound creates the words or notes that you hear. It takes a lot of practice to control your vocal cords to talk or sing properly, but with enough practice, anyone can become a great singer or speaker!