Module 2 Lesson 6: The Vocal Folds In Action
Go Deeper/Links:
Here's a National Geographic video that takes a look at Steven Tyler's vocal cords before and during an Aerosmith concert performance.
Steven Tyler - from the Incredible Human Machine
Transcription
What you’re seeing are four vocalists in a doctor’s office. Each one is undergoing a transnasal endoscopy where a tiny video camera is inserted into the nose and down the back of the throat, ending up right above the vocal folds.
The bottom of the screen is the front of the neck from the inside. The top of the screen is the back of the throat.
The big, white, half-moon shaped thing is the epiglottis.
OK. Now watch, and listen...
VIDEO: Hear Us And Have Mercy
I never get tired of watching that. There are so many things to see! Plus, it’s a beautiful piece of music. If you want to go deeper into the anatomy, watch it again and see if you can find the different parts of the vocal mechanism that are visible in the video. Whose vocal folds look the longest? Who has the shortest laryngopharynx? What position are the vocal folds in before the singers start to sing?
