Humming is Always a Good Idea
Humming is ALWAYS a good idea…
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HUMMING…light, easy, vibratory, RESONANT humming is one the best exercises for your voice that you can perform. Not only does the act of resonant humming literally HEAL the vocal fold tissues & promote healthy vibration, it also assists in training the vocal subsystems to coordinate in beautiful synchrony into the most optimal placement for voice production. In turn, this produces the most “vocal output” with the least amount of vocal effort (a.k.a. VOCAL ECONOMY!), and sets you up for vocal success. Resonant humming connects you to the FEEL of efficient voice use via lovely sensations (vibration, buzz, tickle, tingle) felt in the front of the face (in the bone above the upper lip, the lips themselves, the cheekbones, the nose, & even in the forehead). Resonant voice is the healthiest way to use your voice as you talk all day long & prevents the vocal fatigue and/or strain often reported by those who are occupational voice users.
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“When the vocal folds are barely touching or barely separated, voice should be the CLEAREST possible, & injury should be minimized. This approach to voicing is associated with pleasant sensations, & easy, clear voice—or ‘resonant voice’…injury should be PREVENTED or REVERSED” (LMRVT manual, 2008). Studies have shown that humming can decrease the velocity of vocal fold adduction, place the vocal folds in a slightly lateral position, & release supraglottic compression. Ogawa et al. (2013) demonstrated that HUMMING CORRECTS both the lateral & anterior-posterior components of supraglottic compression in most muscle tension dysphonia patients. Yiu & Ho (2002) found that two sessions of voice training using humming for two weeks IMPROVED the perceptual vocal qualities in female patients with vocal nodules or laryngitis. Vlot et al. (2017) demonstrated that humming has a potential to IMPROVE voice quality in patients w/organic voice disorders by stabilizing vocal fold oscillation, & also has shown the effectiveness of humming in IMMEDIATELY IMPROVING vocal quality & inducing various positive physiological changes in the larynx in non-dysphonic speakers AND those diagnosed with muscle tension dysphonia.
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Humming elicits therapeutic effects on the vocal folds by optimizing vocal fold vibration & releasing overcompensatory hyperfunction (muscle tension). Humming is proven to be an effective vocal exercise for dysphonic & non-dysphonic voice users alike. In case you weren’t sure five minutes ago, hopefully you are now convinced that it’s a great idea to practice resonant humming several times throughout your day.
Author
Sara Davis, M.A. CCC-SLP
Author
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