Singing has been present in the musical history of man from its beginnings, singing is a spontaneous gesture of the human being and the oldest way of making music. Rightly so, composer Richard Strauss said, "The human voice is the most beautiful instrument, but the most difficult to play", since no instrument equals the voice in its expressive capacities, plus the possibility of being a transmitter of a Text, which extends their communicative capacity.

However, voice is also the most difficult instrument to preserve, this is because the vocal mechanism is very complicated and its functioning depends on a large number of structures and organs. Therefore, it is very important to know the phonatory apparatus and its physiology, since without the appropriate behaviors or habits increases the risk of deterioration, which can lead to irreversible damages.

In this sense, it should be added that the voice is the sound that originates from the vibration of the vocal cords located in the larynx by the passage of air from the rib cage. However, the efficient functioning of the laryngeal system occurs when a good functioning of the larynx is achieved with a minimum of effort, achieving its optimization. Optimal voice production is closely related to healthy laryngeal components; When there is a balance between these and the support system (interaction and coordination). (Villanueva, P. and Cols, 1999).

This balance and efficiency are affected by different causes, the inadequate use of intensity (volume) and frequency (tone) of speech in speech and / or singing is one of them, which involves behaviors Which are permanent or frequent in time and become part of the habits most rooted in people. In general, when the volume of the voice is increased, the tone is unconsciously raised; An alteration of intensity without a change in tone is poorly observed (Prater, R., Swift, R. 1986).

Today the use of voice to communicate any topic regardless of its type, has become a great benefit for all those who make it part of their working life, due to the number of professions in which the use of Voice is the factor that represents a large percentage of importance. Singers or choristers, among others, are some of the populations that, either through ignorance or carelessness, do a series of counterproductive activities, in addition to the excessive use of voice.

It is evident that the voice is manifested through its physical and emotional characteristics, so any alteration or communicative / vocal pathology will cause negative situations about occupational performance, since for a large group of people the voice constitutes the fundamental instrument.

This pathology is not recent, and was first described by Girolamo Fabricio de Acquapendente in the year 1600, who described it and called it "the disease of preachers". Ramazzini (1713), in his Treaty on Diseases of Artisans, describes a chapter entitled "Of the diseases that often affect reciters, singers and others of the same genre", which already describes a greater Prevalence of hernias, asthma, headache, alterations of the salivary glands, thickening of the voice and hoarseness in this collective work.

As explained above, poor vocal use can lead to the suffering of certain disorders or pathologies, so it is necessary a change of habits and the application of exercises to prevent them

The development of society has been at the expense of communication between men. The voice is one of the important components of this communication and is connected to the emotional and psychic environment of the person. Then when it is altered, the psychological state of the individual is also altered.

Vocal professionals can be affected by laryngeal alterations that have as common denominator or fundamental symptom the dysphonia or hoarseness, with the consequent personal and occupational disorders and impediments and in the social environment, a slight affectation of the vocal instrument is cause of anxiety and anxiety .

The correct use of the voice implies learning. It is therefore necessary to know the mechanism of phonation and the resources of the voice, to become aware of one's own habits, to correct them by exercising and automating the most appropriate mechanisms.

It is important to know from the basic concepts the elements involved in the process of singing and in the use of voice, for it is defined according to Tolón (2000) the voice: "is the vehicle of communication by antonomasia. It is intimately linked to our emotions. With the voice we exteriorized. The voice is a manifestation of what we are inside, both biologically and psychologically "(p.19).

This is how the voice is therefore a medium through which we express not only talking, but singing, different emotions, feelings, desires; Themselves and of those who compose to be interpreted. When singing is the voice then the resource and means of expression indispensable. A quality voice requires that the set of organs that configure the speech apparatus to act synergistically. This will occur according to the author (ob. Cit) "if certain anatomical and physiological conditions exist which also require a good psychological, neurovegetative and nervous balance" (p.19)

As can be seen in the previous quotation, a series of physical and psychological processes and aspects are involved in the use of voice, which in harmony, synchrony and harmony coexist and interrelate in order to produce in a balanced and coherent way the result Talk, or in the specific case of this study, by singing both in a group and individual way.

Vocal Physiology

Phonation Mechanisms

For phonation we need: an upward airflow, which provides the respiratory apparatus; According to Toulon (2000) "a vibration or ripple, which provides the larynx; A resonance, provided by the nasopharynobiotic cavities, and a joint, which provides the movable organs (soft palate, tongue and lower jaw) "(p.21)

The respiratory apparatus consists of two essential parts, the upper airway, formed by the nose, nostrils, mouth, pharynx and larynx; And the lower airway that is formed by the trachea, bronchi and lungs. Most of the lower airway is within the thoracic cavity. The respiratory act consists of two stages: inspiration and exhalation. Inspiration is the mechanism by which we nourish our body with oxygen, and with expiration we expel air with a high proportion of carbon dioxide from the oxidation of organic matter.

In the same way when we sing, we involve the mouth which is according to the author (ob. Cit) An opening delimited in front by the lips and the dental arches, and behind by the wall of the pharynx. In the mouth we articulate the phonemes and get the resonance ... in the bed of the mouth we find the tongue, organ extremely mobile and main subject of the articulation of sounds. (P.32)

It is possible to detail in this way that the mouth and the tongue are two fundamental elements at the time of singing, in the production and variation of sound, not only because without them they could not articulate but because they act in the modification of resonance and Sound that is emitted.

Acoustic Phonetics

Acoustic phonetics, studies the physical structure of the sounds we use in speech. For acoustics the sound consists of waves that propagate, in the case of the voice, according to Toulon (2005) "the sound source are the rhythmic openings of the glottis; And the wave propagates through the air, through the resonance cavities outwards "(p.32).

On the other hand, we have that the musical tone of the voice represents, in the ear, the perception of the acoustic frequency. The intensity corresponds to the volume, which is constituted by the pressure of subglottic air as it passes through the glottis and the resonance cavities. The timbre represents the quality that allows to distinguish vowel sounds from others. It is the characteristic of each voice, and depends on the behavior within the structures of the resonance. There are no two "physiological-phonatory" behaviors the same. The bell can also be known as the color of the voice.

The diversity of forms that a resonator can adopt depends on the articulation of the sounds, the muscular flexibility, the articulation of the lower jaw, etc. Each morphological change in the structure of the resonance translates into a change in the timbre of the voice.

Frequent Alterations of Vocal Replenishments

Dysphonia is the alteration of the voice that most often disturbs communication and can be related to any of the systems involved in voice production: larynx, respiratory system, pharynx, nasal cavity and oral cavity. It manifests as an effort to emit a sound, difficulty maintaining the voice, fatigue when speaking, variations of the usual fundamental frequency, clearing or lack of volume.

The Nodule is a small formation that is situated on the free edge of the first third of one or both vocal folds, are hard protuberances that in the act of the phonation allow a lateral air leak that results in the loss of vocal intensity , Low voice, low frequency, broken, respiratory tiredness.

The polyp is a rounded, unilateral soft formation that frequently originates in the same place as the nodules. He is more rebellious to vocal therapy and is accustomed to undergo surgery before initiating therapy. (Page 62)

The Limits of the Voice

Voice even when in good condition has its limitations and should not be exceeded. There are powerful, medium and weak voices. Each individual makes proper use of his vocal possibilities. Overcoming the limits of the voice means, in the spoken voice, an excess of intensity or volume, uncontrolled screams, among others, all this entails a muscular coordination and rigidity that will lead to a vocal dysfunction as a result of demanding the voice over What it can offer.

The education of a voice is a very subtle process. The student can not touch or see his own voice, he must learn its handling from the proprioceptive sensations of resonance

Risk factor's

The people whose voice is their instrument of work are more vulnerable to suffer alterations of the same. It is useful to determine the degree of "labor demand" of the voice: although a teacher and a singer can not work without their voice, it is not the same vocal demand of each of them and a subtle alteration does not have the same effect in Their work in one than in the other.

Likewise, knowing the occupation gives subsequent questions about the environment in which this work is carried out and, therefore, the exposure to certain factors, such as intense environmental noise, that requires to raise the vocal volume of a constant way or inhaled irritants, like The dust or smoke of a stage, a file or a building, for example.

In hygienic-dietary habits, important information related to a diet with foods that favor relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter can be obtained and, therefore, be related to reflux symptoms, or the amount of water intake, which is fundamental for the Adequate hydration of the vocal folds. Smoking and alcoholism are harmful habits with great effect on short-term and long-term laryngeal function

The factor that most influences the prevalence is the lack of training for the correct use and care of the voice. The ideal vocal use or work is very close to the minimum muscular effort that the vocal cords perform to make the voice. Therefore, the good use of the voice refers to an adequate sum of daily vocal work, to the use of a low or medium voice intensity, to speak with a medium tone (neither very sharp nor very serious), to Not to do vocal realizations above our possibilities, to use a good mechanism of resonance and an adequate respiratory support diafragmatic.

Finally

The care of the voice is not only important for singers, but also for speakers, speakers, speakers or teachers ... let us give the voice the value it deserves and let it not be spent. What you have learned today share it with several friends so that they also know how to take care of your voice and not deteriorate it.

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