Interesting Facts about the Human Voice
The human voice is rather fascinating. Speaking or talking and even singing seems extremely easy. But there is a lot more to the human voice than one realizes. Let’s look at a few interesting facts about the human voice:
Number of Muscles Involved
Singing and talking seems like it requires no effort at all, but you will be surprised at the number of muscles working behind the scenes. In actuality, the way the human voice is produced is simply amazing. There is multiple muscle groups involved here. The muscles of your neck, chest, jaw, lips and tongue all work in collaboration for you to sing or speak a single line. Over 100 muscles work together when you to sing or speak a single phrase.
Muscle Movement Patterns
It is amazing that so many muscles work in tandem for an individual to produce a single phrase. However, the most intriguing part is the muscle movement is not constant at all times. The pattern in which the muscles move for one word will be different for another word. So, if you produce 10 different words, the muscle pattern will be different each time. Moreover, the muscle movements are modified time and again, depending on the situation in which you are speaking. For instance, if you are having problems speaking due to a wound in your mouth, the muscle patterns will be modified to produce the words.
Lubrication for Vocal Chords
Whenever singers feel thirsty, they are unable to sing effectively. They drink water for the purpose and most people assume the water lubricates the vocal chords in a direct manner. The truth is that vocal chords cannot be lubricated by water or any fluid you drink directly. If water or any other fluid goes into the vocal chords, it would cause the individual to cough and choke. The body absorbs the fluids and then lubricates the vocal chords using secondary means.
Phonation Duration in Men and Women
The MPT or Maximum Phonation Time is the duration for which one can hold a single note in a comfortable manner. Adults typically have an MPT of 15 seconds. The MPT for women is not as long as for men. It is generally assumed that women talk more than men, but men can hold a single note comfortably for a longer duration.
Are Humans Born With The Ability Of Speech?
This may come as a surprise, but humans are not born with the ability of speech. Speech is developed during the developing stages of the brain. This stage is usually between the age of 2 and 5 years. This is mainly because there is a specific period during which the brain develops the ability of speech. Moreover, speech is only acquired by interaction with others during the developing stages of the brain. If this period passes without any human interaction, the individual will not be able to develop speech at all.
Now that you know about these amazing facts about the human voice, you will realize how much effort your favourite singer has to put in to sing, or even you have to put in to speak.