Breathiness: The “Airy” Voice

Breathiness is by far the most common tonal weakness that I encounter with singers, and most predominantly among females of all ages. There are numerous explanations for why breathiness occurs in a singing or speaking voice, and I will explain them in the paragraphs below. Many singers are not aware of the breathiness that is present in their voices, nor of its undesirability and inefficiency, until it is pointed out to them and until they become aware of what good tone and resonance should sound and feel like.

A “breathy” quality or an “airy” tone can be heard as an audible passing or “leaking” of air through the mouth while singing, almost like the faint sound of air leaking out of a tire or balloon. It is often described as an “unfocused sound or tone”, and tends to create a diffuse and wispy sound, or a raspy, scratchy vocal quality (e.g., as in the case of ex-president Bill Clinton’s speaking voice). This mode of phonation, when habitually used, is also termed hypofunctional.

During inhalation, the vocal folds come apart to allow air to enter the lungs. Directly after inhalation and immediately prior to Phonation (or singing, for our purposes here), however, the vocal folds need to come together gently and firmly with the aid of the laryngeal muscles. This closure cuts off the escaping air. When the air pressure in the trachea rises as a result of this closure, the folds above it are blown apart, while the vocal processes of the arytenoid cartilages - a pair of small, pyramid-shaped (three-sided) cartilages that form part of the larynx, to which the vocal folds are attached - remain in apposition (side by side). This creates an oval shaped gap between the folds and some air escapes, lowering the pressure inside the trachea. Rhythmic repetition of this movement, a certain number of times a second, creates a pitched note. Ideally, the vocal folds should contact each other completely during each vibration, fully closing the gap between them.

In order to oscillate, or vibrate, the vocal folds need to be brought near enough together - this is known as vocal fold closure or approximation - so that air pressure builds up beneath the larynx . This increased subglottal – the area below the glottis, or larynx - pressure causes the folds to vibrate and make sound. The vibration of the vocal folds modulates (regulates) the flow of air being expelled from the lungs during phonation.

When the vocal folds fail to close completely before singing, however, breathiness results. In other words, a breathy style of singing is achieved by holding the vocal folds apart. In breathy phonation, there is insufficient resistance by the vocal folds to the air that sets them into vibration. As a result, airflow escapes the glottis during the quasi-closed phase, which generates noise and produces a strong fundamental.