Science & Authority-Focused

Moving Air and Moving Muscle

Written by Allen Rascoe | Nov 10, 2025 1:00:00 PM

There is much talk of the muscles involved in singing, especially the vocal cords and the muscle
systems that draw them into some sort of tension (arytenoids and crico-thyroids).  So it should
be, for without these muscles opening and closing and moving, we would not have a
voice.  Rather, we would just have a "whoosh" sound like air escaping from a tire.  Moving
muscle is one part of the equation.  That which we call voice is also moving air.  Without moving
air, we would not really have muscles (cords) opening or closing for they do this in response to
the cycle of respiration (or when eating they close so food does not get into the lungs).  We
would also not have the muscles (cords) vibrating either.  It is the electrical "mental" energy
from our brains sending signals to the muscles to contract plus moving air that causes the vocal
cords to open and close and vibrate.  Both our thoughts and moving air are transformed into
what we call voice or sound by the ways the vocal cords are adjusted for pitch, volume, and
vowel.  All works together in harmony!