# A Question on Sound and Voices **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 17, 2022, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-on-sound-and-voices/966369 "2022-06-17T13:59:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2022, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-on-sound-and-voices/966369/1 "2022-06-17T13:59:22Z")
A question on sound and voices: I’ve seen articles that try to explain why helium makes your voice high-pitched. It is based on how the speed of sound is wavelength X frequency, as I recall. It is presumed the wavelength is fixed by the vocal cord, so the frequency has to go up (due to the medium the sound wave is propagating through). Again, it’s been awhile, but I think that’s the gist of it. In this same vein, How can vocal cords that must be so small in my throat allow me to produce a wide range of tones when singing from falsetto to deep bass? Yet, when you look at string instruments, those strings are all too big to fit in a human throat! So, what’s going on here? How does this work? There must be more going on here, I wager. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2022, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-on-sound-and-voices/966369/2 "2022-06-17T15:28:12Z")
Vocal cords aren’t strings. They’re two flaps opening and closing fast enough to create different sounds. So, don’t think about a stringed instrument, think about making a balloon squeak as you let the air out. > **[Vocal cords | Oscillation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vocal_cords#Oscillation)** > > The larynx is a major (but not the only) source of sound in speech, generating sound through the rhythmic opening and closing of the vocal folds. To oscillate, the vocal folds are brought near enough together such that air pressure builds up beneath the larynx. The folds are pushed apart by this increased subglottal pressure, with the inferior part of each fold leading the superior part. Such a wave-like motion causes a transfer of energy from the airflow to the fold tissues. Under the corr The... ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2022, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-on-sound-and-voices/966369/3 "2022-06-17T15:29:37Z")
I’m only responding because I haven’t seen any other responses yet. This will be a “non-technical” response. First, you would probably be surprised to learn that the frequency range of the human voice is actually quite limited. If you apply high-pass/low-pass filtering to a voice recording, it remains very intelligible even when limited to 1 or 1-1/2 octaves. Normal human beings aren’t producing natural voice tones at 140 Hz (B3), though professional baritones can. Second, the human body has a marvelous resonance chamber. Remember Bose 901 loudspeakers? They used small (4") drivers, along with a specially designed resonant enclosure and external EQ to produce substantial bass. The same thing is done nowadays with small BT speakers. Being “small” doesn’t mean that a transducer (vocal cords or driver) isn’t capable of producing low frequencies. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2022, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-on-sound-and-voices/966369/4 "2022-06-17T15:59:20Z")
> [@Jinx](#): > > A question on sound and voices: I’ve seen articles that try to explain why helium makes your voice high-pitched. It is based on how the speed of sound is wavelength X frequency, as I recall. It is presumed the wavelength is fixed by the vocal cord, so the frequency has to go up (due to the medium the sound wave is propagating through). Again, it’s been awhile, but I think that’s the gist of it. The fundamental frequency of your vocal cords is set by their mass and by how tightly you tension them with the muscles in your larynx. In addition to the fundamental frequency, your vocal cords emit innumerable harmonic frequencies at multiples of the fundamental frequency. Without those harmonics, your voice would be just a nice clean sine wave, and conventional speech would be impossible. It is those harmonics that enable speech: your lips, tongue, and mouth can be shaped to selectively reinforce or suppress those harmonics, changing the tonal quality of your voice even when the fundamental frequency remains unchanged. Helium has a higher speed of sound than air, raising the resonant frequencies of your vocal tract for any given configuration of your lips/tongue/mouth. So after having inhaled helium, you can still speak with a nice 140 Hz baritone voice (because you have full control over the muscular tension on your vocal cords), but the higher-pitched harmonics caused by helium will make you sound like you’re in the Lollipop Guild. > [@Jinx](#): > > How can vocal cords that must be so small in my throat allow me to produce a wide range of tones when singing from falsetto to deep bass? As noted above, you have control over the tension on your vocal cords, as well as the air flow. Your vocal cords also operate quite differently from stringed instruments; it’s probably closer to the way a musician’s lips work with a brass instrument, which similarly provides a very large range of frequencies. There are also different vibrational modes. Falsetto is not the same as a person’s usual speaking (“modal”) voice: > **[Falsetto](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falsetto)** > > Falsetto (/fɔːlˈsɛtoʊ, fɒlˈ-/, .mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}Italian: \[falˈsetto\]; Italian diminutive of falso, "false") is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. > It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the vocal ... There’s also the whistle register, a mode of vocal cord function that’s different from falsetto and modal: > **[Whistle register](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whistle_register)** > > The whistle register (also called the flute register or flageolet register) is the highest register of the human voice, lying above the modal register and falsetto register. This register has a specific physiological production that is different from the other registers and is so called because the timbre of the notes that are produced from this register is similar to that of a whistle. > In some sopranos, the modal register vocal production may extend into what is usually thought of as the whistl... ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2022, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-on-sound-and-voices/966369/5 "2022-06-17T17:08:24Z")
Wow! I find this all very fascinating. Thanks to all for sharing their knowledge and sources to enlighten me on the subject. (Also, I think my formula for “speed of sound” (above) is only true for light as I am recalling sound is dependent on temperature and density of the medium.) ---
**Author:** ![Eric1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3bc359/32.png) [@Eric1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eric1)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-on-sound-and-voices/966369/6 "2024-01-22T15:22:08Z")
I’m shooting for a rep as a freak-show candidate. I’ve always had a heavy attraction to people’s voices. It’s because my parents were both vocal music instructors and the attraction stemmed from childhood. My best friends from childhood thinks it’s hilarious that I’m turned on by the timbre in people’s voices. The people always have deeper voices like alto or bass. For example i’ve built up a mild attraction over the years towards Nancy Cordes, the CBS journalist who shares coverage at the US Capitol. To me her voice is very attractive yet I don’t find her aesthetically pleasing in other ways. I’m also a fan of bass voices nee my great uncle. One time I picked up the phone and there was a guy with a similar voice who said hello that way. I questioned him immediately about how his jazz-playing gigs were going. The guy said “That guy must be awesome. Too bad it’s just me trying to sell roofing jobs.” The guy guffawed thunderously because I jumped right in. I’ll bet no one else on this site is like me. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-on-sound-and-voices/966369/7 "2024-01-22T15:33:39Z")
> [@Eric1](#): > > My best friends from childhood thinks it’s hilarious that I’m turned on by the timbre in people’s voices. On this episode of The Charismatic Voice, she gushes about how much Trent Reznor can vary his timbre while maintaining a fairly limited range/pitch. I watched it a few days ago, but scanning through it, it looks like it’s around the 15 or 16 minute mark when she discusses that. However, the whole video, as always, is great. It sounds to me like her channel might be something you’d like. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ccZL7pTGW8E/maxresdefault.jpg "Opera Singer analyzes Nine Inch Nails's Trent Reznor for the first time.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccZL7pTGW8E) ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-on-sound-and-voices/966369/8 "2024-01-22T16:51:51Z")
Not so fast. There are many popular bands that I can’t stand because of the lead vocalist – they’ll have range and pitch and a nasal quality that drills right into my head; Geddy Lee, for example. I gave up trying to fathom it years ago. I watched **2010: The Year We Make Contact** recently (haven’t seen it in decades) and the female voice of SAL9000 was giving me the shivers; surprise! it was Candy Bergen under an assumed name. Linda Fiorentino has a similar effect on me. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-on-sound-and-voices/966369/9 "2024-01-22T17:14:11Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Not so fast. There are many popular bands that I can’t stand because of the lead vocalist – they’ll have range and pitch and a nasal quality that drills right into my head; Geddy Lee, for example. I gave up trying to fathom it years ago. I too can’t stand Rush. Edit: I swear to god I didn’t see that you mentioned Geddy before I made that comment. I’ve always said Rush is a great band, I just can’t listen to Geddy’s voice. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-on-sound-and-voices/966369/10 "2024-01-22T22:17:59Z")
[Moderating] The bump by @Eric1 and the posts since really don’t have anything to do with the OP. If you’d like to continue this discussion, feel free to start a new thread in Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-on-sound-and-voices/966369/11 "2024-01-22T22:18:07Z")