VOICE PEDAGOGY
Scott McCoy, Associate Editor
Remapping the Open
Throat (Gola Aperta)
Kenneth Bozeman
R
ichard Miller began a section in his The Structure of Singing
entitled “The Open Throat (Gola Aperta)” with the following
statement: “It would be hard to find a teacher who recommended
singing with a closed throat.”1 While some voice teachers avoid
addressing the issue directly, experience and reason suggest that most teach-
ers advocate the proverbial “open throat.” At least two excellent articles
addressing this topic have previously appeared in the Journal of Singing.2
The directive to have an open throat goes back at least to the writings of
Kenneth Bozeman the early Italian pedagogues, all of whom recommended singing with una
gola aperta. Specifically, the Italian school pedagogic literature maintained
that “inhaling through a smile” or as if “inhaling the fragrance of a rose”
opens the throat.
CONCERNS WITH OPEN THROAT DIRECTIVES
In contrast to general agreement about the value of having an open throat,
concerns about directives and/or conscious attempts to open the throat also
exist. The smile directive recommended above is thought by many teach-
ers to be excessively lateral and to cause a “spread tone” and therefore, if
used at all, has been supplanted by “inner smile” imagery. Richard Miller,
an advocate of the international Italian school of singing, raised concern
in the chapter cited above about the use of yawn imagery by some to open
the throat.
In the literature of vocal pedagogy can be found sources that advocate as the ideal
position for singing exactly the fully distended pharyngeal and buccal posture found
in the yawn.3
Then later:
To breathe as though inhaling deeply the fragrance of a rose is to accomplish the buc-
copharyngeal position of gola aperta, in direct contrast to techniques of the open throat
achieved through the yawn.4
Others echo the concern that a throaty, swallowed tone can result from
Journal of Singing, November/December 2015 attempts to open the throat. Some speech language pathologists are leery
Volume 72, No. 2, pp. 183–187
Copyright © 2015
of open throat directives as being contrary to the frontal vibratory feedback
National Association of Teachers of Singing typically sought in resonant voice therapy.
November/December 2015 183
Voice Pedagogy
ANATOMIC REALITIES
In pursuit of fact-based pedagogy, let us examine what
the situation really is. First it must be noted that the mus-
cles that open the throat are not in the throat; indeed,
there are no muscles that can directly expand the phar-
ynx.5 All pharyngeal muscles are termed constrictors for
a reason: when activated, they narrow or constrict the
pharynx. Since the spinal column is directly behind the
back throat wall, unless the spine itself is contorted it is
not possible to distend the pharynx posteriorly, percep-
tion to the contrary notwithstanding. The only muscle Figure 1. Saggital view of the vocal tract in the vowels /i/
actions that in some sense actually open the throat are: and /å/.
• relaxing the pharyngeal muscles.
• elevating the soft palate from above. cooling to the front of the mouth, the tongue will have
• lowering or settling the larynx from below. been fronted and the throat will be more open.
• fronting the tongue.
• decompressing the thyrohyoid space. Resonator Convergence
• retracting or deconstricting the false vocal folds. Recent observation and hypothesis in vocal acoustic
science suggest that classical singers prefer a resona-
The Challenge: False Kinesthesia
tor shaping that is as convergent as the vowel and
The principal challenge to effective throat opening is pitch being sung will allow. This hypothesis proposes
this: our kinesthesia (sensory awareness) of throat space that resonator convergence assists in establishing the
is misleading—in fact, it is exactly backward. If you ask desired classical chiaroscuro timbre, which manifests
a group of people which vowel feels the most open- in a depth-dependent singer’s formant cluster.7 Singer’s
throated, most will cite /å/, or which vowel the most formant cluster—as modeled by Sundberg, and Titze and
closed-throated, most cite /i/. This is indeed the way it Story8—requires a low larynx and a laryngopharynx that
feels. If asked to inhale through their most exaggerat- is six times larger than the opening of the epilaryngeal
edly open-throated sensation, most people will make a exit. This causes formants three through five to draw
yawny /å/, which upon inhalation will be accompanied together, mutually boosting each other. Convergent
by a moderately loud turbulent noise and cooling in the shaping also contributes to vocal tract inertance, which
laryngopharynx (perceptual throat). Paradoxically the can interactively assist the vibrator, all of which can
throat is rather narrow in the /å/ and at its most open boost the power of the entire signal (ring and depth) for
posture with the vowel /i/, primarily due to the dif- less breath pressure. Resonator convergence is therefore
ference in tongue shape and tongue fronting of those dependent upon some openness of the laryngopharynx.
vowels (Figure 1).
First Formant Location
Noiseless Inhalation Acoustically, an open throat has a lower first formant.
When the throat is in the instinctive but false open- The lower the first formant frequency is for any given
throated feeling upon inhaling, the inhalation is noisy vowel (within acceptable diction and comfort), the
and there is a cooling sensation in the throat behind more open the throat, the deeper the timbre, and the
the tongue, precisely where the narrowing occurs. This more convergent the resonator shape. Therefore if the
results from the necessary increase in air speed at the “pitch” of any perceived noise is lowered, throat space
narrowing and the resultant turbulence and cooling will have been increased. The approximate pitch of the
from both wind-chill effect and evaporation at that loca- first formant can be heard by means of the noise cre-
tion. If the student reshapes the vocal tract to move the ated by inhaling or exhaling with the vocal folds in near
184 Journal of Singing
Kenneth Bozeman
adduction as in an /h/, as long as the larynx has not been
raised, that is, in a modified whisper. Both formants
one and two may be heard in a whisper; the more open
the throat, the more the first formant will dominate the
noise, the narrower and shallower the throat, the more
the second formant will dominate the noise. Caution:
whispering is typically done with a raised larynx and nar-
rowed laryngopharynx in order to increase and highlight
the noise of the second formant, which is perceptually
more associated with vowel clarity.
Body Mapping
Accurate body mapping can also help. By way of review, Figure 2. Accurately mapping the genioglossus (the
largest part of the tongue muscle).
body mapping—an offshoot of Alexander Technique—is
the observation that each of us has an internalized con-
ceptual “map” of how the body is put together: where
things are, where joints are, how they articulate—in the tongue (Figure 2). Try remapping the back throat
other words, of how the body works. Body mapping wall and the tongue shape as just described and inhale
theory suggests that inaccurate mapping leads to awk- through this new mapping. The jaw need only release
ward use, while accurate mapping facilitates better and drop as far as TMJ rotation alone allows (i.e., with-
coordination. Because our kinesthesia is backward for out jaw translation), about a finger width. You should
throat space, it seems plausible that most people have experience cooling in the front of the mouth rather than
inaccurately mapped the location of the back of the behind the tongue, and a noiseless inhalation, both of
throat and the insertion and function of the tongue. which indicate an actually opened throat.
When experiencing the false open-throated sensa-
tion described above, the back wall of the throat seems Use of Affect to Open the Throat
to be located farther back than it actually is—as if it is Voice is almost exclusively played by expression. This is
behind the ears. In fact, the back throat wall is in front hard-wired from birth. The first thing a baby does is to
of the ears. (I suspect that what we are perceiving in this take a breath. The next thing most babies do is to apply
maneuver as the back of the throat is in fact activation that breath to their vocal folds and let you know how
of that lateral part of the tongue muscle group, the sty- they feel about what just happened. This communicative
loglossus, that retracts the back of the tongue.) If while connection to vocal coordination seems to apply to the
inhaling we remap our concept of the back throat wall entire system, including the poise and posture of the
to its actual location in front of the ears, we will have vocal tract. We can use this. Moreover, an inhalation
fronted the tongue and opened the throat. should simultaneously be an inspiration of the feeling
Furthermore, we also tend to incorrectly map the one is about to express. If upon inhalation the student
tongue as forming a somewhat rounded 90o angle that uses appropriate affects to stimulate a better pharyngeal
lies flat in the mouth and then courses down the throat posture, the throat can be opened in a more spontaneous
vertically to attach to the larynx. While there are some manner. Affects that have proven effective in the studio
lateral attachments to the hyoid bone below, the largest for opening the throat include: suppressed laugh;9 mis-
portion of the tongue muscle (the genioglossus) loops chief; being pleased with oneself; empathy; and sympa-
back to the front under the tongue blade and attaches to thy (many more are possible). Combining the accurate
the inside back of the chin. Remapping the tongue from remapping mentioned above with an inhalation inspired
running down the throat to folding back under itself to by an appropriate motivational affect should result in
the chin will allow the tongue to be more fronted and a noiseless inhalation, and an open throat poised for
relaxed and the larynx to be more independent from best resonance. In this regard, this author suspects that
November/December 2015 185
Voice Pedagogy
the early Italian teachers’ directive to “inhale through a
smile” has been misunderstood. A deep, genuine smile
is perhaps more about its inner pharyngeal effect than
its outer facial or lip effects. A “pharyngeal grin” can
both open and stabilize the throat in a favorable poise.
Articulation and “Placement” Sensations
For the lower and middle voice ranges, at least, having
a fairly close articulation from vowel to vowel assists
in keeping the throat open (the first formant lower),
the resonator convergent, and the timbre chiaroscuro.
Though sound cannot actually be placed, there is a possi-
ble basis for variation in sensation of vibration along the
vocal tract, due to the pressure nodes of the resonated
sound waves. Awareness of a vibrational locus in the
mouth, usually along the hard palate and above, accord-
ing to the image in Figure 3 can assist with maintaining
an open-throated, chiaroscuro timbre. These vibrational
sensations are associated with the changing frequencies Figure 3. Second formant “placement” sensations.
of the second formant. Paradoxically, the front vowels
are felt further back and the back vowels further forward.
care is taken to stay in close timbre (to keep F1 below
There is also some sense of location relative to the vocal
H2) and to avoid raising the larynx, some opening of
tract dividing tongue hump: front vowels, involving a
the vowel shape at this point does not compromise an
fronted tongue hump, have a vibrational locus slightly
open throat.10 Treble voices desiring a headier quality
behind the tongue bulge, while back vowels, with a
(women and countertenors) should stay in close timbre
bulge more to the rear, are perceived more in front of
until the pitch of the first formant (and whoop timbre)
the tongue hump on the hard palate. Nota bene: all of
is attained. Above that pitch, vowel opening to track
these sensations are along and above the hard palate,
the fundamental frequency with the first formant (to
and therefore relatively frontal.
maintain whoop timbre) is necessary for full classical
Maintaining an Open Throat Across Range head voice timbre, but care should still be taken not to
raise the larynx except for extreme high range, at ca. B5
The instinct to approach the upper range as in a yell
and above.11
is universal and strong. This behavior is an instinctive
tracking of the second harmonic by the first formant
CONCLUSION
by means of a shorter and increasingly divergent
resonator. It is accomplished by activating swallowing An open throat is a desirable pedagogic goal for free,
muscles to raise the larynx and narrow the pharynx, resonant singing in Western classical timbre. Since
and by frontal opening of the vowel. Overcoming this kinesthesia for throat space is typically misleading,
instinct is a major concern of Western classical vocal however, care must be taken in choosing the directives
training. To avoid this behavior upon ascending the given to accomplish an actually opened throat. The use
range, males should stay in fairly close vowel posture of noiseless inhalation that cools the front of the mouth,
until the vowel being sung turns over—that is, until the accurate mapping of the location of the back wall of the
second harmonic surpasses the first formant, achieving throat and of tongue insertion and function, appropriate
close timbre—and a bit beyond. Thereafter, in order inspirational affects, relatively close vowel articulations
to maintain robust timbre and avoid “whoop” timbre, for resonator convergence, and awareness of second for-
vowel opening within close timbre can commence. If mant “placement” sensations can be effective strategies
186 Journal of Singing
Kenneth Bozeman
to accomplish and maintain an actually opened throat 1980; Excellence in Teaching Award, 1996) and an endowed chair in
and chiaroscuro classical timbre. 1999. His former students have participated as apprentices at Sante
Fe, Tanglewood, Seattle Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Central City
Opera, and Utah Opera, and have sung with Houston Grand Opera,
NOTES Boston Lyric Opera, Opera Colorado, Wolf Trap Opera, Seattle Opera,
1. Richard Miller, The Structure of Singing (New York: Schirmer Sante Fe Opera, and Deutsche Oper of Berlin.
Books/MacMillan, 1986), 58. Mr. Bozeman has a strong interest in the application of voice science to
2. Helen F. Mitchell and Dianna T. Kenny, “Open Throat: singing and received the 1994 Van L. Lawrence Fellowship Award from
Acoustic and Perceptual Support for Pedagogic Practice,” the Voice Foundation for “excellence in teaching and active interest in
Journal of Singing 64, no. 4 (March/April 2008): 429–441; voice science and pedagogy.” He has been a member of the Editorial
Stephen Austin, “The voce chiusa,” Journal of Singing 61, no. Board of the Journal of Singing for a number of years, serving as chair
4 (March/April 2005): 421–426. since 2000.
3. Miller, 58–59. Mr. Bozeman was an active performer of recitals and of oratorio, includ-
4. Ibid., 60. ing singing the tenor roles in the St. Matthew and St. John Passions,
the Christmas Oratorio, the B Minor Mass, the Magnificat, and various
5. From a private conversation with Per-Åke Lindestad, Swedish
cantatas of Bach, Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Creation, Mendelssohn’s
laryngologist and specialist in laryngeal and pharyngeal
Elijah, and Vaughn Williams’s Hodie. He has performed with the Mil-
anatomy.
waukee Symphony, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, the Green Lake
6. Ingo Titze, “Why do Classically Trained Singers Widen Their Music Festival, the Purgatory Music Festival of Colorado, the Louisville
Throat?” Journal of Singing 69, no. 2 (November/December Bach Society, the Historical Keyboard Society of Wisconsin, and on
2012): 177–178. Wisconsin Public Radio’s “Live from the Elvehjem.”
7. Kenneth Bozeman, Practical Vocal Acoustics: Pedagogic
Applications for Teachers and Singers (Hillsdale, NY: Pen
National Association of
dragon Press, 2013), 17–18. Teachers of Singing
8. Johan Sundburg, “Articulatory Interpretation of the Singing Membership:
Formants,” Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 55, Membership in the National Association of Teachers of Singing is
no. 4 (April 1974): 838–844; Ingo Titze and Brad Story, open to any citizen of any country whose professional training and
“Acoustic Interactions of the Voice Source with the Lower experience qualifying him or her as a teacher of singing.
Vocal Tract,” Journal of the Acoustical Society of America Associate Membership is available for voice teachers and
101, no. 4 (April 1997): 2234–2243. advanced students who have not as yet completed the require
ments for full membership.
9. Kimberly M. Steinhauer and Jo Estill, Voice and Emotion,
Vol. 2 (San Diego: Plural Publishing, 2008), Chapter 6: “The Affiliate Membership is open to persons or groups that are
interested in vocal pursuits but are not actually involved in the
Estill Voice Model: Physiology of Emotion,” 83–99. teaching of singing, such as speech therapists, laryngologists,
10. Bozeman, 60–61. schools, publishers, and music stores.
11. Ibid., 61. Publications:
Membership includes a subscription to the Journal of Singing, the
official journal of NATS, and to Inter Nos, the NATS Newsletter.
Kenneth Bozeman, tenor, holds performance degrees from Baylor
University and the University of Arizona. He subsequently studied at Information:
the State Conservatory of Music in Munich, Germany on a fellowship Applications for membership may be completed online at
www.nats.org. The website contains detailed information about
from Rotary International. He is chair of the voice department at the
the qualifications for membership and the Code of Ethics of
Lawrence University Conservatory of Music in Appleton, Wisconsin, the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Visit the
where he teaches voice, voice science, and pedagogy. He has received Membership section of nats.org to learn more.
both of Lawrence University’s Teaching Awards (Young Teacher Award,
November/December 2015 187
