Resonant Voice Therapy (RVT) is a physiologic program that promotes a slightly abducted/adducted laryngeal configuration that studies have revealed to produce maximum vocal intensity with minimum phonotraumatic behaviors. The program comprises two stages.
Initial therapy sessions utilize sensory-based approaches because significant research into motor learning suggests that paying too much attention to the mechanics of new behaviors inhibits their immediate and long-term performance and retention.
What is Lessac-Madsen Resonant Voice Therapy (LMRVT)?
Katherine Verdolini, M.A., CCC-SLP created LMRVT (Lessac Madsen Resonant Voice Therapy) in the early 2000s in tribute to Arthur Lessac and Mark Madsen (her mentors). LMRVT integrates resonant voice therapy and motor learning techniques with exploratory exercises based on semi-occluded or tube phonation techniques which have proven highly successful at producing normal acoustic tone production, along with vocal fold adduction prevention, while simultaneously including vocal fold adduction prevention as part of its core program.
The program aims to assist patients in attaining an ab/adducted voice posture which has been scientifically demonstrated to produce minimal phonotraumatic damage (Verdolini, 2000). The biomechanical goal of this therapy is to balance voice without exerting excessive effort or collision with tissues for optimal acoustic quality resulting in clear speech production and reduced laryngeal nodules/polyps. Functional goals like speaking clearly loudly with strong sound as well as health outcomes such as decreased laryngeal nodules/polps are frequently achieved as outcomes from treatment.
The Resonant Voice Training program involves exercises designed to train vocal cords and larynx to vibrate at a lower frequency with greater volume, encouraging greater laryngeal muscles growth. As this process occurs, training for lower pitched, stronger resonance speech becomes possible as laryngeal muscles can more efficiently absorb vibrations produced by voice vibrations during adduction; leading to stronger, healthier vocal folds during adduction resulting in stronger, healthier voices that last longer than ever before.
Alongside Resonant Voice Training, lessons are also given on various other voice hygiene and function issues. Through a whole-voice approach, the clinician helps clients integrate resonant voices into everyday conversation through imitation and conversational phrases tailored specifically for their lifestyles. Therapists may also introduce bridge exercises which challenge clients to use their resonant voices even during difficult circumstances.
Resonant voice therapy can be an effective treatment option for behavioral voice disorders including benign vocal fold paralysis, muscle tension dysphonia, and self-reported professional voice issues. Success of this form of therapy depends on patient motivation and practice at home; encourage your patients to record themselves performing resonant voice exercises and listen back at various points throughout their day.
What is the Basic Training Gesture (BTG)?
Key to LMRVT is its Basic Training Gesture (BTG). Patients learn to sustain various consonants that create sensations of anterior vibrations in front of the mouth – or, “easy voice”. By using various pitches and loudnesses, patients learn how their voice feels without mechanical instructions (Verdolini 2004). This approach fosters strong patient-clinician relationships while helping avoid accidental phonotrauma by limiting overly high pitch/volume production.
BTG can be taught through a combination of conversation training therapy and bridging exercises designed to establish normalized resonant voice behavior in daily life. Bridging exercises gradually add voicing patterns, increasing complexity of resonant voice behavior until patients can produce normal conversational resonant voices without effort in everyday speech (Verdolini & Titze, in preparation).
BTG uses a vocal sigh hierarchy to combat vocal fold impact stress, starting with teaching patients how to sigh using a “barely touch” pattern that reduces airflow and minimizes impact forces on vocal folds. A circular technique may also be employed during this early phase to gently manipulate larynx. A comprehensive hygiene program is then integrated into treatment in order to increase client compliance while decreasing outside-clinic phonotrauma (Verdolini 2002). This holistic approach to voice care forms the cornerstone of LMRVT model.
What is Easy Phonation?
Speech sounds are composed of both voiced and voiceless sounds. Voiced sounds require vibrating vocal folds which then are transformed into words by the vocal tract. Moments of stuttering may occur as speakers attempt to coordinate movements of their vocal folds with other aspects of speech, like vowel sounds and tonality. Continuous phonation may help reduce moments of stuttering by keeping vocal folds vibrating during all speech activity. Therapists utilize straw phonation as another effective technique in vocal tract exercises. It involves inserting a large straw in either your mouth or nose and blowing bubbles with air through it while creating back pressure through its small opening to ease excess tension on vocal folds.
The straw phonation exercise can help address various articulation and fluency problems such as stuttering, cluttering and other disfluencies in speech production. Furthermore, this technique also serves to treat throat conditions such as nodules and polyps in the throat area.
To perform the exercise, place a large straw (such as a bubble tea straw) in your mouth and begin blowing air through it while speaking on vowel sounds such as /u/, as found in “you”. Repeat this action for 8-10 seconds until lips tingle due to vibration of vocal folds.
When speaking, aim to speak at a steady and even rate without rushing. This will make your voice lighter and easier to enjoy; plus it should reduce any instances of stuttering moments. As soon as this technique feels comfortable to you, try applying it when doing monologues – they provide a way of speaking aloud with multiple people without reading from script.
For an easy onset practice session, choose any of your favorite phrases beginning with vowel sounds like, “Annie ate an apple” or “I’d like some pizza, please.” Be mindful to slow the initiation of vocal fold vibration so that you feel that they are opening gradually rather than closing abruptly as is often the case with hard glottal attacks.
What is Resonant Voice?
Resonant Voice is a vocal technique designed to maximize one’s vocal quality, increase projection, and reduce strain in order to communicate more confidently and clearly in both personal and professional environments. Resonant Voice can be found at public speaking workshops as well as through teachers or customer service professionals seeking stronger vocal performance.
Vocal resonance refers to the vibration of resonator cavities within your mouth, throat, and nose. Your vocal folds vibrating strings are controlled by muscle bands that control pitch and volume; tight muscles or closed vocal folds could result in dry or unnatural voice tones; Resonant Voice offers proper posture, articulation, placement and alignment techniques in order to optimize voice power without tension and increase power in each use.
RVT includes several key techniques, including humming exercises, voice shaping techniques, gentle onset techniques and sensory awareness of the vocal tract. These methods aim to increase vibration of your resonator cavities (which includes your hard palate, alveolar ridge and nasal septum) while encouraging proper closure of vocal folds during phonation.
RVT emphasizes an easy resonant tone supported by both head and chest resonance. This technique is commonly known as “Y-Buzz.” Y-Buzz refers to an easy resonant tone with more emphasis placed on vibration of hard palate, alveolar ridge and nasal septum.
Y-Buzz emphasizes forward focus, easy phonation and sensory processing to achieve a “cleanest” voice that reduces impact between vocal folds during phonation.
Studies demonstrate how resonant voice can alter the shape of your vocal tract and alter formants to produce louder, richer sounds that sound similar to stage call voice. An actor’s resonant voice is produced through an inverted megaphone posture with increased space between teeth, stretched cheek muscles, relaxed anteriorly placed tongue and lips and sensations similar to half-yawning.
