THE EPIGLOTTIS IN SINGING

The epiglottis is a small, leaf-shaped flap of cartilage located at the base of your tongue, right above your larynx (voice box). It acts like a gatekeeper for your airway.

When you swallow, the epiglottis folds over your windpipe (trachea) to keep food or liquid from going down “the wrong pipe.” Instead, everything gets directed safely into your esophagus.

What The Epiglottis Does When You Sing

The epiglottis plays a subtle but important role in vocal tone, resonance, and breath control when you’re singing.

• It Helps Shape Your Resonance: When you sing, your vocal tract becomes a flexible space that shapes the sound produced by your vocal folds. The position of the epiglottis, along with your tongue, larynx, and soft palate can influence how the sound waves bounce around. A slightly lowered epiglottis (which often happens during open throat singing or certain vowel shapes) can create a darker, richer, or more “classical” sound. A slightly raised position, can give a brighter quality to your tone.

• It’s Part of the “Singer’s Format”: Ever wonder how opera singers manage to project over an entire orchestra with no mic? Part of the answer lies something called the singer’s formant, a cluster of resonance frequencies that gives the voice extra power and focus. The space between the epiglottis and the back wall of the throat (called the epilaryngeal tube) helps create this effect. When you learn to control and narrow that space slightly, often through careful technique, you can boost your vocal projection dramatically.

• It Supports Breath Efficiency: Even though the epiglottis isn’t a “muscle” you control directly, it’s coordination with the rest of your vocal tract can impact how well you manage airflow and vocal fold vibration. A tense or overly high epiglottis position (often caused by swallowing muscles engaging during singing) can restrict airflow, tighten your throat, and make singing feel harder than it should. That’s why a relaxed, low larynx posture, where the epiglottis can sit comfortably is often encouraged for healthy, resonant singing.

The Bottom Line

You can influence your epiglottis by adjusting your tongue posture, larynx height, soft palate lift, and shape of your vowels. You don’t need to obsess over the epiglottis or try to micromanage it. But understand what is does can help you work with your voice. So next time you warm up or sing a phrase, remember there’s a little flap in your throat that’s not just saving you from choking, but also helps sculpt your sound.

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