Simplifying Straws: A Q&A
Vocal straws are front and center these days as tools for vocal health and optimization. How do straws work for vocal health?
Which straw is right for my voice?
Which size straw is right for your voice? The truth is all the straws on the market do the same thing. They provide back pressure when you voice into them. The SIZE of the straw determines HOW MUCH back pressure you get. And how much back pressure you want depends on what you're using it for. So all that matters is finding the right size straw for your vocal goals.
What are you using the straw for?
For warmup, resets, or cooldowns
For these tasks, you want the least possible back-pressure, or resistance. In other words, it's a gentle exercise, not an athletic activity. You shouldn't have to push against resistance, which may actually be counterproductive as a warmup/reset/cool down. Voicing through a skinny (3mm), long straw with high resistance for 3 minutes can actually worsen voice quality! It is similar to going to the gym and lifting heavy when your muscles feel tired and weak after an intense workout.
If you are warming up and easing into voicing, or you are vocally injured, you want low resistance. As a warmup, it should feel relatively easy to voice through the straw; an activity you could do quite comfortably for 3 minutes or more.
To increase strength and coordination
Smaller straws (i.e., more resistance) are useful for training and coordination. Ultimately, just like when you go to the gym, a coach (trainer) would be best to guide you to your goals safely.
There is currently no research that addresses exactly what “dose” of back pressure yields the best voicing. As of now, it's trial and error as to which size straw makes your voice sound and feel best. If you don't want to buy a pack of different sized straws to figure it out, you can use a common size, 6mm straw and experiment with vocalizing through it into a cup of water. You can increase or decrease the amount of water and submerge the straw to various depths in the water to modify resistance. There are also kits available that have different sizes to experiment with, and have the added benefit of lasting a lifetime!
Which size straw does what?
Wider diameter straws provide less back pressure, while thinner and longer straws provide more back pressure.
What about the water?
More water results in more resistance, and the more deeply submerged the straw is, the more resistance there is.
Does straw phonation in water offer any additional benefits for improving voice quality compared to straw phonation in the air?
Short answer: No.
Long answer: Straw phonation in water has not been shown to provide any more benefits to voice quality than straw phonation in air. However, the water can provide visual information about our airflow which some people find useful. For example, some find out that they are actually letting all or too much air out through their nose, because when they vocalize through the straw, there are no bubbles in the water! Others discover they might be expending too much air as they vocalize if the bubbles are boisterous and splashing all over their face.
Can I use straw phonation to build vocal strength?
There is emerging literature on straw phonation for athletic purposes and for aging voices, i.e. endurance/strength training. More on that as the research evolves.
At Center for Vocal Health, we use straw phonation as a tool for rehabilitating vocal injury and maintaining vocal health. Consult with our voice therapist if you're interested in learning more about straw phonation, and other techniques and exercises to improve your vocal health.
