What’s the Fuss About SOVT Technique and Exercises, Anyway?

Yes…It’s a real THING! And if you haven’t been using it, you’re game is about to change!

If you’re a singer, speaker, or voice enthusiast, chances are you’ve heard about SOVT exercises. But what exactly is the SOVT technique, and why is it gaining so much popularity among vocal professionals? Let’s unpack this valuable tool and explore how it can elevate your vocal performance, improve vocal health, and become an essential part of your daily vocal practice.

What is SOVT?

SOVT stands for Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract exercises. “Semi-occluded” essentially means that your vocal tract (the pathway your voice travels through) is partially closed at some point. This partial closure creates back pressure in the vocal tract, allowing for smoother, more efficient vocal fold vibrations and reducing vocal strain.

In simple terms, SOVT exercises use techniques like lip trills or straw phonation to encourage your vocal folds to work efficiently. SOVT exercises are gentle and supportive, making them ideal for warming up, cooling down, and building vocal endurance.

Why Are SOVT Exercises Important?

SOVT exercises are invaluable for singers, speakers, and voice users for several reasons:

• Promote Vocal Efficiency: They reduce the stress on your vocal folds by balancing airflow and pressure, helping you use your voice with less strain.
• Improve Resonance and Tone Quality: SOVT exercises can enhance resonance and produce a fuller, richer tone.
• Encourage Relaxed, Healthy Voicing: These exercises help release unnecessary tension in the throat, which is crucial for maintaining vocal health.
• Suitable for All Voice Types: From pop singers to public speakers, SOVT techniques adapt to various needs, making them versatile for both beginners and professionals.

Key SOVT Techniques: How to Do Them and Their Unique Benefits

Let’s break down some popular SOVT exercises, how to perform them, and their specific benefits. Each of these exercises can be done for about 5-10 minutes, depending on your goals and vocal needs.

1. Lip Trills

How to Do It: Relax your lips and gently blow air through them while making a “brrrr” sound, as if you’re imitating a motor. Sustain a pitch or glide up and down the scale to add variety.

Benefits: Lip trills are excellent for airflow management, breath support, and developing a smooth, connected sound across your range. They also warm up your vocal folds without overworking them.

2. Straw Phonation

How to Do It: Take a narrow straw (around 3-4 mm in diameter, like a regular drinking straw) and hum into it while keeping it partially in your mouth.

Benefits: The narrow diameter creates increased back pressure, which promotes healthy phonation by gently supporting the vocal folds. This technique is widely used for warming up the voice and reducing vocal fatigue.

3. Lax Vox Technique

How to Do It: Lax Vox uses a slightly wider and longer straw, ideally 9 mm in diameter (similar to a milkshake straw) and about 30-35 cm in length. The additional length adds an external resonance chamber that essentially doubles the effective length of your vocal tract, helping to balance the acoustic load and create even smoother phonation. To perform this exercise, hum or vocalize into the straw, submerged in water – approximately an inch of the straw in the water, but you can adjust depth for comfort.

Benefits: The added resonance chamber helps to produce a balanced, efficient sound by providing extra back pressure and increased vocal fold closure. The gentle effect from the popping water bubbles acts as a gentle massage on the vocal folds increasing blood flow which enhances the healing effect. “Lax Vox” means “relaxed voice.” This exercise is particularly beneficial for singers and speakers who need more support to avoid strain and improve freedom of resonance.

4. Humming

How to Do It: Close your lips with teeth apart and the tongue resting at the bottom of your mouth with the tip of the tongue gently touching the lower gum ridge. Hum a comfortable pitch. You can glide between pitches or stay on one pitch to focus on resonance.

Benefits: Humming is gentle and easy, helping to enhance resonance in the nasal and mask areas of the face. It’s great for singers working on tone quality and for speakers aiming for a clear, resonant voice.

5. Siren Sounds

How to Do It: Produce a long “ng” sound (as in “sing”), gliding from your lowest to your highest note and back down. Keep your throat relaxed and let your voice move freely.

Benefits: Siren sounds help you explore your full vocal range while improving flexibility and releasing tension. They’re ideal for range-building in singers and warm-ups for speakers.

Other SOVT Exercises to Try

The above exercises are some of the most commonly used, but there are many other effective SOVT techniques worth exploring, such as:

• Tongue Trills: Similar to lip trills, but with your tongue, helping to release tension and improve vocal agility.
• Open Mouth Hums: Humming with your mouth open to different degrees, with your hand covering the mouth while it’s open, and all sound going through the nose – helping with resonance and airflow control.
• “Ng” and “N” Sounds: Sustain “ng” (as in “sing”) or “n” sounds for increased resonance and better vocal fold closure.
• “Z” and “V” Sounds: Sustain these voiced consonants to add variety in back pressure, making them great for maintaining vocal health and flexibility.

Integrating SOVT Exercises into Your Routine

To get the most out of SOVT exercises, try incorporating them into your daily vocal routine. Here’s a breakdown of how you can use these exercises effectively.

1. Warming Up:

Start with 5-10 minutes of SOVT exercises, such as lip trills or straw phonation, before you sing or speak. They will gently activate your vocal folds and prepare your voice without overexertion. This is especially valuable before long speaking engagements, performances, or practice sessions.

2. Vocal Practice:

During practice, use SOVT exercises intermittently, especially if you’re working on challenging phrases. These exercises can help reinforce correct vocal placement and maintain efficiency. For instance, if you’re a singer working on high notes, try siren sounds or lax vox to ease tension and build strength in your upper range.

3. Cooling Down:

After a demanding vocal session, SOVT exercises can help your voice cool down and release tension. A gentle 5-minute session with humming or straw phonation can relax your vocal folds and reduce any strain accumulated during the performance.

How Long and How Often Should You Practice SOVT Exercises?

Ideally, SOVT exercises should become a consistent part of your vocal routine. Start with short sessions of 5-10 minutes, and adjust based on your vocal needs:

• For Warming Up: 5-10 minutes before a session.
• During Practice: Use SOVT exercises as needed to troubleshoot or reinforce good habits.
• For Cooling Down: 5 minutes at the end of your practice or performance.

Consistency is key. By integrating SOVT exercises regularly, you’ll notice improvements in vocal stamina, tone quality, and ease of phonation.

Leveraging SOVT for Singing and Speaking Success

Whether you’re preparing for a speech, singing on stage, or simply improving vocal health, SOVT exercises can be your vocal secret weapon. These techniques enhance vocal efficiency, strengthen your voice, and support long-term vocal health.

Call to Action

For personalized guidance on incorporating SOVT exercises into your vocal practice, consider working with a professional vocal coach like Ted at Ted’s Voice Academy. Gain expert insights tailored to your vocal needs and learn how to unlock the full potential of your voice.

Contact Information
Ted’s Voice Academy
Phone: 253-414-2267
Email: ted@tedsvoiceacademy.com
Website: www.tedsvoiceacademy.com