A sinusoidal vocal fold wave would make speech impossible

Evidence

Soon after they are momentarily shut, the folds are forced open again by air pressure and flow from the lungs. As they are blown open, the folds acquire some velocity and momentum, causing them to continue to open, but like an oscillator, they resist stretching with an opposing tension. They reach a maximum opening and stretch, but the ensuing elastic rebound causes them to close, and the cycle then repeats. It is often stated that the Bernoulli effect (pressure is lower where air is flowing faster, as it is when it passes by the folds) is responsible for their closing, but this only part of the effect, probably more important for soft singing. The role of the elasticity and acquired momentum of the membranes (that is, the oscillator characteristics) involved should not be overlooked. Like an oscillator, the folds under a given tension and held at a given separation have a resonance frequency, which becomes the drive frequency for the vocal tract. For conversation, this drive frequency averages 100 to 125 Hz for males and 210 Hz for females; children average over 300 Hz. — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 1661 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

  • XREF: connects to: The Bernoulli effect is a wrong explanation for vocal fold vibration — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 1661; Different voice qualities result from distinct vocal fold modes

Broader Connections