tag:theconversation.com,2011:/nz/topics/voice-6038/articlesVoice – The Conversation2023-10-12T19:02:26Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2154452023-10-12T19:02:26Z2023-10-12T19:02:26ZArts organisations say they want to be ‘cultural leaders’ – but are they living up to their goals?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/553382/original/file-20231011-19-drz9ru.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=27%2C0%2C5979%2C4007&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/image-large-orchestra-2277995565">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>When the date of the referendum was announced, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra (TSO) <a href="https://limelightmagazine.com.au/event/last-night-of-the-proms-2/">quietly cancelled</a> its Last Night of the Proms concert scheduled for the night before. </p>
<p>The reason, given by the orchestra to the media some weeks after the decision to cancel, <a href="https://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/tasmanian-symphony-orchestra-scraps-last-night-of-the-proms-concert-due-to-voice-referendum/news-story/0cddf92cc236cfb5dcc0f9926365d8f8">was that</a>:</p>
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<p>to press ahead with a musical celebration of British pageantry on this night felt insensitive given its proximity to the Voice referendum the following day.</p>
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<p>Yet, at the time of the decision there was no public statement. The orchestra informed ticket buyers individually. The fact that the cancellation was effected quietly raises questions about why the orchestra did not make any meaningful statement with the cancellation.</p>
<p>The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra states it <a href="https://www.tso.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/TSO2030_StrategyDocument_WEB.pdf">aspires to</a> “serve our sector as cultural leaders”.</p>
<p>Indeed, many Australian arts organisations say they want to be “cultural leaders” – but they must be careful to match their words and actions.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-voice-to-parliament-explained-212100">The Voice to Parliament explained</a>
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<h2>A case of cultural leadership</h2>
<p>The expectation of cultural institutions to go beyond their primary function of creating art, and take an active role in important social conversations has become <a href="https://newapproach.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/ANA-Priorities-Paper_FA_Acc.pdf">widespread</a>. </p>
<p>The upcoming Voice referendum has prompted many arts organisations to <a href="https://www.artshub.com.au/news/features/arts-organisations-statements-on-the-voice-part-1-2667905/">publicly declare</a> their support for a “yes” vote. </p>
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<p>But engaging in social discourse and understanding and enacting a leadership role can be challenging.</p>
<p>The term “cultural leadership” has been <a href="https://culturehive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Demos-Leadership-and-cultural-value1.pdf">used</a> frequently by arts organisations and their funding bodies since the 1990s, linked to an increased expectation that subsidised organisations should contribute to society by creating <a href="https://www.routledge.com/The-Cultural-Leadership-Handbook-How-to-Run-a-Creative-Organization/Hewison-Holden/p/book/9780566091766">public value</a>. </p>
<p>When outlining goals and articulating purpose, arts organisations today regularly commit to contributing to their communities by providing cultural leadership. This commitment is usually <a href="https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Documents/Creating-Public-Value-Through-State-Arts-Agencies.pdf">linked</a> to activities such as outreach, education and collaboration. </p>
<p>The notion of cultural leadership has been subjected to scrutiny. In 2014 theatre maker and festival director Wesley Enoch <a href="https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/6538552">questioned</a> whether true cultural leadership existed in our major institutions. </p>
<p>He highlighted a lack of willingness for both individuals and their organisations to stand for something – to be bold and courageous, particularly when it came to challenging or divisive issues of social change. </p>
<p>Enoch called on cultural organisations to engage with burning social issues, embrace diversity of thought and contribute to the national conversation through their art-making and public engagement. </p>
<p>The TSO’s cancellation of a problematic program without including its stakeholders in discussion, context or explanation does not represent the vision of cultural leadership Enoch evokes.</p>
<h2>Post-colonial reckoning</h2>
<p>There is another important conversation in classical music around <a href="https://schoolofmusic.ucla.edu/george-e-lewis-on-the-decolonizing-of-classical-music/">decolonisation and the canon</a>. </p>
<p>The core <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/culture/music/dead-white-european-males-dominate-orchestra-music-survey-finds-20200623-p5559e.html">programs</a> of Australia’s orchestras are drawn from works by deceased European composers. These works can seem culturally remote and irrelevant in our relatively young country. </p>
<p>It is the role of orchestras to reinforce not just the transformational enrichment classical music can bring, but its relevance in our lives. </p>
<p>Today’s audiences are demanding examination of the origins and contemporary meaning of the works regularly performed in our concert halls. At the same time, questions of diversity, privilege and access are <a href="https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/sites/default/files/download-file/Executive_Summary.pdf">reshaping</a> the organisations that make and present classical music.</p>
<p>In Australia, debates around cultural appropriation and representation have arisen around events like Opera Australia’s accusations of “<a href="https://www.smh.com.au/culture/opera/i-felt-sick-opera-australia-under-fire-for-using-yellowface-20220221-p59yet.html">yellowface</a>” in its production of Turandot, and a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/mar/23/we-made-a-mistake-dark-mofo-pulls-the-plug-on-deeply-harmful-indigenous-blood-work">cancelled event</a> at Dark Mofo where a British flag would have been soaked in Aboriginal blood.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/dark-mofo-doesnt-deserve-our-blood-australia-must-invest-in-first-nations-curators-and-artists-157677">Dark Mofo doesn't deserve our blood. Australia must invest in First Nations curators and artists</a>
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<p>How institutions engage with these discussions is at the heart of their cultural leadership role. </p>
<p>Orchestras are the custodians of the canon, responsible for pushing their art forms forward and vibrant hubs of collective talent, knowledge and experience. </p>
<p>They can choose to harness these resources, positioning themselves at the forefront of difficult conversations – rather than backing away from them without properly developing or communicating their rationales. </p>
<h2>Cultural paternalism</h2>
<p>The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra made a decision based on the moral judgement it would be insensitive to perform the Last Night of the Proms the night before the referendum, given the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/histres/article-abstract/81/212/315/5609831">overtly British patriotism</a> associated with the program.</p>
<p>This may be a worthy contention. But by just cancelling the concert, the orchestra took away the opportunity for important conversations. </p>
<p>This is reflected in the <a href="https://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/tasmanian-symphony-orchestra-scraps-last-night-of-the-proms-concert-due-to-voice-referendum/news-story/0cddf92cc236cfb5dcc0f9926365d8f8">ambiguous statement</a> by the orchestra:</p>
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<p>The TSO believes strongly that art and music should transcend political debate, but we also strive to be sensitive and mindful of community expectations.</p>
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<p>As an alternative to the cancellation, the orchestra could have managed this series of events. They could have hosted a discussion about the history of the proms, exploring the tension between the themes of the concert and current conversations. </p>
<p>The program could have been reshaped, reflecting a dialogue with the orchestra’s community.</p>
<p>Instead, the cancellation raises questions. Will the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra ever perform the Last Night of the Proms program again? Were the themes considered when it was originally scheduled? What decision-making processes guided the call to cancel, and who was involved?</p>
<p>State orchestras were divested from the ABC in the late 1990s and left to redefine their purpose and place in society. The tension between artistic and non-artistic endeavours remains a source of <a href="https://repository.uantwerpen.be/docman/irua/932d44/173036.pdf">friction</a>. </p>
<p>In evolving a leadership role, orchestras and other cultural institutions could recognise that discourse brings us together as a society, and engage with difficult conversations – rather than backing away.</p>
<p>This could be the key to espousing a type of cultural leadership that adds real value to society, on and off stage.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/behind-the-scenes-of-the-voice-referendum-australias-museums-are-already-collecting-the-history-of-tomorrow-214265">Behind the scenes of the Voice referendum, Australia's museums are already collecting the history of tomorrow</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/215445/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Samuel Cairnduff worked for the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra from 2017 to 2022.</span></em></p>The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra quietly cancelled its Last Night of the Proms concert scheduled for the eve of the Voice. Do their words match their actions?Samuel Cairnduff, PhD candidate in cultural leadership, Deakin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2142652023-10-09T19:09:59Z2023-10-09T19:09:59ZBehind the scenes of the Voice referendum, Australia’s museums are already collecting the history of tomorrow<p>Australians are being flooded with information in the lead-up to the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum. </p>
<p>Corflute signs, printed T-shirts, graffiti and leaflets from both the “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2023/sep/18/indigenous-voice-to-parliament-referendum-australians-march-for-yes-campaign-rally-pictures">yes</a>” and “<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-23/voice-to-parliament-no-rallies-held-in-major-australian-cities/102889222">no</a>” campaigns are everywhere. </p>
<p>While this is happening, our museums are working to document the event in real time, to create the historical collections of the future.</p>
<p>But what should our museums collect from the sea of information and imagery to represent how Australians feel about the referendum? What obligations and challenges do our national museums face in collecting today for tomorrow?</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/7-rules-for-a-respectful-and-worthwhile-voice-referendum-212974">7 rules for a respectful and worthwhile Voice referendum</a>
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<h2>Collecting political action</h2>
<p>Libraries, archives and museums are charged with collecting, preserving and exhibiting historical material relevant to the Australian nation. This includes collecting contemporary materials, sometimes categorised by museums as “ephemera”.</p>
<p>These institutions undertake the difficult task of documenting political activities in real time. They cannot know in advance which protests or demonstrations will result in a nationally significant outcome or change, and which events will fade away without impact, meaning their collections may end up <a href="https://mgnsw.org.au/sector/resources/online-resources/collection-management/deaccessioning-and-disposal/">deaccessioned</a>.</p>
<p>Referendums provide a unique opportunity for museums to collect materials with certainty the event, whatever the outcome, will be historically relevant. </p>
<p>The period of pre-referendum debates and scheduling allows museums to fully document the processes and views expressed in the lead-up to the vote. It gives them more time to plan a targeted collecting strategy than when they have little advance knowledge about an action or protest. </p>
<h2>What should museums collect?</h2>
<p>The materials associated with collecting from contemporary political campaigns are usually everyday items of low financial value. These are more often mass-produced than individually handmade. </p>
<p>As surviving items become more difficult to source over time, they become more expensive, so it makes sense for museums to collect them in the moment.</p>
<p>The National Library of Australia is calling for Australians to <a href="https://www.nla.gov.au/stories/blog/donate-your-2023-referendum-campaign-material">donate</a> letters, “how to vote” cards, posters, pamphlets, badges, stickers, T-shirts and hats. Campaign material from all perspectives about the Voice to Parliament debate is sought, including official “yes” and “no” campaign materials and government education materials. </p>
<p>They also seek materials from lobby groups and local events, including those produced by First Nations Australians, from rural and regional communities, and materials in languages other than English.</p>
<p>Later, the materials collected from this campaign will not only tell the story of the Voice referendum, but also be used to create strong links between and across discrete collections and across political convictions and campaigns. </p>
<p>A great example of an item a museum might be looking to to collect is <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/sep/22/indigenous-voice-to-parliament-referendum-miss-wagga-wagga-quest-badge-yes-campaign">Poppy Vandermark’s unofficial “yes” badge</a>. Vandermark wore the badge, designed by a local artist, when she entered the Miss Wagga Wagga Quest. Following backlash for wearing the badge, she withdrew from the event. </p>
<p>The badge is not only a symbol of the “yes” campaign, but also can be used to tell the story of how the “yes” and “no” campaigns are debated in local communities. </p>
<p>Despite their lack of traditional value, the storytelling potential of these everyday items is enormous. Badges are small (don’t require much storage space), sturdy (don’t require specialised preservation), disposable (cheap to acquire) and expressive.</p>
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<p>The earliest examples in <a href="https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/articles/15186">Museum Victoria</a> and <a href="https://collection.powerhouse.com.au/object/379817">the Powerhouse Museum</a> date from the very early 1900s. From the 1960s, badges came to define direct action collective movements, especially around sexual politics, nuclear power and the environment, the war in Vietnam and Indigenous land rights. </p>
<p>A tangible expression of the democratic right to freedom of speech, badges offer accessible entry points into an exhibition or collection from which curators can direct audiences to more complex or challenging subject matter or perspectives. </p>
<h2>Shaping history</h2>
<p>Addressing current political events also gives museums a reason to speak to the public about their role in producing historical narratives, and the obligation democratic institutions – including museums – have in documenting the human experience. </p>
<p>Recording how Australians move through decision-making processes is no less important than documenting the outcome of the vote. </p>
<p>To do this museums need to share their storytelling responsibilities with the Australian public. Talking to people about why museums want to collect their materials and agreeing on how they will be used is a good start. </p>
<p>Museums are generous in recording stories of national heroism and resilience, as in the case of <a href="https://www.nma.gov.au/explore/blog/contemporary-collecting">Australia’s “Black Summer” bushfires</a>. Managing the ethical difficulties of collecting material on contested topics, like the range of opinions on COVID, is <a href="https://blogs.mhs.ox.ac.uk/insidemhs/the-ethics-of-contemporary-collecting/">much more difficult</a>.</p>
<p>But museums must be open about letting the public in on the role that they play in producing history. This means thinking about whose voices they record, and how to represent dissenting opinions.</p>
<p>Most importantly, museums need to spend the last week of the campaign visibly out in the community and engaging with people about what they think. Because, in the end, a single badge or T-shirt or sign can never be a full surrogate for a vote.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/from-badges-to-ball-gowns-how-fashion-took-centre-stage-in-the-1967-and-2023-referendums-212693">From badges to ball gowns: how fashion took centre-stage in the 1967 and 2023 referendums</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/214265/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kylie Message has received funding from the Australian Research Council.</span></em></p>What should our museums collect from the sea of information and imagery to represent how Australians feel about the referendum?Kylie Message, Professor of Public Humanities, Australian National UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2139772023-09-24T20:02:50Z2023-09-24T20:02:50ZIs it ethical non-Indigenous people get to decide on the Voice? Is it OK for one group to have rights others don’t? An ethicist weighs in<p>Australians will soon be asked to <a href="https://voice.gov.au/referendum-2023/referendum-question-and-constitutional-amendment">vote</a> on whether we should “alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice”.</p>
<p>Two philosophical concerns have been raised about this proposal. </p>
<p>First, is it appropriate for members of one group to decide what rights members of another group get? Why should non-Indigenous Australians get to decide if the First Peoples of Australia are granted an institutional Voice? </p>
<p>Second, is it appropriate to give members of one group rights that members of another group lack? Isn’t our system of government based on the idea we are all equal and therefore we should all have the same rights?</p>
<p>I’ll explore the ethical and philosophical basis of each question here.</p>
<h2>1. Should one group get to decide for another group?</h2>
<p>An <a href="https://www.latrobe.edu.au/news/articles/2022/opinion/from-marriage-equality-to-the-voice">analogy is often made</a> between the same-sex marriage postal survey and the Voice referendum. Given <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ajpy.12245?needAccess=true&role=button">evidence</a> about the harm the debate surrounding the same-sex marriage postal survey had on the LGBTQIA+ community, it’s reasonable to ask whether that survey should have occurred, given parliament could have legislated same-sex marriage without the survey. </p>
<p>But despite the fact there are already <a href="https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/media-releases/indigenous-mental-health-groups-call-on-politicians-to-champion-respectful-referendum/">reports</a> of mental harm to First Nations people, considerations of whether or not we need this public vote do not apply to the Voice. The Voice, as a form of constitutional recognition that many (but not all) Indigenous people are seeking, can only occur via a referendum. </p>
<p>And there is actually nothing unusual about citizens and their elected representatives making decisions about what rights and entitlements others have. This is the very nature of democracies. </p>
<p>But this raises a more fundamental tension within our liberal-democratic political system. The tension lies between the “liberal” element, which seeks to secure the rights and liberties of all individuals, and the “democratic” element, which seeks to enact self-rule by the people. </p>
<p>This tension generates a problem known as the “<a href="https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/democracy/">tyranny of the majority</a>”. This is where a democratic majority is able to violate the rights of a smaller minority.</p>
<p>In both the same-sex marriage and Voice votes, there is a large majority with the power to decide the rights of a minority. </p>
<p>Democracies typically guard against a majority mistreating a minority, in part, by enshrining foundational rights and liberties in a constitution that is difficult to change democratically. </p>
<p>This puts an imperfect, but practical, check on the exercise of that tyranny. The rights and entitlements set out in a constitution stipulate the fundamental terms of cooperation within a political community. </p>
<p>For example, the Australian constitution sets out that our political community is based around a Commonwealth with legislative, executive and judicial branches, as well as granting several explicit rights (such as the right to vote and the right to trial by jury) and implied rights (such as the freedom of political communication).</p>
<p>Enacting a constitutional change serves both a symbolic function, by expressing that something is part of the foundational framework of our political community, and a practical function of partially insulating it from changing democratic whims.</p>
<h2>2. Should one group get something others don’t get?</h2>
<p>This leads to the second issue, whether there is something undemocratic about members of one group having different rights to members of other groups. </p>
<p>But this is not necessarily problematic (although it can be). </p>
<p>Members who belong to one group, such as the citizens of Queensland, have rights that members of other groups, such as the citizens of New South Wales, do not have, such as being entitled to elect representatives to the Queensland parliament. </p>
<p>Something similar would apply to the Voice, with First Nations people having the right to elect members to the Voice that members of other groups would not have. </p>
<p>But surely not every group should have its own constitutionally enshrined Voice? On what basis should we grant the First Peoples of Australia such a right? </p>
<p>There are at least two obvious bases. </p>
<p>First, as a <a href="https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/nozick-political/#RecHisInj">rectification of past injustices</a>. For example, if someone steals a painting from you, then you are entitled to have your property back or to receive restitution. This can apply cross-generationally. </p>
<p>If the Nazis stole your great grandfather’s painting, then you are entitled to have it returned to you or receive compensation if the painting emerges many years later, even if your great grandfather is long deceased. </p>
<p>First Nations people of Australia have suffered specific and significant injustices that other groups have not, such as the loss of sovereignty over their traditional lands, and they are therefore entitled to redress, which could (in part) take the form of a Voice. </p>
<p>The second basis is to rectify a specific disadvantage. As Canadian political philosopher <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0090591792020001007">Will Kymlicka</a> puts it:</p>
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<p>we match the rights to the kinds of disadvantage being compensated for. </p>
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<p>For example, Australians with a disability are entitled to certain rights, such as disability support, that members of other groups are not. </p>
<p>On a range of measures, from health to education and wealth, Australia’s First Nations people face <a href="https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-social-justice/projects/close-gap-indigenous-health">significant disadvantages</a>, and it’s therefore reasonable members of that group receive specific rights to counteract the specific forms of disadvantage they experience.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/your-questions-answered-on-the-voice-to-parliament-200818">Your questions answered on the Voice to Parliament</a>
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<h2>Neither of these questions are the important ones</h2>
<p>In democracies, majorities are asked to vote on what rights a minority has and members of different groups can have different rights. </p>
<p>Rather than focus on whether a Voice would “<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-22/peter-dutton-says-indigenous-voice-will-re-racialise-the-country/102378700">divide us by race</a>”, we should focus (among other things) on the substantive issues of whether the proposed changes will be effective in helping to rectify past injustices or to counteract specific disadvantages, and whether any such changes should be embedded in our Constitution. </p>
<p>Inclusion in the Constitution would serve as an enduring expression of their foundational role in our political community, and would partially insulate them from democratic meddling.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/7-rules-for-a-respectful-and-worthwhile-voice-referendum-212974">7 rules for a respectful and worthwhile Voice referendum</a>
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<p><em>Correction: this article originally referred to the same-sex marriage plebiscite, rather than postal survey.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/213977/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Paul Formosa does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Two big ethical questions have emerged during the Voice to Parliament campaign: is it fair non-Indigenous people will get the majority say? And is it fair one group will get something others don’t?Paul Formosa, Professor and Head of the Department of Philosophy, and Co-Director of the Macquire University Ethics & Agency Research Centre, Macquarie UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2095862023-09-19T04:01:22Z2023-09-19T04:01:22ZIs humming healthy? Mmm, here’s what the evidence says<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539912/original/file-20230728-21-631v77.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=1%2C0%2C997%2C655&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/calm-brunette-handsome-woman-wearing-headphones-2209361323">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>There are <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/jun/30/eat-at-regular-times-take-three-minute-breaks-and-hum-how-to-fight-feeling-exhausted">plenty</a> of <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/qjkxqm/health-benefits-humming-breathing-meditate">health claims</a> <a href="https://www.iflscience.com/the-humming-trend-is-picking-up-why-might-it-have-benefits-65953">about humming</a>. They include reducing stress, helping you breathe more easily, relieving sinus congestion, lowering your blood pressure and lifting your mood.</p>
<p>That’s a lot of potential benefits for something that comes pretty naturally to most of us.</p>
<p>Can something so simple really be healthy? Here’s what we know so far.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/from-marie-kondos-tuning-fork-to-vibrators-for-hysteria-a-short-shaky-history-of-curing-with-vibrations-127443">From Marie Kondo's tuning fork to vibrators for 'hysteria': a short, shaky history of curing with vibrations</a>
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<h2>Humming’s all around us</h2>
<p>Humming is likely connected to our <a href="http://www.brainmusic.org/EducationalActivities/Trehub_developement2003.pdf">earliest memories</a> of comfort and care, as caregivers soothe infants with lullabies and humming. Infants, unable to comprehend speech, take in the melodic information, making humming one of our earliest forms of bonding through sound.</p>
<p>As we get older, we hum when we’re happy, embarrassed, displeased or in agreement with someone. Mmm. Hmm.</p>
<p>We often hum tunes unconsciously, even ones we don’t like, by <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/20592043231164581">mirroring</a> what we hear. Some tunes can even get stuck in our heads if they contain <a href="https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-19000-1">hooks</a> and <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00167/full">repetition</a>. And let’s face it, humming’s also handy when we can’t remember the words.</p>
<p>Then there are songs that feature humming, such as Enya’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOP_PPavoLA">The Humming</a>, the 90s smash hit <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTeg1txDv8w">Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm</a> by the Crash Test Dummies, or James Blake’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p6PcFFUm5I">Retrograde</a>.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6p6PcFFUm5I?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Listen to the humming in the intro of Retrograde, from James Blake.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What happens when we hum?</h2>
<p>When we hum, we create a <a href="https://thejcdp.com/doi/JCDP/pdf/10.5005/jp-journals-10024-3134">buzzing sound</a> with our mouth closed. We force air through our vocal folds (the newer term for vocal cords), causing them to vibrate and produce sound. We can control the pitch by adjusting the tension of our vocal folds to hum a tune.</p>
<p>All this <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40473-014-0010-5">vibration</a> likely stimulates our vagus nerve (we actually have two), part of our parasympathetic nervous system. This is the nervous system that <a href="https://theconversation.com/our-vagus-nerves-help-us-rest-digest-and-restore-can-you-really-reset-them-to-feel-better-210469">calms and restores</a> body functions such as our heart rate, digestion and respiration.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1694847053082599784"}"></div></p>
<p>People often hum as a way to relax. Their heart rate can decrease and their <a href="https://theconversation.com/heart-rate-variability-what-to-know-about-this-biometric-most-fitness-trackers-measure-194898">heart rate variability</a> can increase. Heart rate variability refers to the slight fluctuation in time between each heartbeat. A higher heart rate variability is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7735506/">associated with</a> better health. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/heart-rate-variability-what-to-know-about-this-biometric-most-fitness-trackers-measure-194898">Heart rate variability – what to know about this biometric most fitness trackers measure</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
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<p>When we hum, oscillating sound waves may also affect the sinuses, leading to increased levels of <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-right-way-to-breathe-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic-140695">nitric oxide</a> in the nose. One study found a <a href="https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/rccm.200202-138BC">15-fold increase</a> of nasal nitric oxide from humming compared to exhaling quietly. Nitric oxide is <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20817920/">involved in</a> everything from brain and immune function to <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-right-way-to-breathe-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic-140695">blood flow to the lungs</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15866322/">sexual arousal</a>.</p>
<p>In another study, researchers looked at people with allergic rhinitis (such as people with pollen or dust allergies). When they hummed, they had higher levels of nasal nitric oxide and had <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2362.2004.01384.x?casa_token=OspothE_F38AAAAA%3A_SZD2XFBL5t-CqXjNWtiO4GtUUkZXD00n6Ehwe9CJdJSxrau7Dw_3ceNnR186vMVUS5XDlgXN3R2">fewer</a> sinus problems compared to those who exhaled silently.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1571421542655078402"}"></div></p>
<p>Humming <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/370636686_Which_meditation_technique_for_whom_An_experimental_single-case_study_comparing_concentrative_humming_observing-thoughts_and_walking_meditation">also leads to</a> some unexpected psychological effects. These include increased body awareness and “decentering” – the ability to separate oneself from thoughts, emotions and sensations.</p>
<h2>How about chanting?</h2>
<p>Humming also plays an important role in <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/373214522_Music_and_Healing_Rituals_In_The_Science_and_Psychology_of_Music_From_Beethoven_at_the_Office_to_Beyonce_at_the_Gym">chanting</a>. One example is in the ancient meditation technique <a href="https://www.wikihow.health/Breathe-Like-a-Yoga-Master">bhramari pranayama</a> (which can involve humming while gently closing the ears with your fingertips).</p>
<p>It is no coincidence one of the world’s most chanted sounds – om – involves a long, sustained hum at the end. Chanting all sorts of various sounds and prayers is believed to <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/1/101">connect</a> practitioners to the spiritual realm and induce feelings of peace.</p>
<p>Chanting has cognitive benefits, such as mindfulness, and altered states of consciousness, <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/11/1456">such as flow</a> – a feeling of being absorbed by and deeply focused on an activity. Chanting also <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.647632/full">reduces stress</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542067/original/file-20230810-23-7n4kt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Monks wearing orange robes, palms together, chanting" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542067/original/file-20230810-23-7n4kt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542067/original/file-20230810-23-7n4kt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542067/original/file-20230810-23-7n4kt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542067/original/file-20230810-23-7n4kt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542067/original/file-20230810-23-7n4kt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542067/original/file-20230810-23-7n4kt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542067/original/file-20230810-23-7n4kt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Chanting can end with an ‘om’, a sustained hum.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/monks-chanting-buddhist-ritual-1436553854">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>In a nutshell</h2>
<p>We hum for lots of different reasons, suggesting that these common vocalisations play an important role in our lives.</p>
<p>Is humming healthy? More research is needed. But humming feels good, improves our mood, distracts us from boring tasks, and can even be used for spiritual practice. Happy humming!</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/209586/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>People claim humming can do everything from bust stress to clear congested sinuses.Gemma Perry, Post doctoral researcher, Bond UniversityWilliam Forde Thompson, Professor, Faculty of Society & Design, Bond UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2127692023-09-04T06:25:30Z2023-09-04T06:25:30ZIt was written for nuclear disarmament – but today You’re The Voice is the perfect song for the ‘yes’ campaign<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/546121/original/file-20230904-17-cssrkf.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=5%2C2%2C1911%2C1074&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">John Farnham in the new ad for the Yes campaign. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Uluru Dialogue</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The serendipity of the pairing between John Farnham’s 1986 hit single You’re the Voice and the Voice to Parliament referendum is obvious, but it goes well beyond the fact the two share the key word “voice”. </p>
<p>The original was composed by a team of British songwriters in response to an anti-nuclear demonstration in London’s Hyde Park in 1985. Chris Thompson, Andy Qunta and Maggie Ryder had planned a song-writing session on the day an <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/27/world/100000-in-london-protest-arms-race.html">estimated 100,000 marched through central London</a> in support the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. </p>
<p>Thompson, however, overslept. As an act of self-admonishment he decided to express his remorse by conceiving a song that emphasised the importance of personal agency in achieving political change.</p>
<p>This is the kernel of meaning in You’re the Voice. It is also what makes it so especially well suited to support a campaign about a referendum to give Indigenous Australians a constitutionally recognised Voice to Parliament nearly 40 years later. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1698260272165875951"}"></div></p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-voice-to-parliament-explained-212100">The Voice to Parliament explained</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>The grain of Farnham’s voice</h2>
<p>Thompson was not at all convinced at the time Farnham <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/why-john-farnham-was-nearly-rockblocked-from-youre-the-voice/news-story/9e048f2d4550a8b4c1a28e2eba4909f6">could do the song justice</a> when he requested it for inclusion in his album Whispering Jack. </p>
<p>And yet the particular qualities of Farnham’s singing is also arguably crucial to the song’s success, then and now.</p>
<p>The music’s combination of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentimental_ballad#Power_ballads">power ballad</a> tempo with <a href="https://music.amazon.com.au/playlists/B078H6J6BF">pub anthem</a> singability calls for a kind of full-throated vocal performance that takes more than a little inspiration from African American gospel traditions. </p>
<p>Singers drawn from these traditions include giants of popular musical culture like James Brown, Tina Turner and Aretha Franklin. It is not exaggerated praise to suggest Farnham here delivers a performance that stands with their best.</p>
<p>And it was career changing for him, helping Farnham to put to rest his earlier image as a clean-cut purveyor of sentimental pop songs like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0c55lXRAeg">Sadie the Cleaning Lady</a> and relaunch his career. </p>
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<p>Farnham’s singing here exemplifies what Roland Barthes famously described in <a href="https://courses.lsa.umich.edu/jptw/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2017/08/Barthes-ImageMusicText.pdf">an essay from 1972</a> as the “grain of the voice”: the element of a singer’s individuality which helps convey the sincerity and authenticity of what is being sung.</p>
<p>You’re the Voice further highlights the grain of Farnham’s singing via the exclamation “oh, whoa!” regularly punctuating the song’s chorus. In a powerful moment of sonic symbolism, the exclamation is eventually taken up in the advertisement (like the sentiment of the song itself, it is no doubt hoped) by a chorus of supporters.</p>
<h2><em>You</em> are the voice</h2>
<p>Indeed, if it is to succeed, the referendum will need to convince an especially broad coalition of Australians to vote for “yes”.</p>
<p>The song supports this goal from its very title: <em>you</em> are the voice. It asks each of us, individually, to consider how we can act for the common good. </p>
<blockquote>
<p>We have the chance to turn the pages over <br>
We can write what we want to write <br>
We gotta make ends meet, before we get much older. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>The song’s explicit call to action has now been connected to the forthcoming referendum: now is the moment to use your voice at the ballot box to give, in turn, a constitutionally enshrined voice to indigenous Australians.</p>
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<p>The “yes” campaign’s appeal to collective responsibility is one aspect of the referendum process that <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/16/lidia-thorpe-calls-for-referendum-called-off-indigenous-voice-to-parliament-no-campaign">concerns some Indigenous critics</a>. The very enterprise of constitutional reform, after all, presumes the legitimacy of the Australian constitution which in turn presumes the legitimacy of the original act of colonial dispossession. </p>
<p>But the bigger threat to the “yes” campaign arguably comes from those who see the idea of an <a href="https://ipa.org.au/ipa-today/the-indigenous-voice-to-parliament-has-the-potential-to-be-divisive">Indigenous voice to parliament itself as divisive</a>. </p>
<p>Yet, as the song goes:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>This time, we know we all can stand together <br>
With the power to be powerful <br>
Believing we can make it better.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The use of You’re the Voice here reinforces the view that supporting the Voice to Parliament is a positive act of national reconciliation that we, as a nation, can take together. </p>
<p>It is an injunction to take personal and collective responsibility for the history and character of the country we all share. </p>
<h2>Politically inclusive</h2>
<p>The advertisement is the work of human rights lawyer <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/staff/megan-davis">Megan Davis</a>, historian <a href="https://www.clarewright.com.au/">Clare Wright</a> and <a href="https://themonkeys.com.au/">The Monkeys advertising agency</a>.</p>
<p>It focuses on a family as they watch key moments which shaped Australia’s collective identity. It looks at key moments of reconciliation, Indigenous achievement and Indigenous protest; but also broader moments in collective action.</p>
<p>In a particularly astute move, the advertisement overlays images of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/jan/01/john-howard-port-arthur-gun-control-1996-cabinet-papers">John Howard’s 1996 gun reforms</a> in the wake of the Port Arthur massacre as Farnham delivers the lines:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>We’re all someone’s daughter<br>
We’re all someone’s son<br>
How long can we look at each other<br>
Down the barrel of a gun?<br></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Implicit in this conjunction is a reminder to us that support for the “yes” vote, like any nation-changing political act, can come from any side of politics.</p>
<h2>Democratising the message</h2>
<p>There are many more layers we could tease apart in You’re The Voice. Its extended bagpipes solo originated as an homage to AC/DC singer Bon Scott, connecting it to the egalitarian, <a href="https://www.popmatters.com/141796-let-there-be-rock-2496022409.html">working class culture</a> Scott’s music addresses. </p>
<p>Then there is the way the bagpipes, combined with the song’s use of side-drum rhythmic patterns, evoke the sound world of a military tattoo or march. This simultaneously elevates the register of its message. The song – and now the ad – is an implicit call to arms.</p>
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<p>The inclusion of You’re the Voice in the “yes” campaign thus provides powerful support for its central message.</p>
<p>Farnham himself recognises this. Upon release of the advertisement, Farnham <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/john-farnham-backs-voice-permits-his-anthem-to-front-yes-campaign-ad-20230901-p5e18t.html">spoke about</a> how, when it was first released in 1986, the song “changed his life”. </p>
<p>Generously, he concluded: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>I can only hope that now it might help in some small way, to change the lives of our First Nations Peoples for the better. </p>
</blockquote>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-the-yes-campaign-should-embrace-the-politics-of-nationhood-212006">Why the 'yes' campaign should embrace the politics of nationhood</a>
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<p><em>Correction: this article has been updated to reflect the advertisement was the work of Megan Davis, Clare Wright and The Monkeys advertising agency.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/212769/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Peter Tregear does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>You’re the Voice reinforces the view that supporting the Voice to Parliament is an act of national reconciliation we can take together.Peter Tregear, Principal Fellow and Professor of Music, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2121002023-08-30T01:47:20Z2023-08-30T01:47:20ZThe Voice to Parliament explained<p>Now we finally have a date for the Voice to Parliament referendum, it’s a good time to return to the terrific work our academic experts have done to explain the Voice to Parliament – as well as debunking some of the misinformation and disinformation we’ve seen so far.</p>
<p>Many of the questions we have addressed came from readers who took part in our <a href="https://theconversation.com/your-questions-answered-on-the-voice-to-parliament-200818">Voice reader survey</a> last year. In seeking answers, we’ve drawn from the nation’s preeminent constitutional experts, and prioritised First Nations perspectives.</p>
<p>The Australian constitution and the 220-plus page report of the co-design proposed Voice are not very accessible for those of us who don’t speak fluent policy. This is why the work we do at The Conversation is vital. Often it’s not only academic findings we need to translate for readers, but the very documents and policies that govern our lives.</p>
<p>So to prepare for the referendum, here are some of our articles addressing frequently asked questions. They will hopefully assist in making sure we’re as informed as possible when it’s our turn at the ballot box.</p>
<h2>Helpful general information:</h2>
<p><strong><a href="https://theconversation.com/australians-will-vote-in-a-referendum-on-october-14-what-do-you-need-to-know-195352">Australians will vote in a referendum on October 14. What do you need to know?</a></strong></p>
<p>Pre-eminent constitutional scholar Anne Twomey reminds us of the referendum basics – what will it say on the ballot paper? What’s the proposed addition to the Constitution? How do I make my vote count? </p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/10-questions-about-the-voice-to-parliament-answered-by-the-experts-207014"><strong>10 questions about the Voice to Parliament - answered by the experts</strong></a></p>
<p>Three non-Indigenous and Indigenous academics provide answers to ten key questions arising in the Voice debate, where the answers are often confused and distorted by misinformation.</p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/the-voice-what-is-it-where-did-it-come-from-and-what-can-it-achieve-202138"><strong>The Voice: what is it, where did it come from, and what can it achieve?</strong></a></p>
<p>We now know the wording of the Voice referendum and proposed constitutional amendment. But what may have been forgotten is how we got here in the first place – and why it matters.</p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/what-can-history-teach-us-to-ensure-a-successful-referendum-for-a-first-nations-voice-to-parliament-187843"><strong>What can history teach us to ensure a successful referendum for A First Nations Voice to parliament?</strong></a></p>
<p>How much detail should referendum proposals contain? And is there a risk that proposals that are too detailed, or too vague, can end up being rejected by voters?</p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/how-we-can-avoid-political-misinformation-in-the-lead-up-to-the-voice-referendum-206500"><strong>How we can avoid political misinformation in the lead-up to the Voice referendum</strong></a></p>
<p>As the referendum date approaches, campaigns may use misinformation to spark emotions in people to get them to vote a certain way. Here are some ways to spot dishonest claims and misinformation.</p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/will-multicultural-australians-support-the-voice-the-success-of-the-referendum-may-hinge-on-it-199304"><strong>Will multicultural Australians support the Voice? The success of the referendum may hinge on it</strong></a></p>
<p>Because there are such a large number of multicultural groups in Australia, how they choose to vote in the upcoming referendum will be significant. This article explores how factors such as race, religion, and experience with racial interactions may inform how these demographics could vote.</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://theconversation.com/7-rules-for-a-respectful-and-worthwhile-voice-referendum-212974">7 rules for a respectful and worthwhile Voice referendum</a></strong></p>
<p>We’re out of practice in how to conduct ourselves in a referendum. How can we make sure our discussions with friends and family are respectful? How can we find reliable sources to ensure we make an informed choice? These seven rules may help.</p>
<h2>Constitutional and legal explainers</h2>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/why-cant-we-just-establish-the-voice-to-parliament-through-legislation-a-constitutional-law-expert-explains-203652"><strong>Why can’t we just establish the Voice to Parliament through legislation? A constitutional law expert explains</strong></a></p>
<p>Legislation is an unsatisfactory way to institute a Voice to Parliament because, among other reasons, it would make the body insecure and vulnerable to the whims of different governments.</p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/with-11-indigenous-politicians-in-parliament-why-does-australia-need-the-voice-200910"><strong>With 11 Indigenous politicians in parliament, why does Australia need the Voice?</strong></a> </p>
<p>Even though there is strong Indigenous representation in parliament, this does not guarantee Indigenous communities a say in laws and policies made on their behalf.</p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/a-voice-to-parliament-will-not-give-special-treatment-to-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-australians-heres-why-200650"><strong>A Voice to Parliament will not give ‘special treatment’ to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. Here’s why</strong></a></p>
<p>There have been concerns voiced about the First Nations Voice to Parliament having special powers, such as veto power. This will not be the case.</p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/what-happens-if-the-government-goes-against-the-advice-of-the-voice-to-parliament-200517"><strong>What happens if the government goes against the advice of the Voice to Parliament?</strong></a></p>
<p>If the Voice to Parliament is implemented, what could their advisory role look like, and how will the government determine what advice they follow, and what happens if they don’t?</p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/why-is-it-legal-to-tell-lies-during-the-voice-referendum-campaign-209211"><strong>Why is it legal to tell lies during the Voice referendum campaign?</strong></a></p>
<p>There has been a lot of misinformation and disinformation circulating in the lead-up to the referendum, with Linda Burney calling some of it out as “post-truth politics”. However, it’s technically not illegal for campaigns to be dishonest in their messaging, why is this?</p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/how-does-the-liberal-partys-voice-policy-stack-up-against-the-proposed-referendum-203352"><strong>How does the Liberal Party’s Voice policy stack up against the proposed referendum?</strong></a></p>
<p>This article explores the similarities and differences between the Liberal and Labour Parties’ positions on the Voice to Parliament, and the efficacy of their proposed designs.</p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/solicitor-general-confirms-voice-model-is-legally-sound-will-not-fetter-or-impede-parliament-204266"><strong>Solicitor-general confirms Voice model is legally sound, will not ‘fetter or impede’ parliament</strong></a></p>
<p>Australia’s solicitor-general Stephen Donaghue provided the federal government with legal advice on the Voice to Parliament. This article provides a summary of Donaghue’s findings stating the Voice will be legally sound.</p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/no-the-voice-proposal-will-not-be-legally-risky-this-misunderstands-how-constitutions-work-212696"><strong>No, the Voice proposal will not be ‘legally risky’. This misunderstands how constitutions work</strong></a></p>
<p>Concerns have been raised about enshrining a Voice in the Constitution, with the “no” campaign arguing it would be “legally risky”. This article explains why this misunderstands the role of constitutions.</p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/no-the-voice-to-parliament-would-not-force-people-to-give-up-their-private-land-212784"><strong>No, the Voice to Parliament would not force people to give up their private land</strong></a></p>
<p>Some Voice opponents are claiming the new advisory body could lead to the conversion of private land title to native title. But this is not how native title law works.</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-executive-government-and-what-does-it-have-to-do-with-the-voice-to-parliament-212785">Explainer: what is executive government and what does it have to do with the Voice to Parliament?</a></strong></p>
<p>A Voice to Parliament would advise parliament and the executive government on issues that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This is who is included in “executive government”.</p>
<h2>First Nations perspectives</h2>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/the-liberal-partys-no-position-on-voice-signals-its-primarily-interested-in-speaking-to-a-nation-that-no-longer-exists-203397"><strong>The Liberal Party’s ‘no’ position on Voice signals it’s primarily interested in speaking to a nation that no longer exists</strong></a></p>
<p>Sana Nakata writes that the Liberal Party’s preference for the Voice to be purely symbolic is speaking to so-called “Howard’s Australia”, which just isn’t who we are anymore.</p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/for-a-lot-of-first-nations-peoples-debates-around-the-voice-to-parliament-are-not-about-a-simple-yes-or-no-199766"><strong>For a lot of First Nations peoples, debates around the Voice to Parliament are not about a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’</strong></a></p>
<p>Although there are definitive “yes” and “no” campaigns, the arguments for and against the Voice do not just fall into these categories. Kelly Menzel explores the cultural and historical complexities behind many First Nations peoples’ apprehension or uncertainty around the proposed Voice.</p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/our-research-has-shown-indigenous-peoples-needs-cannot-be-understood-and-met-without-indigenous-voices-199286"><strong>Our research has shown Indigenous peoples’ needs cannot be understood and met, without Indigenous voices</strong></a></p>
<p>This article explores the benefits of diverse collaboration with political discourse and policy development. When policies are informed by one group’s experiences and worldview there is the risk of racial biases. Failure to incorporate Indigenous perspectives has contributed to decades of <a href="https://caepr.cass.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/docs/2019/6/PolicyInsightsPaper1_2019_.pdf">misinformed</a>, ineffective policy such as the <a href="https://theconversation.com/ten-years-on-its-time-we-learned-the-lessons-from-the-failed-northern-territory-intervention-79198">Northern Territory Intervention</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/why-a-first-nations-voice-should-come-before-treaty-192388"><strong>Why a First Nations Voice should come before Treaty</strong></a></p>
<p>A leading argument against the Voice to Parliament is that Treaty should come first. However, Pat Anderson and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paul-komesaroff-1137">Paul Komesaroff</a> write of the limitations of a Treaty alone, and how the Voice to Parliament can create a framework for the country to move forward in processes such as these.</p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/people-in-the-kimberley-have-spent-decades-asking-for-basics-like-water-and-homes-will-the-voice-make-their-calls-more-compelling-202606"><strong>People in the Kimberley have spent decades asking for basics like water and homes. Will the Voice make their calls more compelling?</strong></a></p>
<p>One crucial question about the Voice to Parliament is how it will ensure voices from regional and remote communities, such as those in the Kimberley, are truly heard in Canberra.</p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/why-didnt-we-know-is-no-excuse-non-indigenous-australians-must-listen-to-the-difficult-historical-truths-told-by-first-nations-people-208780"><strong>‘Why didn’t we know?’ is no excuse. Non-Indigenous Australians must listen to the difficult historical truths told by First Nations people</strong></a></p>
<p>In the Uluru Statement, alongside “Treaty” and “Voice”, there is also a call for “Truth”. How can non-Indigenous people in Australia facilitate truth-telling about the painful history of colonisation?</p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/the-voice-alone-wont-solve-the-issues-facing-indigenous-people-everyone-has-to-do-that-work-206676"><strong>The Voice alone won’t solve the issues facing Indigenous people. Everyone has to do that work</strong></a></p>
<p>Oppressed and marginalised people are often the ones being asked how to address racism, instead of the people who perpetuate it. There is a real danger of the Voice to Parliament being expected to do the same thing. How can non-Indigenous people “do the work” without placing the onus on the people who are suffering from racism?</p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/there-are-two-sides-to-the-no-campaign-on-the-voice-who-are-they-and-why-are-they-opposed-to-it-212362"><strong>There are two sides to the ‘no’ campaign on the Voice. Who are they and why are they opposed to it?</strong></a></p>
<p>There are two sides to the “no” camp and they are very different. Bronwyn Carlson explains what the two sides are arguing and the different approaches they’ve taken when it comes to style and tone.</p>
<h2>Voice, Treaty, Truth explainers</h2>
<p>Since the Uluru statement was declared in 2017 we have heard calls from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders for “Voice, Treaty and Truth”. Our experts explained each stage of this process.</p>
<p><strong>1. <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-voice-what-is-it-where-did-it-come-from-and-what-can-it-achieve-202138">The Voice: what is it, where did it come from, and what can it achieve?</a></strong></p>
<p><strong>2. <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-actually-is-a-treaty-what-could-it-mean-for-indigenous-people-200261?notice=Article+has+been+updated.">What actually is a treaty? What could it mean for Indigenous people?</a></strong></p>
<p><strong>3. <a href="https://theconversation.com/first-nations-people-have-made-a-plea-for-truth-telling-by-reckoning-with-its-past-australia-can-finally-help-improve-our-future-202137">First Nations people have made a plea for ‘truth-telling’. By reckoning with its past, Australia can finally help improve our future</a></strong></p>
<h2>How did we get here?</h2>
<p>We commissioned a series of experts to have a look at the turning points and significant moments in the Indigenous rights movement that brought us here. </p>
<p><strong><a href="https://theconversation.com/in-the-1800s-colonisers-attempted-to-listen-to-first-nations-people-it-didnt-stop-the-massacres-204538">In the 1800s, colonisers attempted to listen to First Nations people. It didn’t stop the massacres</a></strong></p>
<p>This article details how the establishment of the office of the Protector of Aboriginal People informed policies that led to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people not being included in the Australian Constitution of 1901.</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://theconversation.com/the-1881-maloga-petition-a-call-for-self-determination-and-a-key-moment-on-the-path-to-the-voice-197796">The 1881 Maloga petition: a call for self-determination and a key moment on the path to the Voice</a></strong></p>
<p>In Victoria, large groups of First Nations people were placed onto missions for protection due to a lawless frontier. But this was at the cost of their land, language, lore, kinship structures and liveable conditions. This led to the Maloga mission petition of 1881. The petition set many people – including Yorta Yorta man William Cooper – on a career of activism. </p>
<p><strong><a href="https://theconversation.com/long-before-the-voice-vote-the-australian-aboriginal-progressive-association-called-for-parliamentary-representation-198064">Long before the Voice vote, the Australian Aboriginal Progressive Association called for parliamentary representation</a></strong></p>
<p>Worimi historian John Maynard explores how Aboriginal activists first called for a voice to parliament during the 1920s. This call came from the first Aboriginal political organisation, the Australian Aboriginal Progressive Association, led by John’s grandfather Fred Maynard.</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://theconversation.com/90-years-ago-yorta-yorta-leader-william-cooper-petitioned-the-king-for-aboriginal-representation-in-parliament-198396">90 years ago, Yorta Yorta leader William Cooper petitioned the king for Aboriginal representation in parliament</a></strong></p>
<p>Yorta Yorta leader William Cooper set about petitioning the British king, George V with the intention of Aboriginal people being represented in the Commonwealth parliament. Cooper was pursuing this so Australia’s lawmakers could be informed of the views of Aboriginal people.</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://theconversation.com/the-1967-referendum-was-the-most-successful-in-australias-history-but-what-it-can-tell-us-about-2023-is-complicated-198874">The 1967 referendum was the most successful in Australia’s history. But what it can tell us about 2023 is complicated</a></strong></p>
<p>The 1967 referendum was considered a success due to the 90.77% of Australians endorsing two constitutional amendments. Commentators credit the success of this referendum to unanimity, as there wasn’t a “no” campaign in 1967. However, as Jon Piccini explores, the answer is more complicated than that.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/212100/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
To prepare for the referendum, here are some articles addressing frequently asked questions. They will hopefully assist in making us as informed as possible when it’s our turn at the ballot box.Carissa Lee, First Nations and Public Policy Editor, The ConversationLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2089562023-08-30T01:45:51Z2023-08-30T01:45:51ZVoice referendum: is the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ camp winning on social media, advertising spend and in the polls?<p>Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed the Voice to Parliament referendum will take place on Saturday October 14.</p>
<p>This is a critical moment in the referendum’s outcome. The “yes” and “no” campaigns for a Voice to Parliament are about to be supercharged as both sides begin a six-week countdown to voting day.</p>
<p>To give you an idea of what that might look like, a team of political scientists has come together at The Conversation to provide fortnightly updates on various indicators of the state of the two campaigns until polling day. </p>
<p>This includes the key messages that are getting the most public attention – in the news, social media, online ads and opinion polls. </p>
<p>To win, “yes” needs to get a majority of voters in a majority of states. Currently our estimate of the pooling of the national polls has the “yes” vote at about 46 and “no” at 54 (with a margin of error of 2.9%). </p>
<p>There are too few state polls to apply the same analysis, but earlier individual polls such as <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/yes-vote-for-the-voice-is-leading-in-every-state-and-territory-poll-20230429-p5d482.html">YouGov</a> suggested Victoria and NSW were more supportive than other states.</p>
<h2>What’s happening in the news?</h2>
<p>Working with mainstream (print, radio and TV) and social media data from Meltwater, a global media monitoring company, our keyword analytics show that on average the referendum debate is attracting about 5,500 mentions across all media a day since January 1, 2023. </p>
<p>This week it is averaging 7,184 mentions, showing how attention to the debate is slowly building since the start of the year.</p>
<p>To date, public engagement through media and social media posts is more likely to be piqued by criticism of the Voice than support for it.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-voice-to-parliament-explained-212100">The Voice to Parliament explained</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
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<h2>What’s trending on social media?</h2>
<p>An analysis of X (formerly Twitter) data shows key events attracting the most public attention this year were Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s decision not to support the Voice to Parliament, and the subsequent party resignations of Liberals Ken Wyatt, Noel Pearson and Fred Chaney on April 6.</p>
<p>When we look at who and what is getting public attention on Facebook and X, it is most often conservative figures and politicians sharing Sky News reports critical of the Voice. </p>
<p>In the past three months, the top five items that have had the most interactions - tens of thousands of shares each and reaching more than 6 million viewers collectively - on X and Facebook, are:</p>
<ol>
<li><p><a href="https://thewest.com.au/news/awards/australias-top-businesswoman-gina-rinehart-named-western-australian-of-the-year-c-10845707?utm_source=csp&utm_medium=portal&utm_campaign=Meltwater&token=ilVOgiuVBlyFBRM64eMI9%2Fi0o5Y86SYZwa%2B8Bj8%2BH57XOc7rsi0drNl6wqJx">Gina Rinehart</a> being named “Western Australian of the Year”. This was along with Ken Wyatt, who was awarded the “Wesfarmers Aboriginal Award”, which describes him as “a strong advocate for an Aboriginal Voice to Parliament”</p></li>
<li><p>A critical <a href="https://www.skynews.com.au/business/media/the-fact-check-files-inside-the-secretive-and-lucrative-fact-checking-industry-behind-a-foreignfunded-bid-to-censor-voice-debate/news-story/31915e1eb03b029b86a2f03aac19338b">Sky News Australia story</a> accusing RMIT Fact Lab of working with Meta (the owner of Facebook) to “censor Voice debate”</p></li>
<li><p>One Nation MP <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=822669132717933">Pauline Hanson</a> commenting on a Sky News story featuring Peta Credlin criticising the Voice agenda</p></li>
<li><p>Nationals MP <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=978665146682849">Barnaby Joyce</a> complaining about the mechanics of voting on the AEC website</p></li>
<li><p>Nationals MP <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KeithPittMP/posts/pfbid02juEZDB4Rxfpe2UeVrLYZUTKjvpw8iLCieMLjTj8ZFTTvw94cFRKRqLxrxZrqYtsLl">Keith Pitt</a> referencing a Sky News report to link the Voice to implications for WA Heritage Laws. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>These snapshots are concerning because some stories contain misleading information such as Pitt linking the Voice to state laws. But they also show the power of negative stories to attract attention, and the reach of Rupert Murdoch’s Sky News TV stories beyond its paywall.</p>
<h2>What’s happening in online advertising?</h2>
<p>The “Yes23” campaign is outpacing all other paid referendum campaign groups in its spending. </p>
<p>In three months, most of the “Yes23” campaign’s ads are reinforcing their affirmative message in more supportive states: New South Wales ($176,952) and Victoria ($168,024); followed by ads to the more oppositional states of Queensland ($156,011) and Western Australia ($98,025). About 14% of ad spending is reserved for elsewhere, namely South Australia ($73,528) and Tasmania ($26,739).</p>
<p>However, Yes23’s core messages are more disparate than the “no” ads paid for by Advance Australia for the “Fair Australia” campaign. The “no” ad spend focuses on its stronghold states in Queensland ($33,652) and Western Australia ($27,234), and the possible flip-state South Australia ($16,6712). </p>
<p>While there are many more “yes”(1,009) than “no” (164) ads circulating, the “yes” message is dispersed across 33 different themes, some align (about “listening” and “unity”) but are distinctive enough to be separately categorised. </p>
<p>In comparison, the “no” advertisements cover just seven themes and all are negative. The top three most used messages by both sides – as judged by the number of advertisements – are summarised in Table 1 and overlap in their use of the theme of “unity”, but in opposite ways.</p>
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<h2>How are the polls looking?</h2>
<p>Finally, if we look at how the polls are tracking by pooling together the major polling companies’ data, <a href="https://simonjackman.github.io/poll_averaging_voice_2023/poll_averaging.html">Professor Simon Jackman</a> finds a loss of 20% in voter support for the “yes” campaign over the past 12 months. </p>
<p>In looking at the key messages, the ad spend, and the polls, we can provide a snapshot of the state of the two campaigns so far. </p>
<p>It is not an exhaustive view of the many actors contributing to the campaign, but it does tell us the “yes” campaign has a lot of ground to cover in the next six weeks if it’s going to succeed. </p>
<p>As with any voting campaign, much can change as public attention sharpens as polling day looms. Until then, we will bring you updates every fortnight.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/your-questions-answered-on-the-voice-to-parliament-200818">Your questions answered on the Voice to Parliament</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208956/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrea Carson receives funding from the Australian Research Council, Women's Leadership Institute Australia and Meta. This research is supported by a La Trobe University Synergy grant.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Max Grömping receives funding from the Australian Research Council (DP220100050; DP230101777). He is an affiliate of the International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE), and member of the Electoral Integrity Project‘s International Advisory Board.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Simon Jackman is a past recipient of funding from the National Science Foundation and, currently, LaTrobe University and the Australian Research Council. He is a life member of the Australian Republican Movement.</span></em></p>Three political scientists update us on the Voice campaign and how it’s tracking in the news, on social media and in the polls.Andrea Carson, Professor of Political Communication, Department of Politics, Media and Philosophy, La Trobe UniversityMax Grömping, Senior Lecturer, Griffith UniversitySimon Jackman, Professor, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2114992023-08-15T20:03:34Z2023-08-15T20:03:34Z5 ways to protect your voice while barracking for the Matildas – and how to treat a hoarse voice after<p>“It was definitely loud,” said Matildas player Caitlin Foord last week after the team played Denmark in Sydney, <a href="https://sport.optus.com.au/news/womens-world-cup-2023/os61164/matildas-beat-denmark-wwc-caitlin-foord-wish-loud-crowd-sydney">adding</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>I loved it. We definitely hear it, we feel it and the louder the crowd I feel the better we are.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Now fans are set to get even louder, whether watching at home or in a stadium, as the Australian team prepare to face England in their first-ever World Cup semi final. </p>
<p>While the Matildas are warming up their limbs and muscles pre-match, spectators need to warm up our vocal folds. With a barracking job to do, we need to be match-fit. Here’s why.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1688505916965154816"}"></div></p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/from-handing-out-their-own-flyers-to-sell-out-games-how-the-matildas-won-over-a-nation-211338">From handing out their own flyers, to sell-out games: how the Matildas won over a nation</a>
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<h2>Why do we need to warm up at all?</h2>
<p>A sudden night of cheering can lead to vocal strain. The short-term risk is that you have a hoarse voice for a couple of days. Repeated vocal abuse can lead to <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/voice-disorders">permanent damage</a> that may require therapy or surgery. </p>
<p>But with some good habits and preparation, you’ll be able to get loud safely. Here are five ways to build vocal stamina for tonight.</p>
<h2>1. Get your body ready</h2>
<p>The amount of volume you can have in your voice all begins with your body. If you are feeling tight, especially around the neck and shoulders, the muscles around the vocal folds may <a href="https://britishvoiceassociation.org.uk/voicecare_muscle-tension-dysphonia.htm">overcompensate</a>, giving you a tired or strained feeling. Before the match, take a moment to stretch your neck and shoulders for a more open and relaxed throat, ready to roar.</p>
<p>And just as the Matilda’s will aim to stay well hydrated, you should too to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2925668/">protect your voice</a>. The vocal structures consist of soft tissues that vibrate better when wet. </p>
<h2>2. Yawn – even though you’re excited</h2>
<p>Yawning stretches your soft palate (the fleshy back portion of the roof of the mouth) and its flexibility is essential for safe screaming. A vocal technique called <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8353622/">yawn-sigh</a> can also help stretch and warm up the structures like the tongue and pharynx (the passage at the top back of the throat) that are important for voice. </p>
<p>Try yawning “horizontally” – smiling widely as you yawn. Then try yawning in the usual “vertical” way. When yawning horizontally, you should feel a different stretch in the back of your mouth and throat that targets your soft palate.</p>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aFxKt1sexVc?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">‘Yawn a lot,’ says actor Morgan Freeman. ‘It relaxes your throat muscles, it relaxes your vocal chords.’</span></figcaption>
</figure>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/connection-camaraderie-and-belonging-why-the-matildas-could-be-making-you-a-sports-fan-for-the-very-first-time-211526">Connection, camaraderie and belonging: why the Matildas could be making you a sports fan for the very first time</a>
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</em>
</p>
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<h2>3. Breathe</h2>
<p>If the semi final is anything like the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-13/matildas-world-cup-win-over-france-game-stopped-nation/102723254">quarter final against France</a>, it may be hard to remember to breathe. But breath gives your voice <a href="https://voicefoundation.org/health-science/voice-disorders/anatomy-physiology-of-voice-production/breakdowns-result-voice-disorders/#:%7E:text=If%20the%20airflow%20source%20is,for%20long%20periods%20of%20time.">power</a>.</p>
<p>If you roar and cheer without a decent in-breath, the muscles of your throat will tense and strain to try to make the sound louder. It’s not efficient and will tire you out quickly. So every time you go to cheer, allow a big breath in first. </p>
<h2>4. Work out your vocal folds</h2>
<p>Your voice is like a muscle – actually a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK535342/">complex arrangement</a> of cartilage, muscle, ligaments and soft layers. If you stretch it before a workout, it will not only make the exercise easier but also aid recovery time.</p>
<p>Your vocal folds are small bands of muscle in the larynx, and you can think of them like elastic. If unused, they can lose stretch and have less vibration capacity to produce sound. </p>
<p>Simple exercises like humming and lip trilling can help keep the elasticity of your vocal folds. Start with <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1179/136132802805576436?journalCode=yslh19">humming</a> at a comfortable pitch and glide up and down your range. </p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">The vocal folds in action.</span></figcaption>
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<h2>5. Put your whole self into it</h2>
<p>Your <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2016.00506/full">voice, body and emotions</a> are constantly taking cues from one another. If you allow your body to be expressive, your voice will follow. Let your fandom take over your whole body and come into your face too – gestures and facial expressions change the sound of your voice and can bring enormous energy to your roars. </p>
<p>Fully commit and trust your body and voice. When we are completely connected to communication, huge breaths can fly in, sound travels up through the vocal folds and rings through the body, giving your voice enormous carrying power.</p>
<p>If you try to make your voice low pitched when it wants to come out high, or you hold back from being loud when your voice wants to be heard, tension can come into your throat and lead to strain. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/5-tips-to-take-the-best-care-of-your-voice-for-everyone-who-sings-from-a-speech-pathologist-193222">5 tips to take the best care of your voice for everyone who sings, from a speech pathologist</a>
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</em>
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<h2>How to treat your voice after the match</h2>
<p>You got excited. You overdid the shouting. Understandable! After a full match, you may feel some level of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20840041/#:%7E:text=Vocal%20fatigue%20is%20defined%20by,component%20of%20other%20voice%20disorders.">vocal fatigue</a>. If your voice sounds rough, hoarse or scratchy with unpredictable pitch, you might have what speech pathologists and ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists call <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK565881/">dysphonia</a>. </p>
<p>As the Matildas jump in an ice bath, it’s your time to give your voice some TLC. </p>
<p>Stretching, yawning, deep breathing and gentle <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534632/">voice exercises</a> like humming and trills work for recovery as well as warming up. An exercise I use with actors after a show is gentle whimpering sounds (like a puppy) to soothe vocal folds. Although it’s not widely researched, actors love it.</p>
<p>Again, <a href="https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/taking-care-your-voice">hydration</a> is important for vocal hygiene, so drink up or <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0892199716304805">try a humidifier</a>. Special techniques like <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30408272/">singing through a straw</a> into a half-glass of water can help. Avoid whispering, which can <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16503476/">produce more strain</a> than talking naturally. <a href="https://www.enthealth.org/be_ent_smart/how-to-prevent-hoarseness-dysphonia/">Avoid</a> smoking or smoky spaces, excessive throat clearing and alcohol or caffeine that can dry out the throat and thicken mucus. </p>
<p>With all the love behind the Matildas, they’ve got a chance of reaching the World Cup final. Even more reason to look after your voice and maintain match fitness. Go Matildas!</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-actually-fix-a-lost-voice-according-to-science-hint-lemon-and-honey-doesnt-work-158230">How to actually fix a lost voice, according to science (hint: lemon and honey doesn't work)</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211499/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Amy Hume does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Matildas fans, we have a job to do. We need to scream our support as loudly as possible – but not at the expense of our vocal health.Amy Hume, Lecturer In Theatre (Voice), Victorian College of the Arts, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2098342023-08-02T04:16:46Z2023-08-02T04:16:46ZFear vs pride: how do the Voice to Parliament ads try to influence voters? And is it effective?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539883/original/file-20230728-25-ytch0l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=125%2C2%2C1468%2C870&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Screenshot from Yes23 ad advocating for the "yes" campaign.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">YouTube</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Political advertising for the Voice campaign is ramping up, particularly on social media. So, who is the target audience for each campaign’s ad, what are their key messages, and how effective will they be?</p>
<p>We research how people and organisations use stories to affect change through political advertising or entertainment. We looked at the different ads that have been released so far – by two groups campaigning for “no” and two groups campaigning for “yes” – to see how effective their communication strategies have been. </p>
<h2>Advance Australia: fear</h2>
<p>Some of the ads released by <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-are-advance-and-fair-australia-and-why-are-they-spearheading-the-no-campaign-on-the-voice-209390">Advance Australia</a>, a conservative political lobbying group, focus attention on prominent “yes” campaigners like Teela Reid and Thomas Mayo:</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/655mzGRmkZw?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Advance Australia ad.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>These ads aim to make us link Mayo, Reid and, by extension, the “yes” campaign itself with a sense of fear. Ominous music and fat-lettered words like “Rulebook,” “Force” and “Powerful” try to elicit fear of what the other camp would do if the Voice came to be.</p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9221.2010.00819.x">Research on the use of fear</a> in negative political communication shows it to be effective in influencing people. Fear is an intense, powerful emotion that encourages passivity – we tend to prefer the status quo if we are afraid. Such a response is seldom reasoned, which can make it difficult to counter in advertising.</p>
<p>The ad above seems to be directed at undecided voters in an effort to harden attitudes against the Voice and encourage them to vote “no”.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-campaign-pamphlets-for-the-voice-dont-offer-new-perspectives-do-they-still-serve-a-purpose-209855">The campaign pamphlets for the Voice don't offer new perspectives. Do they still serve a purpose?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Blak Sovereign Movement: a different argument</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://blaksovereignmovement.com/">Blak Sovereign Movement</a>, which advocates for sovereignty for First Nations people, relies on arguments as a means of persuading voters.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539718/original/file-20230727-15-ucexe1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539718/original/file-20230727-15-ucexe1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539718/original/file-20230727-15-ucexe1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539718/original/file-20230727-15-ucexe1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539718/original/file-20230727-15-ucexe1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539718/original/file-20230727-15-ucexe1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539718/original/file-20230727-15-ucexe1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Blak Sovereign Movement ad.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The group wants to persuade Australian voters to vote against the Voice, underpinned by three key premises: </p>
<ul>
<li><p>First Nations people have not given free, prior, informed consent to hold a referendum on the Voice</p></li>
<li><p>First Nations people have never surrendered sovereignty</p></li>
<li><p>First Nations people do not want constitutional recognition without a treaty.</p></li>
</ul>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539720/original/file-20230727-25-c98ekp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539720/original/file-20230727-25-c98ekp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539720/original/file-20230727-25-c98ekp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539720/original/file-20230727-25-c98ekp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539720/original/file-20230727-25-c98ekp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539720/original/file-20230727-25-c98ekp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539720/original/file-20230727-25-c98ekp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Blak Sovereign Movement ad.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The argument follows a “bottom-up” structure. This means it starts with a specific statement idea (to hold a Voice referendum, Australia needs consent from First Nations people), and from this, a more general, logical conclusion is derived (that it is better to have a treaty first).</p>
<p>Arguments are effective when voters are well-informed and highly motivated. Whether or not this argument resonates with voters depends in part on
whether they believe the premise – that a treaty can happen before a Voice.</p>
<h2>The Uluru Dialogue: anticipated pride</h2>
<p><a href="https://ulurustatement.org/">The Uluru Dialogue</a> is a group of First Nations people from across Australia who have the mandate of the Uluru Statement from the Heart. The key message at the centre of their ads is anticipated pride if the nation votes “yes” on the referendum. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q5YWWaulriE?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">The Uluru Dialogue ad.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Pride is an emotion regularly exploited in advertising campaigns. Here, it is used to remind voters they can help create a future, more harmonious Australian nation and that will be something of which they can be proud. Voters are essentially being told they can create history. </p>
<p>This emotion has been used effectively in other campaigns to drum up support during wartime. It was also used in advertising during the pandemic to mobilise people to “do their bit” for their country, first through physical distancing and later by getting vaccinated. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/in-a-voice-campaign-marked-by-confusing-competing-claims-theres-a-better-way-to-educate-voters-206193">In a Voice campaign marked by confusing, competing claims, there's a better way to educate voters</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Yes23: fairness</h2>
<p><a href="https://yes23.com.au/">Yes23</a>, a group advocating for Indigenous constitutional recognition, has turned to fairness in its advertising.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7oGRIz7yccw?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Yes23 ad.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Seen as a value <a href="https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/about-us/our-portfolios/social-cohesion/australian-values">Australians hold dear</a>, fairness can play an important role in influencing voters. </p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2009.12.010">Science suggests</a> the key aspect to fairness is integrity. In this ad, Yes23 touches on this sentiment by asking Australians to adhere to certain ethical principles by joining the cause.</p>
<h2>Which ads will be most effective?</h2>
<p>The fear aroused by Advance Australia will only work provided people perceive Reid and Mayo as a threat, and feel that voting “no” will stop the First Nations movement for political change.</p>
<p>Thinking deeply is necessary for the arguments of the Blak Sovereign Movement to be persuasive. Yet, the Voice is extraordinary enough that some people find it difficult to form an opinion about it that takes full consideration of all the facts.</p>
<p>The Uluru Dialogue uses anticipated pride in order to attract votes. The success of this approach depends mainly on voters’ desire to make a good impression, or be better than others.</p>
<p>Yes23’s appeal to fairness can have a significant impact on the way people vote on the Voice. Feelings of fairness are instinctive and wide-ranging emotions, and ones that are becoming more important in our increasingly complex society.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/209834/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>We looked at two ads for the “no” campaign, and two for “yes”, to see how effective their communication strategies have been.Tom van Laer, Associate Professor of Narratology, University of SydneyCatherine Sutton-Brady, Associate Professor of Marketing, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2086402023-06-29T16:08:44Z2023-06-29T16:08:44ZWhy our voices change as we get older<p>Sir Elton John set a record at this year’s Glastonbury, becoming the <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/elton-john-glastonbury-viewing-record-b2364260.html">most-watched headliner</a> in the festival’s history, with more than 7 million people tuning in live to the BBC to watch his last ever UK performance.</p>
<p>The 76-year-old singer certainly delivered all his characteristic showmanship. But many who have followed his music over the decades will have noticed how much his voice has changed during his career – and not only because of the <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/a-qa-with-elton-john-65620/">surgery he had</a> in the 1980s to <a href="https://ultimateclassicrock.com/elton-john-throat-surgery/">remove polyps</a> from his vocal cords.</p>
<p>Equally, it’s not all down to the process of ageing. While it’s no mystery that this affects every part of our body, it isn’t the only reason that a person’s voice – even a professional singer like Sir Elton – can sound quite different over the years. </p>
<h2>The sound of your voice</h2>
<p>The vocal cords are what produce the sound of your voice. They are located in the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538202/">larynx</a>, a part of the respiratory system that allows air to pass from your throat to your lungs. When air passes out of the lungs and through the larynx, it causes the vocal cords to vibrate – <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5412481/">producing sound</a>.</p>
<p>The vocal cords are composed of <a href="https://www.kenhub.com/en/library/anatomy/vocal-cords">three main parts</a>: the vocalis muscle, vocal ligament, and a mucous membrane (containing glands) to cover them. This keeps the surface moist and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2810851/">protects them from damage</a>.</p>
<p>There are also approximately <a href="https://radiopaedia.org/articles/intrinsic-muscles-of-the-larynx?lang=gb">17 other muscles</a> in the larynx that can alter vocal cord position and tension – thus changing the sound produced.</p>
<p>Pre-puberty, there’s very little difference in the sound the vocal cords produce. But during puberty, hormones begin exerting their effects. This changes the structure of the larynx – making the “Adam’s apple” more prominent in men – and the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0018506X16301271?via%3Dihub">length of the vocal cords</a>. After puberty, they’re around 16mm in length in men, and 10mm in women.</p>
<p>Women’s vocal cords are also <a href="https://pubs.aip.org/asa/jasa/article/82/S1/S90/719336/Physiology-of-the-female-larynx">20-30%</a> thinner after puberty. These shorter, thinner vocal cords are the reason why women typically have <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3306615">higher voices</a> than men. </p>
<p>Even after puberty, hormones can affect the voice. For instance, a woman’s voice may sound different depending on the stage of her menstrual cycle – with the <a href="https://www.jvoice.org/article/S0892-1997(08)00169-0/fulltext">best voice quality</a> being in the ovulatory phase. This is because the glands produce most mucous during this phase, giving the vocal cords their best functional ability. </p>
<p>Research also shows that women taking the contraceptive pill show <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0892199717304940">less variation in voice quality</a> because the pill halts ovulation.</p>
<p>On the other hand, hormonal changes during the premenstrual phase impede the vocal cords, making them stiffer. This may explain why opera singers would be offered “<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0892199717301133">grace days</a>” in the 1960s to ensure they didn’t damage their vocal cords. And, because <a href="https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/clinical-topics/voice-disorders/#collapse_1">women’s vocal cords</a> are thinner, they may also be more likely to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15157130/">suffer damage</a> from overuse. </p>
<h2>Everything ages</h2>
<p>As with almost every other part of the body, vocal cords age. But these changes might not be as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0892199721000011">noticeable for everyone</a>.</p>
<p>As we get older, the larynx begins increasing its <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1752928X21001840">mineral content</a>, making it stiffer and more like bone than cartilage. This change can begin happening as early as <a href="https://meridian.allenpress.com/angle-orthodontist/article/75/2/196/57743/Ossification-of-Laryngeal-Cartilages-on-Lateral">your thirties</a> – especially in men. This makes the vocal cords less flexible.</p>
<p>The muscles that allow the vocal cords to move also <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6166195/">begin wasting</a> (as do our other muscles) as we age. The ligaments and tissues that support the vocal cords also <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11800365/">lose elasticity</a>, becoming <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25645525/">less flexible</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A digital drawing of the vocal cords inside the body." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534821/original/file-20230629-17-7buwfa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534821/original/file-20230629-17-7buwfa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534821/original/file-20230629-17-7buwfa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534821/original/file-20230629-17-7buwfa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534821/original/file-20230629-17-7buwfa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534821/original/file-20230629-17-7buwfa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534821/original/file-20230629-17-7buwfa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Changes in the larynx can begin happening as early as your thirties.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-illustration/larynx-41183356">SciePro/ Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>There’s also a decrease in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2695176/">pulmonary muscle function</a>, reducing the power of the air expelled from the lungs to create the sound. The number of glands that produce the protective mucus also decrease, alongside a reduction in the ability to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10156980/">control the larynx</a>. </p>
<h2>Lifestyle is a factor</h2>
<p>While vocal cords age at largely the same rate in most people, many lifestyle factors can increase the risk of damage to them – and so can change the way your voice sounds.</p>
<p>Smoking, for example, causes <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3918293/">localised inflammation</a>, increased <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4824943/">mucous production</a>, but can also <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4557797/">dry out</a> the mucosal surfaces. Alcohol has a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6166195/">similar effect</a>. Over time, these factors can damage the vocal cords and alter the voice’s sound.</p>
<p>Some over-the-counter and prescription drugs can also alter the voice – such as <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/fullarticle/482932">steroid inhalers used for laryngitis</a>. Blood thinners may also <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10875579/">damage the vocal cords</a> and can cause polyps to form, making the voice sound raspy or hoarse. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7395839/">Muscle relaxants</a>, too, can lead to irritation and vocal cord damage due to the drug allowing stomach acid to wash back into the larynx. Thankfully, the irritation and changes caused by these medications typically disappears after stopping use.</p>
<p>One other lifestyle factor can be overuse, which is typically seen in singers and other people who use their voice a lot <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15157130/">during work</a>, such as teachers and fitness instructors. This can lead to an uncommon
condition called <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9392404/">Reinke’s oedema</a>, which can also be caused by smoking. Reinke’s oedema causes fluid to swell in the vocal cords, changing the pitch of the voice – often <a href="https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/patient-information/reinkes-oedema/">making it deeper</a>.</p>
<p>In extreme cases of Reinke’s oedema, <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00405-022-07377-9">surgery is needed</a> to drain the fluid. But in most cases, rest and avoiding irritants (smoking and alcohol) is beneficial, while speech and language therapy can also address the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1460-6984.1995.tb01660.x">change in sound</a>.</p>
<h2>Maintaining our vocal quality</h2>
<p>While we can’t help some of the age-related changes that happen to our vocal cords, we can maintain some of our vocal quality and ability through continued use. This may explain why, in many cases, singers show <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27049451/">significantly less vocal change</a> with age than their non-singing counterparts.</p>
<p>Singing or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2014/improve-aging-voice.html">reading out</a> loud daily can give the vocal cords sufficient exercise to slow their decline.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/taking-care-your-voice">Looking after</a> your vocal cords is also important. Staying hydrated and limiting intake of <a href="https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/patient-information/presbyphonia/">alcohol</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7069957/">tobacco</a> can help prevent high rates of decline and damage.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208640/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Adam Taylor does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Every part of the body ages, including the vocal cords. But there are some things you can do to reduce the impact on your voice.Adam Taylor, Professor and Director of the Clinical Anatomy Learning Centre, Lancaster UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2045382023-05-31T20:07:33Z2023-05-31T20:07:33ZIn the 1800s, colonisers attempted to listen to First Nations people. It didn’t stop the massacres<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528472/original/file-20230526-21-xlo9ut.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=17%2C2%2C780%2C566&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Benjamin Duterrau, The Conciliation 1840, oil on canvas. Purchased by the Friends of TMAG and the Board of Trustees, 1945. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Collection: Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, AG79.</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>Note of warning: This article refers to deceased Aboriginal people, their words, names and images. Words attributed to them and images in the article are already in the public domain. Also, historical language is used in this article that may cause offence.</em></p>
<p>As we head toward the referendum on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament later this year, it is worth considering the long history of how governments have tried and failed to authentically listen to First Nations people. </p>
<p>And not just post-federation governments. During Australia’s colonial period in the 19th century, the office of the Protector of Aborigines was established in an effort to hear to the “wants, wishes and grievances” of Aboriginal people, as the secretary for the colonies, <a href="https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/glenelg-baron-2101">Lord Glenelg</a>, put it in 1838.</p>
<p>However, this office not only failed to genuinely listen to First Nations peoples, it led to policies that actually underpinned the erasure of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from the Australian Constitution of 1901. </p>
<h2>Spotlight on the treatment of Indigenous people</h2>
<p>During the 1830s, <a href="https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/baptist-war-1831-1832/">slave rebellions</a> in Britain’s colonies and a growing humanitarian movement in the UK pushed the government to abolish slavery. The spotlight was then turned on the treatment of Indigenous peoples, both within and on the edges of the rapidly expanding British Empire. </p>
<p>In 1836, the British government established a <a href="https://wellcomecollection.org/works/kbfbmq5m">Select Committee of the House of Commons on Aborigines</a> to hear testimony from church leaders, missionaries and colonial officials about the situation of Aboriginal people in the Australian colonies. </p>
<p>The hearings focused particular attention on the conduct of militia forces in the so-called <a href="https://theconversation.com/tasmanias-black-war-a-tragic-case-of-lest-we-remember-25663">Black War</a> in Tasmania, where roving parties of white men hunted down and killed Palawa people and massacres were seen as part and parcel of occupying Aboriginal lands. </p>
<p>In January 1838, Glenelg <a href="https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-442186184">wrote to the governor</a> of New South Wales, Sir George Gipps, that the British government </p>
<blockquote>
<p>[had] directed their anxious attention to the adoption of some plan for the better protection and civilisation of the native tribes. </p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527938/original/file-20230524-22-etp9on.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527938/original/file-20230524-22-etp9on.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=722&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527938/original/file-20230524-22-etp9on.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=722&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527938/original/file-20230524-22-etp9on.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=722&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527938/original/file-20230524-22-etp9on.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=908&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527938/original/file-20230524-22-etp9on.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=908&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527938/original/file-20230524-22-etp9on.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=908&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Photographic reproduction of a 1837 portrait of Charles Grant, the first Baron Glenelg.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Wikimedia Commons</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Glenelg told Gipps that as part of the scheme, the British government had decided to “appoint a small number of persons qualified to fill the office of Protector of Aborigines”. The chief protector, a non-Indigenous person, was to be aided by four assistant protectors and to “fix his principal station at Port Phillip” (later to become Melbourne), only recently occupied by the British.</p>
<p>According to Glenelg, <a href="https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/robinson-george-augustus-2596">George Augustus Robinson</a> was bestowed with the office of chief protector as he had </p>
<blockquote>
<p>shewn [sic] himself to be eminently qualified by his charge of the Aboriginal Establishment at Flinders Island. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>Robinson’s so-called “<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13688790902887155">Friendly Mission</a>” - a series of journeys around Tasmania in the early 1830s to convince Palawa of Governor George Arthur’s humane intentions - was lauded by Gipps as a success, as it had peacefully convinced some people to move to a reserve at Flinders Island. Historians now consider this mission to be nothing more than <a href="https://www.academia.edu/40714375/Entanglement_ethnic_cleansing_in_Australia">ethnic cleansing</a>. </p>
<p>For Glenelg, appointing Robinson to the new position of chief protector appeared to be the only plan available that did not involve military or police, or armed settlers dispensing their own “justice”. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528984/original/file-20230530-23-io2k3r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528984/original/file-20230530-23-io2k3r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=758&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528984/original/file-20230530-23-io2k3r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=758&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528984/original/file-20230530-23-io2k3r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=758&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528984/original/file-20230530-23-io2k3r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=953&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528984/original/file-20230530-23-io2k3r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=953&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528984/original/file-20230530-23-io2k3r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=953&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Portrait of George Augustus Robinson, 1853, by Bernardino Giani.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Wikimedia Commons</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>An aim to convey ‘wants, wishes or grievances’</h2>
<p>The plan for establishing Aboriginal protectorates followed Robinson’s Friendly Mission model in Tasmania. </p>
<p>Protectors were to “watch over the rights and interests of the natives” and protect them from “acts of cruelty, of oppression or injustice”. The protector was also to be a kind of conduit to express the “wants, wishes or grievances” of Aboriginal peoples to the colonial governments. For this purpose, each protector was commissioned as a magistrate. </p>
<p>Protectors were encouraged to learn the “language of the natives” and “obtain accurate information” on the “number of the natives within his district”. </p>
<p>On paper at least, the “plan for the better protection and civilisation of the native tribes” seemed a remarkable step forward from previous years. Indeed, there was no plan prior to this that attempted to deal with the situation in Aboriginal lands beyond the official boundaries of the colonies – boundaries that were being increasingly crossed by hundreds of squatters and stockmen, and tens of thousands of cattle and sheep.</p>
<p>The establishment of the role of protectors, who would live among Aboriginal people and learn their languages, was arguably an early attempt at a conduit for an Aboriginal voice to government. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/90-years-ago-yorta-yorta-leader-william-cooper-petitioned-the-king-for-aboriginal-representation-in-parliament-198396">90 years ago, Yorta Yorta leader William Cooper petitioned the king for Aboriginal representation in parliament</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>A failure from the beginning</h2>
<p>But the scheme did not stop the conflicts and massacres. Shortly after the commission’s report appeared in print in Australia, dozens of Gamilaraay people were killed at <a href="https://c21ch.newcastle.edu.au/colonialmassacres/detail.php?r=577">Waterloo Creek</a> and <a href="https://myallcreek.org/the-massacre-story/">Myall Creek</a> in northern inland New South Wales in January and June 1838. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527939/original/file-20230524-27-bgjkqs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=16%2C5%2C1231%2C741&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527939/original/file-20230524-27-bgjkqs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=359&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527939/original/file-20230524-27-bgjkqs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=359&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527939/original/file-20230524-27-bgjkqs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=359&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527939/original/file-20230524-27-bgjkqs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527939/original/file-20230524-27-bgjkqs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527939/original/file-20230524-27-bgjkqs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A tinted lithograph depicting the Waterloo Creek massacre by the New South Wales Military Mounted Police.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Wikimedia Commons</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The scheme also did little to stop the resistance warfare that broke out across the entire length of the frontier in the late 1830s and early 1840s – a counteroffensive that has been described by some contemporary observers as a “general uprising”. </p>
<p>The protectorates scheme was also bound up in the supposed superiority of the colonisers’ race and Christian religion. The ultimate goal was for Aboriginal people to become “civilised” and Christian – just like white people apparently were. It was a paternalistic concept that ultimately turned humanitarian ideals into an even more violent and coercive colonial system. </p>
<p>The protectors, as they had been directed to, could report to the government the “grievances” of Aboriginal people. These were often found to be, as <a href="https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/flanagan-roderick-3535">one observer at the time</a> wrote, </p>
<blockquote>
<p>[an] explosion of long-pent feelings of revenge and hatred towards the whites, resulting from a long course of violence and injustice.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The attempt by the colonial authorities to understand the “wants, wishes and grievances” of Aboriginal people, however, failed in its mission to actually protect people. The system was abandoned in 1849. </p>
<p>From the 1860s, the various colonial governments developed even more coercive policies of “protection”, which controlled peoples’ lives and corralled them into missions and reserves, so their lands and children could be taken from them. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/capturing-the-lived-history-of-the-aborigines-protection-board-while-we-still-can-46259">Capturing the lived history of the Aborigines Protection Board while we still can</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>How this history feeds into failed policies today</h2>
<p>The Protector of Aborigines office was an important historical moment that embedded this idea of government control over First Nations’ people’s lives into the social and political fabric of this nation. These supposedly moral standards around “protection” and “civilisation” ultimately forced Indigenous people to become less Indigenous. </p>
<p>These beliefs continue to permeate our government today through failed paternalistic policies such as Closing the Gap. Such racialised policies draw on Australia’s history of containment of Aboriginal land and the ongoing colonial violence of “protection”. </p>
<p>Because of this, we have yet to generate new possibilities of truly meaningful dialogue. </p>
<p>The long struggle for rights and recognition by Aboriginal people has been punctuated by (all too few) moments of support by non-Aboriginal people. As the referendum for the Voice approaches, another such moment beckons. Will this be history repeating itself?</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/204538/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Stephen Gapps is an Historian with Artefact Heritage Services and a member of The Greens. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lynda-June Coe is a current member of the Greens NSW.</span></em></p>The office of the Protector of Aborigines was established in an effort to hear to the ‘wants, wishes and grievances’ of Aboriginal people. It failed almost immediately.Stephen Gapps, Historian and Conjoint Lecturer, University of NewcastleLynda-June Coe, PhD Candidate, Macquarie UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2034192023-04-06T07:59:34Z2023-04-06T07:59:34ZGrattan on Friday: the high cost of the Liberals’ Voice rejection – for both Peter Dutton and the party<p>Ken Wyatt made history when he became the first Indigenous member of the House of Representatives in 2010. In 2019, he became the first Indigenous federal cabinet minister when he was appointed minister for Indigenous Australians in the Morrison government.</p>
<p>On Thursday, he made history again, quitting the Liberal Party over its decision to oppose the Voice at the referendum. </p>
<p>Wyatt, who lost his Western Australian seat at the election, had stood beside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese when last month he announced the wording for the referendum. In government, he had battled, against internal Coalition headwinds, to advance Indigenous recognition and a Voice.</p>
<p>Wyatt is a cautious, patient man. That he has left the Liberal Party is an indictment of his former colleagues. He told the West Australian: </p>
<p>“I still believe in the Liberal Party values, but I don’t believe in what the Liberals have become”.</p>
<p>A day earlier, faced with a choice on the Voice between the mood in the parliamentary Liberal Party and the mood in middle Australia, especially among people under 40, Opposition leader Peter Dutton opted for the party. </p>
<p>That was probably inevitable. After all, only days ago, after the Aston by-election loss, Dutton said his biggest preoccupation as leader had been holding the party together. </p>
<p>We can’t predict what the Liberals’ rejection of the Voice will do for the referendum, or, ultimately, for the opposition and Dutton’s leadership. </p>
<p>Certainly it will be unhelpful for the “yes” case. Dutton might be out of sync with the community vibe on this issue, but his becoming a leading light of the “no” campaigners – a rag-tag lot at present – will encourage a swag of voters to have doubts and vote no. The question is, how many? </p>
<p>The latest Newspoll shows the yes vote with an overall majority and winning in a majority of states – which it has to do in order to pass. </p>
<p>But the national yes vote was only 54%, and that is before the majority has been stress-tested by a campaign. There is a very long way to go in this marathon. </p>
<p>First Nations people’s call for the Voice has been extraordinarily hard for the Liberals to handle, not just for those from the right, like Dutton. Who can forget Malcolm Turnbull, prime minister at the time of the Uluru Statement from The Heart, declaring that a Voice would be seen as a “third chamber” of the parliament? (Turnbull has sent a “big hug” to Wyatt after his resignation.)</p>
<p>Dutton is often a pragmatist. Thus he was a driver of finding a way through the marriage equality issue. He hadn’t been a supporter of gay marriage, but for him, settling the issue was more important than his personal view. Hence he promoted the idea of the postal plebiscite, admittedly a second-best route to just legislating first up, but a way of getting the job done. </p>
<p>If “Peter the pragmatist” had been uppermost, you’d think he would have sought a non-confrontational way through the Voice issue. </p>
<p>Senior Liberals could have been left to make up their own minds, as in the republic referendum. Dutton could have said he had reservations about central features of the government’s proposal, but for the greater good – for the unity of the country and the pursuit of reconciliation – he would be voting yes although not campaigning. </p>
<p>Critics may or may not be right about the risks in the current wording of the constitutional change, which provides for the Voice to make representations to executive government. Equally, they may or may not be correct in claiming the Voice would make little difference to closing the gap. </p>
<p>But when Indigenous people have invested so much in the Voice, the question becomes: is the downside of denying it to them more damaging than the possibility of it being risky or impotent? </p>
<p>Some Liberals may be worried about its dangers. Others, more likely, just don’t like the idea of it, or want to play politics, and would probably have rejected any wording. Too often, the Liberals simply like to say no, and dig in, as they did (and still do) over measures to address climate change.</p>
<p>A Liberal pragmatist who was also sceptical about the Voice might have calculated that if it were going to present as many difficulties as the critics foresee, it would be a (likely) second-term Labor government that would initially have to deal with them. </p>
<p>Mention of a second-term Albanese government reminds us that, if the Voice referendum is successful, the next term would probably see another referendum – for an Australian republic. That would divide the opposition and present a nightmare for whomever led it at that time. </p>
<p>Dutton has promised to campaign against the Voice, but what does this mean? Will the Liberal Party be spending its scarce funds on the no campaign – money that could be better kept for the next election? </p>
<p>A few Liberal MPs, like Tasmanian Bridget Archer, are signed up to the yes campaign. Others will be active for no. A third group will prefer to keep their heads down, but could find themselves under pressure as the media compile lists of who is on which side and doing what. </p>
<p>The shadow minister on Indigenous Australians, Julian Leeser, has been left in an invidious if not an impossible position. </p>
<p>When he delivered a critique of the Voice to the National Press Club on Monday, Leeser suggested that Wednesday’s party meeting mightn’t make a final decision. (After all, a parliamentary committee is examining the legislation, and it’s crazy to have a position ahead of that inquiry reporting.) </p>
<p>Leeser also indicated he favoured frontbenchers being given freedom to support either side in a referendum campaign. Instead, shadow ministers are bound to the party’s decision.</p>
<p>Leeser didn’t appear with Dutton at Wednesday’s news conference. It was explained he had to return to Sydney for Passover.</p>
<p>As the relevant shadow minister, Leeser would be in high demand during the referendum campaign. How would he cope when he has serious reservations about the Liberals’ position? Notably, Leeser said of Wyatt: “Ken is a profound moral voice. I feel immense sadness about his decision.”</p>
<p>Jeremy Rockliff might not be a household name to many Australians, but the Tasmanian premier leads the sole Liberal government in the country. He is a declared yes campaigner. Western Australian Liberal leader Libby Mettam has also declared for the yes case. </p>
<p>Fred Chaney, a former federal minister for Aboriginal Affairs, has denounced Wednesday’s decision as pandering to the most extreme elements in the party, and called on small “l” liberals – who he said had been “supine” in recent years – to follow Archer’s lead in standing up for the yes case. </p>
<p>Dutton’s success in holding the Liberal show together has been strictly limited. And it has come at the cost of deepening the division in the country.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/203419/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Peter Dutton’s success in holding the Liberal show together has been strictly limited. And it has come at the cost of deepening the division in the country.Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of CanberraLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2002612023-04-02T20:03:52Z2023-04-02T20:03:52ZWhat actually is a treaty? What could it mean for Indigenous people?<p><em>This is the second article in our series explaining Voice, Treaty and Truth. Read the other articles in the series <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/voice-treaty-truth-explainers-134797">here</a>.</em> </p>
<hr>
<p>The Uluru Statement from the Heart calls for Voice, Treaty and Truth. These aspirations are intended as a <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-a-first-nations-voice-should-come-before-treaty-192388">sequence of reforms</a>, that advance towards a just settlement with First Peoples. </p>
<p>The federal government is committed to holding a referendum later this year to put an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice in the Australian Constitution. The government has also agreed to implement the Uluru Statement “<a href="https://www.niaa.gov.au/indigenous-affairs/uluru-statement-heart#:%7E:text=The%20Australian%20Government%20has%20committed,Voice%20in%20the%20Australian%20Constitution">in full</a>”. </p>
<p>Following the referendum, it’s expected attention will shift towards a Makarrata Commission to “work on a national process of treaty-making and truth-telling”. In fact, <a href="https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/indigenous-treaty-on-the-agenda-before-voice-vote-20230221-p5cm6w">reports suggest</a> the government might move even faster. </p>
<p>For generations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have called for a formal treaty or treaties to recognise their sovereignty “<a href="https://www.mup.com.au/books/its-our-country-paperback-softback">and set out mutually agreed terms for our relationship with the Australian government</a>”. </p>
<p>But while Treaty has long been part of the political landscape, it is not well understood. Many Australians wonder what a Treaty is, what it would achieve, who it would be negotiated with, or for whom, and how. We’ll explore some of these questions here (in brief). </p>
<h2>Why does Australia not have a Treaty?</h2>
<p>When European colonial powers encountered Indigenous peoples, they often negotiated treaties. These agreements dealt with a range of matters, including trade and military alliances. They also set out rules to share the land and maintain peaceful relationships. </p>
<p>These colonial-era treaties were regularly broken. However, they recognised Indigenous peoples had the right to deal with land and exercised sovereignty over that land. </p>
<p>The British did not engage in treaty talks in Australia. They never sought to negotiate with the owners of this land. Instead, they claimed the land belonged to no one and took it for themselves. </p>
<p>Historians have debated why the British took this approach. <a href="https://www.mup.com.au/books/possession-paperback-softback">Some have argued</a> as a <a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Recognizing-Aboriginal-Title-English-settler-Colonialism/dp/0802094430">penal colony with a substantial military force</a> there was no need to negotiate trading relationships with the original owners. Others have argued the racist attitudes of the day were influential. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/512601/original/file-20230228-24-oxlann.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/512601/original/file-20230228-24-oxlann.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/512601/original/file-20230228-24-oxlann.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=437&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/512601/original/file-20230228-24-oxlann.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=437&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/512601/original/file-20230228-24-oxlann.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=437&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/512601/original/file-20230228-24-oxlann.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=549&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/512601/original/file-20230228-24-oxlann.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=549&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/512601/original/file-20230228-24-oxlann.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=549&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Nobody knows why the British didn’t negotiate a Treaty with the First Peoples, as was custom at the time. But Australia is now an outlier. ‘The Founding of Australia. By Capt. Arthur Phillip R.N. Sydney Cove, Jan. 26th 1788’, oil sketch painted in 1937, by Algernon Talmage.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Founding_of_Australia._By_Capt._Arthur_Phillip_R.N._Sydney_Cove,_Jan._26th_1788.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Whatever the reason, the result is Australia is an outlier. As a result, many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples believe the moral and legal basis of the nation is “<a href="https://www.ipaa.org.au/professor-mick-dodson-our-nation-sits-at-a-crossroads-enough-with-the-humbug/">a little legally shaky</a>”.</p>
<h2>What is a Treaty?</h2>
<p>The absence of a Treaty is one of the major challenges facing the Treaty debate in Australia. Without a history of treaty-making, the concept of what a treaty is or involves remains vague for many people, including <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07256868.2019.1675615">government</a>. </p>
<p>It means some people can argue a Treaty is dangerous or it would lead to the breakup of the nation. This makes little sense because a Treaty is <a href="https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/agispt.20211109056535">a marriage not a divorce</a>. It’s about bringing communities together and building strong relationships based on self-determination. </p>
<p>Governments might argue they’re already engaged in treaty-making. There are many examples of bureaucracy adapting its policy formulation and delivery to reflect community aspirations for a greater say in the delivery of services. </p>
<p>Such “partnerships”, “co-design” and local decision-making with government are valuable. They mark an important shift in promoting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ participation in policy development and service delivery. But simply calling an agreement a “treaty” doesn’t make it a treaty.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1265060477282906113"}"></div></p>
<p>Australia has signed up to a range of <a href="https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2018/11/UNDRIP_E_web.pdf">international legal instruments</a> that concern the rights of Indigenous peoples. These legal instruments set a clear standard for what makes an agreement a treaty. A treaty must satisfy <a href="http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/SydLawRw/2018/1.html">three conditions</a>. </p>
<ol>
<li><p>A treaty acknowledges Indigenous peoples are a distinct political community different to other Australians. This is because Indigenous peoples are the only group of Australians who owned, occupied, and governed the continent before colonisation. This recognition also acknowledges the historic and contemporary injustices that invasion has caused</p></li>
<li><p>A treaty is a political agreement reached by a fair process of negotiation between equals. <a href="https://www.atns.net.au/">Negotiation</a> helps ensure everyone’s interests can be considered. But securing a fair negotiation process can be difficult. In Victoria, the First Peoples Assembly and State government have agreed to a <a href="https://www.firstpeoplesvic.org/reports-resources/treaty-negotiation-framework/">Treaty Negotiation Framework</a> that sets out principles to guide Treaty talks</p></li>
<li><p>Treaties involve both sides committing to responsibilities, promises and principles that bind the parties in an ongoing relationship of mutual obligation and shared responsibility. Most importantly, while the outcomes of any negotiation will differ according to the parties, a treaty is built on the recognition of Indigenous peoples’ inherent sovereignty. As part of this, a treaty will provide for some degree of self-government. What this looks like in practice will be worked out in negotiations. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>A treaty will also include a range of other elements. It could include financial compensation, return of land, formal recognition of historic wrongs, and symbolic gestures of reconciliation, such as apologies.</p>
<p>Treaties are unique agreements. As Professor Megan Davis <a href="https://www.themonthly.com.au/issue/2018/july/1530367200/megan-davis/voice-treaty-truth#mtr">explains</a>, they are aimed at “settling fundamental grievances, and establishing binding frameworks of future engagement and dispute resolution”. </p>
<h2>Modern treaties are different from historic treaties</h2>
<p>There is a long history of treaty-making all over the world from which Australia can draw lessons. But it’s important to note modern treaties differ from those negotiated in colonial periods. They are more technical and legally complex. They are also negotiated against a long history of inequitable relationships. </p>
<p>They will also be subject to Australian law. While colonial-era treaties were international agreements between two sovereign communities, modern treaties will be subject to Australian law. </p>
<h2>Treaty is happening now</h2>
<p>Treaty is a <a href="https://federationpress.com.au/product/treaty-2/">longstanding aspiration</a> of First Peoples in Australia. It is only in recent years, however, <a href="https://insidestory.org.au/how-the-treaty-momentum-is-growing/">governments have decided to talk treaty</a>. </p>
<p>Progress has been slow, but important steps have been taken at the state and territory level. For instance, in February this year, the Queensland government introduced the Path to Treaty Bill 2023 into the state parliament. The bill will establish and finance an independent First Nations Treaty Institute to “<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-22/qld-treaty-truth-telling-inquiry-queensland-parliament/102008708">help prepare and support First Nations people for treaty negotiations with the state</a>”. </p>
<p>That same month, the South Australian government introduced a bill to establish a <a href="https://www.agd.sa.gov.au/aboriginal-affairs-and-reconciliation/first-nations-voice-to-the-south-australian-parliament/first-nations-voice-model">Voice to the Parliament</a>, with a treaty process to follow. </p>
<p>In Victoria, after several years of patient work, negotiations between the First Peoples Assembly and state government are expected to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/oct/20/historic-deal-struck-to-see-victorian-treaty-negotiations-with-first-nations-groups-begin-next-year">begin by the end of the year</a>. Similar processes are underway in the Northern Territory, Tasmania and the ACT. </p>
<p>Every treaty process has its own challenges and complications and it’s too early to tell whether these processes will result in meaningful settlements. Nevertheless, they demonstrate two key things. </p>
<p>First, Treaty is a matter of political will, not legal impossibility. Second, looking towards the referendum later this year, the existence of treaty processes across the country suggests Australians may be willing to deal with the unfinished business of colonisation and its consequences.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/200261/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Indigenous people have been calling for a treaty for generations. But what would it actually look like and what would it do?Harry Hobbs, Associate professor, University of Technology SydneyHeidi Norman, Professor, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Technology SydneyMatthew Walsh, Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Technology SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1974002023-01-24T19:19:23Z2023-01-24T19:19:23ZThe Australian National Anthem has a big problem – the average Aussie can’t sing it in tune<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505778/original/file-20230123-22-iecv7m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4759%2C3168&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">David Neilson/ AAP</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>I have one prayer as I watch the Australian cricket team sing <a href="https://www.pmc.gov.au/honours-and-symbols/australian-national-symbols/australian-national-anthem">Advance Australia Fair</a> patriotically before a match – “Please <em>don’t</em> turn on their microphone.” Like many Australians, their “joyful strains” of our anthem are … well, just strained. </p>
<p>It’s not their fault they misspent their youth playing cricket instead of taking singing lessons. And it’s not their fault they got so good they now have to sing in front of thousands before they can play. </p>
<p>But there is a fault. We’ve given them an anthem that average Aussies can’t sing in tune together. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CVFhHz7bb_g?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</figure>
<h2>Great unity?</h2>
<p>According to former Prime Minister Scott Morrison, our anthem reflects “<a href="https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-43190">great unity</a>”, but that wasn’t there at the start. It needed several “fixes”. </p>
<p><a href="https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/mccormick-peter-dodds-7323">Peter Dodds McCormick’s</a> 1878 composition began “Australia’s sons let us rejoice”. Daughters didn’t count. The <a href="https://cms.australiaday.org.au/about/nadc">National Australia Day Council</a> later recommended substituting “Australians all”, which was <a href="https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-6380">adopted in 1984</a>. </p>
<p>First Nations people were also omitted from McCormick’s <a href="https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/advance-australia-fair">original verses</a>, ignoring their presence while glorifying British colonisation. More fixing from the Council swapped the offending verses for a politically neutral verse from McCormick’s <a href="https://www.rap.org.au/evolution-of-the-words">Federation version</a> with another tweak for gender-inclusive language. </p>
<p>Some Indigenous sport stars still refuse to sing the current anthem, as they say it <a href="https://theconversation.com/our-national-anthem-is-non-inclusive-indigenous-australians-shouldnt-have-to-sing-it-118177">doesn’t represent them</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/our-national-anthem-is-non-inclusive-indigenous-australians-shouldnt-have-to-sing-it-118177">Our national anthem is non-inclusive: Indigenous Australians shouldn't have to sing it</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The remaining inappropriate lyric, “young”, was amended to “one” in 2021 by a governor-general’s <a href="https://www.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-12/proclamation-australian-national-anthem-signed.pdf">proclamation</a>. And as for “girt”? No, unfortunately, it remains, but it has united Australians in its own special way. We all think it’s odd. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, while focusing on unifying lyrics, we’ve missed a musical problem that’s divided voices since 1878. The note <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Range_(music)">range</a> of Advance Australia Fair is more than the average Australian will sing accurately. For inexperienced singers, which is most of us, our voices crack with the very disunity the government tried to fix.</p>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hK-otBlMuac?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</figure>
<h2>What is note range?</h2>
<p>The note range of a song is like the number of steps it takes to climb from the lowest to the highest point. If there are too many steps, the average Aussie would rather abandon the sweaty climb and hang out on the ground floor with a cold beer. </p>
<p>The range of Advance Australia Fair is 17 steps (called “semitones”). This is a bigger climb than other nations’ anthems, such as Britain’s 10 semitones in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/God-Save-the-Queen-British-national-anthem">God Save the King</a>, France’s 14 semitones in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/La-Marseillaise">La Marseillaise</a> and New Zealand’s 14 semitones in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/God-Defend-New-Zealand">God Defend New Zealand</a>. At least the Australian anthem is more modest than the Americans’ who, true to reputation, like doing everything bigger. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Star-Spangled-Banner">The Star-Spangled Banner</a> rises 19 semitones, resulting in some <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFIV7gyxvZM">excruciating vocal cracks</a>. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SFIV7gyxvZM?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</figure>
<p>In theory, most average adult voices should be capable of climbing 17 steps and well beyond. We have the equipment. In practice, however, many inexperienced singers have problems with something called “registers”. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CMA2iF6RuXk?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</figure>
<h2>Why do registers matter?</h2>
<p>Vocal registers are like gears in a car. We usually sing low steps in first gear, or “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chest_voice">chest voice</a>”. Chest voice is the most familiar and comfortable register because that’s the voice most people use when speaking everyday.</p>
<p>To sing higher, we subconsciously move small muscles in our throat to shift into second gear, or “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_voice">head voice</a>”. </p>
<p>Experienced vocalists spend considerable time developing strength in each register and making the gear change between them smooth and stable. Non-singers may not be not used to holding notes steady in second gear, and end up wobbling, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yodeling">yodelling</a> and going <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/out%20of%20tune">out of tune</a>. </p>
<p>Others won’t budge out of first gear, and change the melody instead. Whichever approach we take, it certainly isn’t “unified”.</p>
<h2>Back to school</h2>
<p>Schools are the unofficial training ground for anthems. Weekly assemblies make it the most regular practice session Aussies will ever experience. But those 17 steps don’t help. </p>
<p>Many beginner instrumentalists in school bands can’t play 17 notes in their first year of learning an instrument. Some players can’t do it by their second year either. And aspiring trumpeters? Unless they are the next <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Morrison_(jazz_musician)">James Morrison</a>, hold your breath and cover your ears. </p>
<p>While there’s no rule that an anthem must be playable by children, it might increase our national pride if they could.</p>
<h2>A simple solution</h2>
<p>There is a remarkably simple solution to this musical problem dismembering our anthem – fix the note on the word “and”. Instead of this:</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/504543/original/file-20230115-12-at5p6t.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/504543/original/file-20230115-12-at5p6t.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=202&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504543/original/file-20230115-12-at5p6t.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=202&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504543/original/file-20230115-12-at5p6t.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=202&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504543/original/file-20230115-12-at5p6t.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=254&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504543/original/file-20230115-12-at5p6t.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=254&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504543/original/file-20230115-12-at5p6t.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=254&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>we can use a step already in the song, like this:</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/504557/original/file-20230115-20-659oki.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/504557/original/file-20230115-20-659oki.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=202&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504557/original/file-20230115-20-659oki.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=202&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504557/original/file-20230115-20-659oki.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=202&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504557/original/file-20230115-20-659oki.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=254&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504557/original/file-20230115-20-659oki.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=254&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504557/original/file-20230115-20-659oki.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=254&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Alternatively, if that sounds odd, just substitute the steps from the first two bars like this: </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/504556/original/file-20230115-20-s2z61i.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/504556/original/file-20230115-20-s2z61i.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=123&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504556/original/file-20230115-20-s2z61i.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=123&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504556/original/file-20230115-20-s2z61i.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=123&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504556/original/file-20230115-20-s2z61i.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=155&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504556/original/file-20230115-20-s2z61i.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=155&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504556/original/file-20230115-20-s2z61i.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=155&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Both options reduce the range to 14 steps which is singable in one register. If you start the song low, no gear change is required. Now we can sing the anthem <em>and</em> have a cold beer (or a lemonade for the kids). </p>
<p>If a proclamation can fix one word of our anthem for greater unity, then why not fix one note? Then, more everyday Australians could sing it together in unison. And isn’t that the point of an anthem?</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/197400/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Wendy Hargreaves does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The ‘joyful strains’ of our anthem are often just strained.Wendy Hargreaves, Senior Learning Advisor, University of Southern QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1932222023-01-04T19:20:35Z2023-01-04T19:20:35Z5 tips to take the best care of your voice for everyone who sings, from a speech pathologist<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/500247/original/file-20221212-91737-p3m533.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=15%2C0%2C5152%2C3445&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The care of your singing voice is crucial to maintain a healthy and long-life voice. </p>
<p>Professional singers often have teams of people keeping their voices healthy, and they have received lots of training in how to take care of their voice.</p>
<p>But everyone who sings – from young students to passionate amateurs – should be taking care of their voice.</p>
<p>If you are a singer, here are five crucial tips to prevent vocal problems. </p>
<h2>1. Keep hydrated</h2>
<p>Hydration is the most important fact to be considered when singing. </p>
<p>When we are dehydrated, the biomechanical properties of our vocal folds are impacted, decreasing our vocal range and increasing the stress on these folds.</p>
<p>Singers who do not hydrate well are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2925668/">at risk</a> of developing voice disorders such as nodules and polyps.</p>
<p>An easy way to stay hydrated is to keep up your water consumption. Singers can complement this by using nebulisers and humidifiers.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/500221/original/file-20221211-94733-uu5no9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A woman with her face over a bowl." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/500221/original/file-20221211-94733-uu5no9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/500221/original/file-20221211-94733-uu5no9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500221/original/file-20221211-94733-uu5no9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500221/original/file-20221211-94733-uu5no9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500221/original/file-20221211-94733-uu5no9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500221/original/file-20221211-94733-uu5no9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500221/original/file-20221211-94733-uu5no9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">You can keep your vocal cords hydrated by breathing in steam.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Humidifiers balance out dry air caused by heating or air conditioning. </p>
<p>Nebulisers assist with hydration directly. By breathing in a saline water solution or purified water, we can see an immediate influence on our vocal folds. </p>
<p>You don’t need fancy equipment. You can also breathe in steam from boiled water. Make sure to be careful with the temperature, as steam can burn our airway when it is too hot. Pour boiled water into a bowl, wait 5-7 minutes, place a towel over your head and then breathe in as many times as you like. </p>
<h2>2. Warm-up and cool-down your voice</h2>
<p>Vocal warm-up and cool-down exercises are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0892199717300176">crucial</a>: these will have a positive benefit on your voice in the moment and prevent future injuries. </p>
<p>An easy warm-up you can try only requires a straw. With a straw between your lips into the air or a cup of water, make a “u” sound. Working for five minutes, change the pitch and frequency of making this sound. The added resistance of singing through a straw will give your vocal folds a good work out.</p>
<p>You can also add resistance by speaking or singing into a CPR mask.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/500564/original/file-20221212-304-26wei2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A CPR mask" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/500564/original/file-20221212-304-26wei2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/500564/original/file-20221212-304-26wei2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=413&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500564/original/file-20221212-304-26wei2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=413&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500564/original/file-20221212-304-26wei2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=413&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500564/original/file-20221212-304-26wei2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=519&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500564/original/file-20221212-304-26wei2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=519&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500564/original/file-20221212-304-26wei2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=519&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Add resistance by singing through a CRP mask.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Other exercises don’t require these materials. You can try lips or tongue trills, humming and blowing raspberries. </p>
<p>While there are many internet tutorials on how to do these exercises, I suggest you practise under professional supervision to avoid damaging your voice by going beyond your vocal limits. </p>
<h2>3. Watch your lifestyle factors</h2>
<p>Lifestyle is fundamental when taking care of our voices.</p>
<p>In order to avoid injuries or develop any voice disorders, we should monitor external factors such as maintaining <a href="https://wp.stolaf.edu/musician-health/nutrition-eating-and-singing/">a balanced diet</a>, having <a href="https://wp.stolaf.edu/musician-health/resting-your-voice/">periods of rest</a> and reducing the consumption of <a href="https://tobaccofreelife.org/resources/smoking-singing/">cigarettes</a>, <a href="https://www.openmicuk.co.uk/advice/alcohol-and-singers/">alcohol</a>, <a href="https://www.openmicuk.co.uk/advice/how-much-can-recreational-drugs-affect-singing/">drugs</a>, <a href="https://www.openmicuk.co.uk/advice/is-coffee-good-or-bad-for-singers/">caffeine</a> and <a href="https://www.openmicuk.co.uk/advice/are-fizzy-drinks-good-or-bad-for-singers/">soft drinks</a>. </p>
<p>By changing these habits, you can preserve good vocal health and keep your body running properly. You can also guard against developing reflux. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/500241/original/file-20221211-95362-4pofku.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A woman drinks a cola." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/500241/original/file-20221211-95362-4pofku.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/500241/original/file-20221211-95362-4pofku.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=371&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500241/original/file-20221211-95362-4pofku.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=371&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500241/original/file-20221211-95362-4pofku.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=371&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500241/original/file-20221211-95362-4pofku.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=466&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500241/original/file-20221211-95362-4pofku.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=466&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/500241/original/file-20221211-95362-4pofku.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=466&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Drinking soft drinks can negatively impact your voice.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Reflux occurs when acids from your stomach travel back up your throat. Symptoms include a burning sensation in your chest (heartburn), backwash (regurgitation) of food or sour liquid, upper abdominal or chest pain, trouble swallowing (dysphagia) or a sensation of a lump in your throat. </p>
<p>This stomach acid can <a href="http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/docs/per/diet-tips-for-gastroesophageal-reflux-disease-gerd/handout_view_patient/@@getDocument">dry and irritate</a> your vocal folds. </p>
<p>If you do experience any of these symptoms, keep up your water intake, try to avoid lying down for at least two to three hours after a meal and keep your head elevated using an extra pillow or two while you sleep. </p>
<p>If these symptoms persist, visit your doctor for further examination. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-gastric-reflux-18791">Explainer: what is gastric reflux?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>4. Listen to your body</h2>
<p>Sometimes our body sends signals when struggling. We should pay close attention to what our bodies are telling us.</p>
<p>Negative warning signs can include a reduced tonal range, constant throat clearing, vocal fatigue, pain during or after singing or talking, mild or moderate abdominal tension, unstable voice, pitch breaks, difficulty singing or speaking softly. </p>
<p>Speaking or singing should not present with any negative symptoms or conditions. </p>
<p>It’s important to note home remedies like tea with honey, lemon and ginger, and gargles with salty water – or even alcohol – <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-actually-fix-a-lost-voice-according-to-science-hint-lemon-and-honey-doesnt-work-158230">do not</a> fix your voice. These will go directly to the oesophagus and will not have any effect on your vocal folds.</p>
<p>If you are experiencing symptoms like these, pay more attention to things like your warm up, your cool down, periods of rest and your levels of hydration. If they persist, visit a doctor or a speech pathologist.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-actually-fix-a-lost-voice-according-to-science-hint-lemon-and-honey-doesnt-work-158230">How to actually fix a lost voice, according to science (hint: lemon and honey doesn't work)</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>5. See a professional</h2>
<p>Don’t try and push through any pain or difficulties you are facing.</p>
<p>When facing any vocal difficulty, you should visit an ear, nose and throat doctor (ENT) or a speech pathologist. </p>
<p>An ENT can check your larynx and other structures to make sure you do not have any organic or functional disorders impacting your voice.</p>
<p>If you would like to practise new techniques – like belting or voice distortions – consult with voice specialists like speech pathologists, vocal coaches or music teachers who are experts on these areas. </p>
<p>Last but not least, check your voice with professionals once a year. This will help with the prevention of future injuries and help you maintain a healthy voice. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/keeping-injured-voices-hush-hush-why-professional-singers-and-actors-often-dont-seek-treatment-for-vocal-illness-183330">Keeping injured voices hush-hush: Why professional singers and actors often don’t seek treatment for vocal illness</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/193222/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sandra Rojas is affiliated with Universidad San Sebastián, Santiago, Chile. </span></em></p>Everyone who sings – from young students to passionate amateurs – should be taking care of their voice.Sandra Rojas, Speech pathologist, Voice specialist, Researcher, Federation University AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1868872022-08-01T15:27:05Z2022-08-01T15:27:05ZPenguins adapt their voices to sound like their companions - new study<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/474589/original/file-20220718-72701-kg64yw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=100%2C30%2C5033%2C3701&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">African penguins end up "parroting" each other's voices</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/african-penguins-252302530">Mike Korostelev/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>We’ve all known a friend who came back from holiday with a French lilt in their accent. Or noticed an American twang creeping into our voice during dinner with a friend visiting from Texas. </p>
<p>One of us (Luigi) recently moved back to Italy from the UK, along with four-year-old daughter Emma who could barely speak Italian. Over the months she spoke more in Italian. But to our surprise, her accent and intonation sounded like those of her school friends rather than her family. She wasn’t trying to sound more like her friends. Her voice became similar to theirs simply as a result of chattering away with them so often. </p>
<p>Our <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/abs/10.1098/rspb.2022.0626">recent study</a> showed penguins do this too and that the ability to vary your voice is more widespread across the animal kingdom than scientists thought. </p>
<p>This phenomenon, known as <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/brv.12382">social accommodation</a>, is common in humans. The more two people talk with each other, the more alike aspects of our voices can become. Their voices accommodate each other. The ability of our voices to change in response to our environment is vital for learning new sounds, words, and languages at any age. </p>
<p>The way Luigi’s young daughter’s voice could change quickly and unconsciously got us thinking about whether other animals do the same. </p>
<p>We study the cognitive abilities of a variety of animals, and in the last couple years Luigi has been working a lot with African penguins. They are an ideal animal for researching social accommodation. African penguins form large colonies and have different types of relationships (with partners, colony-mates). They also have a variety of calls which they use to communicate with each other constantly, including one that sounds like a <a href="https://storage.googleapis.com/plos-corpus-prod/10.1371/journal.pone.0103460/1/pone.0103460.s004.m4v?X-Goog-Algorithm=GOOG4-RSA-SHA256&X-Goog-Credential=wombat-sa%40plos-prod.iam.gserviceaccount.com%2F20220715%2Fauto%2Fstorage%2Fgoog4_request&X-Goog-Date=20220715T122023Z&X-Goog-Expires=86400&X-Goog-SignedHeaders=host&X-Goog-Signature=3841a9acefd8319ec345083151f65fccb0ed7f23297839d2eff337780e4c8e5d3ae970a32f2bd19532f18294798f3cb6306e80dc7a5b703b7215ba8544edf60f32273755e818dd1be5d4f0c6227174c6c6e95d3e17ce53dd9ee569688fa6d5a51b284f85c0e61eae62ff0c0b384d2d43f7f646f60d666bb610530cae8dd26589d4fb61fea9b91f825f950492090d75f4373d32da9803c49503ec800ca8681022f60de4c276e3f1ba3c759016211df581617f105c6c4415bc760ef97bea371f13c330415c095985b82f7fa30bbec32edafa55f13ebfa6d36b0f6996d79566d275ff5466949189e4e0ceb208a08b681f89b7a9b7cc1da7945f5906c98da67dfae7">braying donkey</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/474308/original/file-20220715-18-7961na.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/474308/original/file-20220715-18-7961na.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=325&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474308/original/file-20220715-18-7961na.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=325&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474308/original/file-20220715-18-7961na.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=325&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474308/original/file-20220715-18-7961na.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=408&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474308/original/file-20220715-18-7961na.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=408&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474308/original/file-20220715-18-7961na.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=408&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Colony of African penguins housed at Zoom Torino (Cumiana, Italy; photo credit: Veronica Maraner)</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rstb.2018.0406">Some animals</a> such as parrots, whales, elephants and bats learn new sounds and songs from their parents, other members of <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1970-12119-001">their species</a>, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/user/identity/landing?code=5lPDJDATGOqwWEIluTdOsvtu7OE91axYyWlhRix3&state=retryCounter%3D0%26csrfToken%3Df0a41784-bbca-43fa-904e-b7824108f3c0%26idpPolicy%3Durn%253Acom%253Aelsevier%253Aidp%253Apolicy%253Aproduct%253Ainst_assoc%26returnUrl%3D%252Fscience%252Farticle%252Fabs%252Fpii%252FS0093934X09001643%253Fcasa_token%253DimB9fdCjT4cAAAAA%253Atx-S0nHfATBBfOihbydqB9cThBaR1ju8umFezEuckn3s3i7wAtIXkqeO--n4UpzggI9hfjxMNck%26prompt%3Dnone%26cid%3Darp-7dc92fb5-7d59-4b60-9d75-e259f5e74d89">other species entirely</a>, or even <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/434455a">non-living sources of noise</a>. Blackbirds do an uncanny impression of a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfL9aA9uXus">lorry reversing</a>. </p>
<p>The vast majority of animals can’t learn new sounds and are born with a limited range of noises they can make. However, <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/01/220124114834.htm">growing evidence</a> suggests some animals’ calls change in response to who they most interact with and that more animals can vary their sounds than previously thought.</p>
<p>African penguins’ evolution <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16519228/#&gid=article-figures&pid=figure-4-uid-3">split off</a> more than 60 million years ago from all other birds that can learn new calls by observation. Penguins cannot learn new sounds and their vocalisations are genetically determined. </p>
<p><a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/abs/10.1098/rspb.2022.0626">In our recent study</a>, we analysed nearly three thousand <a href="https://storage.googleapis.com/plos-corpus-prod/10.1371/journal.pone.0103460/1/pone.0103460.s002.m4v?X-Goog-Algorithm=GOOG4-RSA-SHA256&X-Goog-Credential=wombat-sa%40plos-prod.iam.gserviceaccount.com%2F20220715%2Fauto%2Fstorage%2Fgoog4_request&X-Goog-Date=20220715T075904Z&X-Goog-Expires=86400&X-Goog-SignedHeaders=host&X-Goog-Signature=a97c8cf69240e750e926d0d4a11b3baca063ba19b138d2f172193dfb3bc675b816a56f13e76ec56fbe9fee13b3f16c96116106f63e5e6d0b38c9aa8cbc631cc4baa3257bafc3f58a75da7fc18cef7a3ef8d6fbe3a44560c0ec12a60185833b8fd2d6d95b232706906d3a7bad2bdec1eebab4649e479cd06fc0fe7a9adc938c6e330964ad3ebbc269c0f4e221da54eddce94dc4ac022f2d7561a60c48a4b25d41b3723e34a03ecdda736a31e375c1eea355a3244a451e0eeb9fc6fb8b4c330c94c7c67b7dee2b175072a1dcd6453eeabcce28dc88a711daa1acc0b9b20ddeff812d558616f018b96d6eeecf067eff87417be29b57ed3929b026ec8977aa64c583">penguin calls</a> from three different colonies in zoos around Italy. We first compared the calls of penguins that belonged to the same colony, including partners and colony-mates, versus those from different colonies. We also studied the same penguins three years later. </p>
<p>Finally, we compared the closeness of partners’ calls versus non-partners’ calls. In all cases, we found that penguins who heard each other’s calls more often had similar “voices”.</p>
<p>Our study suggests that the more penguins experience each other’s calls, the more alike their calls become. And it shows even animals incapable of vocal learning can have flexible acoustics.</p>
<p>Penguins’ calls were closer to those of their partners than to those of their colony mates three years before. This may be because of the special relationship between partners. Knowalski, a male in the Zoomarine Roma colony, lost his partner Marietta few years ago and we noticed that he was depressed for a while. Now he is cheekily trying to steal a female from other males. </p>
<p>Emotions have a <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rspb.2017.2783">huge impact on voice</a> and it can <a href="https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1469-7998.2012.00920.x">drive some convergence</a> in animals. <a href="https://storage.googleapis.com/plos-corpus-prod/10.1371/journal.pone.0103460/1/pone.0103460.s005.m4v?X-Goog-Algorithm=GOOG4-RSA-SHA256&X-Goog-Credential=wombat-sa%40plos-prod.iam.gserviceaccount.com%2F20220715%2Fauto%2Fstorage%2Fgoog4_request&X-Goog-Date=20220715T091553Z&X-Goog-Expires=86400&X-Goog-SignedHeaders=host&X-Goog-Signature=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">When partners call directly with each other</a>, they may be in a special <a href="https://theconversation.com/laughs-cries-and-deception-birds-emotional-lives-are-just-as-complicated-as-ours-69471">heightened emotional state</a>, which could affect their voices. </p>
<p>African penguins also use a range of calls in different contexts. For example single penguin make contact calls when they can’t see the colony. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/474312/original/file-20220715-22-z4bm3n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/474312/original/file-20220715-22-z4bm3n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474312/original/file-20220715-22-z4bm3n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474312/original/file-20220715-22-z4bm3n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474312/original/file-20220715-22-z4bm3n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474312/original/file-20220715-22-z4bm3n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474312/original/file-20220715-22-z4bm3n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Breeding pair of African penguins housed at Zoomarine Roma (Torvaianica, Italy; photo credit: Giulia Olivero)</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Another study we carried out recently highlighted the remarkable <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/abs/10.1098/rspb.2021.1463">cognitive skills</a> of these seabirds. It showed penguins can not only recognise their partner from the sound of their voice but also could recognise their partner on sight even when the call of a different penguin was played. </p>
<p>We’ve really enjoyed working with these birds. They spend most of their time outside the water, and they seem absolutely unfit for dry land. Although they are excellent swimmers, they wobble so cutely and fall over their own feet often. </p>
<p>Worldwide, we have <a href="https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-319-55065-7_844?noAccess=true">18 species of penguins</a>, some with millions of individuals. Others, like the African penguins have just a few thousand. </p>
<p>This species is in the <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22697810/157423361">red list of the IUCN</a> (The International Union for Conservation of Nature) and classified as endangered. Their world population decreased by 98% since 1900. <a href="https://sanccob.co.za/projects/penguin-seabird-rangers">Rapid action</a> is needed to save them.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/186887/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Luigi Baciadonna works for The University of Turin. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span><a href="mailto:livio.favaro@unito.it">livio.favaro@unito.it</a> works for The University of Turin. </span></em></p>You can tell how close penguins are to each other by how similar their voices are.Luigi Baciadonna, Post Doctoral Researcher, University of Turin, Researcher, Queen Mary University of LondonLivio Favaro, Researcher in zoology, Università di TorinoLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1833302022-06-13T20:36:13Z2022-06-13T20:36:13ZKeeping injured voices hush-hush: Why professional singers and actors often don’t seek treatment for vocal illness<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/468268/original/file-20220610-39156-3lbq01.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=426%2C93%2C4702%2C3352&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Because of the demanding ways in which they use their voices, performers have increased risks of voice injuries. Canadian singer Michael Bublé underwent vocal cord surgery in 2016.
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Professional singers and actors are at higher risks of vocal injury. Performing artists need to master their voices in a sophisticated way to meet the esthetic demands of their work. Most people may not pay much attention to their own voices, but for performing artists, any minor changes in their voice can prevent them from working and can seriously disrupt their life and career. </p>
<p>One common form of voice disorders are <a href="http://www.otolaryngology.pitt.edu/centers-excellence/voice-center/conditions-we-treat/benign-vocal-fold-lesions">benign vocal fold lesions</a>, such as nodules and polyps. Affected individuals may experience voice breaks and difficulty in singing high notes, for instance.</p>
<p>Among professional singers, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvoice.2017.02.010">about 46 per cent</a> reported having a history with voice disorders, compared to 18 per cent of the general population. For those in their early training, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvoice.2013.05.006">almost 60 per cent</a> of students in drama acting showed clinical signs of vocal dysfunctions. </p>
<p>At the <a href="http://voice.lab.mcgill.ca/">Voice and Upper Airway Research Lab</a> at McGill University, we study a broad range of upper airway and laryngeal health conditions using computational models and cell cultures as well as human studies. In the Canadian health-care system, the medical specialists who manage patients with <a href="https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/clinical-topics/voice-disorders/">voice disorders</a> include <a href="https://www.entcanada.org/">ear, nose and throat doctors</a> (ENTs, also known as otolaryngologists) and <a href="https://www.sac-oac.ca/public/what-do-speech-language-pathologists-do">speech-language pathologists</a>. </p>
<h2>Stigma and vocal health</h2>
<p>Stigma is a social phenomenon whereby individuals are marked as different, enabling discrimination and inequality. <a href="https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/corporate/publications/chief-public-health-officer-reports-state-public-health-canada/addressing-stigma-what-we-heard/stigma-eng.pdf">Stigma around a medical condition</a> often makes the condition worse because of the stress it causes. Additionally, people who experience a health-related stigma are often reluctant to seek professional medical help. For example, individuals with <a href="https://mentalhealthcommission.ca/what-we-do/stigma-and-discrimination/">mental illnesses</a> like depression and addiction are less likely to seek counselling because of the stigma around those conditions. </p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/468311/original/file-20220610-47314-am4w3z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Illustrations of normal vocal cords, vocal cords with benign nodules and with benign polyps." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/468311/original/file-20220610-47314-am4w3z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/468311/original/file-20220610-47314-am4w3z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=714&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468311/original/file-20220610-47314-am4w3z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=714&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468311/original/file-20220610-47314-am4w3z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=714&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468311/original/file-20220610-47314-am4w3z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=898&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468311/original/file-20220610-47314-am4w3z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=898&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468311/original/file-20220610-47314-am4w3z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=898&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A top view of healthy vocal folds and benign vocal fold lesions (nodules and polyps).</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Similarly, voice disorders also carry a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2022/jun/06/the-silent-treatment-singer-sarah-louise-young-losing-voice">stigma among performing artists</a>. This has made performers hesitate to seek proper and timely medical help. <a href="https://broadwaynews.com/2019/09/19/speaking-out-about-vocal-injuries-on-broadway/">Broadway singers have reportedly preferred not to disclose</a> that they have had a voice disorder because it could damage their career prospects. </p>
<p>In addition to these external pressures, performers blame themselves for their vocal health issues, believing they are the sign of an unskilled performer. In truth, even <a href="https://www.ohniww.org/category/celebrity-voice-issues/">highly skilled and successful artists can have voice disorders</a>. However, the scientific evidence for vocal stigma is mostly anecdotal. </p>
<p>For a master’s thesis project conducted at our lab, we wanted to find out how vocal stigma might affect Canadian performers. Specifically,</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Do professional Canadian singers and actors experience stigma around voice disorders?</p></li>
<li><p>If so, are performers less likely to seek medical help when they experience vocal stigma?</p></li>
<li><p>Who is likely to experience vocal stigma most strongly?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>An online survey of vocal stigma was designed to answer these questions. With the help of the <a href="https://www.nats.org/">National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS)</a> and the <a href="https://www.actra.ca/">Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA)</a>, 200 Canadian singers and actors ages 21 to 65 were recruited to complete the 64-item survey. An additional 200 Canadians, who did not have any experience in the performance industry, were also recruited to complete the same online survey as study controls. </p>
<h2>Vocal stigma affects Canadian performers</h2>
<p>Overall, Canadian performers experienced about 15 per cent more vocal stigma than the study controls. Performers also showed less motivation and intention to seek help from health professions if they had vocal illness. </p>
<p>The study also found that younger performers and those with previous voice disorders tended to experience more vocal stigma. It is likely that artists’ reputations are more vulnerable in their early careers and that people who haven’t had a voice disorder are less aware of vocal stigma. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/468313/original/file-20220610-43722-wjou46.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A man standing up with a music stand behind him, and another man sitting down and looking at him" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/468313/original/file-20220610-43722-wjou46.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/468313/original/file-20220610-43722-wjou46.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468313/original/file-20220610-43722-wjou46.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468313/original/file-20220610-43722-wjou46.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468313/original/file-20220610-43722-wjou46.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468313/original/file-20220610-43722-wjou46.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468313/original/file-20220610-43722-wjou46.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Demonstrations of vocal coaching were part of the public information events at McGill’s School of Communication Sciences and Disorders for World Voice Day on April 16.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University; Photo Fund)</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Our study also found that vocal stigma was characterized more by external pressures than by internal beliefs like self-blame in Canadian performers. Performers feared losing both current and future work if employers found out they have had a voice disorder. </p>
<p>The ensuing economic pressure can be compounded by challenges in accessing specialized vocal health services, including <a href="https://www.fraserinstitute.org/sites/default/files/waiting-your-turn-2021.pdf">long wait times for public ENT clinics</a> and <a href="https://www.fraserinstitute.org/sites/default/files/private-cost-public-queues-medically-necessary-care-2019.pdf">the high cost of private alternatives</a>. </p>
<h2>Possible solutions for breaking vocal stigma</h2>
<p>Like other stigmas, vocal stigma is a complex issue without a one-size-fits-all solution. Education and outreach from voice health experts could form part of the solution, with the potential to both reduce vocal stigma and help performers protect their voices. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/468323/original/file-20220610-24020-suzm1w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A person out of frame holds a model of the larynx and vocal cords, in front of two people seated at a table" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/468323/original/file-20220610-24020-suzm1w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/468323/original/file-20220610-24020-suzm1w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468323/original/file-20220610-24020-suzm1w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468323/original/file-20220610-24020-suzm1w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468323/original/file-20220610-24020-suzm1w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468323/original/file-20220610-24020-suzm1w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468323/original/file-20220610-24020-suzm1w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A multidisciplinary workshop on vocal health for singers, actors and other professional voice users, jointly presented by McGill and the University of Bergen (Norway) on World Voice Day.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University; Photo Fund)</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>For example, McGill’s <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/scsd/">School of Communication Sciences and Disorders</a> has been holding annual public seminars, panel discussions and free voice screenings for <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/scsd/community/serving-local-community/world-voice-day">World Voice Day</a>. We hope to expand this program to reach more artists across the country. </p>
<p>Improving performers’ access to services could also play a role. For example, by improving the coverage of employment and medical insurance for performers requiring vocal health care. Upholding medical privacy is also important in ensuring that performers’ careers are not unfairly damaged by past health issues. </p>
<p>The first step, though, is to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/2017/aug/10/adele-vocal-cord-surgery-why-stars-keep-losing-their-voices">increase awareness of vocal stigma within the performance industry</a>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/183330/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nicole Y.K. Li-Jessen receives funding from Canada Research Chair, Fonds de recherche du Québec–Santé, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and National Institutes of Health. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Colin Jones does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Singers and actors are more likely to have voice injuries, but less likely to report them or seek treatment due to stigma and fears that it may affect their career.Nicole Y.K. Li-Jessen, Associate Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Canada Research Chair in Personalized Medicine of Upper Airway Health and Disease, McGill UniversityColin Jones, Master's Student in Speech-Language Pathology, McGill UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1817032022-04-29T12:21:31Z2022-04-29T12:21:31ZGilbert Gottfried and the mechanics of crafting one of the most memorable voices of all time<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/460333/original/file-20220428-12-yk51sc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=13%2C8%2C2982%2C1985&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Marlee Matlin covers her ears as Gottfried performs during the Comedy Central Roast of Donald Trump in 2011.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/ComedyCentralRoastofDonaldTrump/9f6393d4b209436788f830ae5dfd82cf/photo?Query=gilbert%20gottfried&mediaType=photo&sortBy=arrivaldatetime:desc&dateRange=Anytime&totalCount=154&currentItemNo=131">AP Photo/Charles Sykes</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Though Gilbert Gottfried’s voice has alternatively been described as “<a href="https://variety.com/2022/film/news/gilbert-gottfried-dead-dies-comedian-aladdin-1235231387">shrill</a>,” “<a href="https://www.looper.com/132868/whatever-happened-to-gilbert-gottfried/">annoying</a>” and “<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/12/entertainment/gilbert-gottfried-death/index.html">grating</a>,” you can’t say it isn’t memorable.</p>
<p>Gottfried, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/12/arts/gilbert-gottfried-dead.html">who died on April 12, 2022</a>, didn’t naturally sound this way. Watch him perform as a cast member during on the sixth season of “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idtrUge0wAQ">Saturday Night Live</a>,” and you’ll hear a voice that sounds downright angelic by comparison. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/idtrUge0wAQ?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Gilbert Gottfried’s brief run as a cast member on ‘Saturday Night Live’ occurred before the development of his signature voice.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But as he developed his comic persona, that distinctive sound made its way into his performances in stand-up comedy, advertising, television and film – perhaps most famously as Iago in “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103639/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0">Aladdin</a>,” Mr. Peabody in “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100419/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_2">Problem Child</a>” and as a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8PGzYwTsqM">squawking duck</a> in advertisements for the insurance giant Aflac. </p>
<p>Clearly, Gottfried figured out how to create a character that perfectly synced a personality with a voice that matched – a particularly valuable skill for actors that requires a combination of technique and instinct.</p>
<h2>The smooth operators</h2>
<p>In 2001, the Center for Voice Disorders at Wake Forest University <a href="https://newsroom.wakehealth.edu/News-Releases/2002/01/Americans-Speak-Out-Select-the-Best-and-Worst-Voices-in-America-In-Online-Polling">surveyed Americans</a> asking them who possessed the best and worst voices. The actors with the three best voices were James Earl Jones, Sean Connery and Julia Roberts. </p>
<p>The worst? Leading the pack was Fran Drescher of “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106080/">The Nanny</a>” fame, followed by Roseanne Barr and – you guessed it – Gilbert Gottfried.</p>
<p><a href="https://sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/artsandsciences/theatre_and_dance/our_people/directory/tobolski_erica.php">As a voice specialist</a> who teaches acting, voice and speech, I work with students and clients who often want to sound more like Connery and Roberts, and less like Gottfried.</p>
<p>Three distinct subsystems are involved in vocal production: the larynx, <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/imagepages/19708.htm">or voice box</a>, which houses the vocal folds; the lungs and diaphragm in breathing; and areas where sounds resonate, or the vocal tract.</p>
<p>Speaking well involves a mix of understanding this vocal anatomy, utilizing proper breathing techniques and learning how to speak without excess tension. Collectively, these elements are known as <a href="https://voicefoundation.org/health-science/voice-disorders/anatomy-physiology-of-voice-production/the-voice-mechanism/">the voice mechanism</a>. </p>
<p>If a student or client comes into a session seeking a more effective voice, it’s these fundamentals that will be addressed. When these elements work together, they create a balanced vocal quality, one that’s generally perceived as confident and professional – think <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIiNuLgUInk">Morgan Freeman</a>. </p>
<h2>Developing a character</h2>
<p>But there’s a special niche for voices that are unusual.</p>
<p>The very skills that an actor learns to create a melodious voice can also be manipulated for a character voice – which is exactly what Gottfried was able to do, along with other actors who developed memorable characters, such as Jim Carrey in “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110475/?ref_=vp_close">The Mask</a>” and Eartha Kitt as Yzma in “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHA2rNGUusU">The Emperor’s New Groove</a>.” Meryl Streep has been especially adept at creating unique voices for a number of roles, but one that stands out to me is her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnwG9lTd4-M">The Iron Lady</a>.”</p>
<p>Understanding what you can change – and how to change it – is the key. </p>
<p>In my voice-over class, for example, I introduce a range of vocal qualities that can be mined to develop new voices. Five of the most common are a hoarse voice, a breathy one, a creaky one – also known as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4L7-9N1xQZA">vocal fry</a> – a voice that incorporates hypernasality and one that accentuates hyponasality, which refers to how most people sound when they have a cold.</p>
<p>One of the best and most immediate ways to change your voice is by placing it in a specific resonating area of the body – such as the sinuses or throat – or by changing how the vocal folds vibrate. </p>
<p>In a class on character voice, I coach students to direct the sound of their voice into their nasal cavity for a hypernasal sound, and into the back of their throat, the pharyngeal cavity, for a hyponasal sound. </p>
<p>To trigger a hypernasal sound, you could quack like a duck – “Aflac!” – or mimic <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002121/">Margaret Hamilton’s</a> Wicked Witch of the West from “The Wizard of Oz” with the phrase “I’ll get you, my pretty!”</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OQ_g6NOo7yo?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">The Wicked Witch of the West in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ possesses the hallmarks of the hypernasal sound.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>For a hyponasal sound, pinch your nostrils together so no sound comes through the nasal passage, and you’ll sound like you have a stuffy nose. Widening the back of your throat while you speak will create a sound similar to that of Lenny from “Loony Tunes.” </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bs-Q0JmWjj0?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Sounding droopy and dopey like Lenny can involve accentuating a hyponasal sound.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Want to sound like <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001413/">Julie Kavner’s</a> rendition of Marge Simpson, who speaks with a creaky voice? Relax your throat and say “uhhh” in a very low pitch. The vocal folds are short and thick and create a slow vibration. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RUPi9e_LWM4?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Marge Simpson pushes back against suggestions that she sounds like Vice President Kamala Harris.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>To achieve a breathy quality, sigh out an easy “hahhh” with half voice and half breath. Marilyn Monroe singing “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH3oOVKt0WI">Happy Birthday</a>” to President John F. Kennedy captures this vocal quality perfectly. </p>
<p>If Gilbert Gottfried were to walk into my classroom and ask me to analyze his character voice, I would describe it as a combination of hypernasality and raspy, with a bit of stridency thrown in. He speaks in a relatively high pitch with little modulation and stays at a consistently high volume. </p>
<p>Of course, Gottfried perfected this sound, and it worked in tandem with his brand of humor. If you were to develop something similar, just make sure you could figure out when to hit the “off” switch.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/R-SxktKa7Fc?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Gilbert Gottfried as Mr. Peabody in ‘Problem Child.’</span></figcaption>
</figure>
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Erica Tobolski does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Though it was exceedingly grating, the late comedian was able to perfect a sound that worked in tandem with his brand of humor.Erica Tobolski, Professor of Theatre and Dance, University of South CarolinaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1779612022-03-03T13:27:38Z2022-03-03T13:27:38ZWhat’s behind the obsession over whether Elizabeth Holmes intentionally lowered her voice?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/449303/original/file-20220301-17-otvuzn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Was the way she spoke another strand of deception in the web of fraud spun by the former Theranos CEO?</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/elizabeth-holmes-dropped-out-of-stanford-in-2003-as-a-19-news-photo/1359151393?adppopup=true">Karl Mondon/MediaNews Group/Bay Area News via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>There is a scene in Hulu’s new series, “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10166622/">The Dropout</a>,” where Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, wearing a white blouse, stands in front of a mirror and practices saying, “This is an inspiring step forward.” With each iteration, her voice deepens.</p>
<p>As the world has learned about Theranos’ <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-theranos-fraud-elizabeth-holmes-convicted-trial-blood-testing-start-up-11641330471">web of deception</a> – whether through John Carreyrou’s bestselling book, “<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/549478/bad-blood-by-john-carreyrou/">Bad Blood</a>,” Apple’s podcast series “<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dropout/id1449500734">The Dropout</a>” or Hulu’s streaming series of the same name – Holmes’ <a href="https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/02/09/elizabeth-holmes-voice-the-dropout-devotes-an-entire-episode-to-her-odd-baritone/">supposed attempt to alter her voice</a> is a detail that captivates audiences. The behavior might strike some people as bizarre, even sociopathic.</p>
<p>But because of my training <a href="https://doi.org/10.3109/14015439609099196">in vocology</a>, which is the study of vocalization, and my interest in <a href="https://theconversation.com/tiktok-bamarush-and-the-irresistible-allure-of-mocking-southern-accents-166324">speech biases</a>, I’m intrigued by why Holmes may have felt compelled to change her voice in the first place. I see the story of her voice as part of a broader cultural fixation on the way women speak and sound.</p>
<h2>Reactions to Holmes’ voice</h2>
<p>Whenever Holmes is in the news, some questions always come up: </p>
<p>What’s with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AI_a-B6F1Eg">that distinctively low voice</a>? Is she faking it? </p>
<p>I have not been able to find definitive proof, in the form of video or audio recordings, to show that Holmes’ voice is noticeably different in its current form than at some previous time. </p>
<p><a href="https://youtu.be/lEArFDFcLZM?t=88">One video</a> claims to capture Holmes shifting between two very different voice modes. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lEArFDFcLZM?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">During this interview with Elizabeth Holmes, commenters highlight a vocal switch between the 1:28 and 2:08 marks.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>However, it could have been easily edited. And dramatic, sustained pitch changes in speech can be associated with heightened emotional states without indicating a put-on voice. At the same time, <a href="https://www.thecut.com/2019/03/why-did-elizabeth-holmes-use-a-fake-deep-voice.html">people who know Holmes have claimed</a> that she changed her voice in order to cultivate a persona as a Silicon Valley wunderkind.</p>
<p>Only a clinician like a <a href="https://voicefoundation.org/health-science/voice-disorders/voice-care-team/otolaryngologistlaryngologist/">laryngologist</a> can make a voice-related medical diagnosis. But since I can’t definitively answer if Holmes’ voice changed intentionally, it is worth considering what natural or medical processes could cause a similar effect. Hormones <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6592446/">directly impact</a> the voice, including pitch and the perception of roughness or hoarseness. Women’s voices tend to <a href="https://lithub.com/vocal-effects-how-hormones-change-the-way-we-sound/">decrease in pitch range during menopause</a>. </p>
<p>Holmes’ young age at the time she became known for her voice may rule out an age-related hormonal voice change, but a similar effect could be found with <a href="http://www.vocapedia.info/_Library/JOS_files_Vocapedia/JOS-069-5-2013-571.pdf">certain hormone therapy</a>. There are also several <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/voice-disorders">voice disorders</a> that impact pitch range. </p>
<h2>If she did it … how?</h2>
<p>There are all sorts of reasons people seek voice therapy or coaching to address vocal insecurities. Whether they’re concerned about their voice range or simply seeking skills to become better communicators, the voice is resilient and can be developed with training. There are also wonderful resources available for <a href="https://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/voice-and-communication-change-for-transgender-people/">gender-affirming voice</a> support for transgender people. </p>
<p>So what is the physiological process at play when someone intentionally lowers their voice? </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Woman wearing mask seated in back seat of car." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/449300/original/file-20220301-13-1yth1oh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/449300/original/file-20220301-13-1yth1oh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=360&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449300/original/file-20220301-13-1yth1oh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=360&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449300/original/file-20220301-13-1yth1oh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=360&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449300/original/file-20220301-13-1yth1oh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=452&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449300/original/file-20220301-13-1yth1oh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=452&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/449300/original/file-20220301-13-1yth1oh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=452&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Elizabeth Holmes leaves a San Jose, Calif. courthouse after testifying in her defense in November 2021.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/theranos-founder-and-former-ceo-elizabeth-holmes-sits-in-news-photo/1236759223?adppopup=true">Ethan Swope/Getty Images</a></span>
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<p>Engaging a tiny laryngeal muscle called the <a href="https://med.umn.edu/ent/patient-care/lions-voice-clinic/about-the-voice/how-it-works/anatomy">thyroarytenoid</a> causes the vocal folds, which are housed inside the larynx (or “voice box”), to relax and become shorter and thicker. Imagine decreasing tension on a rubber band. These shorter, thicker folds vibrate at a lower frequency, resulting in a lower-pitched voice, just as a thicker or more lax <a href="https://www.yamaha.com/en/musical_instrument_guide/acoustic_guitar/mechanism/mechanism003.html">guitar string</a> has a lower pitch.</p>
<p>It is likely the singular nature of Holmes’ voice is related not only to its low pitch, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7591156/">but also its resonance</a>, the unique tonal quality and placement of the voice. Holmes might adjust her resonance by consciously lowering the larynx. Doing so creates a longer space above the larynx, which boosts the <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0132193">deeper, darker tones</a> in the voice. </p>
<h2>Women’s voices subject to scrutiny</h2>
<p>In my role as a theatrical <a href="https://www.rsc.org.uk/about-us/how-we-make-theatre/voice">voice coach</a>, I’m sometimes asked to help women actors lower their voices. I’ve encountered directors and producers with significant distaste for higher-pitched women’s voices, especially when this pitch range is combined with <a href="https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/clinical-topics/resonance-disorders/">nasal resonance</a>. </p>
<p>In movies and on TV, characters with high-pitched voices are often portrayed as comical, dim-witted and generally undesirable. Think of Lina Lamont, the character from “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045152/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Singin’ in the Rain</a>” memorably played by Jean Hagen. Her high, piercing voice became a source of consistent laughs. </p>
<p>Might sexist attitudes about women’s voices cause <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0051216">women in leadership roles</a> to feel pressured to adjust their pitch range down?</p>
<p>Former British Prime Minister <a href="https://www.workingvoices.com/insights/busting-the-margaret-thatcher-voice-coaching-myth/">Margaret Thatcher</a>, nicknamed the “Iron Lady,” famously <a href="https://decider.com/2020/11/15/the-crown-season-4-gillian-anderson-margaret-thatcher-real-voice/">down-shifted her voice</a> to burnish her stature. <a href="https://www.americanscientist.org/article/how-voice-pitch-influences-our-choice-of-leaders">Research on perceptions of pitch</a> in women’s voices shows higher ones are associated with physical attractiveness, while lower voices are associated with dominance. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, many women <a href="https://youtu.be/JfgBgpFJYto">radio and podcast hosts</a> are barraged with negative listener feedback about “<a href="https://www.wired.com/video/watch/accent-expert-breaks-down-language-pet-peeves">vocal fry</a>,” the creaky mode of speaking made famous by Kim Kardashian. </p>
<p>Yet physiologically, to create this sound, the vocal folds must vibrate at a low frequency, associated with low pitch. This much-maligned vocal feature is at one end of the pitch spectrum. But there’s another equally hated speech feature that is achieved at the other end: the high-rising terminal intonation pattern, or “<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-28708526">uptalk</a>.” This feature is noted for the dramatic upward pitch at the end of each thought, which <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z756L_CkakU">can make</a> statements sound like questions.</p>
<p>The insistence that women in media change the pitch of their voices often comes with little concern for the <a href="https://doi.org/10.3109/14015439.2011.587447">anatomical and physiological factors</a> that will limit how much pitch change is ultimately possible. My current research is investigating perceptions of women’s speaking voices in the performing arts and considering whether it’s time to part ways with some old aesthetic preferences.</p>
<p>Either way, the delicate dance of trying to strike a happy medium – the Goldilocks voice profile, where one can be taken seriously as a leader without being perceived as inauthentic, grating or patronizing – seems to be elusive. Women’s voices are the subject of endless scrutiny at both ends of the range – it seems they just can’t win. </p>
<p>If everything about this story were the same except the gender of Theranos’ CEO, I wonder whether his voice would even be remarked upon. If it were, might the <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/deeper-voice-gives-electoral-advant-12-03-14/">same vocal qualities</a> be perceived as positive traits befitting a capable, serious-minded leader? </p>
<p>Elizabeth Holmes undoubtedly lacks the practical skills and moral compass to be a great leader. But all the noise about her voice, and the potential that she changed it to get ahead, just may reveal a sexist double standard that women seemingly can’t escape.</p>
<p>[<em>Get the best of The Conversation’s politics, science or religion articles each week.</em><a href="https://memberservices.theconversation.com/newsletters/?source=inline-best">Sign up today</a>.]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/177961/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kathryn Cunningham is a member of the Pan-American Vocology Association (PAVA) and Voice and Speech Trainers Association (VASTA). </span></em></p>A speech expert wonders what this says about the pressures women in leadership roles feel – and the broader cultural impulse to police the way women speak and sound.Kathryn Cunningham, Assistant Professor of Theatre, University of TennesseeLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1722622021-12-29T11:05:03Z2021-12-29T11:05:03ZHow listening to real people’s voices outside the lab gave my research new perspective<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437863/original/file-20211215-15-yt5tuu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=51%2C0%2C5705%2C3680&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/business-concept-image-tangram-puzzle-blocks-1590628690">tomertu/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>As a biotechnology research scientist, I specialise in designing and creating “smart” <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/adhm.201400065">implantable materials</a>. These materials can <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4517957/">control cell behaviour</a> and enable us, for example, to grow new, replacement tissue for patients with diseased or damaged tissue, deliver drugs to a specific site in the body, or coat implantable medical devices so that the body doesn’t <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1742706120302920?via%3Dihub">reject them</a>. </p>
<p>The composition of these materials varies depending on what they’re used for. They could be based on hydrogels (soft, jelly-like materials that contain a lot of water), polymers (strong, flexible materials made of long chains of molecules) or something else entirely.</p>
<p>Our group was focused on seeing how new materials might be used to help rebuild the human voice box (<a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/larynx">larynx</a>) after accidents or cancer treatment, for example. Changes to the larynx affect the way people breathe and speak, among other things, which can in turn lead to isolation and feelings of <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00405-009-1068-7">depression</a>.</p>
<p>Restoring the complex workings of the voice box is challenging, and no ideal material presently exists. It must be strong enough to withstand repeated strain and movement, and avoid or resist attack by the immune system.</p>
<p>I explored materials that might fit this remit, focusing on whether they were robust enough and whether cells typically found in a healthy larynx <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0928493121000734?via%3Dihub">would respond positively</a> to these materials. Ultimately, I was able to manipulate polymer-based materials to create <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0928493117342443?via%3Dihub">a potential basis</a> for a larynx replacement device. </p>
<p>Lessons learned from the studies I conducted in the lab will inform how the material is combined with electronics into a device, testing of its movement and function, and could eventually lead to clinical trials to determine safety and efficacy. </p>
<p>Of course, any new technological solution to a medical problem must go through a rigorous process before being approved for use. So while my findings mark progress along the research pathway, it’s going to be some time before a potential voice box replacement device using these materials could be made available to patients.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/is-every-human-voice-and-fingerprint-really-unique-63739">Is every human voice and fingerprint really unique?</a>
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<h2>Discovering the human side of my research</h2>
<p>Scientific projects typically require a combination of expertise, and in this project the team is composed of biologists, chemists, engineers, roboticists and clinicians.</p>
<p>But while I’ve had the opportunity to work with a broad range of scientists during my research career, my involvement in patient engagement has been limited, mainly because my work focuses on fundamental science, and I rarely leave the lab.</p>
<p>That changed in 2020 when I was introduced to <a href="https://soundvoice.org/">Sound Voice</a>, an organisation which brings together people with lived experience of voice loss, health-care professionals, biomedical researchers, academics, professionals in commercial technology and creative artists. Together, participants explore issues of voice loss and identity which they then translate into opera, music, live performances and installation pieces.</p>
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<p>When I first heard about Sound Voice, curiosity led me to sign up. I didn’t have any particular expectations. After the first online session I attended – a flurry of singing, talking and break-out rooms – I sat staring at my computer screen. The participants’ voices, some barely above a whisper, replayed over and over in my head.</p>
<p>I could hear Tanja, who had her voice box removed one week after being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer behind her vocal cords.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I could no longer tell my two-year-old child to stop when there was immediate danger. I couldn’t read him a bedtime story. Those are things I miss about losing my voice. </p>
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<p>I could hear Sara talk about her poem Can you Hear my Voice?, which captures her feelings on voice loss, identity and of wanting to be heard by others after losing the ability to speak.</p>
<p>I could hear Paul, who was starting to lose his voice due to motor neurone disease, and others who had started to lose their speech as a result of Parkinson’s disease. </p>
<p>These were the people who I was designing my materials for. While I may be focused on the function of a larynx, people like Tanja, Sara and Paul are grappling with how to find their place in a society that relies so heavily on speaking.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-how-do-voices-come-out-of-our-mouths-130286">Curious Kids: how do voices come out of our mouths?</a>
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<p>I thought about the materials I was developing: the science of producing noise, controlling the pitch, creating a device, the dimensions, implanting it into a patient, and the body’s response to the device. For the first time, I was able to see, albeit via my computer screen, the very end of the research pathway – the people themselves.</p>
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<img alt="Four people on a stage playing musical instruments and singing." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437774/original/file-20211215-17-1ujlyif.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437774/original/file-20211215-17-1ujlyif.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=375&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/437774/original/file-20211215-17-1ujlyif.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=375&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/437774/original/file-20211215-17-1ujlyif.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=375&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/437774/original/file-20211215-17-1ujlyif.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=471&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/437774/original/file-20211215-17-1ujlyif.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=471&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/437774/original/file-20211215-17-1ujlyif.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=471&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Members of Sound Voice rehearse for an opera performance.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
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<p>Scientific research is a cyclical process and while I may produce something that could one day be clinically relevant, the fact research in this area was required in the first place came from those patients. Of course, I knew all this. A large part of funding decisions for research proposals are informed by need. </p>
<p>But through this unique setup, I saw how I fit into the puzzle beyond just “doing science”. I now think: “What are the implications of my research beyond the immediate problem I’m trying to solve?” My experience with Sound Voice – particularly engaging with people who could one day be directly impacted by my research – has truly opened my eyes and ears, and given me a new perspective as I step into the lab and put on my lab coat.</p>
<p><em>Sound Voice is presenting performances at Kings Place in London on <a href="https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/classical/sound-voice-installation/">January 13-15, 2022</a> and <a href="https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/classical/sound-voice-project/">May 27, 2022</a>.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/172262/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>This work was conducted at University College London. Nazia Mehrban received funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to conduct the research described. </span></em></p>Most of my work takes place in the lab. But recently I became involved with an organisation which allows me to connect with the very people who could one day benefit from my research.Nazia Mehrban, Assistant Professor (Lecturer), Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of BathLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1722992021-11-26T02:20:30Z2021-11-26T02:20:30ZMany define Adele’s voice by its power. But the true artistry comes from her fragile, authentic self<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/433320/original/file-20211123-21-1hl7r0t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C2995%2C2151&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Matt Sayles/Invision/AP, File</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Adele writes and sings female rites of passage: 19 was the teen experience; 21 the transition to adulthood; 25 relationships. Now, 30 reveals the pain of letting go.</p>
<p>Adele’s singing is imperfect perfection. As described by Amanda Petrusich in <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/the-singularity-of-adeles-soul">the New Yorker</a>, “her voice is not a crystal stream. It is a gust of wind that’s picked up some grit.” </p>
<p>Adele’s songs can gut-punch, and this new album intends for the audience to feel. Her music is a combination of soul and blues colours, deeply personal lyrics and heartfelt vocalism valuing the text foremost in her raw and expressive voice. </p>
<p>She crafts with relatively simple chordal structures, and her sound has danger in it: in the muscling and widening in her chest voice, the audible pop as she moves between registers of chest and head. </p>
<p>This affect is deeply moving.</p>
<h2>A changing voice</h2>
<p>Most pop songs are written in the tenor range, making them hard for other voice types to sing. As a mezzo-soprano, Adele’s songs sit in a range that suits most listeners, singing along. Adele can mix her chest voice up quite high (E5, 10 notes above middle C) but she is not taken to the range extremes of early Mariah or Celine.</p>
<p>The middle of Adele’s voice is soulful, rich and powerful, occasionally with an edgy tone colour. She has the ability to create a breathy, fragile head voice, but can also take her chest up high and create a strong and powerful effect. In these high notes, Adele has been known to take on a quality of “<a href="https://theconversation.com/keep-an-eye-on-vocal-fry-its-all-about-power-status-and-gender-45883">vocal fry</a>”, embodying pain. </p>
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<p>The pressure applied to the vocal folds in taking the chest voice up high can lead to danger. No doubt <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/2017/aug/10/adele-vocal-cord-surgery-why-stars-keep-losing-their-voices">two throat surgeries</a> would have given Adele pause. On 30, she uses her floaty head voice sound more than on previous albums. This gives her the possibility of more vocal colours, and can help to protect her from vocal problems in the future. </p>
<p>Because of this, 30 contains a number of tumbling strains (falling phrases, like sighing) that sound more like melodious expressions than cries. She allows the flip into the lighter head voice more often, and then tumbles back down into the chest without added pressure, as in Easy On Me.</p>
<p>It is almost as if the more careful approach to her voice matches the aftermath of the damage of divorce, and of working under pressure since she was 18. Adele’s voice has changed. In close-up on the mic, she is more vulnerable now than she was as a teenager.</p>
<h2>A brave album</h2>
<p>Voices change as people change, and this iteration of Adele sits lower. She is more powerful and grounded – and yet more fragile. </p>
<p>There are nods to Amy Winehouse, Erroll Garner, Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye on this album. Her lyrics are positioned as the “knowing now”, looking back over the lessons she has learnt in the six years since her last album. </p>
<p>To Be Loved is an aching testimonial, posted on youtube almost as a rehearsal on a couch. </p>
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<p>In Hold On, Adele is close to the mic, leaning into the imperfections, twists and turns of her instrument, and her life. </p>
<p>As she <a href="https://www.elle.com/culture/music/a38253341/adele-love-is-a-game-lyrics-meaning/">said to Oprah</a>, “I don’t have to expect someone else to give me stability. I can also be stable for myself and be a solid house that doesn’t blow over in a storm.” </p>
<p>She only lets us in after her house is sorted. In I Drink Wine, she has already changed: “Sometimes the road less travelled is the road best left behind”. </p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/adele-30-the-psychology-of-why-sad-songs-make-us-feel-good-170322">Adele 30: the psychology of why sad songs make us feel good</a>
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<p>Delivering this album live would require bravery. My Little Love begins with a turn-of-the-millenia rhythm and blues vibe. Every instrument is heavily produced and filtered. Yet the song becomes increasingly painful to listen to as Adele samples voice recordings of her conversations with her son. </p>
<p>These conversations are achingly introspective, and her voicemail message at the end of the song, where she talks about her struggles with anxiety, is peak confessional. </p>
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<p>The two guitar-based pop songs are recorded up close, showing bite and dirt in her voice. Women Like Me is up tempo, sitting low in Adele’s range. Can I Get It has a plucked and unplugged feel, with whistling adding a retro touch. </p>
<p>Cry Your Heart Out begins with heavily engineered harmonies, all voiced by Adele. The notes sound bent, as the sound engineer manipulates the pitch in the studio. Likewise, Oh My God heavily manipulates Adele’s voice, this time in a pop dance mix, taking her sound away from soul and the blues. </p>
<p>These two tracks show her stylistic versatility: she values quality music and storytelling above all. </p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/adele-has-successfully-asked-spotify-to-remove-shuffle-from-albums-heres-why-thats-important-for-musicians-172301">Adele has successfully asked Spotify to remove 'shuffle' from albums. Here's why that's important for musicians</a>
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<p>In more retrospection, Love is a Game could be the theme to a Bond film, the strings and expansive colours belong in the 1960s. Strangers by Nature could be a rediscovered jazz standard, with floated head voice and romantic lyrics. </p>
<p>My favourite song of the album, All Night Parking, centres around a light and floaty sampled jazz piano from Erroll Garner, composer of the 1954 jazz standard <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misty_(song)">Misty</a>. Adele’s light touch vocals on the top line here shimmer and flirt and the programmed percussion is subtle. The vinyl feel from the crackling, breathy ambience is a stylish recreation of a past era.</p>
<p>Throughout this album, we not only get a glimpse of Adele’s recent past, but her broad definition of soul music, too. 30 is an intimate studio album exploring the rite of passage of motherhood and love-loss through an authentic, fragile and powerfully emotive voice.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/172299/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Narelle Yeo does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Adele’s voice is soulful, rich and powerful – but it is in her vulnerability we can really see what an incredible artist she is.Narelle Yeo, Senior Lecturer in Voice and Stagecraft, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1583762021-05-17T12:26:53Z2021-05-17T12:26:53ZWhy do we hate the sound of our own voices?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/400587/original/file-20210513-13-4ejtyv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=3%2C71%2C2476%2C1804&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Your voice, when played back to you, can sound unrecognizable.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/illustration/engraving-of-scary-woman-monster-with-three-royalty-free-illustration/988105126?adppopup=true">GeorgePeters/Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><a href="http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=zZY5ezsAAAAJ&hl=en">As a surgeon who specializes in treating patients with voice problems</a>, I routinely record my patients speaking. For me, these recordings are incredibly valuable. They allow me to track slight changes in their voices from visit to visit, and it helps confirm whether surgery or voice therapy led to improvements.</p>
<p>Yet I’m surprised by how difficult these sessions can be for my patients. Many become visibly uncomfortable upon hearing their voice played back to them. </p>
<p>“Do I really sound like that?” they wonder, wincing. </p>
<p>(Yes, you do.) </p>
<p>Some become so unsettled they refuse outright to listen to the recording – much less go over the subtle changes I want to highlight. </p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2273.2005.01022.x">The discomfort we have over hearing our voices in audio recordings</a> is probably due to a mix of physiology and psychology.</p>
<p>For one, the sound from an audio recording is transmitted differently to your brain than the sound generated when you speak. </p>
<p>When listening to a recording of your voice, the sound travels through the air and into your ears – what’s referred to as “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-385157-4.00121-4">air conduction</a>.” The sound energy vibrates the ear drum and small ear bones. These bones then transmit the sound vibrations to the cochlea, which stimulates nerve axons that send the auditory signal to the brain.</p>
<p>However, when you speak, the sound from your voice reaches the inner ear in a different way. While some of the sound is transmitted through air conduction, much of the sound is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1159/000266070">internally conducted directly through your skull bones</a>. When you hear your own voice when you speak, it’s due to a blend of both external and internal conduction, and internal bone conduction appears to boost the lower frequencies. </p>
<p>For this reason, people generally perceive their voice as deeper and richer when they speak. The recorded voice, in comparison, can sound thinner and higher pitched, which many find cringeworthy.</p>
<p>There’s a second reason hearing a recording of your voice can be so disconcerting. It really is a new voice – one that exposes a difference between your self-perception and reality. <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/07/15/741827437/finding-your-voice-how-the-way-we-sound-shapes-our-identities">Because your voice is unique and an important component of self-identity</a>, this mismatch can be jarring. Suddenly you realize other people have been hearing something else all along.</p>
<p>Even though we may actually sound more like our recorded voice to others, I think the reason so many of us squirm upon hearing it is not that the recorded voice is necessarily worse than our perceived voice. Instead, we’re simply more used to hearing ourselves sound a certain way. </p>
<p>[<em>Get the best of The Conversation, every weekend.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters/weekly-highlights-61?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=weeklybest">Sign up for our weekly newsletter</a>.]</p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2273.2005.01022.x">A study published in 2005</a> had patients with voice problems rate their own voices when presented with recordings of them. They also had clinicians rate the voices. The researchers found that patients, across the board, tended to more negatively rate the quality of their recorded voice compared with the objective assessments of clinicians. </p>
<p>So if the voice in your head castigates the voice coming out of a recording device, it’s probably your inner critic overreacting – and you’re judging yourself a bit too harshly.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/158376/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Neel Bhatt does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>If you’ve ever cringed after hearing a recording of yourself, you’re not alone.Neel Bhatt, Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology, UW Medicine, University of WashingtonLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1543572021-02-25T17:12:08Z2021-02-25T17:12:08ZWhy employees hesitate to speak up at work — and how to encourage them<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/385358/original/file-20210219-15-11ycims.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C46%2C5184%2C3360&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Employees are often reluctant to speak up at work. But if they make efforts to research their ideas and ensure they benefit the organization, it benefits both workers and employers.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Unsplash)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Imagine this: You notice a problem that might be disastrous for your company’s reputation, or you have an idea that can save thousands of dollars. </p>
<p>You want to say something but you’re not sure if you should. You’re afraid it might not go over well and not sure it will make a difference. You want to speak up, but you’re uncertain about how to voice your ideas in such a way that people will actually listen.</p>
<p>You’re not alone. Studies consistently show that employees are reluctant to speak up, <a href="https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2011.61967925">and are even hardwired to remain silent</a>, with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-6486.00387">50 per cent of employees keeping quiet at work</a>. Why is this the case, and how can we help people voice their opinions at work more effectively?</p>
<h2>Speak up or zip it?</h2>
<p><a href="https://emplify.com/blog/why-is-employee-voice-so-important/">Employee voice</a> — speaking up with ideas, concerns, opinions or information — is vital for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.2011.01219.x">organizational performance and innovation</a>. On the flip side, silence is at the root of many well-known <a href="https://hbr.org/2019/05/boeing-and-the-importance-of-encouraging-employees-to-speak-up">organizational disasters</a>. </p>
<p>For example, Canada’s Phoenix pay system debacle, which has already <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/phoenix-pay-system-cost-report-1.5138036">cost the federal government $1.5 billion</a>, was attributed to a culture that “<a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/treasury-board-secretariat/corporate/reports/lessons-learned-transformation-pay-administration-initiative.html#10">does not reward those who share negative news</a>.” Employees who sounded alarms were told they <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/phoenix-pay-system-workplace-culture-1.4687308">weren’t being “team players.”</a></p>
<p>Employee voice is the antidote to this culture of silence, but it’s not easy to encourage. Employees withhold voice because they <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/a0020744">think it will not be heard or fear it may backfire</a> by embarrassing their managers or damaging their own reputations. These reservations are reasonable. </p>
<p>Although speaking up is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-031413-091328">generally linked with positive career outcomes</a>, it can lead to lower social status at the office and lessened performance ratings in <a href="https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2011.0035">some circumstances</a>.</p>
<p>Employees’ proactive personalities and managers’ demonstrated openness are both relevant to overcoming these reservations. Although we can’t change someone’s personality, leaders can create more welcoming environments <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206311434533">that support and encourage voice</a>.</p>
<h2>Encouraging workers to voice opinions</h2>
<p>For example, employees are more likely to speak up when they believe their <a href="https://doi.org/10.5465/AMJ.2007.26279183">leader encourages</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.2012.01248.x">solicits their opinions</a>. By contrast, when leaders punish employees who dare to speak up with concerns or ideas, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/job.413">such as by publicly reprimanding them</a>, voice dwindles quickly. </p>
<p>Pointing out others’ mistakes or sharing ideas that go against common practice can “rock the boat.” So how can employees still find ways to speak up effectively and have their ideas actually heard, despite these risks?</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A sign reads Your Ideas Matter on a glass office door." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/385356/original/file-20210219-17-m9u28w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/385356/original/file-20210219-17-m9u28w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385356/original/file-20210219-17-m9u28w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385356/original/file-20210219-17-m9u28w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385356/original/file-20210219-17-m9u28w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385356/original/file-20210219-17-m9u28w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385356/original/file-20210219-17-m9u28w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Be sure to do your research and prepare before sharing your opinions for improvement at work.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Mika Baumeister/Unsplash)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2509">Our research</a> sought to answer this question by focusing on the quality of the messages that employees express. We first unpacked the meaning of what we call high-quality voice, uncovering the key ways that employees can improve their messages to gain greater recognition. We investigated these ideas with five studies involving nearly 1,500 participants.</p>
<p>We identified four critical features of employee voice attempts that make them higher-quality:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>They have a strong <em>rationale</em>. Their ideas and opinions are logical and based on evidence. Employees should do their homework first and build a compelling case for their ideas by showing they’ve put a lot of thought into them. They shouldn’t speak up if they haven’t gathered information or reflected on the reason behind implementing their ideas first.</p></li>
<li><p>They have a high <em>feasibility</em>. Their ideas are practical and have the potential to be implemented. Employees should consider whether their organizations can realistically take action on their suggestions, such as by accounting for time or resource constraints and offering details on how to enact them. Employees shouldn’t ignore the realities and difficulties leaders face in actually doing something with their ideas and concerns.</p></li>
<li><p>They have a strong <em>organizational focus</em>. Their opinions are critical to the success of the organization or team, not just personally beneficial to the employee. Workers should emphasize the collective benefits of their voice and link it with the organization’s visions, mission, and/or goals, such as by explaining how it will help the organization overall. They shouldn’t focus on issues that only affect themselves, otherwise it comes across as self-interested.</p></li>
<li><p>They have a high <em>novelty</em>. Employees are innovative and account for new perspectives or viewpoints. They should consider whether their organization has tried (or considered) this idea before and clarify what makes it particularly unique, such as by contrasting it from typical conventions or opinions. They shouldn’t just repeat old ideas or approach the situation with the same frame of mind.</p></li>
</ol>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Tips on voice quality are seen in a graph" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/386265/original/file-20210224-23-zkhnm1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/386265/original/file-20210224-23-zkhnm1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=369&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/386265/original/file-20210224-23-zkhnm1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=369&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/386265/original/file-20210224-23-zkhnm1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=369&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/386265/original/file-20210224-23-zkhnm1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=463&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/386265/original/file-20210224-23-zkhnm1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=463&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/386265/original/file-20210224-23-zkhnm1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=463&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Voice quality tips.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Author)</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Putting effort into better ‘voicing’</h2>
<p>Putting energy into developing higher-quality voice messages takes effort, but our research shows that it pays off. Employees who regularly presented higher-quality voice were regarded as more worthy of promotion and better all-round performers in their jobs. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A woman smiles in an office setting." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/385354/original/file-20210219-23-1j5m0zy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4084%2C2708&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/385354/original/file-20210219-23-1j5m0zy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385354/original/file-20210219-23-1j5m0zy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385354/original/file-20210219-23-1j5m0zy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385354/original/file-20210219-23-1j5m0zy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385354/original/file-20210219-23-1j5m0zy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/385354/original/file-20210219-23-1j5m0zy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Why don’t employees speak up? Often it’s because managers don’t encourage it. Healthy, happy workplaces encourage workers to voice their opinions.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(You X Ventures/Unsplash)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>These positive outcomes were evaluated from both peers and managers. And these findings held up regardless of how often employees spoke up, whether the evaluator liked them or viewed them as competent. Basically, speaking up with higher-quality messages predicted job performance and promotability above and beyond all of these other factors.</p>
<p>So is there a downside to speaking up? Yes, if you don’t put the time and energy into making your input high-quality. </p>
<p>When people spoke up often with low-quality ideas, their peers reported that they were worse performers and less promotable. So speaking up can backfire if employees consume all of the airtime by frequently expressing low-quality ideas that offer little help to anyone.</p>
<p>The lesson? It’s worthwhile to speak up and share your ideas and concerns — and it may help your career — but if you do so, ensure that you do your homework first, reflect on the feasibility of implementation, connect the benefits to the organization and/or its employees and consider what makes it particularly novel.</p>
<h2>How leaders can help</h2>
<p>What can organizational leaders do to help employees voice their opinions more effectively? When asking for input, prompt with some questions. For example:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>What is the logic for this idea and is there evidence to support it?</p></li>
<li><p>How might we actually implement it and overcome barriers?</p></li>
<li><p>How does this fit within the organization’s priorities and/or help other employees?</p></li>
<li><p>What is new about this idea that we haven’t tried before?</p></li>
</ul>
<p>These questions can produce higher quality ideas that will benefit employees, leaders and organizations alike.</p>
<p>Ultimately, increasing the quality of employee feedback and opinions will help them be heard. It will also result in ideas that are more likely to be implemented and improve work conditions and performance for the entire organization.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/154357/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>This research was supported by funding from Queen’s University and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jana Raver receives funding from Queen's University Smith School of Business and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. </span></em></p>Studies consistently show that many employees are reluctant to speak up at work, and are even hardwired to remain silent. How can we help people voice their opinions more effectively?Kyle Brykman, Assistant Professor of Management, University of WindsorJana Raver, E. Marie Shantz Professor of Organizational Behaviour, Queen's University, OntarioLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1532902021-02-04T20:29:04Z2021-02-04T20:29:04ZFalsetto: The enduring love affair with the soaring male voice<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/382576/original/file-20210204-22-128lat2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C4%2C700%2C432&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Rapturous falsetto voices are heard in the new HBO documentary 'The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart.' </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(HBO)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>In this dreary COVID-19 winter, there are some high points — and high notes — available to people cooped up at home. </p>
<p>The documentary <em><a href="https://variety.com/2020/film/reviews/the-bee-gees-how-can-you-men-a-broken-heart-review-barry-robin-maurice-gibb-1234851498/">The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart</a></em>, which premiered on HBO in December, explores the musical significance of the group and is interwoven with performance footage. At the Super Bowl on Feb. 7, the <a href="https://www.etonline.com/the-weeknds-super-bowl-halftime-performance-everything-we-know-159392">halftime performer will be Canada’s The Weeknd</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-left zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/382555/original/file-20210204-16-y7nx4l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="The Weeknd" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/382555/original/file-20210204-16-y7nx4l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/382555/original/file-20210204-16-y7nx4l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=648&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/382555/original/file-20210204-16-y7nx4l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=648&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/382555/original/file-20210204-16-y7nx4l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=648&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/382555/original/file-20210204-16-y7nx4l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=814&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/382555/original/file-20210204-16-y7nx4l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=814&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/382555/original/file-20210204-16-y7nx4l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=814&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The Weeknd performs in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 23, 2018.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(AP Photo/Mahmoud Khaled)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>What kind of sound do these singers share? And what on Earth do they have in common with the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX1klhwUzBQ">Monty Python comedians in sketches where they portray women</a>? </p>
<p>All these artists use the falsetto voice, a specialized sound that features <a href="https://books.google.ca/books/about/The_History_and_Technique_of_the_Counter.html?id=esXMxAEACAAJ&redir_esc=y">amazing high notes</a>. Falsetto is associated particularly with the male voice singing in the range normally used by women and children. </p>
<p>Historically, perhaps most famously, beautiful high notes are often associated with opera roles originally written for a particular group of male <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11202227/">singers known as “castrati,”</a> who were castrated. Today, opera roles originally written for castrati are sung by <a href="http://www.vocapedia.info/_Library/JOS_files_Vocapedia/JOS-057-2-2000-019.pdf">countertenors</a>. These singers go beyond the higher “normal” range associated with the tenor voice while singing in falsetto. </p>
<p>Of course, beyond these classically based countertenor singers, the falsetto sound is heard in innumerable beloved pop singers. While standout artists have learned to develop their voices into something quite fascinating, anyone can find a falsetto sound. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/B5tncybE7Wg?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">HBO trailer for Bee Gees documentary, ‘How Can You Mend a Broken Heart.’</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>‘False’ voice</h2>
<p>Falsetto is an extension of our normal voices that we use every day — beyond the voices we use in all those Zoom meetings of late. The word falsetto refers to a “false” voice, so called because the voice uses only part of the vocal apparatus in our throats, rather than the full vibratory sound used in regular singing and speaking.</p>
<p>The normal vocal sounds we make are created by the vibrations of our vocal folds (or vocal cords). These tiny folds are <a href="https://www.voicescienceworks.org/inside-the-larynx.html">controlled by an intricate system of muscles and cartilage in the throat</a>.</p>
<p>The vocal folds function <a href="https://books.google.ca/books/about/The_Structure_of_Singing.html?id=45QYAQAAIAAJ&redir_esc=y">basically by the rate of air movement, or pressure, from the lungs</a>. With more air pressure, the folds will vibrate more quickly and will produce a higher pitch. Less air, and the pitch will be lower. You can feel the vibrations for yourself if you say or sing “ooh,” thinking of a lower pitch, while placing a hand on your throat. </p>
<p>But if you use only the edges of the vocal folds, without allowing the whole mechanism to vibrate, then you can achieve that high, floaty sound that is your “false” voice — your falsetto. </p>
<h2>Falsetto in classical music</h2>
<p>The falsetto sound can still be heard in various forms of classical music — a vestige of the ban on women performers <a href="https://journals.library.mun.ca/ojs/index.php/singing/article/view/1034">in earlier centuries.</a> The traditional English church choir includes men singing in their falsettos to provide the alto line in hymns and anthems. (The soprano line was <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/jul/05/girls-choirs-male-dominated-english-tradition-boys-changing">sung by boys</a>, not women.) </p>
<p>In some classical music, as in the perennial December favourite, Handel’s “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1UCo8xfZp8">Messiah</a>,” a countertenor will sing the alto solos — more usually sung by a woman. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoFzyBm6WGk">Canada’s Daniel Taylor</a> is one of the best countertenors in the world. </p>
<figure class="align-left zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/382580/original/file-20210204-16-6fzt3u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Portrait of opera singer." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/382580/original/file-20210204-16-6fzt3u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/382580/original/file-20210204-16-6fzt3u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=775&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/382580/original/file-20210204-16-6fzt3u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=775&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/382580/original/file-20210204-16-6fzt3u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=775&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/382580/original/file-20210204-16-6fzt3u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=974&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/382580/original/file-20210204-16-6fzt3u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=974&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/382580/original/file-20210204-16-6fzt3u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=974&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">1743 portrait of Farinelli by Barolomeo Nazari.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Portrait of Farinelli by Barolomeo Nazari/Wikimedia Commons)</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Today’s opera roles sung by countertenors were originally written for the castrati <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2012.02844.x">who were superstars</a> in the 17th and 18th centuries. Castration caused a physical difference in the way these voices functioned — and in the body shape and size of the castrated men — but the resultant sound was much the same as today’s countertenor sound. </p>
<p>You can hear <a href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-04-02-ca-50067-story.html#:%7E:text=Email-,COMMENTARY%20%3A%20The%20Castrato%20Sound%3A%20Real%20and%20Imagined%20%3A%20The%20film,of%20an%20emasculated%20male%20soprano">an attempted re-creation of the sound of a castrato, rendered by electronically fusing the voices of a female singer and a countertenor</a>, in the 1994 <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109771/">movie <em>Farinelli</em></a>, a cinematic take on the great 18th-century castrato opera singer Farinelli (born Carlo Broschi). </p>
<p>The only aural record of a castrato is of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/oq/2.2.1">nine recorded selections of castrato Alessandro Moreschi</a>, believed to be the last singer of his kind.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y3fzhMnGs5E?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Scene from ‘Farinelli.’</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Falsetto in popular music</h2>
<p>Some scholars have explored falsetto sounds in <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/1214967?seq=1">Black popular and “soul” music</a> including through genre-bending musical fusion.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/prince-an-icon-of-a-new-form-of-classical-music-58270">Prince: an icon of a new form of classical music</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Falsetto is found widely in popular music styles today from <a href="https://search.proquest.com/openview/d2cb205c3a330159ecf46ce6e162055d/1.pdf?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=1996336">from The Weeknd</a> and <a href="https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/7633393/justin-timberlake-best-hip-hop-rb-collaborations/">Justin Timberlake</a>. If you listened to the concert celebrating Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration in the United States, you would have heard Timberlake singing “Better Days” with Ant Clemons. Timberlake’s naturally high voice works seamlessly into an effective falsetto sound. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u4HkM6WzmFY?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Justin Timberlake with Ant Clemons. Listen for Timberlake’s regular voice at about 3:40, then hear him switch into falsetto at 4:00.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Floating beauty</h2>
<p>Is there a female falsetto voice? Yes! The process for making the sound is the same as in men. But because women’s voices are already higher, it’s harder to hear a different quality. You can hear it some singers, including Christina Aguilera.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RNprQYHenNI?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Christina Aguilera sometimes sings in falsetto. Her voice changes at about the one minute mark in this song from ‘Mulan.’</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>However, <a href="https://www.frieze.com/article/evolution-male-falsetto">the allure</a> of the falsetto voice remains more compelling in men than in women. Perhaps it is the attraction of the natural lower male voice contrasted with the high notes: maybe we are waiting for a crack or admiring the physical effort. Or perhaps we simply enjoy the floating beauty of the sound of high notes. </p>
<p>Whatever the reason, male high notes and the falsetto voice <a href="https://books.google.ca/books/about/The_Supernatural_Voice.html?id=UhMABQAAQBAJ&redir_esc=y">remain fascinating</a>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/153290/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Helen Pridmore receives funding from The Canada Council for the Arts, and SSHRC.</span></em></p>Falsetto male pop and opera artists fascinate us with their high voices, but it’s also intriguing to know anyone can find a falsetto sound.Helen Pridmore, Associate Professor of Music, University of ReginaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1466442020-10-13T19:14:49Z2020-10-13T19:14:49Z3 ways to get your point across while wearing a mask – tips from an award-winning speech coach<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/361415/original/file-20201002-20-1giuf9d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C23%2C7951%2C5273&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Masks hide just part of how you communicate.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/woman-paying-at-the-cashier-in-the-supermarket-royalty-free-image/1257821447">Hispanolistic/E+ via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>You wear your mask, keep six feet between yourself and others and are committed to safety. But the measures that help minimize your risk of COVID-19 can also have an impact on your interactions with others. </p>
<p>As you stroll the aisle of a supermarket, you approach someone who looks familiar. To avoid an awkward exchange, you flash them a friendly smile. It’s not until you pass you remember: Your smile was hidden behind a mask. Unloading your groceries at home, you see your neighbor. You excitedly ask her how she is, but when she doesn’t respond, you worry your mask has muffled your voice. </p>
<p>As the head coach for <a href="https://www.comm.msstate.edu/current-students/student-opportunities/clubs-and-organizations/speech-and-debate-council/about">Mississippi State University’s Speech and Debate Team</a>, my job is to teach effective communication. Without question, masks have disrupted social interactions. But communication has many components. You can adjust and enhance your communication by focusing on some of the other pieces that aren’t hidden behind a mask.</p>
<h2>The face</h2>
<p>Facial expressions are the <a href="https://www.mheducation.com/highered/product/loose-leaf-communication-matters-floyd/M9781259707766.html">primary way people exhibit emotion</a> and decipher the feelings of others. Happiness, sadness, surprise, disgust, fear and surprise <a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780805083392">can be communicated through facial expressions alone</a>. But when part of the face is masked, it becomes more difficult to recognize these cues. </p>
<p>If you cannot read someone else’s emotional state, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023608506243">your ability to empathize with them may be compromised</a>. Likewise, if your own mask is hiding your emotional state, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2009.0142">others may not be able to empathize with you</a>. Wearing a mask can also make you <a href="https://tulsaworld.com/video/news/1-in-3-people-feel-self-conscious-leaving-the-house-in-a-mask/video_507f95a9-20a5-5f4b-803a-9522e4974c11.html">feel more distracted and self-conscious</a>, further weakening your connection to others.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/361418/original/file-20201002-21-efj8bm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Close up of a woman wearing a niqab, who is clearly smiling." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/361418/original/file-20201002-21-efj8bm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/361418/original/file-20201002-21-efj8bm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/361418/original/file-20201002-21-efj8bm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/361418/original/file-20201002-21-efj8bm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/361418/original/file-20201002-21-efj8bm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/361418/original/file-20201002-21-efj8bm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/361418/original/file-20201002-21-efj8bm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Don’t underestimate how much the eyes alone can communicate.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/beautiful-even-covered-royalty-free-image/867231762">SrdjanPav/E+ via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Fortunately, you can regain some control over communication by working with what you have left – the eyes. If you want to increase understanding with a masked individual, you should look them in the eyes – which may be easier said than done. Eye contact <a href="https://digest.bps.org.uk/2014/09/26/eye-contact-makes-us-more-aware-of-our-own-bodies/">triggers self-consciousness, consumes extra brain power</a> and becomes <a href="https://digest.bps.org.uk/2016/07/07/psychologists-have-identified-the-length-of-eye-contact-that-people-find-most-comfortable/">uncomfortable after only three seconds</a>. But bear in mind, eye contact can also make you <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167216669124">appear more intelligent</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0162291">trustworthy</a>. </p>
<h2>Body language</h2>
<p>You might be surprised how much information is conveyed by the body itself.</p>
<p>For instance, when someone is happy, they stand up straighter and lift their head; when they are sad, they slouch and drop their head; and when they are angry, their <a href="https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315663425">whole body tenses up</a>. Learning how people use their bodies to convey emotion may help reduce the uncertainty you feel when communicating with someone in a mask. </p>
<p>Become aware of your own body language, too. When engaged in a conversation, you can appear more attentive by turning your body toward the individual, leaning in or nodding. To let another person know you want to start speaking, straighten your posture, hold up your index finger <a href="https://www.pearson.com/us/higher-education/program/Richmond-Nonverbal-Behavior-in-Interpersonal-Relations-7th-Edition/PGM136145.html">or nod more frequently</a>. Finally, be aware that imitating the posture of another person <a href="https://www.apa.org/monitor/oct05/mirror">can increase how much they like you</a> and even agree with you. </p>
<h2>The voice</h2>
<p>Don’t forget the impact of your voice. It’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it. Along with the actual words, you also use <a href="https://www.mheducation.com/highered/product/loose-leaf-communication-matters-floyd/M9781259707766.html">volume, tone, pauses and fillers to convey your message</a>. For instance, a lower-pitched whisper may denote sadness or insecurity, whereas a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-6393(02)00084-5">higher-pitched shout could show anger or intensity</a>. </p>
<p>Try this – say the phrase “I didn’t see you there” as if you were scared. Now pretend you are happy. Now confused. Chances are, anyone listening to you could easily identify your emotions without even seeing you. While studies show that <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-science-of-how-you-sound-when-you-talk-through-a-face-mask-139817">masks do not significantly alter your voice</a>, you may feel that your speech gets muffled when wearing a mask. </p>
<p>If you feel the need to speak louder, just be aware that raising your voice can alter the message you are trying to send. Changing the tone of your voice can change the whole conversation, so instead of increasing volume, try improving enunciation.</p>
<h2>Putting it all together</h2>
<p>While masks may make conversations feel more daunting, you are equipped to communicate, even with part of your face concealed. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/361406/original/file-20201002-24-13q0ohx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Two woman wave across a table." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/361406/original/file-20201002-24-13q0ohx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/361406/original/file-20201002-24-13q0ohx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/361406/original/file-20201002-24-13q0ohx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/361406/original/file-20201002-24-13q0ohx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/361406/original/file-20201002-24-13q0ohx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/361406/original/file-20201002-24-13q0ohx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/361406/original/file-20201002-24-13q0ohx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The need for friendship continues, despite the awkwardness of masks.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/two-asian-woman-meeting-in-cafe-wearing-mask-and-royalty-free-image/1225725563">Boy_Anupong/Moment via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Before your next interaction with a friend, think of ways to improve your connection. Pull your hair back so they can see your eyes clearly and find a quiet place to talk. Use your body and voice to convey the emotions you fear your mask might hide. Maybe most importantly, don’t expect it to go perfectly. Just like any conversation, mistakes will be made. </p>
<p>[<em>Deep knowledge, daily.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters/the-daily-3?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=deepknowledge">Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter</a>.]</p>
<p>When someone can’t understand you, try rephrasing your statement, saying it a bit more slowly and enunciating more. If you are struggling to understand someone else, try to ask close-ended questions, like “Do you want to go to the park?” instead of open-ended ones, like “Where do you want to go?”</p>
<p>By all means, continue the proper measures to keep yourself safe, but don’t neglect your relationships as a consequence. Social distance doesn’t have to mean socially distant.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/146644/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Cheryl Chambers does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>In the age of masks, improve your interactions by using all aspects of human communication.Cheryl Chambers, Instructor of Communication and Head Coach, MSU Speech & Debate Team, Mississippi State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.