SEMI-OCCLUSION

Let's start at why straws and tubes are good for you, and later we will show you our one of a kind U-cali Mouthpiece and how it upgrades the experience. Are you ready to dive deep? Here we go:

 

In recent years, various types of voice therapies and training incorporate straws and tubes. The effectiveness of those tools have been studied by leading scientists and more and more professional voice users benefit from it by simply using drinking or stirring straws during voice production.

The straw / tube provides a narrow cylinder through which the trainee practices vocal production of different sounds and frequencies. It essentially elongates the vocal tract and regulates the air flow.

 

While producing a sound, the straw/ tube restricts the air outlet, and therefore the air regulation is more accurate and consistent.

This action solves the problems of breathy sound, or lack of healthy closure in the vocal folds. This is done without unnecessary tension because the resistance to the airflow, increases air pressure toward the pharynx, the larynx and even the airway system below. This assists in finding control of the intraoral pressure. Singers will sometimes refer to this concept as "support" but physically, a balance is created between the air pressures applied during vocal production, which takes the load off the vocal folds and even changes the way they vibrate. This action also causes the expansion of the pharyngeal cavities and spaces around and above the vocal folds. In other words, the upper air pressure also expands the resonance spaces so that the body acquires new muscular habits - the pharynx, mouth and throat remain wider, and there is less tension and contraction, therefore a good solution for MTD (Muscle Tension Dysphonia) or other voice disorders. This also changes the acoustics and resonance itself.

 

As a result - the sound production is more relaxed and efficient. In addition, the increase of air pressure in the mouth and pharynx pushes apart the upper part of the membranes in the vocal folds. This mucosal upper layer usually absorbs most of the friction during vocal fold vibration, but in this practice the low part engages more, giving this upper layer "a vacation".

 

All of the benefits mentioned above, create a safe vocal practice that can also be used during voice rehabilitation or in post-op (Post Surgery) situations. There is evidence that vocal practice based on resonant voice, will increase the release of anti-inflammatory substances in the vocal folds which contributes to healing more than vocal rest.

Other advantages of using straws/tubes come from good acoustic energy (inertance) that increases significantly in longer vocal tract and narrow outlets such as a straw. Principles of impedance where the inlet size matches the outlet size provide more efficiency, and since we are all slightly different, having multiple options of air outlet that will match the different glottis sizes (gap between the vocal folds) .

 

 

Two common types of practice with tubes and straws are:

• Thicker diameter with water resistance (Water resistant Voice Therapy).

• Narrower diameter with air resistance only (Straw Phonation).

 

In the two options mentioned, the practice usually includes ascending and descending glides, singing exercises and even performing songs without pronunciation. Since a straw is involved - lips protrude to match its round shape, the vocalization is on the vowel /u/ as in the word “you” into the straw/ tube.

 

In recent years, reusable and even ecological straws have been developed and added, because as we know single use plastic is bad for our planet. Those ecological straws for singers are sometimes accompanied by cups or masks to which the straw/ tube can be connected, thus also enabling full voice production that includes the pronunciation of words.

In the same way, there are many exercises in the world of voice that encourage the use of hands towards the mouth in order to produce acoustic feedback of the sound towards the back of the mouth. Using our hands or a regular cup found at home will regulate the air that comes out of the mouth and will also allow us to enjoy most of the advantages that exist when using straws and tubes.

All these types of exercises that produce a partial blockage of the air are called - SOVT

(Semi Occluded Vocal Tract),

Some of them are certainly solutions that have been in the world of voice and vocal practice for hundreds of years, from the use of consonants like "m" and "n" to the lip trill, and even an exercise that simulates the straw with closed lips and puffy cheeks alone. But not all are equally effective. Some serve different goals. When thinking about the physiotherapist approach to muscles and ligaments in our entire body, and not necessarily our voice, you will find different types of training, many include weights or bands to form resistance, and many also simply use the body weight as resistance. It is possible to use this same point of view of consonants or puffy cheeks as your own body resistance, versus using additional tools to assist your practice.

 

The straws and tubes bring many advantages, but from conversations with professional voice users, we found that they also have various limitations:

 

1. The constant lips protruding / ammissure due to the need to surround the straw with the lips so that air does not escape from the sides.

2. Plastic straws pollute the environment and ecological straws designed for therapy are mostly made of metal and the cold touch of the metal plus the vibration created by the material of the metal are not always pleasant for users. Also, it is not so safe for kids.

3. Sometimes the restriction of air from the oral cavity leads to air escaping from the nose.

4. A straw of a certain diameter may not be pleasant for a certain person compared to another. The level of resistance is individual and sometimes also depends on the current vocal condition of that person.

 

How can all this be solved?

This is where we come into the picture!

We thought about how we could transfer the experience of using straws and make it easy, comfortable and safe for everyone, kids or adults, professionals or any voice user, while maintaining the quality of the training, upgrading the level of practice, supporting correct voice work, adjusting the level of difficulty to each and every one - and of course with products that were developed to a particularly high quality, including design patent registrations and the use of materials with a standard label (FDA, Food Grade Materials).

We consulted with the best experts - we researched, analyzed, designed, sketched and set out with innovative products designed to give you the most convenient, professional and efficient answer!

And that's not all…

Our entire kit comes in a convenient carrying case that you can take with you anywhere!

 

We made no compromises - we thought of everything for the ideal practice, best food grade materials and safety for you!