Find out what the voice breaks. How long does the breaking of voices in boys last

Mutation or “breaking” of voice in adolescents is due to serious changes in the hormonal background. The breaking of the voice is primarily affected by boys, but in some cases, girls have certain problems with the voice during this period.

How does a voice break?

Voice mutation occurs during puberty. Testosterone enters the boy’s blood in large quantities, this sex hormone causes the glottis to expand, as a result, the voice acquires a hoarseness and a lower frequency, characteristic of men.

Before the “breaking”, the structure of the vocal apparatus in girls and boys is identical. Until a certain age, it is impossible to determine the gender of the child by his voice. From about ten years old, boys experience the first changes in their voice, begin to speak in a lower tone than girls. This is due to the fact that in boys the ligaments and glottis grow a little faster, similar changes are associated with the physiological characteristics of growing up. At the age of ten to twelve years, the boy’s glottis on average exceeds the girl’s glottis by only one and a half millimeters, and the difference in the tonality of the sound is already very noticeable.

Voice changes can occur between eleven and eighteen years. A later mutation most often indicates certain problems with the hormonal background and male health of the adolescent. Breaking a voice usually takes no more than two months, during this time period the voice completely changes the tone and timbre, which then remain unchanged throughout life. Only burns, trauma to the larynx or abuse of bad habits can change them.

Ongoing changes

In the process of breaking, the vocal cords thicken significantly, and the glottis widens. In addition, very noticeable anatomical changes in the skeleton of the larynx occur in boys. The thyroid and other laryngeal cartilages are rapidly increasing in size, while the front edge of the larynx protrudes forward, forming an Adam's apple.

To break the voice faster, the vocal cords need to be loaded as little as possible, because due to overvoltage on the ligaments, nodules can occur that cause a very noticeable hoarseness. If the load on the speech apparatus decreases, part of the nodules can resolve itself, but sometimes you have to resort to surgical intervention.

It is worth considering that a variety of colds can prolong the mutation of the voice. However, the reddening of the throat in a teenager during the period of “breaking” the voice can be caused not by a respiratory infection, but directly by the growth of the larynx, since active growth enhances blood circulation in this area.

The otorhinolaryngologist and phoniatrist, MD, tells Gennady Ivanchenko.

Whistles and flutes

The voice is born using several body systems: the larynx, the vocal folds (in everyday speech they are called ligaments), the lungs, chest and nasopharynx. A stream of air escaping from the lungs causes the vocal folds to oscillate at a certain frequency, while the chest and nasopharynx serve as resonators. The larger and thicker the vocal folds, the lower the sound. Although not always. For example, Caruso, for example, had two times more vocal folds than any other profundo bass, while Caruso sang as a tenor.

In boys, as in girls, the larynx is small, folds are small, and only their edges vibrate under the influence of a jet of air. Experts call this the falsetto mechanism of the birth of sound. The larynx is like a whistle. Nature conceived so that a child with all the sound-generating systems so far small could still be heard. And in fact, the squeals of children are so audible that, for example, going to a school break, you can simply go deaf.

Folds - hormone-dependent structure

But at the age of 13-14, under the influence of a variety of hormones, mainly genital, in boys the vocal folds begin to grow, lengthen and thicken. These folds are a hormone-dependent structure. It is not for nothing that the eunuchs have a high voice, children’s - they themselves have a complex of quite adult men, and the vocal folds do not reach adult sizes, because sex hormones are not produced in the body.

For the same reason, the voice of older people becomes higher - because there are less and less sex hormones in the body. And for women in old age, on the contrary, the voice sounds in lower tones, again there are not enough hormones, only for women who change the folds so that the sound is high and sonorous.

An adult can speak and sing with falsetto even with a normally developed voice apparatus. True, without a habit, this is not very convenient. But it’s fashionable, not without reason that some radio hosts say so and Presnyakov Jr. sings.

For an adult, such a mechanism of sound formation is still more natural when the entire fold vibrates, the voice wave travels both horizontally and vertically. Therefore, an adult voice is deeper, more beautiful, varied in color. In ordinary speech, we use 2-3 tones above and below our main tone. And the singer takes two octaves.

Fear of the new

For a teenager to switch from falsetto to a full-fledged process of sound formation is difficult. But the problem here is more likely not physiological, but psychological: the boy is used to the sound of his childish voice, and the new voice - baritone or bass - scares him. When talking, he uses the old mechanism of the birth of sound, then the new one.

Since the children grow unevenly, one guy may also be a small sprout, and his bass is already breaking through with might and main, and the other has waved a mile and a half, the larynx is still small, the voice is still childish. Such boys, who are ahead of their peers or lagging behind them, have the hardest time, they are shy of their voice more than others. But for most, breaking a voice is a normal physiological process: the voice has become lower and rougher - well, okay. Most quickly find a new mechanism for the formation of sounds.

In rare cases, one of the adolescents needs the help of a phonopedist, a voice specialist who usually works with singers. Unless to those of those who grow up surrounded by women alone. These boys even have no one to imitate, no one to take an example from. But even one lesson is usually enough for them, in which the doctor or phonologist will show exercises for setting and fixing a normal male voice.

Three features

There are three characteristics of a teenage mutation that parents should know about.

During breaking the voice does not need to load the vocal folds. And the boys, unfortunately, do not cherish them, they strain at every step: then, playing football, they scream like crazy, then they sing songs loudly with a guitar ... Due to overstrain, nodules can appear on the folds, doctors call them that - knots of screamers. These nodules change the vibration of the folds and the voice becomes hoarse. Some nodules then resolve by themselves if the loads fall, but sometimes you have to remove them - to do microsurgical operations.
Colds can drag out a mutation. Not always a red throat in a teenager is a sign of a respiratory infection. When the larynx grows, blood circulation increases in it, the tissues become more red, it seems that the child. They begin to treat the boy for a cold, give him medications, and take him to doctors ... But there is only a normal physiological process.
If the mutation has dragged on, that is, the boy has already stopped growing up, and his voice has never become manly low, you need to show the teenager a phoniatrist. The longer a guy speaks with falsetto, the more difficult it will be for him to switch to adult tones.
What an “adult” voice a beautifully singing little boy will have, we are not destined to know. There is a high pure voice in childhood, but a mutation has passed, and the voice has turned out to be the most banal - both in color, in timbre, and in strength. A well-known example is Robertino Loretti. And nothing can be done: what is given is given.

Interesting

A curious case. Once, an officer, and not the smallest rank, turned to phoniatrists - doctors who study the features of the voice apparatus. It’s a grown man, and his voice is like a boy’s. It turns out frivolously. Doctors helped him, taught to speak baritone.

Vadim Kirillov

www.medpulse.ru

It has long been assumed by nature that man must communicate. Almost all babies are born with thin voices, and breaking their voices begins to occur by adolescence. In fact, this process affects both male and female ligaments, however, for girls this is not so noticeable.

What does the process look like?

The beginning of the air wave comes from the lungs, reaches the ligaments and makes them oscillate. As for the chest and nasopharynx, they act as resonators. The pitch depends on the thickness of the vocal cords - the thinner they are, as in girls, the higher the voice, and vice versa - the thicker the cords, as in boys, the lower.

Nature made sure that parents always heard their child. Therefore, from birth, each person has small and thin ligaments.

As they grow, they increase in size and thicken, respectively, the sound changes its tone.

But during puberty, the rate and degree of growth has gender differences. Female larynx changes twice, while male larynx by 70%.

That is why adolescents have such significant differences in timbre, both by gender and between each other. But it’s worth mentioning right away that such a process is completely individual, which is why some boys have had bass for 12 years, while others and 15 still communicate with tenor.

There are three main stages of mutation.

Pre-mutation period. At this time, the body is preparing for future changes, and at this stage all systems are involved.

the sound becomes more hoarse;
hoarseness, perspiration, accompanied by a mild cough, are noted.

But it is worth noting that if a boy or girl is engaged in singing, then such symptoms can manifest themselves in a slightly different way, because the singers have more trained ligaments. Firstly, high notes will not come as easily as before. Secondly, the child may begin to complain of pain in the larynx during singing.

The vocal teachers themselves will begin to make comments about the “dirt” in the sound. Although in a "calm" state, such signs may not be observed. The vocal cords need rest at this time, since the process of adjustment and the simultaneous load on them can lead to the fact that a person simply loses “his sound”.

Breaking voice. At this time, the larynx begins to flow, and mucus secretion may be observed. Such moments provoke the onset of the development of inflammatory processes.

Therefore, if you look into the mouth of a teenager, you can see that the surface of the vocal cords has acquired a red color. It is this condition that requires rest, since an increased load can lead to an underdevelopment of the organ.

In such a period, it is worthwhile to take special care to keep yourself from colds and viral diseases, otherwise, after the teenage period has passed, there is a risk that the boys will retain the tenor sound.

Postmomentation period. This is an individual process. Here many factors play a role, starting from nationality, and ending with personal physiological, and sometimes genetic, characteristics. In boys and girls, it can occur in different ways, and take a different amount of time. Usually towards the end of formation "Own sound" the child begins to complain of rapid fatigue of the vocal cords. But now it will become more noticeable that the voice has no differences anymore, it becomes more stable.

Hormone effect

The teenage period is characterized by rapid activation of hormonal processes. It is these substances that are responsible for external and internal changes in the human body - boys begin to actively grow hair throughout the body, develop puberty, there is a pollution, a sharp increase in the skeleton and muscle mass. As for girls, their breasts begin to grow, their body shape changes, menstruation begins.

The vocal cords are also very hormone dependent. If in adolescence they lack their components, they will not be able to acquire “adult” sizes - to become more elongated and dense. Accordingly, the voice will not break, which means that it will remain high enough for the young man.

By the way, in girls it is always higher, since the sex hormones in them are produced not in such quantities as in boys, moreover, they are completely different. It is interesting to note the moment that by age, the male voice becomes higher, and the female lower. And all these points are due to the fact that the hormonal background does not receive its components.

Breaking the voice is associated not only with physiological, but also with psychological discomfort. Moreover, both boys and girls. But female ligaments grow a little slower, so when the moment of puberty comes, they are still short in comparison with male ones. Therefore, the mutation is not so obvious.

A sharp difference in timbre in a girl can be associated with a malfunction of hormones. But in this case, parents are obliged to show their daughter to the endocrinologist, because this can indicate serious endocrine diseases. If the girl does not have obvious symptoms of breaking the voice, then the mutation process goes on naturally and you should not worry about anything.

Most teenagers do not even notice how their voice breaks. This is due to the fact that such a process simply does not cause them any discomfort.

Different children of the same age may have different voices tonality, as their larynx will be at a different stage of development. But no matter what condition the child is in, parents should know what actions are permissible during this period, and why it is worth to refrain.

moderate load. Here, more advice applies to parents of boys than girls. Excessive load on the vocal cords provokes the formation of nodules, which subsequently lead to hoarseness. Such a defect can pass by itself, but in some cases, surgery can not be dispensed with;
during the mutation period, it is worth protecting the child from colds. This can tighten the breaking of the voice. If a young man continues to have high tones for a long time, then parents are recommended to show it to such a specialist as a phoniatrist;
parents should explain to their child that Own sound unique, and it will be as laid down by nature. Very often, little boys try to imitate one or another hero. Such fanaticism can lead to the fact that the young man will overload his ligaments and they will simply “break loose”.

Nature itself lays a certain tonality of voice, and no one can change it. Therefore, it is worth perceiving your timbre as a given and does not oppose it. And it’s impossible to speed up the breaking of the voice, because this process is natural and it is impossible to influence it.

How and why there is a breaking (mutation) of voice in boys, read in our article.

Yesterday, your son spoke in an ordinary, boyish voice, and today you heard the first break. It began, so a lot of things are changing in it, including breaking the voice (mutation of the voice). Together with obvious external changes, the boy’s voice takes on a completely different sound. For a while, it will even be difficult for him to control his ligaments, therefore, due to the breaking of his voice, he will make a variety of strange sounds.

Laryngeal changes during voice mutation in boys

It is the larynx that is responsible for the appearance of sound. As puberty proceeds, the larynx increases and becomes thicker. This happens in both boys and girls, but for a boy, of course, changes in voice mutation are more noticeable. Girls' voices can literally drop by a tone or two, and this is barely noticeable, but the boy’s voice becomes much lower and deeper.

Why does a boy’s voice sound so strange during a mutation?

The larynx in the throat plays an important role in creating sound. The two main muscles, the vocal cords, like gum stretched through the larynx.

When a person speaks, air from the lungs causes the vocal cords to vibrate, which produces sound. The pitch of the voice depends on how strongly the ligaments close while the air flows through them. If you ever pulled a small, thin elastic band, you probably heard a piercing and drawn out squeak when pulling. A thicker elastic gives a deeper, lower, lingering sound. The same thing happens with the vocal cords.

Before the boy reaches adulthood, his larynx is very small, and his vocal cords are thin and small. This is why the boy’s voice is higher than the voice of an adult man. But with maturation, the larynx increases, and the ligaments become longer and stronger, respectively, and the boy’s voice becomes deeper.

In addition, the facial bones grow: the sizes of the sinuses, nose and back of the throat become larger. A larger space gives the voice more opportunities to resonate.

Squeaks and wheezing are part of the normal development of the body during this period. Even when the boy gets used to the changes, for some time after the mutation of the voice it will be difficult to control his own voice. So, along with the adoption and general changes in appearance, you will need to get used to your new sound.

Speaking of external changes. When the larynx begins to increase, it tilts inside the neck at a slightly different angle than before, and partially begins to bulge. This is the same Adam's apple or Adam's apple. Larynx also increases in girls, but not as much as in boys.

When boys break their voices

Everyone has their own pace of development, so the breaking of the voice in boys occurs at different ages. This usually occurs between 11 years and 14.5 years, often after a large jump in growth. In some, the mutation (breaking) of the voice lasts a long time and gradually, while in others - very quickly.

If your son is disturbed, annoyed, or confused by the strange sound of his voice, explain to him that this is temporary and everyone goes through it. In a couple of months he will already have a low, deep and powerful adult voice of a man, and not the voice of a boy!

A lot of scientific works have been written about mutational voice changes in boys, although this phenomenon is quite common. A change in the timbre of the voice occurs during the growth of the vocal apparatus. The larynx initially significantly increases in size, while the thyroid cartilage leans forward. The vocal folds lengthen, and the larynx drops down. In this regard, an anatomical change in the organs of voice formation occurs. If we talk about voice mutations in boys, then unlike girls, everything goes more pronounced for them.

The mechanism of breaking voice in boys

As mentioned earlier, voice changes occur through an increase in the larynx during growth. However, in the puberty period, the larynx in young men increases by 70%, unlike girls, the voice tube, which only doubles.

Pre-mutation period.

This stage is manifested as the preparation of the body for the restructuring of the vocal apparatus. If we talk about a spoken voice, then there may be a breakdown of the voice, hoarseness, cough, an unpleasant “tickle”. The singing voice is more informative in this case: voice breakdowns when taking extreme notes of a young man’s range, discomfort in the larynx during vocal lessons, “dirty” intonation, and loss of voice also occurs. At the very first calls, it is worth stopping classes, since this period requires a rest of the voice apparatus.

Mutation.

This stage is characterized by laryngeal edema, as well as excessive or insufficient secretion of mucus. These factors cause inflammation, thereby the surface of the ligaments acquires a characteristic color. Overexertion can lead to wheezing, and as a result to "non-closure of the vocal folds." Therefore, during this period, it is worthwhile to carefully consider, including the prevention of colds and viral diseases. Instability of voice, distortion of sound, as well as characteristic hoarseness are observed. When singing, there is tension in the vocal apparatus, especially when jumping at wide intervals. Therefore, in the classroom it is worth leaning toward singing exercises, chants, and not works.

Postmomentation period.

Like any other process, voice mutation in boys does not have a clear boundary of completion. Despite the final formation, overfatigue and tension of the ligaments can be observed. During this period, the changes that have occurred are fixed. The voice takes on a fixed tone and power. However, the stage is dangerous for its instability.

Features of mutations in boys

The signs of breaking voice in young men are more noticeable and this is due, first of all, to the fact that the male voice, in fact, is much lower than the female one. The mutation period proceeds in a short time. There are cases when it happens almost instantly. However, in most cases, the restructuring of the body is delayed for several months. Yesterday, the boyish treble is able to develop into a tenor, baritone or powerful bass. It all depends on genetically derived indicators. Some young men undergo significant changes, while others - the transition to an adult voice is not expressed in vivid contrast.

Voice mutation in boys most often occurs in 12-14 years. However, focusing on this age as the norm is not worth it. There are many factors that can affect both the start time and the duration of the process.

Firstly, the natural climate undoubtedly affects. The conducted studies have proved that in different climatic conditions the process of “growing up” of the voice takes place in different ways, and the age of adjustment varies from 11 to 20 years.
Secondly, a genetic factor. Initially, the plant's inherent settings cannot be changed.
Thirdly, the mechanical factor. That is, the restructuring may be violated for any reason. They can become, for example, disorders of the vocal apparatus, somatic diseases.

Hygiene of the singing voice during the mutation period in boys

The mutation of the singing voice is a complex process, requiring great attention from vocal teachers or phoniatrists accompanying the educational process. Measures for the protection and hygiene of the voice should be carried out comprehensively, while their beginning should be in the pre-mutation period. This will help to avoid impairment of voice development, both on the physical and mechanical levels.

Vocal classes should be conducted in a gentle manner. However, during this period it is better to abandon individual lessons, since such classes are designed for the comprehensive development of voice data. And during the breaking of the voice in boys, any overstrain of the ligaments is prohibited. However, there is an alternative - these are choral classes and ensembles. As a rule, young men are given a light party, a range that does not exceed the fifths, most often in a small octave. All these conditions are not valid if the process is accompanied by periodic breakdowns of the voice, wheezing or instability of unison pronunciations.

Mutation among young men is undoubtedly a complex process, but with the right approach and observing the tenets of voice protection and hygiene, you can “survive” it without consequences and with benefit.