Teaching Singing in Adolescents: The Adolescent Voice and How it Changes During Puberty

A Research Analysis Paper by Katherine McCoy on Vocal Development in Adolescents Through Ages Ten to Eighteen Years Old

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Introduction

As a professional vocalist who teaches singing, I have a great interest in vocal development of adolescent and young adult voices. The time in which the human voice changes the most is during a person’s adolescent years and when they are a young adult; contrasting to societal beliefs, both male and female voices change drastically during the time of puberty, “a females larynx grows roughly 34% and the male larynx grows roughly 65% in size” (Williams 2018, p. 76), giving each their specific vocal range that we associate with each select group – females having a higher pitched and more nasal singing tone and resonance, and males having a lower and deeper tone.

Adolescent children, teenagers, and young adults who sing are oftentimes uneducated on how their voices develop and change through the ages of ten and eighteen years old, which in turn then leads them to practice with poor technique with a minimum knowledge of proper vocal health. In this research paper, we will explore how the adolescent voice develops through puberty during the ages of ten and nineteen years old and things that children and young adults can take into account for their own vocal practice.

Vocal Development in Young Children

As infants and small children, there is a critical sense of musical development at those ages in which children are experimenting with the general use of their voice while their vocal structure is just beginning to develop. Infants have a higher placed larynx that is less mobile in order to limit hazards such as choking. An infant’s and a young child’s vocal structure is built for the purpose of survival aspects such as feeding and crying, whereas an adolescent’s and young adults’ vocal structure is based on speaking, yelling, running, and more (Williams 2018).

At this age the child can learn more specific physical skills, breathing technique, extending upper pitch range and exploring different voice qualities (Williams 2018).

Singing from a young age teaches children to listen intently, to play, and to express themselves through different emotions that they may not be able to portray through words. As children age into the adolescent years, their musical tastes and abilities are something that help to shape their identities as young adults.

The Female Adolescent Voice

During the onset of puberty, beginning usually in young girls around ages eight to ten years, it is critical to take extra care of the sensitive and developing voices of both males and females as they grow; the onset of puberty can begin anywhere from eight to thirteen years old in young females, while males usually start puberty around the age of twelve, but can start as early as nine years old. “Girls experience changes in their voice during puberty too, but not as noticeable as boys” (Hope 2023).

For female voices, the onset of menstruation can result in periodic roughness in the voice. In most social circles, the ability to sing high notes is an unusual sensation, encouragement, exploration and positive role models will help a girl to use this part of her range (Williams 2018).

Studies have also shown that a female’s menstrual cycle can have an effect on the voice, and throughout certain stages of a female's menstrual cycle throughout the month.

As the female vocal cords develop, they become thinner and shorter which causes the vocal range and tessitura to be more higher pitched and forward sounding. It is common in female voices during puberty to experience breathiness or raspiness as the vocal structure grows and develops into an adult stage vocal structure. It is also common for there to be a lack of stamina as the vocal structure, vocal cords, and diaphragm undergoes significant changes. Females are very undereducated about the development of their voices, many due to the fact that society tells them that their voices don't change. Because of this, there is a lot of stigma towards young females during the time of puberty where their vocal structure changes, which is why it's important for there to be a solid level of education on vocal development catered to developing young vocalists.

The Male Adolescent Voice

The changes that happen to the male voice during adolescent and young adult years are of the most obvious and well known bodily changes that occur after the onset of puberty. As the larynx grows immensely in size, the vocal cords are also growing, getting longer, and getting thicker which is what causes the male voice to deepen, allowing post-pubertal males to develop into a lower singing range.

Growth patterns are in five noticeable stages relating to both overall physical growth and the growth of the larynx…The speaking pitch is the most reliable indicator of the stage of voice change (Williams 2018).

During the time period of time that males are actively going through puberty and navigating changes as significant as developments in voice pitches, there can also be impacts on the social aspect of growing as a male adolescent and young adult; this often is because of how males voices don’t always develop at the same rate. “Instances where boys are reluctant to acknowledge voice change need to be dealt with sensitivity (Williams 2018).”

Certain male voices may not develop as advanced as others, which is why there are different vocal sections that you may see in choirs and choral ensembles with individuals singing tenor, baritone, or bass voice parts. Most boys learn to navigate this learning curve and are able to accept and grow with these new changes and to accept these developments, however there is still stigma surrounding boys’ changing voice.

The advice to developing males’ voices now is to sing in the lowest comfortable range and to use falsetto singing only occasionally…If young men feel more comfortable singing in the alto range, this is best developed after a year or two of using the baritone range (Williams 2018).

Vocal Development in Young Adults Post Puberty

Vocal and bodily developments through puberty usually end around ages seventeen for most females and around eighteen to twenty years old for most male voices.

At this time, individuals will have a fully developed adult larynx and vocal structure that has lowered for which they are able to use comfortably for both singing and speaking. The vocal cords have also grown and have thickened for a more mature sounding voice in all parties, male and female.

Vocal Damage in Adolescents During Vocal Development

As child and adolescent singers grow and transition into adults, educators see an ongoing pattern of a lack of vocal health education surrounding the topic of puberty, and rarely are adolescent singers properly educated on the changes of their voice and the damage that they can do if they misuse their voices during this sensitive time; consider this statement by Gary McPherson and Graham F. Welch in Vocal, Instrumental, and Ensemble Learning and Teaching: An Oxford Handbook of Music Education,

Vocal abuse is rampant among children, and otolaryngologists frequently see children with vocal injuries. Those at risk often are involved in shouting and loud activities in play, speaking over high levels of background noise, or speaking on inappropriate pitch (often too low), prolonged talking, and coughing or harsh clearing of the throat (McPherson & Welch 2018).

Annika Hope in ‘Does Your Singing Voice Get Better With Age?’ Music Gateway states that “Getting older won’t miraculously improve your singing. It’s the experience and practice that comes with age that improves your vocals. Your voice changes in lots of ways during your lifetime and reaching vocal peak and maturity varies from person to person” (Hope 2023).

It is important that developing children and young adults have the proper training and education on how their voice develops and what can happen if they don’t take care of their voice. If adolescents encounter any sort of vocal damage during puberty, the most important thing that they can do is get good amounts of rest along with drinking plenty of fluids to keep their bodies hydrated; it is also highly suggested to steam the vocal cords. If any vocal disorders become severe, individuals should be referred to a voice doctor or a voice practitioner or therapist.

Considerations for Singing Teachers of Developing Adolescents

This is a very intense time of change for children and young adults between ages ten to eighteen years old where there is a lot of uncertainty for singing students, and oftentimes even teachers, about the development of the adolescent voice. For individuals who teach singing to developing adolescents, it is crucially important to acknowledge inclusivity for all young singers in a classroom setting.

Stated by Jenevora Williams, “Any group of children will have individuals with particular educational or physical needs” (Williams 2018). Some things that singing teachers can consider for their own educational practice are minimizing any sort of distractions around their students, promoting multi-sensory learning catered to developing voices, keeping musical ideas simple and keeping a clear teaching structure.

Try to establish links with the school teachers and parents, and discuss suitable methods of learning directly with the developing child…Give realistic encouragement and believable feedback to those who may be struggling (Williams 2018).

Teaching singing in adolescents is something that should be navigated with sensitivity and care as puberty in children and young adults is a time where most individuals are working to find their identities through their voice. “Into early adulthood, the vocal folds grow stronger, and so do the muscles supporting them. This allows your voice to get stronger and more powerful” (Hope 2023), meaning that young singers must be properly educated on the topic of developing voices through the period of puberty and what changes they might encounter. It’s also important for parents, guardians, vocal teachers to offer support and guidance as adolescents navigate vocal changes during puberty.

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Bibliography

Williams, J. (2018) Teaching Singing to Children and Young Adults, 15-118, Chicago: Compton Publishing

McPherson, G., & Welch, G., (2018) Vocal, Instrumental, and Ensemble Learning and Teaching: An Oxford Handbook of Music Education, Volume 3, New York: Oxford University Press

Harries, M., Griffith, M., Walker, J., & Hawkins, S., (2009) ‘Changes in the Male Voice During Puberty: Speaking and Singing Voice Parameters’, Logopedics Phoniatrics Vocology, 21(2), 11 July 2009, 95-100, available: Changes in the male voice during puberty: Speaking and singing voice parameters: Logopedics Phoniatrics Vocology: Vol 21, No 2 (tandfonline.com)

Gackle, L., (2006) ‘Finding Ophelia’s Voice: The Female Voice During Adolescence’, ProQuest, 47(5), November 2006, 28-37, American Choral Directors Association, available: Finding Ophelia's Voice: The Female Voice During Adolescence - ProQuest

Serido, J., Borden, L., & Perkins, D., (2009) ‘Moving Beyond Youth Voice’, Sage Journals, 43(1), 23 November 2009, available: Moving Beyond Youth Voice - Joyce Serido, Lynne M. Borden, Daniel F. Perkins, 2011 (sagepub.com)

Hope, A. (2023) ‘Does Your Singing Voice Get Better With Age?’ Music Gateway, 8 February 2023, available: Singing Voice | Vocals Better With Age | Мusic Gateway (musicgateway.com) [accessed 12 June 2023]