glottal stop

techniquesGLOT-ul stopfrom English

A brief, percussive closure of the vocal cords used in singing and speech to cleanly articulate the ‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌beginning of a note or word.

In Depth

The glottal stop (also called a "vocal coup de glotte") is produced by briefly and firmly closing th‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌e glottis — the space between the vocal cords — then releasing it to produce a clean, precise onset of sound. In singing, it is used to begin notes with a crisp, defined attack rather than a gradual or breathy start. The technique is the same mechanism used in spoken English for the "uh-oh" interjection, where each syllable begins with a sharp glottal closure. In classical vocal pedagogy, the glottal stop is a subject of ongoing debate. Manuel García, the 19th-century singing teacher who invented the laryngoscope, advocated the "coup de glotte" as essential for clean vocal onset. Others warn that excessive or forceful use can strain the vocal cords. In practice, a gentle glottal stop is used by virtually all trained singers for precise articulation, particularly at the beginning of phrases or on stressed syllables. In non-Western traditions, the glottal stop serves as an expressive ornament in styles from Arabic maqam to yodeling.

Did you know?

The glottal stop is actually the most common consonant sound in the world's languages — English speakers use it unconsciously in words like "uh-oh" and in many British dialects as a replacement for the letter T.

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