Getting started with your
Universal Voice Straw!

On this page, we’re excited to share our enthusiasm for the unique Universal Voice Straw. Here you’ll find explanations and various exercises to train your voice.

Explanation:
For all singers, actors, speakers, and others who use their voice, we have developed the perfect tool: the Universal Voice Straw. With this straw, anyone can train, strengthen, or maximize their voice while simultaneously relieving the vocal folds. By choosing the ideal resistance and following the right exercises and instructions, you’ll experience tremendous benefits.

The UV.Straw trains an ideal balance in airflow/pressure, allowing the vocal folds to vibrate more efficiently and freely, giving you much more control over your breath. Additionally, the UV.Straw ensures better vocal fold closure, resulting in a clear sound with more volume.

The UV.Straw also reduces tension, constriction, and strain, which is ideal for all speakers or singers to use their voice longer and healthier in large spaces or stressful situations.

The UV.Straw optimizes the setting of your larynx and resonance space, giving you more projection and carrying power without having to work harder.

If you’re experiencing voice problems, the UV.Straw will help with faster recovery.

In short, the Universal Voice Straw is an indispensable tool for anyone who wants to improve and protect their voice, regardless of style or profession. You train your voice in the most efficient and healthy way without having to think too much about it.

Why does the Universal Voice Straw work?
The Universal Voice Straw is an advanced concept based on straw phonation introduced by Prof. Ingo Titze. Exercises with it are based on the knowledge that when you sing into the straw, you get significant back pressure. The Straw reduces airflow, increasing air pressure above the vocal folds, causing the resonance space and false vocal folds to widen for a freer sound. The vocal folds also close and open much more easily due to a low phonation threshold, resulting in flow phonation. The vocal folds vibrate somewhat more parallel for a richer sound, more loudness in fundamental tone and overtones. Additionally, the glottal space contracts slightly, giving the sound more carrying power (buzz, brightness, or twang, amplification around 3000Hz) and thus more volume without making the source, the vocal folds, work harder.

Since everyone is built differently and everyone likes to sing in their favorite style of music, the Universal Voice Straw has 7 resistances, levels. These levels were chosen based on research conducted by Dr. Marco Guzman, Iris Meerschamn, and others, which we have further developed and tested in practice on more than 100 students. This makes the levels very precise and easily adjustable by sliding the bottom part in and out, making it suitable for any speaker, singer, professional, voice patient, or anyone who wants to improve their voice.

In short, a clear, louder, free, and richer sound with less effort: Ideal!

Below you’ll find 3 simple basic exercises that anyone can use. If you want to know more about how the Universal Voice Straw can help you or want more exercises, come to our Lax Vox / Straw / SOVT workshop or book a lesson with one of our Master Teachers. You can also find more exercises and demonstrations on YouTube in the coming time to help you use the straw even more optimally and get even more improvement from your voice.

Have fun with the Universal Voice Straw!