The Human Voice: Evolution and Performance

Abstract

From the first sounds of an infant until the end of life, the human voice is the most important means of human communication. The development of voice and speech may be the most important evolutionary development in the division of humans from other animals. The voice can project all of human emotions from our greatest joys to our deepest sorrows. The ability to sing was fundamental to the development of music and culture. This article will describe the significant evolutionary adaptations of the larynx and pharynx that resulted in the development of the human voice. This unique ability to communicate led to the development of speech and song, the starting point to the creation of music. How the voice works, the correlation of the voice to other musical instruments, and the interaction of other neurological functions will be presented.