chest voice

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 24, 2026

Quick Summary

The chest voice, also known as the chest register, is the lower register of the voice. This register is characterized by the sensation of vocal vibrations being felt primarily in the chest. The production of voice, including the chest register, relies on the myoelastic or aerodynamic theory. This theory explains that air from the lungs, compressed by an expiratory effort, is driven through the trachea and causes the vocal cords to vibrate. The pitch of the resulting laryngeal tone varies with the frequency of these vibrations, being lower for low pitches and higher for high pitches. The chest voice is one of the basic vocal registers, alongside midvoice and head voice, and is a fundamental concept in singing and vocal training.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

speech
The basic registers
…the basic registers being called chest voice, midvoice, and head voice. These terms are derived from observations, for example, that in the low-chest register the resonances are felt chiefly over the chest. When sitting on a wooden bench with a large male, one can feel the vibrations of his low…
Read More
…the basic registers being called chest voice, midvoice, and head voice. These terms are derived from observations, for example, that in the low-chest register the resonances are felt chiefly over the chest. When sitting on a wooden bench with a large male, one can feel the vibrations of his low…
Read More