The Source-Filter Model

The Source-Filter Model explains how our voice is produced. The "source" is the sound generated by the vocal cords vibrating when we speak or sing. This sound then passes through the "filter," which is our vocal tract—throat, mouth, and nose—that shapes and modifies the sound. By changing the shape and size of the vocal tract (for example, by moving the tongue or lips), we create different sounds like vowels and consonants. This model helps us understand how we produce a wide range of human voices and speech sounds.