Advancing the Science and Art of Voice and Speech
The National Center for Voice & Speech (NCVS) is a source for research-backed insights into vocal communication for performers, clinicians, educators, and researchers.
ICVPB 2026
The next ICVPB conference will be October 7-8, 2026 in Salt Lake City. We hope you will join us.
The Mission of NCVS
Dissemination
We share and highlight information about the science of voice and speech production.
Training and Outreach
We provide post-graduate level training in voice and speech research and outreach to practitioners.
Preservation
We feature and celebrate the history and contributions of individuals in the field of voice and speech research.
Science that Resonates
NCVS Notes is our weekly email newsletter that brings you into the field of voice and speech research. The newsletter highlights new research, amplifies foundational studies, and curates the most impactful analysis being done in the field.
Exclusive articles from researchers in the field
In-depth analysis of new findings and their real-world impact
Practical insights for singers, actors, therapists, and scientists
A science-based perspective on voice and speech
What You'll Find Here
Expert Tutorials & Training
Discover voice tutorials to support the book, Principles of Voice Production.
100 Classic Articles
Explore decades of pioneering voice and speech research.
Hall of Fame
Recognizing those who have shaped the field of voice science.
NCVS Insights
Stay ahead with the latest studies, articles, and expert contributions.
Books
Explore publications from researchers across the field and through the years.
Events
From workshops to our bi-annual events, we help the field stay on top of the latest science and research.
100 Years of Voice and Speech
The field of voice and speech science has developed over the past century into a rich, interdisciplinary domain—bridging medicine, acoustics, linguistics, vocal performance, and biomechanics. From early anatomical studies to the emergence of high-speed imaging and computational modeling, researchers have sought to understand the mechanics, resilience, and expressive power of the human voice.
At the National Center for Voice and Speech (NCVS), we honor the legacy of those pioneers by preserving and sharing the stories, research, and breakthroughs that shaped this evolving field. The past 100 years have brought remarkable advancements—from the first laryngeal visualization techniques to modern voice therapy practices and voice synthesis technologies.
Today, NCVS serves as a living archive—a curated history of the people, ideas, and innovations that brought voice and speech science to where it is today. As the field continues to grow, we remain committed to amplifying its impact and ensuring its history informs its future.
Whether you’re a researcher, clinician, performer, or student, we invite you to explore the voices behind the science—and the science behind the voice.
Latest Books
Sing and Shout for Health
Sing and Shout for Health explores the remarkable impact of vocalization on human physiology, health, and well-being. Edited by renowned physicist Ingo R. Titze and vocologist Elizabeth C. Johnson, this groundbreaking book delves into scientific discoveries that reveal how singing, shouting, and other forms of vocalization influence the body at molecular, physiological, and neurological levels.
Voice is Free After SOVT
Voice is FREE after SOVT distinguishes itself as the first book dedicated to Semi-Occluded Vocal Tract methods and is inclusive with scientific explanation and application for singer, teacher and therapist alike. It incorporates a large bibliography of the evolution of these methods and an enormous amount of current peer reviewed literature in the area of voice.
Vocology
The Science and Practice of Voice Habilitation is the first major textbook written in the field of Vocology. It addresses the fundamental postulates and exercises underlying voice habilitation, the art and science of taking a voice beyond normal conversational skills. It introduces voice measurement and assessment (vocometrics), motor learning principles, the carrier-modulation hierarchy, and the union if breathing, valving, and voicing.
NCVS Insights
Should We Keep Saying that Supraglottic Tissue Displacement is a Sign of Hyperfunction and Harmful for Voice?
Clinically, vocal hyperfunction has not only been associated with glottal-related variables but also with supraglottic tissue displacement or supraglottic activity. The latter is still one of the basic paradigms for evaluation of laryngeal hyperfunction in some places in the world.
Singing Training Shapes the Brain
Have you ever marveled at the brilliance, precision and ease of a seasoned singer singing an intricate musical piece? Largely, the ability to sing at a high level is closely related to how singing training shapes the brain. By engaging in singing training, our brain undergoes a series of structural and functional changes to adapt to new circumstances, challenges and demands;
Voice and Speech in Space
We were part of an inspirational conference at the Houston Space Center on October 4, 2024. It was the annual meeting of the Pan American Vocology Association. Many themes were developed with aspirations beyond an earth existence. Two scientists, Arian Shamei and Bryan Gick, conducted a panel discussion on the topic Beyond Earth: The Physiology of Speech and Voice in Outer Space.
Research: The Guarded Excitement of Discovery
Working in both the sciences and the performing arts brings about a challenge not often appreciated – the dichotomy of how you conduct and present your work in these two areas. There are two distinct cultures that need to be understood. In the simplest terms, in science you understate your work, whereas in the performing arts you overstate it.
The Vocal Membranes May Explain Why Humans are So Talkative
Humans are talkative animals. We enjoy chatting with family, friends, and colleagues over daily happenings. Verbal communication is one of the major means to express ourselves.
Searching for the Causes of Chest-Falsetto Register Breaks Under Anechoic Conditions
The origin of the breaks between chest and falsetto registers has remained one of the most controversial themes in voice science. The search for the causes of register breaks is reminiscent of a detective story. Discover the next chapter in the story.
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Contact
975 S. State Street
Clearfield, UT 84015