Vocal Companion Back to home
The research behind it

Where every exercise comes from

The suggested exercises in Vocal Companion come from published voice therapy research and NHS speech and language therapy handouts. Here is what each one is, what the evidence says, and where it comes from. The same list is inside the app, under Settings.

An honest note. Most of this research studied therapy given by a speech-language pathologist. No study has tested a self-guided app like this one. Vocal Companion helps you practice; it doesn’t replace care from a voice therapist.

Your own exercises. You can also add exercises your therapist gives you. They live alongside these, marked as your own.

Breathing

Diaphragmatic breathing

Slow, low breathing where the belly moves and the shoulders stay still. Aims to give relaxed breath for speaking with less neck and shoulder tension. Evidence for breathing work on its own is limited.

What the evidence says A common part of voice therapy. Evidence for breathing work on its own is limited.
Sources
  1. [47] Royal Berkshire NHS FT, SLT. Abdominal breathing, 2025.royalberkshire.nhs.uk
  2. [49] North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS FT. Speech and language: diaphragmatic breathing (NCIC 730), 2024.ncic.nhs.uk
  3. [45] Desjardins M, Bonilha HS. The impact of respiratory exercises on voice outcomes: a systematic review. J Voice 2020;34(4):648.e1–39.apps.asha.org

Voice

Straw phonation

Making a soft "oo" through a straw, a semi-occluded vocal tract exercise. Helps the vocal folds vibrate with less effort and impact; in one trial it eased voice problems as much as an established program.

What the evidence says Widely used in voice therapy. In one trial a straw program helped as much as an established program; a 2024 review rated the overall evidence as very low quality.
Sources
  1. [3] Titze IR. Voice training and therapy with a semi-occluded vocal tract: rationale and scientific underpinnings. JSLHR 2006;49:448–59.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  2. [4] Kapsner-Smith MR, Hunter EJ, Kirkham K, Cox K, Titze IR. A randomized controlled trial of two semi-occluded vocal tract voice therapy protocols. JSLHR 2015;58(3):535–49.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  3. [16] Pozzali I, et al. Effectiveness of SOVTEs in patients with dysphonia: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Voice 2024;38(1).pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  4. [6] Wrightington, Wigan & Leigh NHS FT, SLT. Lax Vox voice therapy exercise (SL 020), 2026.wwl.nhs.uk

Lip trill

Voicing while the lips flutter. Aims to make voice without tension.

What the evidence says A recognised way to use the voice with less effort, with step-by-step NHS handouts.
Sources
  1. [3] Titze IR. Voice training and therapy with a semi-occluded vocal tract: rationale and scientific underpinnings. JSLHR 2006;49:448–59.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  2. [5] ASHA Practice Portal. Voice Disorders.asha.org
  3. [7] Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Lip trills (HEY1308/2026).hey.nhs.uk

Humming

A gentle "mmm" felt on the lips and nose; the first step of resonant voice therapy. Aims to ease vocal tension.

What the evidence says The starting point of resonant voice therapy, and used in NHS handouts to ease vocal tension.
Sources
  1. [5] ASHA Practice Portal. Voice Disorders.asha.org
  2. [8] Royal Berkshire NHS FT, SLT. Reducing vocal tension using humming exercises and lip trills, 2024.royalberkshire.nhs.uk
  3. [14] Yiu EM, Lo MC, Barrett EA. A systematic review of resonant voice therapy. Int J SLP 2017;19(1):17–29.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Gentle humming

Quiet, clear humming near your speaking pitch. A low-effort way to ease the voice on tired days, without dropping into a creaky low pitch.

What the evidence says The same technique as humming, done softly at your natural pitch for lower-effort days.
Sources
  1. [8] Royal Berkshire NHS FT, SLT. Reducing vocal tension using humming exercises and lip trills, 2024.royalberkshire.nhs.uk
  2. [5] ASHA Practice Portal. Voice Disorders.asha.org
  3. [20] Laryngopedia (Bastian Voice Institute). Vocal fry dysphonia.laryngopedia.com

Resonant voice

Easy voice with a buzz at the front of the face, built up from a hum to speech. Aims for a clear voice with the least effort; reviews found better voice quality and less day-to-day voice difficulty.

What the evidence says Supported by early trials. A 2017 review rated the evidence as moderate, and a 2026 review found it helped.
Sources
  1. [5] ASHA Practice Portal. Voice Disorders.asha.org
  2. [14] Yiu EM, Lo MC, Barrett EA. A systematic review of resonant voice therapy. Int J SLP 2017;19(1):17–29.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  3. [15] Gu Y, et al. Efficacy of resonant voice therapy in individuals with voice disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Voice 2026 (epub).pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  4. [17] Roy N, et al. Three treatments for teachers with voice disorders: a randomized clinical trial. JSLHR 2003;46:670–88.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Easy onset

Starting words gently, without a catch or click in the throat. Aims to reduce hard, pressed starts to the voice.

What the evidence says Widely used in voice therapy to soften hard starts. No trial has tested it on its own.
Sources
  1. [5] ASHA Practice Portal. Voice Disorders.asha.org
  2. [21] Stuckey K, Daymut JA. Promoting easy vocal productions. Handy Handout #335, Super Duper Publications.handyhandouts.com
  3. [8] Royal Berkshire NHS FT, SLT. Reducing vocal tension using humming exercises and lip trills, 2024.royalberkshire.nhs.uk
  4. [12] National Center for Voice and Speech (with K. Verdolini). A Vocologist's Guide: Voice Therapy and Training.ncvs.org

Yawn-sigh

A small yawn that flows into a gentle sigh. Aims to lower the voice box and open the throat for a more relaxed voice.

What the evidence says A long-standing therapy technique for an open, relaxed throat. The evidence comes from a physiology study, not a treatment trial.
Sources
  1. [5] ASHA Practice Portal. Voice Disorders.asha.org
  2. [11] Boone DR, McFarlane SC. A critical view of the yawn-sigh as a voice therapy technique. J Voice 1993;7(1):75–80.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  3. [10] Dorset County Hospital NHS FT, SLT. Vocal tract relaxation exercises, 2021.dchft.nhs.uk

Stretches

Jaw release stretch

Gentle massage and loosening of the jaw. Aims to release jaw tension that can tighten the voice.

What the evidence says Jaw relaxation from NHS voice therapy handouts.
Sources
  1. [34] North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS FT. Speech and language: deconstriction.ncic.nhs.uk
  2. [36] Cambridge University Hospitals SLT. Muscular flexibility exercise sheet, 2023.cuh.nhs.uk

Tongue root release

Stretching the tongue forward and side to side. Aims to release tongue tension and warm up for speaking.

What the evidence says Tongue stretches from NHS voice therapy handouts, to release tension and warm up.
Sources
  1. [34] North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS FT. Speech and language: deconstriction.ncic.nhs.uk
  2. [37] Royal Berkshire NHS FT, SLT. Voice "warm up" and "warm down", 2024.royalberkshire.nhs.uk

Neck side stretch

A slow side stretch of the neck. Aims to ease neck tension linked to muscle tension in the voice.

What the evidence says From an NHS speech therapy leaflet of neck and shoulder exercises for muscle tension in the voice.
Sources
  1. [33] North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS FT. Speech and language: neck and shoulder exercises (NCIC 727), 2023.ncic.nhs.uk
  2. [5] ASHA Practice Portal. Voice Disorders.asha.org

Shoulder lift and roll

Lifting, dropping and rolling the shoulders. Aims to release shoulder tension and keep the shoulders low and relaxed.

What the evidence says From an NHS speech therapy leaflet of neck and shoulder exercises for muscle tension in the voice.
Sources
  1. [33] North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS FT. Speech and language: neck and shoulder exercises (NCIC 727), 2023.ncic.nhs.uk
  2. [5] ASHA Practice Portal. Voice Disorders.asha.org

Massage

Laryngeal massage

Gentle massage around the voice box, easing it down. Aims to reduce muscle tension around the larynx; studies found the voice improved when a clinician did it.

What the evidence says Helped in studies where a clinician did the massage. Self-massage hasn't been tested in a trial, so it is best learned from an SLP first.
Sources
  1. [26] Roy N, Bless DM, Heisey D, Ford CN. Manual circumlaryngeal therapy for functional dysphonia: short- and long-term outcomes. J Voice 1997;11(3):321–31.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  2. [23] Barsties v. Latoszek B, Watts CR, Hetjens S. The efficacy of manual circumlaryngeal therapy for MTD: systematic review and meta-analysis. Laryngoscope 2024;134:18–26.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  3. [5] ASHA Practice Portal. Voice Disorders.asha.org
  4. [31] Dugan CH Jr. A survey of speech pathologists regarding self-administered laryngeal massage on singers. Univ. of Miami DMA dissertation, 2020.scholarship.miami.edu

Sub-occipital release

Gentle pressure at the base of the skull. General relaxation, not a voice-specific exercise.

What the evidence says General relaxation, not voice-specific. Only two single-case reports mention it for the voice.
Sources
  1. [39] Schemmann H, Grafe M, Zalpour C. Functional voice disorders in professional voice users: physiotherapy management. World Physiotherapy Congress 2017 poster.world.physio
  2. [40] Magliano R. Massage therapy for a voice student with behavioral dysphonia when singing: a case report. IJTMB 2026;19(2):27–45.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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