What is Cricothyroid Muscle?
Definition
The cricothyroid muscle is one of the intrinsic muscles of the larynx, connecting the cricoid cartilage to the thyroid cartilage. When it contracts, it tilts the thyroid cartilage forward or the cricoid cartilage backward, which lengthens and thins the vocal folds. This action increases vocal fold tension and raises pitch. The cricothyroid is the primary pitch-raising muscle and is innervated by the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve, unlike the other intrinsic laryngeal muscles which are innervated by the recurrent laryngeal nerve.
Why it matters
The cricothyroid muscle is essential for pitch control and is one of the most important muscles in singing and expressive speech. When you raise your pitch — whether asking a question, expressing surprise, or singing a high note — the cricothyroid muscle is doing the primary work. Weakness or dysfunction of this muscle leads to reduced pitch range, difficulty reaching higher notes, and a monotone speaking quality. In voice therapy, exercises that involve pitch glides, sustained high notes, and stretching the upper range specifically target and strengthen the cricothyroid. Understanding the cricothyroid is important because it works in opposition to the thyroarytenoid muscle: the balance between these two muscles determines pitch, vocal fold thickness, and register transitions in singing.
How VocalCalm helps
VocalCalm exercises targeting the cricothyroid muscle include upward pitch glides through a straw, VFE stretch exercises, pitch range extension tasks, and siren glides. These exercises systematically strengthen and improve coordination of the cricothyroid through progressive pitch demands.
Related exercises
VFE 2: Stretching
Glide from your lowest comfortable note to your highest on the word "knoll", stretching the vocal folds progressively. This is the second exercise in the Vocal Function Exercise protocol, designed to lengthen and thin the vocal folds.
Straw Phonation (Pitch Glides)
Glide smoothly from your lowest comfortable pitch to your highest and back down again, all while voicing through a straw. This builds on basic straw phonation by adding pitch movement to stretch and coordinate the vocal fold muscles.
VFE 8: Pitch Range Extension
Perform controlled pitch glides that systematically push slightly beyond your current comfortable range, expanding your accessible pitches over time. This exercise targets cricothyroid flexibility and balanced laryngeal muscle coordination at the extremes of your range.
Siren Glides
Glide your voice smoothly through your full pitch range on an open vowel, sweeping from low to high and back down like a siren. Without the support of a straw, this exercise builds independent pitch control and vocal fold flexibility.
Practice exercises for Cricothyroid Muscle
VocalCalm provides guided daily exercises based on the latest voice therapy research. Free for 14 days.
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