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The book describes voice change as a whole-body experience for adolescents, both female and male, which, while not always easy, should not scare music teachers away from working with adolescent singers. Many aspects of adolescent voice change are addressed throughout this book, but there may be exceptions to what is discussed. Everyone has an endocrine system that contains glands to produce hormones, but this system is sometimes influenced or disrupted by biological makeup, environmental conditions, or malnourishment; in addition, some people are diagnosed with atypical chromosomal structures. As a result, it is acknowledged that not every person on the planet does, in fact, experience a voice change. The focus of Thinking Outside the Voice Box remains on adolescent females and males who are engaged in the singing process and experiencing symptoms and expectations of a “typical” adolescent voice change.

The chapter considers adolescent development holistically, with voice change as one aspect of adolescence. Scrutiny, both self-imposed and societal, surrounds adolescents. Physical growth affects coordination and confidence, as students experience rapid and sporadic growth of all their body parts. Hormones play an essential part in adolescent development into adulthood, but they can create complications for students that are unknown to others. The adolescent brain rewires itself significantly in preparation for adulthood; all experiences are internalized in the brain and affect rewiring. Hearing development is not related only to mechanisms in the ear but is largely connected to the brain. Adolescence is also a time of experiencing new, complex emotions, and interpretation and embodiment of these emotions can be an intricate process.

The chapter describes how an understanding of the way the voice operates can empower both female and male adolescent singers as well as the teachers assisting them through the voice change process. It unpacks basic vocal anatomy and physiology, and then overlays physiological transformations that occur in the larynx during female and male voice change. A special section addresses the impact of hormones on the adolescent voice (especially for females) and promotes awareness of premenstrual vocal syndrome. The chapter encourages music educators to frequently discuss and reference vocal anatomy and physiology with adolescent singers in order to demystify vocal challenges and dispel myths and misunderstandings about how the voice and body function.