The vertical position of the larynx seems to be relevant to voice
function. As a high vertical larynx position is often seen in hyperfunctional
and strained voices, a lowering of a habitually elevated larynx is sometimes a
specific goal in clinical voice therapy and different larynx-lowering exercises
are used to achieve this goal. Earlier investigations have shown that pitch and
to some extent also vocal loudness are relevant to vertical larynx position. In
the present investigation, we examine if lung volume affects vertical larynx
position. Using a multi-channel electroglottograph, the larynx position was
measured in 29 healthy, vocally untrained subjects, who phonated at different
lung volumes, pitches, and degrees of vocal loudness. The main results were
that high lung volume was clearly associated with a lower larynx position as
compared to low lung volume. In addition, vertical larynx position was
strongly correlated with pitch. Both of these dependencies were shown to be
stronger in males than in females. Our results suggest that lung volume is a
factor that is highly relevant to larynx height in untrained subjects.