The Flexiflow is a new, innovative tool that can be used in various fields like breathing, singing, vocal rehabilitation and many more. Developed and patented over several years, it offers the possibility to perform SOVT (semi-occluded vocal tract) exercises. It also provides a unique insight into something that is usually hidden: the airflow through the trachea, vocal folds, and the entire vocal tract. Additionally, it reveals the coordination of air and voice upon phonation, which is an asset both for vocal teachers and voice students.
As early as 2015, Barbara Tanze started using balloons to make it easier for singers to understand the impact of sub- and supraglottal pressure on the body (this is was most singing teachers/vocal coaches call “support” or “appoggio”). With time, she became interested not only in using it for non-voiced pressure management, but also for vocal use and started to experiment with differently sized holes that she simply cut into the far end of the balloon. However, this was only partly successful as the flexibility of the material made it impossible to guarantee a regularly shaped hole which created too many variables to create a coherent set of exercises.
During the time of Covid lockdown and prolonged work online, Barbara met Oren Boder (creator of the SOVT straw) and told him about her work with balloons. Together they created a way to stabilize the hole in the balloon- the Flexiflow was born! In 2021, the design was patented in Slovenia and has since gone through several rounds of refinement before its final version, which can now be purchased and used worldwide.
