A simulated part of the human vocal tract above the glottis is formed as a resiliently flexible, cylindrical tube with a wall of sponge/foam saturated with water and covered by a thin, flexible water retaining skin. The wall can also be a gel or skin balloon filled with water or oil. A speech simulator has a buzz generator formed by an air compressor, accumulator and regulator supplying air to an chamber filled with sound absorbing batting and having a tubular outlet connected to an inlet end of the tube and covered by a valve simulating a glottis and vocal chords and formed by a rubber membrane slit to provide two flaps controlled by respective pen motors. the tube can be constricted manually to provide various animal and human vocal sounds.