* The sounds themselves: This means the actual physical properties of the sounds (like how they are produced in the mouth and how they are perceived by the ear).
* How sounds are organized: This includes the patterns of sounds within a language (e.g., which sounds can occur together, which sounds can be used in similar positions) and how these patterns affect the meaning of words.
So, phonology is definitely about vocal sounds, but it's not just about the sounds themselves. It's about the system of sounds within a language and how that system functions.