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PubMed2002

Spectral changes due to performance environment in singers, nonsingers, and actors.

From postrecording interviews of professional singers, it was hypothesized that recording environments, i.e., sound-treated environment versus an auditorium, may induce different vocal behaviors. To test this hypothesis, three groups consisting of nonsingers, singers, and actors were recorded in two different recording environments: a sound-treated booth (IAC) and an auditorium (AUD). Three recordings were obtained from each participant: recording one (IAC) and two (AUD1) required the participants to read in a normal voice; recording three (AUD2) required participants to pretend that they were "performing" before a full house. Results indicated that only the singers and the actors exhibited significant spectral and/or frequency/duration differences from one recording environment to another, with the most dramatic differences exhibited by the singers. It was concluded that the environment in which we record experimental samples from professional voice users, especially singers, should be considered as a variable that can affect results.

Acoustics↗
PubMed2002

Acoustic analyses of developmental changes and emotional expression in the preverbal vocalizations of infants.

The nonverbal vocal utterances of seven normally hearing infants were studied within their first year of life with respect to age- and emotion-related changes. Supported by a multiparametric acoustic analysis it was possible to distinguish one inspiratory and eleven expiratory call types. Most of the call types appeared within the first two months; some emerged in the majority of infants not until the 5th ("laugh") or 7th month ("babble"). Age-related changes in acoustic structure were found in only 4 call types ("discomfort cry," "short discomfort cry," "wail," "moan"). The acoustic changes were characterized mainly by an increase in harmonic-to-noise ratio and homogeneity of the call, a decrease in frequency range and a downward shift of acoustic energy from higher to lower frequencies. Emotion-related differences were found in the acoustic structure of single call types as well as in the frequency of occurrence of different call types. A change from positive to negative emotional state was accompanied by an increase in call duration, frequency range, and peak frequency (frequency with the highest amplitude within the power spectrum). Negative emotions, in addition, were characterized by a significantly higher rate of "crying," "hic" and "ingressive vocalizations" than positive emotions, while positive emotions showed a significantly higher rate of "babble," "laugh," and "raspberry."

Affect↗
PubMed2003

Acoustical comparison between samples of good and poor vibrato in singers.

The purpose of this research was to analyze samples of frequency vibrato taken from recordings of eight different singers, which were classified as examples of good or poor singing. The samples were analyzed by a software package, which makes use of the linear prediction coding (LPC) method to determine the time varying rate and extent of the frequency vibrato wave. Four parameters, which relate to the periodicity of the samples, were extracted from the time varying rate and extent and investigated in order to verify or reject the hypothesis that the best vibrato samples were the most symmetric ones. Ten samples per singer were analyzed, 5 good and 5 poor, for a total of 80 samples. The results show that the samples judged as good were the most periodic ones.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Acoustic analysis of pathological voices compressed with MPEG system.

The MPEG-1 Layer 3 compression schema of audio signal, commonly known as mp3, has caused a great impact in recent years as it has reached high compression rates while conserving a high sound quality. Music and speech samples compressed at high bitrates are perceptually indistinguishable from the original samples, but very little was known about how compression acoustically affects the voice signal. A previous work with normal voices showed a high fidelity at high-bitrate compressions both in voice parameters and the amplitude-frequency spectrum. In the present work, dysphonic voices were tested through two studies. In the first study, spectrograms, long-term average spectra (LTAS), and fast Fourier transform (FFT) spectra of compressed and original samples of running speech were compared. In the second study, intensities, formant frequencies, formant bandwidths, and a multidimensional set of voice parameters were tested in a set of sustained phonations. Results showed that compression at high bitrates (96 and 128 kbps) preserved the relevant acoustic properties of the pathological voices. With compressions at lower bitrates, fidelity decreases, introducing some important alterations. Results from both works, Gonzalez and Cervera and this paper, open up the possibility of using MPEG-compression at high bitrates to store or transmit high-quality speech recordings, without altering their acoustic properties.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMed2003

The effect of noise on computer-aided measures of voice: a comparison of CSpeechSP and the Multi-Dimensional Voice Program software using the CSL 4300B Module and Multi-Speech for Windows.

The effect of noise on computer-derived samples of voice was compared across three different hardware/software configurations. The hardware/software systems included a stand-alone A/D converter (CSL Module 4300B) coupled to a custom Pentium PC used in conjunction with the Multi-Dimensional Voice Program (MDVP) software, and a Creative Labs A/D converter coupled to the same custom PC under software control of MDVP/Multispeech and CSpeechSP. Voice samples were taken from 10 female subjects, then mixed with computer fan noise creating three different signal-to-noise (S/N) levels. Mixed signals were analyzed on the three hardware/software systems. Results revealed that fundamental frequency was most resistant to the degradation effect of noise across systems; jitter and shimmer values, however, were more variable across all configurations. Jitter and shimmer values were significantly higher under certain S/N levels for the MDVP 4300B based system as compared to MDVP for Multi-Speech and CSpeechSP. The findings punctuate the need for sensitivity to recording environments, careful selection of hardware/software equipment arrays, and the establishment of minimal recording conditions (>25 dBA S/N) for voice sampling and analysis using computer-assisted methods.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Nonlinear phenomena in contemporary vocal music.

Complex and multiphonic voice signals of vocal improvisors are analyzed within the framework of nonlinear dynamics. Evidence is given that nonlinear phenomena are extensively used by performers associated with contemporary music. Narrow-band spectrograms of complex vocalizations are used to visualize the appearance of nonlinear phenomena (spectral bifurcation diagrams). Possible production mechanisms are discussed in connection with previous research, personal performance and pedagogical experience. Examples for period doubling, biphonation and irregular aperiodic phonation in vocal sonorities of contemporary vocal improvisors are given, and glottal whistle production encompassed with biphonation and triphonation is shown. Furthermore, coincidences of harmonics-formant matching associated with abrupt transitions to subharmonics and biphonation in the vocal output are provided. This also shows the recurrent use of nonlinear phenomena by performers. It is argued that mechanisms such as source-tract coupling or vocal fold desynchronization due to asymmetry are used in a reproducible way for musical tasks.

Acoustics↗
PubMed1993

Comparisons of pharynx, source, formant, and pressure characteristics in operatic and musical theatre singing.

Belting, a vocal technique typically cultivated in musical theatre singing, differs timbrally from operatic singing in many interesting respects. The underlying phonatory differences have not been previously investigated in detail. Yet, belting is frequently associated with disturbances of voice function. Articulatory and phonatory characteristics are investigated in a female subject who is a professional singer (co-author JL) trained in both the operatic and belting styles and in an intermediate vocal technique ("mixed"). This article presents data obtained from this subject by video-fiberoptic observation of the pharynx, inverse filtering of airflow, and measurement of subglottal pressure. The results reveal that belting was characterized by very high subglottal pressures and sound levels, and apparently also by a comparatively high degree of glottal adduction. Comparisons with other investigations of related aspects of belting and operatic singing support the assumption that the data obtained from our subject are representative for these vocal techniques.

Female↗
PubMed1995

Fundamental frequency and tracheal pressure during three types of vocalizations elicited from anesthetized dogs.

Electrical stimulation of the midbrain was used to elicit a variety of vocalizations from six anesthetized dogs. This study was conducted to investigate the ranges of and relationships between fundamental frequency of the vocalizations (F0) and tracheal pressure (Pt) produced during the vocalizations. The vocalizations were described according to type (growl, howl, and whine); F0 and Pt, as well as patterns of laryngeal muscle activity, were examined for each vocalization type. Natural-sounding growl and howl vocalizations were elicited from five dogs; three dogs also produced whines. With few exceptions, F0 was categorically different for the three vocalization types (low for growls, average for howls, very high for whines). Pt values overlapped for the three vocalization types, although, on average, howls were produced with greater Pt than growls. Patterns and degrees of laryngeal muscle activity varied across and within vocalization types, but general findings were consistent with the presumed function of most of the muscles. Laryngeal muscle activity may help explain some of the variability in the acoustic and aerodynamic data.

Anesthesia↗
PubMed1995

Sentence/vowel correlation in the evaluation of dysphonia.

Considering the widespread use of the sustained vowel in the evaluation of voice disorders, our objective was to study the degree to which the vowel is representative of voice in continuous speech. Phonatory samples were recorded from 20 normal subjects and 60 patients representing commonly occurring voice problems (nodules, unilateral paralysis, and functional). The phonatory samples were evaluated by 25 listeners on the basis of 12 bipolar, semantic differential scales. Factor analysis produced two perceptual dimensions with similar loadings for both vowels and sentences. A correlation of 0.78 was obtained between vowels and sentences on factor 1 scores, "vocal severity," and a correlation of 0.77 was obtained between vowels and sentences on factor 2 scores, "pitch/quality." Six of the 80 pairs of sentences and vowels differed by two scale points or more on vocal severity. Results suggest that although a relatively strong relationship exists between the two measures, sustained vowel sounds may not be an adequate clinical index to the dysphonic severity of continuous speech.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Treatment of sulcus vocalis: auditory perceptual and acoustical analysis of the slicing mucosa surgical technique.

Sulcus vocalis is a furrow in the mucosa of the vocal folds that causes glottic insufficiency, irregular vibrations, and a distinctive dysphonia of variable severity. Treatment of sulcus vocalis needs to achieve anatomical and functional improvements that satisfy the behavior of the larynx and vocal quality. We suggest a combined approach, which includes vocal fold mucosal surgery through a technique called slicing mucosa, followed by intensive vocal rehabilitation. The aim of the surgery is to detach the mucosa of the sulcus and to interrupt the longitudinal fibrotic tension lines. The results of this procedure in 10 patients were analyzed through visual, auditory, and acoustical methods, and the data lead us to conclude that the treatment proposed offered a good anatomical result, a better vibratory pattern, and an improvement in overall vocal quality.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

An investigation of the laryngeal system as the resonance source of the singer's formant.

Since its introduction, the Sundberg model of the laryngeal system as the resonance source of the singer's formant has gained wide acceptance. However, no studies directly testing this hypothesis in vivo have previously been reported. Thus, the present study was undertaken to test this hypothesis on three classically trained professional male singers. The vocal behaviors of the singer-subjects were evaluated during model and pulse register phonation via magnetic resonance imaging, strobolaryngoscopy, and acoustic analysis. Results indicated the subjects did not achieve the laryngopharyngeal/laryngeal outlet cross-sectional area ratio requisite to the model and that the formant remained robust in pulse register phonation. It was concluded that these subjects' behaviors were not consistent with Sundberg's model and that the model was inadequate to account for the generation of the singer's formant in these three subjects.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Spectral pattern recognition of improved voice quality.

The self-organizing map (a neural network) was applied to the spectral pattern recognition of voice quality in 34 subjects: 15 patients operated on because of insufficient glottal closure and 19 subjects not treated for voice disorders. The voice samples, segments of sustained /a/, were perceptually rated by six experts. A self-organized acoustic feature map was first computed from tokens of /a/ and then used for the analysis of the samples. The locations of the samples on the map were determined and the distances from a normal reference were compared with the perceptual ratings. The map locations corresponded to the degree of audible disorder: the samples judged as normal were overlapping or close to the normal reference, whereas the samples judged as dysphonic were located further away from it. The comparison of pre- and postoperative samples of the patients showed that the perceived improvement of voice quality was also detected by the map.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Differential phonatory characteristics of four women with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Patients with specific neural subsystem involvement are often reported to present with particular perceptual characteristics of voice. This has been true for diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive disease in which mixed neurologic signs are present. This article reports acoustic data on the phonatory performance of four women diagnosed with ALS who had initial bulbar signs and progressive phonatory deterioration. The data presented here demonstrate that the phonatory characteristics of women with ALS are not uniform, but in fact may vary greatly from patient to patient.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis↗
PubMed1994

Studies on vocal fold injection and changes in pitch associated with alcohol intake.

The current study was carried out with particular emphasis on the association between phonetic function tests and alterations in the appearance of the hypopharyngeal and laryngeal mucosa, such as capillary dilatation, edema, and vocal fold injection after alcohol intake. The results demonstrated the occurrence of previously unrecognized pathophysiological changes associated with synchronous phonetic functions in the vocal pathway after alcohol intake. Serum ethanol and aldehyde concentration levels were evaluated hourly for 2.5 h after ingestion of alcohol. When an electronystagmogram showed the typical pattern of alcohol intake, the study was initiated. Occasionally, rhinography was performed on subjects complaining of a stuffy nose after alcohol intake.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Dynamic intensity variations of individual choral singers.

Twenty adult singers from one choral group were asked to produce sustained vowels and a short hymn sample while using three different dynamic levels: pianissimo, mezzoforte, and fortissimo. Large differences were found in total dynamic range among the subjects. Sustained vowels were slightly higher in output than was a song sample. Mezzoforte levels were produced closer to fortissimo than to pianissimo. When the individual results were combined mathematically, the average levels of the singers were consistent with earlier data from other choral groups. Implications for "choral blend" are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Acoustic and physiologic factors in duet singing: a pilot study.

Ensemble singing has recently received increased attention by voice scientists. From the literature, it appears that singing in groups requires techniques that are different from those used in solo singing. This experiment studied the characteristics of a pair of male vocalists who were recorded as they sang two duet scores. Analysis of the results showed that timing, pitch, loudness, and long-term average spectra characteristic of both solo and ensemble singing were employed. The use of solo versus ensemble techniques may be more a function of musical style rather than the number of individuals who sing in a group.

Humans↗
PubMed1994

The perceptual features of vocal fatigue as self-reported by a group of actors and singers.

Performers (10 actors/10 singers) rated via a self-report questionnaire the severity of their voice-related changes when vocally fatigued. Similar frequency patterns and perceptual features of vocal fatigue were found across subjects. Actors rated "power" aspects (e.g., voice projection) and singers rated vocal dynamic aspects (e.g., pitch range) of their voices as most affected when vocally fatigued. Vocal fatigue was evidenced by changes in kinesthetic/proprioceptive sensations and vocal dynamics. The causes and context of vocal fatigue were vocal misuse, being "run down," high performance demands, and using high pitch/volume levels. Further research is needed to delineate the perceptual features of "normal" levels of vocal fatigue and its possible causes.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Interference between normal vibrato and artificial stimulation of laryngeal muscles at near-vibrato rates.

A stabilized tremor hypothesis for vocal vibrato is investigated. The stabilizer is assumed to be a mechanical oscillator that may contain reflex loops. Artificial stimulation of the cricothyroid muscle in one subject showed a well-defined resonance curve of this peripheral oscillator at approximately 5.0 Hz. Combined artificial stimulation with natural vibrato showed that the vibrato could be entrained by a peripheral stimulus, provided the two frequencies are separated by no more than approximately +/- 0.5 Hz. This suggests that vibrato frequencies are not "hard-wired" centrally, even though a collection of centrally generated tremors may serve as excitation to the peripheral oscillator.

Electric Stimulation↗