Lower vocal tract morphologic adjustments are relevant for voice timbre in singing

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Alexander Mainka - , University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, Carl Maria von WeberCollege of Music, Dresden (Author)
  • Anton Poznyakovskiy - , University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden (Author)
  • Ivan Platzek - , Institute and Polyclinic of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden (Author)
  • Mario Fleischer - , University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden (Author)
  • Johan Sundberg - , KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Author)
  • Dirk Mürbe - , University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, Carl Maria von WeberCollege of Music, Dresden (Author)

Abstract

The vocal tract shape is crucial to voice production. Its lower part seems particularly relevant for voice timbre. This study analyzes the detailed morphology of parts of the epilaryngeal tube and the hypopharynx for the sustained German vowels /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, and /u/ by thirteen male singer subjects who were at the beginning of their academic singing studies. Analysis was based on two different phonatory conditions: A natural, speech-like phonation and a singing phonation, like in classical singing. 3D models of the vocal tract were derived from magnetic resonance imaging and compared with long-term average spectrum analysis of audio recordings from the same subjects. Comparison of singing to the speech-like phonation, which served as reference, showed significant adjustments of the lower vocal tract: An average lowering of the larynx by 8 mm and an increase of the hypopharyngeal crosssectional area (+ 21:9%) and volume (+ 16:8%). Changes in the analyzed epilaryngeal portion of the vocal tract were not significant. Consequently, lower larynx-to-hypopharynx area and volume ratios were found in singing compared to the speech-like phonation. All evaluated measures of the lower vocal tract varied significantly with vowel quality. Acoustically, an increase of high frequency energy in singing correlated with a wider hypopharyngeal area. The findings offer an explanation how classical male singers might succeed in producing a voice timbre with increased high frequency energy, creating a singer's formant cluster.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere0132241
Number of pages19
JournalPLoS ONE
Volume10
Issue number7
Publication statusPublished - 17 Jul 2015
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 84940849886
PubMed 26186691