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Vocal registers revisited. Gerrit Bloothooft Peter Pabon Utrecht Institute of Linguistics OTS The Netherlands. Vocal registers. Scientific agreement same mechanical principle of voice production pulse- modal- falsetto- register Singers terminology
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Vocal registers revisited Gerrit Bloothooft Peter Pabon Utrecht Institute of Linguistics OTS The Netherlands
Vocal registers • Scientific agreement • same mechanical principle of voice production • pulse- modal- falsetto- register • Singers terminology • ‘sub’ registers: chest voice, middle voice, head voice
Phonetogram • Display of all possible phonations • X-axis: fundamental frequency • Y-axis: sound pressure level • Unit: 1 dB x 1 semitone
Phonetogram sample density Vocal Intensity (dB SPL) Sample Density Fundamental frequency (Hz)
Research goal • Use of phonetogram recordings to reconsider the vocal register terminology
Enriched phonetogram • Acoustic voice quality parameters added • jitter • stability of fundamental frequency • crest factor • differentiates between pulse-like and sine-like • relative rise time • fast versus slow signal change in period • Displayed using colour scale
Data recording • For real-time presentation • best jitter value • last crest factor value • last value of relative rise time • For post-recording processing • median value of distribution
Real-time display of crest factor Vocal Intensity (dB SPL) Crest factor Fundamental frequency (Hz)
Median smoothing of crest factor Vocal Intensity (dB SPL) Crest factor Fundamental frequency (Hz)
Most significant changes Description using • Iso-crest factor lines • Iso-jitter lines • Iso-relative rise time lines
Iso-crest factor lines 6 dB Vocal Intensity (dB SPL) Crest factor 4 dB Fundamental frequency (Hz)
Iso-jitter line Vocal Intensity (dB SPL) Jitter (%) 3 % Fundamental frequency (Hz)
Iso-relative rise time line 30 20 10 0 6 % Vocal Intensity (dB SPL) Relative rise time (%) Fundamental frequency (Hz)
New representation • Areas defined by iso-parameter lines • crest factor < 4 dB • crest factor > 4 dB, < 6 dB • crest factor > 6 dB • jitter < 3 % • relative rise time < 6 %
Areas in the phonetogram RRT < 6 % pressed-like Crest factor < 4 dB sine-like Vocal Intensity (dB SPL) Jitter > 3%, unstable Fundamental frequency (Hz)
Relation to vocal registers • Ask subject to sing in specific register only and determine register-phonetogram • Map these register boundaries on full phonetogram
Vocal registers in the phonetogram Chest voice boundary Vocal Intensity (dB SPL) Falsetto upper boundary Modal lower boundary Fundamental frequency (Hz)
First observations • High modal boundary corresponds with iso-crest factor = 4 dB • Upper falsetto boundary corresponds in part with iso-crest factor = 6 dB • Chest voice boundary corresponds with iso-crest factor = 6 dB
Conclusions • Close relation between iso-crest factor lines and register boundaries • Chest voice may well have a perceptual basis • Low falsetto boundary not related to any of the measures used • Systematic research needed
Examples Vocal Intensity (dB SPL) Fundamental frequency (Hz)