Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Vocal resonance'

The phonation threshold pressure (PTP), i.e., the smallest amount of subglottal pressure needed to initiate and sustain vocal fold oscillation, is frequently difficult to measure due to the difficulty for some subjects to produce extremely soft phonation. In addition, PTP values are often quite scattered. Hence, the collision threshold pressure (CTP), i.e., the smallest amount of subglottal pressure needed for vocal fold collision, was explored as a possible complement or alternative to PTP. Effects on CTP and PTP of vocal warm-up (Paper 1), resonance tube phonation with the tube end in water (Paper 2), and vocal loading (Paper 3) were investigated. With the aim to accelerate the CTP measurement process, comparisons were made between CTP values derived manually and those derived by several automatic or semi-automatic parameters (Paper 4). Subjects were recorded at various F0 while phonating /pa:/-sequences, starting at medium loudness and continuing until phonation ceased. Subglottal pressure was estimated from oral pressure signals during the /p/ occlusion. Vocal fold contact was determined manually from the amplitude of the electroglottographic (EGG) signal (Papers 1 and 3) or its first derivative (dEGG) (Papers 2 and 4). Recordings were made before and after exercise: (Paper 1) Vocal warm-up was carried out in the 13 singers’ own habitual way. (Paper 2) Twelve mezzo-sopranos phonated on /u:/ at various pitches for two minutes before post-recording, and 15 seconds before each additional F0, into a glass tube (l=27 cm, id=9 mm) at a water depth of 1-2 cm. (Paper 3) Five trained singers and five untrained subjects repeated the vowel sequence /a,e,i,o,u/ at a Sound Pressure Level of at least 80 dB at 0.3 m for 20 minutes. Statistically significant results: (Paper 1) CTP and PTP decreased after warm-up in the five female voices. CTP was found to be higher than PTP (about 4 H2O). Also, CTP had a lower coefficient of variation, suggesting that CTP is a more reliable measure than PTP. (Paper 2) CTP increased on average six percent after resonance tube phonation in water. (Paper 3) CTP and PTP increased after the vocal loading in the untrained voices, with an average after-to-before ratio of 1.26 for CTP and 1.33 for PTP. (Paper 4) Automatically derived CTP values showed high correlation with those obtained manually, from EGG spectrum slope, and from the visual displays of dEGG and of dEGG wavegram.

The purpose of this study was to further develop a multi-tier model of the vocal tract area function in which the modulations of shape to produce speech are generated by the product of a vowel substrate and a consonant superposition function. The new approach consists of specifying input parameters for a target consonant as a set of directional changes in the resonance frequencies of the vowel substrate. Using calculations of acoustic sensitivity functions, these "resonance deflection patterns" are transformed into time-varying deformations of the vocal tract shape without any direct specification of location or extent of the consonant constriction along the vocal tract. The configuration of the constrictions and expansions that are generated by this process were shown to be physiologically-realistic and produce speech sounds that are easily identifiable as the target consonants. This model is a useful enhancement for area function-based synthesis and can serve as a tool for understanding how the vocal tract is shaped by a talker during speech production. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The aim of this project was to investigate the nature and possible significance of first-person kinaesthetic vocal sensations observed in association with musical listening. Hearing and voice are known to be closely linked but the mechanisms that underlie their close relationship are not yet understood. The presence of kinaesthetic vocal sensations challenges accounts of auditory processing that are divorced from peripheral vocal input and, instead, suggests the hypothesis that auditory and vocal processing mechanisms rely on shared peripheral substrates in addition to their increasingly recognized shared (brain-based) central substrates. To investigate this hypothesis, I used MRI and developed a measurement protocol (informed by established methods in cephalometry) that would allow me to relate vocal structures to their direct and indirect bony attachments to the craniofacial skeleton, cervical spine and sternum. After establishing the method's validity in subjects at rest, I acquired midsagittal MR images (under conditions where articulatory and postural input was negligible) while subjects (1) hummed and (2) listened (in a focused way) to low and high notes at each end of their range. Geometric and shape analysis of craniocaudal, craniocervical and anteroposterior variables revealed significant differences between low- and high-note conditions and widespread correlations between variables for both humming and listening investigations. An unexpected association between pitch change and changes of cervical alignment was also found. These results were complemented and extended by using the same MR images to build an active shape model (ASM). In addition to showing how vocal structures move together, ASM showed goal-related vocal activity to consist of one or more independent modes of variation. Together, the observations, experimental results, and evidence from diverse historical and contemporary sources, support the hypothesis that mechanisms underlying auditory and vocal processing rely on shared central and peripheral substrates. Wide-ranging implications arising from this hypothesis are also discussed.

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 cross-sectional 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.

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 cross-sectional 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.

Dans cette thèse, nous avons utilisé les données de l’IRM du conduit vocal pour étudier la production de la parole. La première partie consiste en l’étude de l’impact que le vélum, l’épiglotte et la position de la tête a sur la phonation de cinq voyelles françaises. Des simulations acoustiques ont été utilisées pour comparer les formants des cas étudiés avec la référence afin de mesurer leur impact. Pour cette partie du travail, nous avons utilisé des IRM statiques en 3D. Comme la parole est généralement une phénomène dynamique une question s’est posée, à savoir s’il serait possible de traiter les données 3D afin d’incorporer des informations temporelles de la parole continue. Par conséquent, la deuxième partie présente quelques algorithmes que l’on peut utiliser pour améliorer les données de production de la parole. Plusieurs transformations d’images ont été combinées afin de générer des estimations des formes du conduit vocal qui sont plus informatives que les originales. À ce stade, nous avons envisagé, outre l’amélioration des données de production de la parole, de créer un modèle de référence générique qui pourrait fournir des informations améliorées non pas pour un sujet spécifique, mais globalement pour la parole. C’est pourquoi nous avons consacré la troisième partie l’étude d’un algorithme permettant de créer un atlas spatio-temporel de l’appareil vocal qui peut être utilisé comme référence ou standard pour l’étude de la parole car il est indépendant du locuteur. Enfin, la dernière partie de la thèse, fait référence à une sélection de questions ouvertes du domaine qui restent encore sans réponse, quelques pistes intéressantes que l’on peut développer à partir de cette thèse et quelques approches potentielles qui pourraient être envisager afin de répondre à ces questions
In this thesis we used MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) data of the vocal tract to study speech production. The first part consist of the study of the impact that the velum, the epiglottis and the head position has on the phonation of five french vowels. Acoustic simulations were used to compare the formants of the studied cases with the reference in order to measure their impact. For this part of the work, we used 3D static MR (Magnetic Resonance) images. As speech is usually a dynamic phenomenon, a question arose, whether it would be possible to process the 3D data in order to incorporate dynamic information of continuous speech. Therefore the second part presents some algorithms that one can use in order to enhance speech production data. Several image transformations were combined in order to generate estimations of vocal tract shapes which are more informative than the original ones. At this point, we envisaged apart from enhancing speech production data, to create a generic speaker model that could provide enhanced information not for a specific subject, but globally for speech. As a result, we devoted the third part in the investigation of an algorithm that one can use to create a spatiotemporal atlas of the vocal tract which can be used as a reference or standard speaker for speech studies as it is speaker independent. Finally, the last part of the thesis, refers to a selection of open questions of the field that are still left unanswered, some interesting directions that one can expand this thesis and some potential approaches that could help someone move forward towards these directions

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Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
To characterize the supraglottic vocal tract shaping in the production of the seven oral and five nasal vowels of brazilian portuguese from the articulatory point of view by means of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: The subject of this study, one female native speaker of brazilian portuguese, had no previous alterations of speech, language or of neurological and auditory systems and with neither dental nor articulator alterations. The magnetic resonance images, collected during the production of the vowels sustained by the speaker, were analyzed for articulatory characterization. The results were considered according to articulatory and acoustic data researched in the related literature. Results and discussion: The nasal vowels, unlike the oral ones, presented three different moments, which are characterized by changes in the position of the articulators during their production; while the oral vowels presented only one moment/phase. The oral vowels, when compared to the nasal, maintained similar characteristics, being articulatorily classified by the position of their tongue-surface (both vertically and horizontally), by the opening of the oral cavity, by the rounding of the lips and by the position of the soft palate. The vowels that presented the greater differences, when compared to their oral and nasal counterparts, were [a]-[ã], [o]-[õ] and [u]-[uâ]. Production of nasal vowels took a longer time than their oral counterparts yielding a larger number of frames captured. Conclusion: Data obtained by means of MRI has allowed the analysis of the movements of the articulators during the production of the vowels contributing to: increasing the knowledge of brazilian portuguese vowels production mechanisms; characterizing the brazilian portuguese vowels inventory; providing insights to the evaluation and rehabilitation of speech disorders
Caracterizar a configuração do trato vocal supraglótico na produção das sete vogais orais e cinco nasais do português brasileiro do ponto de vista articulatório por meio de imagens de ressonância magnética (IRM). Métodos: Atuou como sujeito da pesquisa, um falante do gênero feminino nativo do português brasileiro, com histórico negativo para alterações de fala, linguagem e dos sistemas neurológico e auditivo e ausência de alterações dentárias e de articuladores. As imagens de ressonância magnética, coletadas durante a produção das vogais sustentadas pelo falante, foram analisadas para caracterização articulatória. Os resultados foram considerados em relação aos dados articulatórios e acústicos pesquisados na literatura. Resultados e discussão: As vogais nasais, ao contrário das orais, apresentaram três momentos distintos, caracterizados por mudanças no posicionamento dos articuladores durante sua emissão; enquanto que as vogais orais apresentaram apenas um momento/fase. As vogais orais, quando comparadas com as nasais, mantiveram características semelhantes, sendo classificadas articulatoriamente pelo posicionamento do dorso de língua (no sentido vertical e horizontal), pela abertura da cavidade oral, pelo arredondamento labial e pelo posicionamento do palato mole. As vogais que apresentaram maior modificação, quando comparadas entre suas correspondentes oral e nasal, foram [a]-[ã], [o]-[õ] e [u]-[uâ]. As vogais nasais revelaram um tempo maior que suas correspondentes orais obtendo um maior número de quadros capturados. Conclusão: Os dados obtidos por meio de IRM permitiram analisar os movimentos dos articuladores durante a produção das vogais contribuindo para: ampliação do conhecimento dos mecanismos de produção das vogais do português brasileiro; caracterização do inventário de vogais do português brasileiro; e reflexões na avaliação e reabilitação das alterações de fala

Recently, 3D printing has been increasingly used to create physical models of the vocal tract with geometries obtained from magnetic resonance imaging. These printed models allow measuring the vocal tract transfer function, which is not reliably possible in vivo for the vocal tract of living humans. The transfer functions enable the detailed examination of the acoustic effects of specific articulatory strategies in speaking and singing, and the validation of acoustic plane-wave models for realistic vocal tract geometries in articulatory speech synthesis. To measure the acoustic transfer function of 3D-printed models, two techniques have been described: (1) excitation of the models with a broadband sound source at the glottis and measurement of the sound pressure radiated from the lips, and (2) excitation of the models with an external source in front of the lips and measurement of the sound pressure inside the models at the glottal end. The former method is more frequently used and more intuitive due to its similarity to speech production. However, the latter method avoids the intricate problem of constructing a suitable broadband glottal source and is therefore more effective. It has been shown to yield a transfer function similar, but not exactly equal to the volume velocity transfer function between the glottis and the lips, which is usually used to characterize vocal tract acoustics. Here, we revisit this method and show both, theoretically and experimentally, how it can be extended to yield the precise volume velocity transfer function of the vocal tract.

The human voice might have been shaped by sexual selection. Hence, voice fundamental (F0, or pitch) and formant frequencies (Fn, or timbre) are proposed to convey fitness cues germane to rivals and potential mates. First, I confirm the independent effects of F0 and Fn on listeners’ assessments of speaker size, masculinity, and attractiveness. Second, I quantify the just-noticeable differences in both vocal features and then place F0 and Fn cues in conflict by equally discriminable amounts to test their relative influence on such voice-based social judgments. Results revealed a greater relative role of Fn in listeners’ ratings of all three dimensions, suggesting that these dimensions might all be cued more reliably by Fn than F0. Alternatively, given post-hoc principal component analyses that revealed considerable overlap in ratings of size, masculinity, and attractiveness, listeners’ conceptions of these dimensions may not be independent despite a research tradition that assumes they are.
xi, 102 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm

Detta är en kvalitativ studie med kvantitativa inslag med syftet att undersöka sångares upplevelser avnedsjungning efter högintensiv sång. Till en början har specifikt designade sångövningar förmedlats till sex medverkande sångare om fyra kvinnor och två män under individuella sånglektioner. Deltagarna har i en variant av crossover design skattat sin dagliga rösthälsa i EASE- självskattningsformulär för friska röster. Testperioden om tre veckor följdes sedan av kvalitativa intervjuer. Resultat visar att även om sångares vardag är komplex, i och med inre och yttre påverkande faktorer, har nedsjungning en upplevd effekt i avseendet förbättrad rösthälsa efter högintensiv sång. Detta gäller särskilt de kvinnliga sångarna som beskriver att nedsjungning bidragit till en mer samlad röst med minskad heshet och svullnad. Vidare rapporteras om större lätthet inför att sjunga i lägre delen av bröstregistret, en mer egaliserad röst och en förbättrad tal- och magstödsteknik tillsammans med större lätthet inför påföljande sångpass. Nedsjungning ses också ha skapat ett andrum i vardagen där minskad stress, prestationskrav och resultatinriktning omvänts till en samlad känsla av avslut. Likväl är begrepp som nedsjungning, att sjunga ned, kyla ned, eller att stretcha rösten nya begrepp som rekommenderas att vidare studeras och förmedlas till elever och studenter, framför allt då föreliggande studies resultat visar tydliga attitydskillnader avseende rösthälsa och röstvård emellan de olika könen.
This is a study regarding singers' experiences of a vocal-cool down routine preceded with a heavy vocal load. The study is mainly based on a qualitative approach with quantitative elements. At first individual singing lessons where held, whereas specifically designed vocal-cool down exercises were taught to six participating singers; four women and two men. With a modification of a crossover design the singers in this study have estimated their daily voice health in the Evaluation of the Ability to Sing Easily survey (EASE). After a three week period of tests the singers were interviewed. The result of this study shows that even if singers' everyday lives are complex due to internal and external factors, vocal- cool down where perceived as an improvement of voice health. It is mainly the female singers' that describes an increased vocal well-being, with less hoarseness and swollen vocal folds after a heavy vocal load, followed by a vocal -cool down routine. Furthermore a greater sense of ease was reported in terms of transitions between registers in the singing voice, where fatigue in the surrounding muscles also decreased alongside with a positive impact on the speaking voice, reaching lower notes in chest register and extended diaphragm breathing. The vocal cool-down routine itself also gave an unexpected finding in terms of being contemplative and relaxing for the singers; creating a breathing space in everyday life where stress, performance anxiety and other concerns where easier to let go of, with an overall feeling of closure. Vocal cool down, cooling down the voice, vocal stretch, or warming down your voice are all relatively new concepts that are recommended to be studied further, spread and taught to students and pupils, - especially as the result in this study indicates clear differences in attitudes regarding voice health in-between the male and female genders.

У роботі досліджено вокальну творчість Б. Гмирі. Розглянуто основні віхи життя та творчості оперного співака Бориса Романовича Гмирі; систематизовано універсальність творчості Бориса Романовича Гмирі; визначено вокальні традиції Бориса Гмирі, як основи національної системи виховання співаків; розглянуто резонансний метод постановки голосу як основу вокальної техніки оперного співака Б. Гмирі.
The robot has the vocal creativity of B. Gmir. The main aspects of the life and creativity of the opera singer Boris Romanovich Gmiri have been reviewed; systematized the universality of creativity of Boris Romanovich Gmir; the vocal tradition of Boris Gmir is designated, as the basis of the national system of vikhovannya spivakiv; The resonant method of voice staging is seen as the basis of the vocal technique of the opera singer B. Gmiri.