Formant

Vocal Science and Vocal Art, Part One: In Search of Common Ground (Article)
The author provides a comprehensive, historical review of contributions to voice science and pedagogy. The article explores the relationship between science and art through its history, its current state, and the new field of cognitive science to which voice pedagogy could look for a rapprochement between these two modes of understanding and the teaching of singing. (posted 5:44 PM, November 20, 2016)

The Role of the First Formant in Training the Male Singing Voice (Article)
Awareness of the acoustic registration events caused by changing interactions between the lower harmonics of the voice source and the first formant of the vocal tract can assist both teacher and student in working out a smooth, comfortable transition through the passaggio into the upper range of the male voice. This paper explains how knowledge and anticipation of these events, and of the passive vowel modifications that accompany them, can form the basis for effective pedagogic strategies. A relatively stable tube (vocal tract) length is necessary for timbral consistency and balance across the fundamental frequency range, since this can stabilize the general location of all formants and especially the singer’s formant cluster. However, upon ascending the scale, untrained males instinctively tend to activate muscles that shorten the tube in order to preserve the strong first formant/second harmonic (F1/H2) acoustic coupling of open timbre, resulting in “yell” timbre. If tube length and shape are kept stable during pitch ascent, the yell can be avoided by allowing the second harmonic to pass through and above the first formant. This results in the timbral shift referred to as covering or “turning over,” a shift which enables avoidance of the laryngeal muscular adjustments associated with pressed phonation. The variety of first formant locations, vowel by vowel, where these shifts occur creates opportunities for developing effective strategies for training the male passaggio. (posted 5:31 PM, November 2, 2014)

Musical Theater and Opera Singing—Why So Different? A Study of Subglottal Pressure, Voice Source, and Formant Frequency Characteristics (Article)
This voice science article examines the timbre differences in Musical Theater and Classical Singing. The author examines the different demands of each singer and takes into account microphone usage and the number of weekly performances. Björkner asserts that subglottal pressure is the main player in controlling vocal intensity. Five male opera singers and five mail MT singers were involved in this study, which seeks to determing "voice source characteristics" and formant frequencies at two fundamental frequencies (f0) and over a large dynamic range. Results indicate that MT and opera singers both sing with equally pressed phonation and that the singer's formant plays a large role in classical vs. MT singing. (posted 2:34 PM, August 27, 2014)

More About Resonant Voice: Chasing the Formants But Staying Behind Them (Article)
To achieve a more resonant voice, a formant is not placed directly on a harmonic, but rather slightly above a harmonic. Stated conversely, the harmonic chases the formant, but never quite catches up with it. The advantage of this maneuver is a strengthening of all harmonics, not just a single one. (posted 2:34 PM, August 27, 2014)

Vowel Modification Revisited (Article)
Modification involves shading vowels with respect to the location of vowel formants, so the sung pitch or one of its harmonics receives an acoustical boost by being near a formant. The goals of modification include a unified quality, throughout the entire range, smoother transitions between register, enhanced dynamic range and control, and improved intelligibility. (posted 2:34 PM, August 27, 2014)

The F0-F1 Crossover Exercise (Article)
The author has a long-term goal to understand and appreciate proven exercises and vocalizes used by singing teachers. One such exercise is the downward glide in pitch on a vowel [u] or [o], beginning on about D5 and ending one to two octaves lower. (posted 2:34 PM, August 27, 2014)

Resurrection from the Coffin (Article)
The author suggests that the Favorable Vowel Chart included in the writings of Berton Coffin over thirty years ago, needs to be resurrected, employing new theories of vowel modification and voice registers. (posted 2:34 PM, August 27, 2014)

Another Incremental Step in Reviving and Revising Coffin's Favorable Vowel Chart (Article)
In a previous issue the author proposed a new way of looking at pitch-vowel interaction in singing as promulgated by Berton Coffin. In a yearly update, Dr. Titze writes that the basic goal of understanding why certain vowels are favored at certain pitches has not changed. (posted 2:34 PM, August 27, 2014)

On Master Classes and the Olympic Games (Article)
The author asks the question: “Is there a lesson in the Olympic games that can be applied to singing?” Much of the new information that has advanced the coaching of sports is taken from analysis of precisely timed video. Because so little of the movement of the voice producing organs can be captured by noninvasive video, singing teachers have to rely on self-reporting of singers regarding what they “do” to achieve desired results. However, one particularly measurement of the singing voice that is now within reach for all is that of spectrum analysis, which is discussed in detail. (posted 2:34 PM, August 27, 2014)

How Are Harmonics Produced at the Voice Source? (Article)
In summary, harmonics in the glottal waveform are produced by adducing the vocal folds sufficiently so that they can collide. This changes the waveform from a simple oscillatory shape that has only one frequency. Alternately, or in conjunction with collision, the vocal tract can be engaged to feed back an acoustic wave to the glottal flow. (posted 2:34 PM, August 27, 2014)

Source-Vocal Tract Interaction in Female Operatic Singing and Theater Belting (Article)
Contrasting operatic and musical theatre voice production, the authors seek “to explain the female opera-belt contrast in terms of source-vocal tract interaction.” The study shows that despite aesthetic differences, many of the technical approaches overlap between these otherwise markedly different genres. (posted 2:34 PM, August 27, 2014)

Formant Frequency Shifts for Classical and Theater Belt Vowel Modification (Article)
In this article Ingo Titze presents research from an informal study conducted in Salt Lake City in 2010. Titze discusses the shift in formant frequencies that take place when a singer switches between classical singing and belt singing. (posted 2:34 PM, August 27, 2014)

The Search for Efficient Voice Production: Where Is It Leading Us? (Article)
The essay sheds light on the ongoing efforts to define what is meant by efficient voice production, that which gives the most output for the least effort. Most pedagogues, clinicians, and voice scientists have wrestled somewhat with this problem because voices are not often big enough or enduring enough for a given vocal task. (posted 2:34 PM, August 27, 2014)

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