Experienced saxophonists learn to tune their vocal tracts

Area of Science:

• Acoustics
• Musical Instrument Performance
• Bioacoustics

Background:

• The role of vocal tract resonances in wind instrument playing, specifically clarinet and saxophone, has been a long-standing debate among acousticians.
• Previous research has hypothesized a connection between the player's vocal tract acoustics and the produced musical notes, but direct measurement during performance was lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To directly measure vocal tract resonances in saxophonists while they played the instrument.
• To investigate the relationship between vocal tract resonances and the notes produced across the saxophone's range.
• To identify differences in resonance tuning between professional and amateur players, particularly in challenging registers.

Main Methods:

• Direct measurement of vocal tract resonances using specialized equipment during live saxophone performance.
• Analysis of resonance frequencies in relation to the specific musical notes being played.
• Comparison of acoustic data between professional and amateur saxophone players.

Main Results:

• For most of the saxophone's playing range, no simple correlation was found between vocal tract resonances and the notes played.
• Significant variation in vocal tract resonances was observed among different players.
• In the altissimo (high) register, professional saxophonists exhibited a strong vocal tract resonance systematically tuned slightly above the intended note.

Conclusions:

• Vocal tract resonances play a limited role in the general playing of the saxophone, with considerable inter-player variability.
• A specific tuning of vocal tract resonance above the target pitch is crucial for achieving notes in the altissimo range, distinguishing professional players from amateurs.
• This finding highlights a specialized acoustic technique employed by advanced saxophonists for high-register performance.