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Updated: Apr 28, 2026
Investigating the Three-dimensional Flow Separation Induced by a Model Vocal Fold Polyp
Published on: February 3, 2014
Formant and voice source properties in two male Kunqu Opera roles: a pilot study
Li Dong1, Johan Sundberg, Jiangping Kong
1Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Objective:
This investigation analyzes flow glottogram and electroglottogram (EGG) parameters as well as the relationship between formant frequencies and partials in two male Kunqu Opera roles, Colorful face (CF) and Old man (OM).
Participants And Methods:
Four male professional Kunqu Opera singers volunteered as participants, 2 singers for each role. Using inverse filtering of the audio signal flow glottogram parameters and formant frequencies were measured in each note of scales. Two EGG parameters, contact quotient (CoQ) and speed quotient, were measured.
Results:
Formant tuning was observed only in 1 of the OM singers and appeared in a pitch range lower than the passaggio range of Western male opera singers. Both the CF and the OM role singers showed high CoQ values and low values of the normalized amplitude quotient in singing. For 3 of the 4 singers CoQ and the level difference between the first and second partials showed a positive and a negative correlation with fundamental frequency (F0), respectively.
Conclusions:
Formant tuning may be applied by a singer of the OM role, and both CF and OM role singers may use a rather pressed type of phonation, CF singers more than OM singers in the lower part of the pitch range. Most singers increased glottal adduction with rising F0.
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