Related Experiment Videos
Stability in phonational frequency range
1Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington 47405.
Journal of Communication Disorders
|June 1, 1989
Summary
Vocal frequency range measures, including lowest and highest fundamental frequency, show significant variability within individuals over time. This intrasubject variability needs further research before clinical application.
Area of Science:
- Speech and Hearing Sciences
- Acoustic Phonetics
- Voice Science
Background:
- Phonational frequency range is a key metric in voice assessment.
- Understanding the stability of vocal frequency measures is crucial for reliable clinical interpretation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the short-term and long-term stability of total phonational frequency range.
- To assess the intrasubject variability of lowest fundamental frequency and highest fundamental frequency.
Main Methods:
- Twenty adult subjects produced vowel sounds at their vocal frequency extremes.
- Lowest and highest fundamental frequencies were measured, converted to semitones, and total range calculated.
- Data collection occurred three times daily over two days, separated by 1-2 months.
Main Results:
- Significant intrasubject variability, averaging several semitones, was observed in all measured frequency range parameters.
- Both within-day and prolonged-period stability were found to be limited.
Conclusions:
- Current measures of phonational frequency range exhibit considerable intrasubject variability.
- Further research is required to identify the sources of this variability before clinical use in patient populations.