Characterizing Vocal Tract Dimensions in the Vocal Modes Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Area of Science:

• Vocal pedagogy and acoustics
• Medical imaging in voice science
• Anatomy and physiology of the human voice

Background:

• Complete Vocal Technique (CVT) involves distinct vocal modes requiring specific vocal tract configurations.
• Understanding these configurations is crucial for effective voice training and performance.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) offers a non-invasive method to visualize internal vocal tract structures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate vocal tract dimensional differences in four Complete Vocal Technique (CVT) modes: Neutral, Curbing, Overdrive, and Edge.
• To evaluate the feasibility of using MRI for assessing these CVT vocal modes.

Main Methods:

• Four trained CVT singers (2 female, 2 male) underwent MRI while sustaining vowels in each of the four vocal modes.
• Simultaneous audio recording and auditory evaluation by CVT teachers were conducted.
• Vocal tract dimensions were measured from sagittal MRI projections using modified measurement models.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in vocal tract dimensions were observed between the CVT vocal modes.
• The 'Edge' mode showed the most laryngeal narrowing, shortest vocal tract, and highest laryngeal position.
• 'Neutral' mode exhibited minimal mouth opening and the shortest tongue-palate distance.
• 'Curbing' and 'Overdrive' modes showed differences in vocal fold length compared to 'Edge' and 'Neutral' modes.

Conclusions:

• Vocal tract adjustments are fundamental to producing distinct CVT vocal modes.
• The employed MRI measurement model successfully identified significant differences between vocal modes and vowel productions.
• This MRI-based method shows promise for analyzing vocal tract dimensions in larger studies.