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Voice source, formant frequencies and vocal tract shape in overtone singing. A case study
Johan Sundberg1,2,3, Björn Lindblom2, Anna-Maria Hefele4
1Department of Speech Music Hearing, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, KTH, Stockholm, Sweden.
Logopedics, Phoniatrics, Vocology
|December 3, 2021
Summary
Overtone singing enhances specific vocal tract resonances. Tongue and lip articulation tune vocal tract formants, explaining the production of simultaneous pitches through source-filter theory.
Area of Science:
- Acoustics
- Phonetics
- Speech Science
Background:
- Overtone singing involves producing a drone and a melody using vocal tract overtones.
- Understanding the acoustical, phonatory, and articulatory mechanisms is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the acoustical, phonatory, and articulatory phenomena underlying overtone singing.
- To investigate how vocal tract configuration influences overtone enhancement.
Main Methods:
- Inverse filtering of the voice source.
- Dynamic MRI of the vocal tract and frontal video of lip opening.
- Calculation of vocal tract area functions and formant frequencies.
Main Results:
- Overtone enhancement is linked to the clustering of formants 2 and 3.
- Tongue tip position and lip opening dynamically alter vocal tract shape and resonance.
- Vocal tract acts as a Helmholtz resonator tuned by articulation.
Conclusions:
- Overtone singing aligns with the source-filter theory of voice production.
- Articulatory adjustments of the tongue and lips are key to overtone singing.
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