Task-Dependent Velopharyngeal Timing in Singers with Classical Training.

Area of Science:

• Speech-language pathology
• Vocal pedagogy
• Acoustic phonetics

Background:

• Velopharyngeal (VP) closure is crucial for speech intelligibility and vocal quality.
• Understanding VP timing differences between singing and speaking is essential for vocal training and clinical assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate velopharyngeal (VP) timing characteristics in singers during singing and speaking tasks.
• To compare VP aerodynamic and timing variables across different vocal tasks, pitches, and loudness levels.

Main Methods:

• Eight soprano singers participated, producing the phrase "I will say hamper" at specified pitches and loudness levels.
• Pressure-flow data were collected to measure VP gap, nasal airflow (NF), and intraoral pressure (OP).
• Key timing variables included NF pulse duration, OP pulse duration, and the total duration of the /mp/ sequence.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in VP aerodynamic variables between singing and speaking.
• OP pulse duration and total /mp/ sequence duration were significantly shorter during singing compared to speaking.
• Higher pitch (C5) resulted in shorter OP pulse duration than lower pitch (C4); loudness had no significant effect.

Conclusions:

• Singing involves distinct VP timing patterns compared to speaking, characterized by a quicker OP pulse rise time.
• These rapid VP timing adjustments in singing may reflect refined motor control for optimal vocal production.
• Skilled singers demonstrate efficient VP mechanism control to meet both functional and aesthetic demands of singing.