Articulatory and Phonatory Precision When Singing Staccato at Different Speeds

Vocal tract adjustments are important for resonatory modification of the voice and also with respect to interactions concerning the voice source production. It is not clear, however, how fast, separated notes (staccato) influence vocal tract adjustments.

Twelve professional singers (four sopranos, three mezzo-sopranos, three tenors, and two baritones/basses) were recorded with dynamic real-time 2D-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with 25 fps singing a scale in legato and different staccato speeds (60, 120, 180, and 240 bps). From the MRI material, the lip opening, jaw opening, jaw protrusion, tongue position, pharynx width, and larynx position were measured. Furthermore, the fundamental frequency was analyzed from the simultaneously recorded audio signal after noise cancellation.

The data show only very small differences between the legato and the staccato tasks and no great variations for different staccato speeds. During the pauses in between the staccato notes, minimal vocal tract adjustments were only detectable for the slowest staccato task.

There are no great differences in the vocal tract shapes for legato singing in contrast to staccato phonation and no great differences for different staccato speeds.