Vocal Fold Onset and Its Effect on the Spectral Envelope

Area of Science:

• Vocal acoustics
• Voice science
• Singing pedagogy

Background:

• Understanding vocal fold adduction and glottal attack is crucial for efficient voice production.
• The terminology for phonatory onset in singing is varied and can lead to confusion.
• Acoustic analysis provides objective measures of vocal production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the acoustic spectra of different phonatory onset methods: aspirated, well-coordinated, coup de la glotte, and hard glottal onset.
• To introduce a numeric classification system for phonatory onsets to reduce terminological ambiguity.
• To investigate the acoustic implications of these onsets in bel canto singing.

Main Methods:

• Bel canto trained singers (male and female) produced sustained tones on three pitches (low, middle, high).
• Four distinct onset types were instructed and performed: aspirated, well-coordinated, coup de la glotte, and hard glottal.
• Electroglottography (EGG), audio perception, and spectral analysis using VoceVista Video Pro were employed.

Main Results:

• A significant main effect of onset type on harmonic amplitude (up to 5000 Hz) was observed.
• A significant acoustic difference was identified between well-coordinated and coup de la glotte onsets.
• Inconsistencies in the execution of the well-coordinated onset were noted, along with discrepancies between preferred and executed onset types.

Conclusions:

• Studying phonatory onset with adducted folds and low subglottal pressure has implications for bel canto singer acoustics and efficiency.
• Specificity in describing prephonatory glottal configuration is needed in vocal pedagogy and research.
• A numerical classification system can enhance clarity in future investigations of vocal onsets.