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Belting by Trained Singers Compared With Shouting by Untrained Nonsingers: How Do They Differ?
Tero Ikävalko1, Anne-Maria Laukkanen1
1Speech and Voice Research Laboratory, Tampere University, FI-33014, Tampere, Finland.
Journal of Voice : Official Journal of the Voice Foundation
|October 4, 2025
Summary
Trained singers who belt produce sound more efficiently than untrained individuals who shout, using less power for similar vocal output. This highlights differences in vocal technique and skill.
Area of Science:
- Vocal acoustics and biomechanics
- Speech and hearing science
- Singing technique analysis
Background:
- Belting is a singing technique often described as "yell-like," used by trained singers.
- Shouting is a vocal behavior typically produced by untrained individuals.
- Understanding the physiological differences between these vocal productions is crucial for voice pedagogy and clinical voice assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate aerodynamic and acoustic differences between trained singers belting and untrained individuals shouting.
- To analyze parameters related to vocal efficiency and economy in both groups.
- To explore sex-based differences in vocal production during belting versus shouting.
Main Methods:
- Ten trained singers (belters) and ten untrained individuals (shouters) produced syllable repetitions (/pe/) at various pitches and loudness levels.
- Measurements included oral air pressure, airflow, electroglottography (EGG), and acoustic signals.
- Key parameters calculated were subglottal pressure (Psub), airflow (Q), glottal resistance (GR), contact quotient (CQ), spectral measures (H1-H2, CG), sound pressure level (SPL), and efficiency metrics (VE, QOCR).
Main Results:
- Significant differences in numerous parameters were observed between belters and shouters, with more parameters differing in males.
- Vocal efficiency (VE) was higher in belters of both sexes.
- Male belters exhibited lower airflow (Q) and subglottal power, but higher glottal resistance (GR) and contact quotient (CQ) compared to male shouters.
Conclusions:
- Trained belters achieve greater vocal efficiency, producing comparable acoustic output to shouters with reduced subglottal power, suggesting superior vocal skill.
- Counterintuitively, some vocal economy estimates were lower in male belters due to higher subglottal pressure (Psub) and contact quotient (CQ).
- The study questions the applicability of certain economy metrics based on CQ and Psub for assessing vocal fold impact stress during high-intensity phonation.
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