Slide 1
Vocal Resonance Technical Discussion
Vocal resonance is a phenomenon that is understood and approached differently in three schools of thought: linguistics, speech pathology, and vocal pedagogy. The differences come from the distinct focuses and objectives of each field.
1. Linguistics:
- In linguistics, the study of vocal resonance often involves examining how the human vocal tract produces different speech sounds. Linguists may focus on the physiological aspects of vocal resonance, including the movements of the vocal folds, the shape of the oral and nasal cavities, and the articulation of speech sounds.
- Linguistic research looks at the acoustic properties of sounds and how they are shaped by the vocal tract. Resonance in linguistics is more about the acoustic characteristics of speech sounds rather than the subjective experience of resonance in the voice.
2. Speech Pathology:
- Speech pathology deals with the assessment and treatment of communication disorders, including voice disorders. Here, vocal resonance is often considered in terms of the balance and coordination of the various structures involved in voice production.
- Speech pathologists may focus on identifying and addressing abnormalities in vocal resonance that can lead to conditions such as hypernasality or hyponasality. These conditions may arise from issues with the soft palate affecting resonance.
3. Vocal Pedagogy:
- Vocal pedagogy is concerned with the teaching and training of singers. Here, vocal resonance is often a subjective experience related to the quality, richness, and projection of the voice.
- Different vocal pedagogical approaches may emphasize different aspects of resonance, such as chest resonance, head resonance, or a balance between the two in mixed resonance (mixed voice). Techniques and exercises are often designed to optimize resonance for artistic expression and vocal health.
The differences in the conceptualization of vocal resonance across these three fields arise because each field has its own set of goals and priorities. Linguistics focuses on the scientific understanding of speech production, speech pathology on the diagnosis and treatment of voice disorders, and vocal pedagogy on the artistic and functional aspects of singing. There are overlap, but emphasis and perspective vary significantly.
LINGUISTIC
From a linguistics perspective, the study of vocal resonance involves understanding how the vocal tract shapes and modifies speech sounds. The acoustic characteristics of speech sounds are closely tied to the resonance properties of the vocal tract, including the shaping of formants, nasal resonance, and the role of different articulatory structures in producing distinct sounds.
1. Articulatory Phonetics:
- Articulatory phonetics is a branch of linguistics that focuses on the physical mechanisms involved in producing speech sounds. It studies how the vocal organs, including the lips, tongue, vocal folds, and other structures, are used to shape the sounds of speech.
- Resonance is a critical aspect of articulatory phonetics, as it influences the quality and timbre of speech sounds. The size and shape of the resonating cavities, such as the oral and nasal cavities, affect the acoustic properties of the produced sounds.
2. Vocal Tract Resonance:
- The vocal tract acts as a resonator for speech sounds. It consists of the oral cavity (mouth) and the nasal cavity. Changes in the shape and configuration of these cavities lead to variations in resonance, influencing the formants of speech sounds.
- Formants are the resonant frequencies of the vocal tract and play a crucial role in distinguishing different vowels. Vowel sounds are characterized by the frequencies of their first and second formants, which are influenced by the shape of the oral cavity.
3. Nasality and Nasal Resonance:
- Nasality refers to the degree to which airflow is allowed through the nasal cavity during speech. The presence of nasal resonance is a distinguishing feature of nasalized sounds, such as nasal vowels.
- Nasal resonance is influenced by the opening and closing of the velum (soft palate), which controls the airflow between the oral and nasal cavities. Sounds that are nasalized have enhanced nasal resonance due to the lowered velum, allowing air to pass through the nasal cavity.
4. Consonant Resonance:
- While vowels are primarily characterized by their formants and the resonance of the vocal tract, consonants also exhibit resonance characteristics. For example, the resonance properties of the vocal tract contribute to the distinctiveness of certain consonant sounds.
- Consonants like /m/, /n/, and /ŋ/ involve nasal resonance, while other consonants may involve constriction in the oral cavity or involve resonance in the pharyngeal or glottal regions.
5. Acoustic Phonetics:
Acoustic phonetics is another branch of linguistics that focuses on the acoustic properties of speech sounds. It involves the analysis of sound waves produced during speech and the identification of acoustic features that contribute to the perception of different sounds.
Resonance is crucial in acoustic phonetics for understanding the spectral characteristics of speech sounds. Spectrograms, which represent the frequency content of speech over time, help linguists visualize the formants and other resonance patterns.
Formants
- Formants are resonant frequencies in the vocal tract that result from the filtering of the sound produced by the vocal cords.
- Each vowel sound is characterized by its own set of formant frequencies, which are determined by the shape and length of the vocal tract.
- In singing, formants help define the timbre or quality of the voice, contributing to the perception of different vowels and tones.
- In speaking, formants are crucial for intelligibility and distinguishing between different speech sounds.
What are the differences in formants of English vowels in 'man' and 'men'. What are their first and second formants? How the shape of the oral cavity influence this?
This example shows how vowel sounds can be distinguished by the formants, which are the resonant frequencies of the vocal tract. In this case, the vowels in 'man' and 'men' are /æ/ and /ɛ/, respectively.
1. Vowel in 'man' (/æ/):
- The vowel sound in 'man' is typically transcribed as /æ/. The first formant (F1) is relatively low, and the second formant (F2) is moderately high.
- The shape of the oral cavity during the production of /æ/ involves a relatively open mouth, with the tongue positioned low and towards the front of the oral cavity. This configuration leads to a lower F1 and a moderately high F2.
2. Vowel in 'men' (/ɛ/):
- The vowel sound in 'men' is typically transcribed as /ɛ/. The first formant (F1) is slightly higher than that of /æ/, and the second formant (F2) is lower.
- The shape of the oral cavity during the production of /ɛ/ involves a more open mouth than in /æ/, but the tongue is positioned higher and towards the front-middle of the oral cavity. This configuration leads to a slightly higher F1 and a lower F2 compared to /æ/.
In short, the distinction between the vowels in 'man' and 'men' lies in the formant frequencies, particularly the first and second formants:
- Vowel in 'man' (/æ/):
- F1: Low
- F2: Moderately high
- Vowel in 'men' (/ɛ/):
- F1: Slightly higher than /æ/
- F2: Lower than /æ/
The shape of the oral cavity influences these formant frequencies. The tongue position and the openness of the mouth play crucial roles in shaping the resonant frequencies. In 'man', the tongue is positioned low and towards the front, creating a relatively open oral cavity and resulting in the observed formant frequencies. In 'men', the tongue is positioned slightly higher and towards the front-middle, altering the formant frequencies and contributing to the perceptual difference between the two vowel sounds.
F1 refers to the first formant. The formants are the peaks or resonant frequencies in the spectrum of the speech signal. Each formant corresponds to a specific resonant frequency of the vocal tract during the production of a particular speech sound.
The actual numerical value of F1 is measured in hertz (Hz) and corresponds to the frequency of the first resonance of the vocal tract during the production of a specific vowel or speech sound.
Formants and Pitch for Singers
What are the formants in "man" and "men" if both of these are at middle C on the piano?
The number of formants in speech sounds is not directly related to musical notes like middle C on the piano, but rather to the resonant frequencies of the vocal tract during the production of specific vowels. The musical note middle C on the piano corresponds to a specific frequency (261 Hz), but this frequency is not directly related to the formants in speech.
In the case of the vowels in "man" and "men," the first and second formants (F1 and F2) are typically the most relevant for distinguishing vowel sounds. The actual frequencies of F1 and F2 depend on the specific vowel and its articulation.
If we consider a hypothetical scenario where the vowel in both "man" and "men" is produced at the same fundamental frequency as middle C on the piano (261 Hz), it's important to note that the formants are multiples of the fundamental frequency and are not fixed absolute values. The specific frequencies of the formants depend on the vowel and the individual's vocal tract characteristics.
In practice, the formants associated with vowels cover a range of frequencies, and their precise values vary among speakers and even for the same speaker producing the same vowel in different contexts. Thus we can discuss the general characteristics of formants in speech, but we cannot assign a specific number of formants to a particular musical note like middle C.
Formants and Overtones
In spectrograms, the relationship between overtones and formants is often observed in voiced speech sounds, such as vowels. The vocal folds produce a complex sound waveform with a fundamental frequency and overtones. This complex waveform then undergoes filtering as it passes through the resonant cavities of the vocal tract, which shapes the spectrum and produces formants.
In the case of vowels, the formants are typically related to the resonance frequencies of the vocal tract. The first two formants (F1 and F2) are particularly important for vowel identification. These formants are influenced by the size and shape of the oral and pharyngeal cavities.
There is often a relationship where certain overtones align with the frequencies of the prominent formants. This alignment contributes to the characteristic spectral patterns associated with different vowels.
This parallel or relationship is not strict, and the specific frequencies of formants and overtones can vary among speakers and under different conditions. The alignment is a result of the interaction between the harmonic structure generated by the vocal folds and the resonant characteristics of the vocal tract.
Certain formants align with specific overtones, enhancing their amplitudes and making them more perceptible in the overall sound. By manipulating the shape of the vocal tract, singers and speakers can alter the resonant frequencies (and formants), thus affecting which overtones are emphasized in the sound produced.
An Example of Formants and overtones Parallel (Relationship)
Below is an example of the relationship between overtones and formants in vowel /a/ as in the word "father."
- Vowel: /a/ (as in "father"):
- The first formant (F1) for the vowel /a/ is typically associated with a relatively low frequency, and the second formant (F2) is moderately high.
- When examining the harmonic structure of the sound produced by the vocal folds during the production of /a/, you'll find that certain overtones align with the frequencies of the first and second formants.
- Alignment:
- The fundamental frequency (F0) corresponds to the perceived pitch of the vowel and the lowest harmonic.
- The higher overtones align with the frequencies of the first and second formants. This alignment contributes to the characteristic spectral pattern associated with the vowel /a/.
In other words, the shaping of the vocal tract during the production of the vowel /a/ creates resonances at specific frequencies, and these frequencies align with certain overtones in the sound waveform generated by the vocal folds. The result is a distinctive spectral pattern that helps differentiate the vowel /a/ from other vowels.
It's important to note that the precise frequencies of formants and overtones can vary among speakers, and the relationship is a generalization rather than an exact rule. Different vowels exhibit different formant-harmonic relationships, contributing to the unique acoustic characteristics of each vowel sound.
1. Linguistics:
- In linguistics, the study of vocal resonance often involves examining how the human vocal tract produces different speech sounds. Linguists may focus on the physiological aspects of vocal resonance, including the movements of the vocal folds, the shape of the oral and nasal cavities, and the articulation of speech sounds.
- Linguistic research looks at the acoustic properties of sounds and how they are shaped by the vocal tract. Resonance in linguistics is more about the acoustic characteristics of speech sounds rather than the subjective experience of resonance in the voice.
2. Speech Pathology:
- Speech pathology deals with the assessment and treatment of communication disorders, including voice disorders. Here, vocal resonance is often considered in terms of the balance and coordination of the various structures involved in voice production.
- Speech pathologists may focus on identifying and addressing abnormalities in vocal resonance that can lead to conditions such as hypernasality or hyponasality. These conditions may arise from issues with the soft palate affecting resonance.
3. Vocal Pedagogy:
- Vocal pedagogy is concerned with the teaching and training of singers. Here, vocal resonance is often a subjective experience related to the quality, richness, and projection of the voice.
- Different vocal pedagogical approaches may emphasize different aspects of resonance, such as chest resonance, head resonance, or a balance between the two in mixed resonance (mixed voice). Techniques and exercises are often designed to optimize resonance for artistic expression and vocal health.
The differences in the conceptualization of vocal resonance across these three fields arise because each field has its own set of goals and priorities. Linguistics focuses on the scientific understanding of speech production, speech pathology on the diagnosis and treatment of voice disorders, and vocal pedagogy on the artistic and functional aspects of singing. There are overlap, but emphasis and perspective vary significantly.
LINGUISTIC
From a linguistics perspective, the study of vocal resonance involves understanding how the vocal tract shapes and modifies speech sounds. The acoustic characteristics of speech sounds are closely tied to the resonance properties of the vocal tract, including the shaping of formants, nasal resonance, and the role of different articulatory structures in producing distinct sounds.
1. Articulatory Phonetics:
- Articulatory phonetics is a branch of linguistics that focuses on the physical mechanisms involved in producing speech sounds. It studies how the vocal organs, including the lips, tongue, vocal folds, and other structures, are used to shape the sounds of speech.
- Resonance is a critical aspect of articulatory phonetics, as it influences the quality and timbre of speech sounds. The size and shape of the resonating cavities, such as the oral and nasal cavities, affect the acoustic properties of the produced sounds.
2. Vocal Tract Resonance:
- The vocal tract acts as a resonator for speech sounds. It consists of the oral cavity (mouth) and the nasal cavity. Changes in the shape and configuration of these cavities lead to variations in resonance, influencing the formants of speech sounds.
- Formants are the resonant frequencies of the vocal tract and play a crucial role in distinguishing different vowels. Vowel sounds are characterized by the frequencies of their first and second formants, which are influenced by the shape of the oral cavity.
3. Nasality and Nasal Resonance:
- Nasality refers to the degree to which airflow is allowed through the nasal cavity during speech. The presence of nasal resonance is a distinguishing feature of nasalized sounds, such as nasal vowels.
- Nasal resonance is influenced by the opening and closing of the velum (soft palate), which controls the airflow between the oral and nasal cavities. Sounds that are nasalized have enhanced nasal resonance due to the lowered velum, allowing air to pass through the nasal cavity.
4. Consonant Resonance:
- While vowels are primarily characterized by their formants and the resonance of the vocal tract, consonants also exhibit resonance characteristics. For example, the resonance properties of the vocal tract contribute to the distinctiveness of certain consonant sounds.
- Consonants like /m/, /n/, and /ŋ/ involve nasal resonance, while other consonants may involve constriction in the oral cavity or involve resonance in the pharyngeal or glottal regions.
5. Acoustic Phonetics:
Acoustic phonetics is another branch of linguistics that focuses on the acoustic properties of speech sounds. It involves the analysis of sound waves produced during speech and the identification of acoustic features that contribute to the perception of different sounds.
Resonance is crucial in acoustic phonetics for understanding the spectral characteristics of speech sounds. Spectrograms, which represent the frequency content of speech over time, help linguists visualize the formants and other resonance patterns.
Formants
- Formants are resonant frequencies in the vocal tract that result from the filtering of the sound produced by the vocal cords.
- Each vowel sound is characterized by its own set of formant frequencies, which are determined by the shape and length of the vocal tract.
- In singing, formants help define the timbre or quality of the voice, contributing to the perception of different vowels and tones.
- In speaking, formants are crucial for intelligibility and distinguishing between different speech sounds.
What are the differences in formants of English vowels in 'man' and 'men'. What are their first and second formants? How the shape of the oral cavity influence this?
This example shows how vowel sounds can be distinguished by the formants, which are the resonant frequencies of the vocal tract. In this case, the vowels in 'man' and 'men' are /æ/ and /ɛ/, respectively.
1. Vowel in 'man' (/æ/):
- The vowel sound in 'man' is typically transcribed as /æ/. The first formant (F1) is relatively low, and the second formant (F2) is moderately high.
- The shape of the oral cavity during the production of /æ/ involves a relatively open mouth, with the tongue positioned low and towards the front of the oral cavity. This configuration leads to a lower F1 and a moderately high F2.
2. Vowel in 'men' (/ɛ/):
- The vowel sound in 'men' is typically transcribed as /ɛ/. The first formant (F1) is slightly higher than that of /æ/, and the second formant (F2) is lower.
- The shape of the oral cavity during the production of /ɛ/ involves a more open mouth than in /æ/, but the tongue is positioned higher and towards the front-middle of the oral cavity. This configuration leads to a slightly higher F1 and a lower F2 compared to /æ/.
In short, the distinction between the vowels in 'man' and 'men' lies in the formant frequencies, particularly the first and second formants:
- Vowel in 'man' (/æ/):
- F1: Low
- F2: Moderately high
- Vowel in 'men' (/ɛ/):
- F1: Slightly higher than /æ/
- F2: Lower than /æ/
The shape of the oral cavity influences these formant frequencies. The tongue position and the openness of the mouth play crucial roles in shaping the resonant frequencies. In 'man', the tongue is positioned low and towards the front, creating a relatively open oral cavity and resulting in the observed formant frequencies. In 'men', the tongue is positioned slightly higher and towards the front-middle, altering the formant frequencies and contributing to the perceptual difference between the two vowel sounds.
F1 refers to the first formant. The formants are the peaks or resonant frequencies in the spectrum of the speech signal. Each formant corresponds to a specific resonant frequency of the vocal tract during the production of a particular speech sound.
The actual numerical value of F1 is measured in hertz (Hz) and corresponds to the frequency of the first resonance of the vocal tract during the production of a specific vowel or speech sound.
Formants and Pitch for Singers
What are the formants in "man" and "men" if both of these are at middle C on the piano?
The number of formants in speech sounds is not directly related to musical notes like middle C on the piano, but rather to the resonant frequencies of the vocal tract during the production of specific vowels. The musical note middle C on the piano corresponds to a specific frequency (261 Hz), but this frequency is not directly related to the formants in speech.
In the case of the vowels in "man" and "men," the first and second formants (F1 and F2) are typically the most relevant for distinguishing vowel sounds. The actual frequencies of F1 and F2 depend on the specific vowel and its articulation.
If we consider a hypothetical scenario where the vowel in both "man" and "men" is produced at the same fundamental frequency as middle C on the piano (261 Hz), it's important to note that the formants are multiples of the fundamental frequency and are not fixed absolute values. The specific frequencies of the formants depend on the vowel and the individual's vocal tract characteristics.
In practice, the formants associated with vowels cover a range of frequencies, and their precise values vary among speakers and even for the same speaker producing the same vowel in different contexts. Thus we can discuss the general characteristics of formants in speech, but we cannot assign a specific number of formants to a particular musical note like middle C.
Formants and Overtones
In spectrograms, the relationship between overtones and formants is often observed in voiced speech sounds, such as vowels. The vocal folds produce a complex sound waveform with a fundamental frequency and overtones. This complex waveform then undergoes filtering as it passes through the resonant cavities of the vocal tract, which shapes the spectrum and produces formants.
In the case of vowels, the formants are typically related to the resonance frequencies of the vocal tract. The first two formants (F1 and F2) are particularly important for vowel identification. These formants are influenced by the size and shape of the oral and pharyngeal cavities.
There is often a relationship where certain overtones align with the frequencies of the prominent formants. This alignment contributes to the characteristic spectral patterns associated with different vowels.
This parallel or relationship is not strict, and the specific frequencies of formants and overtones can vary among speakers and under different conditions. The alignment is a result of the interaction between the harmonic structure generated by the vocal folds and the resonant characteristics of the vocal tract.
Certain formants align with specific overtones, enhancing their amplitudes and making them more perceptible in the overall sound. By manipulating the shape of the vocal tract, singers and speakers can alter the resonant frequencies (and formants), thus affecting which overtones are emphasized in the sound produced.
An Example of Formants and overtones Parallel (Relationship)
Below is an example of the relationship between overtones and formants in vowel /a/ as in the word "father."
- Vowel: /a/ (as in "father"):
- The first formant (F1) for the vowel /a/ is typically associated with a relatively low frequency, and the second formant (F2) is moderately high.
- When examining the harmonic structure of the sound produced by the vocal folds during the production of /a/, you'll find that certain overtones align with the frequencies of the first and second formants.
- Alignment:
- The fundamental frequency (F0) corresponds to the perceived pitch of the vowel and the lowest harmonic.
- The higher overtones align with the frequencies of the first and second formants. This alignment contributes to the characteristic spectral pattern associated with the vowel /a/.
In other words, the shaping of the vocal tract during the production of the vowel /a/ creates resonances at specific frequencies, and these frequencies align with certain overtones in the sound waveform generated by the vocal folds. The result is a distinctive spectral pattern that helps differentiate the vowel /a/ from other vowels.
It's important to note that the precise frequencies of formants and overtones can vary among speakers, and the relationship is a generalization rather than an exact rule. Different vowels exhibit different formant-harmonic relationships, contributing to the unique acoustic characteristics of each vowel sound.
"man" and "men" phonation - pitch, F0, overtones, F1 & F2 formants
Slide 1
Formants, pitch, F0, F1, F2
Formants are resonant frequencies in the vocal tract that are associated with specific vowel sounds. F0, or fundamental frequency, is the lowest frequency of the voice signal and corresponds to the pitch of the voice.
In a spectrogram, which is a visual representation of the spectrum of frequencies in a sound signal over time, formants are typically seen as dark bands or regions. Formants F1 and F2 are two of the most important formants related to vowel sounds.
F1 and F2 are not necessarily just above F0 in a spectrogram. While F0 represents the fundamental frequency (pitch), F1 and F2 represent specific resonant frequencies in the vocal tract that contribute to the characteristics of vowel sounds. The exact positions of F1 and F2 in the frequency spectrum depend on the particular vowel being produced.
In general, F1 is inversely related to tongue height (higher for low vowels, lower for high vowels), and F2 is related to tongue advancement (higher for front vowels, lower for back vowels). The specific frequencies of F1 and F2 for a given vowel will vary, and they can be observed at different locations in the frequency spectrum within the spectrogram.
The specific frequencies of formants F1 and F2 for a vowel depend on the individual speaker andS various factors, so there can be some variation. However, for the vowel sound "a" in "man," typically F1 is relatively low, indicating a low tongue position, and F2 is also relatively low but slightly higher than F1.
So, in the case of the vowel "a" in "man," F1 and F2 are generally not just above F0 in terms of their specific frequencies. They are typically in the lower range of the frequency spectrum.
Vowels that often exhibit formants with higher frequencies include high front vowels like /i/ (as in "beet") where both F1 and F2 are higher, and high back vowels like /u/ (as in "boot") where F2 is higher. These vowels may have formants that are more noticeably above F0 in the spectrogram.
It's important to note that the specific formant frequencies can vary based on factors such as the speaker's anatomy, accent, and individual differences. For more accurate and speaker-specific information, detailed acoustic analysis or formant tracking software may be used.
Formants are resonant frequencies in the vocal tract that are associated with specific vowel sounds. F0, or fundamental frequency, is the lowest frequency of the voice signal and corresponds to the pitch of the voice.
In a spectrogram, which is a visual representation of the spectrum of frequencies in a sound signal over time, formants are typically seen as dark bands or regions. Formants F1 and F2 are two of the most important formants related to vowel sounds.
F1 and F2 are not necessarily just above F0 in a spectrogram. While F0 represents the fundamental frequency (pitch), F1 and F2 represent specific resonant frequencies in the vocal tract that contribute to the characteristics of vowel sounds. The exact positions of F1 and F2 in the frequency spectrum depend on the particular vowel being produced.
In general, F1 is inversely related to tongue height (higher for low vowels, lower for high vowels), and F2 is related to tongue advancement (higher for front vowels, lower for back vowels). The specific frequencies of F1 and F2 for a given vowel will vary, and they can be observed at different locations in the frequency spectrum within the spectrogram.
The specific frequencies of formants F1 and F2 for a vowel depend on the individual speaker andS various factors, so there can be some variation. However, for the vowel sound "a" in "man," typically F1 is relatively low, indicating a low tongue position, and F2 is also relatively low but slightly higher than F1.
So, in the case of the vowel "a" in "man," F1 and F2 are generally not just above F0 in terms of their specific frequencies. They are typically in the lower range of the frequency spectrum.
Vowels that often exhibit formants with higher frequencies include high front vowels like /i/ (as in "beet") where both F1 and F2 are higher, and high back vowels like /u/ (as in "boot") where F2 is higher. These vowels may have formants that are more noticeably above F0 in the spectrogram.
It's important to note that the specific formant frequencies can vary based on factors such as the speaker's anatomy, accent, and individual differences. For more accurate and speaker-specific information, detailed acoustic analysis or formant tracking software may be used.
a, e, i, u, phonation - pitch, F0, overtones, F1 & F2 formants
