Eva Björkner Helsinki University of Technology Laboratory of Acoustics and Audio Signal Processing HUT, Helsinki, Finland KTH – Royal Institute of Technology TMH – Department of Speech, Music and Hearing Stockholm, Sweden

My background: (except being Swedish) MSc in voice/singing coaching (1998) Voice research assistant to Professor Johan Sundberg From 1998-2003: Teaching singing 75% & research 25% HOARSE 100% Professor Johan Sundberg, at the dept of Speech, Music & Hearing, KTH, Stockholm, Sweden is one of the worlds most well know researchers in the field of analysis of the singing voice production.

Analysis of voice production Vocal tract (VT) Larynx ventricle Pharynx Mouth – tongue & lips Nose cavity - velum VT shape affects => resonance (formant) frequencies Which generates different vowels & consonants !

My research: Analysis of voice production in the singing voice Keywords: voice source characteristics inverse filtering formant frequencies the effect of subglottal pressure variation on the voice source AND.. The Normalized Amplitude Quotient NAQ (Alku et al. 2002) - for what purposes can it be used?

from very low to extremely high pitches (Hz) Glottal excitation estimation during singing is very challenging because of the wide ranges between extremes: from very low to extremely high pitches (Hz) from extremely loud to very soft phonations (dB) voice qualities – hypo-/hyper functional etc registers – differences in vocal fold vibratory pattern Speech: you decide when to breathe pitch voice quality loudness Singing – the music decides! Entails demand for control of breathing behaviour Ps pitch voice quality

Sound Production Contraction of expiratory muscles The voice source The pulsating air through the glottis Contraction of expiratory muscles Rise in subglottic air pressure Escape through glottis Closure Bernoulli effect elasticity

Mask or microphone recordings Flow (Rothenberg mask) Audio TEAC Multi channel digital recorder Oral pressure EGG

Inverse filtering of the glottal flow (or sound pressure signal) By eliminating the contributions from the vocal tract, e.g, the formant frequencies An acoustic approach to understand vocal fold vibratory patterns the glottal volume velocity waveform Parameterization of the wave form using time-domain methods corresponds to quantifying the glottal flow using certain quotients: Closed Q, Closing Q Open Q, Opening Q, Speed Q, etc

Flow glottogram parameters (Time-based & amplitude-based) 0,002 0,004 0,006 0,008 0,01 0,012 Time [s] Flow Peak-to-peak pulse Amplitude [Up-t-p] Time [T0] Derivative [MFDR] Closed phase Differentiated flow glottgram

NAQ = the normalized amplitude quotient Glottal closing phase Information about vocal intensity and phonation type are reflected in the changes of the glottal closing phase. The amplitude-based NAQ has been found to be more robust than the time-based Closing Quotient, because the extraction of NAQ does not involve the problematic time-instant of the glottal opening. Negative peak of the differentiated flow Ûp-t-p (MFDR*T0) Alku P, Bäckström T, Vilkman E. (2002)

Aim: Better understanding of register function in female singing voice Voice Source Differences Between Registers In Female Musical Theatre Singers Björkner E, Sundberg J, Cleveland T & Stone R. E. accepted for publication in J.Voice Analysis: voice source and subglottal pressure Ps characteristics of the chest and head register in the female voice. studied by inverse filtering a sequence of /pae/ syllables sung at constant pitch and decreasing vocal loudness in each register by seven female musical theatre singers ten equidistantly spaced Ps values were selected and the relationships between Ps and several parameters were examined Aim: Better understanding of register function in female singing voice High subglottal pressures are known to jeopardize vocal health in both speech and singing

=> Register differences Means across Clear Samples Glottogram parameters Control parameter => Register differences

Same pressure = approximately 11 cmH2O Register differences

Qclosed - NAQ The lower NAQ values for chest register suggest a more adducted phonation, as compared to head register.

NEXT: Male musical theatre singers How NAQ varies with pressure and different pitches (Hz) Articles accepted for publication in the Journal of Voice: “Voice source differences Between Registers in Female Musical Theatre Singers” Björkner E, Sundberg, Cleveland T & Stone R.E “Throaty Voice Quality: subglottal pressure, voice source, and formant characteristics” Laukkanen A-M, Björkner E & Sundberg J Article on their way: “NAQ variation with Ps in Classically Trained Baritone Singers” Björkner E, Sundberg J & Alku P “Comparison of two inverse filtering methods for determining NAQ and closing quotient - Voice source characteristics in different phonation types” Lehto L, Airas M, Björkner E, Alku P

Thank you