Breathy Voice

From Klatt, D.H. & Klatt, L.C. (1990) Analysis, synthesis, and perception of voice quality variations among female and male talkers. J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 87, Air flow pattern for breathy voice more rounded; i.e., more like a sinusoid. Because of this more sinusoidal flow signal, the spectrum shows a stronger first harmonic than modal. The more ragged spectrum in the higher freqs (less harmonic regularity) is due to turbulence associated with air escaping thru the glottal chink. This is called aspiration. Glottal Source Air flow

Clear (non-breathy) Phonation 1.Highly periodic time waveform 2.Extremely well defined harmonics (i.e., nearly all energy is at multiples of f 0 ) 3.Weak H 1 (explanation later) Note: Points 1 & 2 are different ways to say the same thing.

1.Less periodic time waveform 2.Well defined harmonics only in the low frequencies 3.Much stronger H 1 (explanation later) Moderately Breathy Phonation

Very Breathy Phonation 1.Even less periodic time waveform 2.Well defined harmonics only in the low frequencies 3.Very strong H 1 (explanation later)