title: Discrimination of three basic male voice types by voice range profile-derived parameters.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess whether individual voice range profile parameters or combinations of these are able to yield a clear cluster separation of male voices.
  
  
  METHODS
  The voice range profiles of 256 male conservatory singing students and professional singers were recorded, parameterized into more compact descriptions ('features'), and subjected to a cluster analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Based on all parameters the frequency dip of the register transition zone was shown to yield the best cluster separation for three basic male voice types.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that parameter combinations of the voice range profile exist that generate a clear separation of voice clusters. This was also the case with female voices as shown in a former study. The clusters may be attributed to the three classic basic male voice types, and in this way our results can provide a fresh angle on the issue of male voice classification.
authors.affiliation: Research Group ExpORL, Department of Neuroscience, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lycke
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ivanova
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Van Hulle
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Decoster
authors.forename: F I C R S
authors.initials: FI
authors.lastname: de Jong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010898:Pitch Perception; D063346:Singing; D013018:Sound Spectrography; D013061:Speech Acoustics; D014833:Voice Quality; D055815:Young Adult