title: High-Speed Imaging Analysis of Register Transitions in Classically and Jazz-Trained Male Voices.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little data are available concerning register functions in different styles of singing such as classically or jazz-trained voices. Differences between registers seem to be much more audible in jazz singing than classical singing, and so we hypothesized that classically trained singers exhibit a smoother register transition, stemming from more regular vocal fold oscillation patterns.
  
  
  METHODS
  High-speed digital imaging (HSDI) was used for 19 male singers (10 jazz-trained singers, 9 classically trained) who performed a glissando from modal to falsetto register across the register transition. Vocal fold oscillation patterns were analyzed in terms of different parameters of regularity such as relative average perturbation (RAP), correlation dimension (D2) and shimmer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HSDI observations showed more regular vocal fold oscillation patterns during the register transition for the classically trained singers. Additionally, the RAP and D2 values were generally lower and more consistent for the classically trained singers compared to the jazz singers. However, intergroup comparisons showed no statistically significant differences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some of our results may support the hypothesis that classically trained singers exhibit a smoother register transition from modal to falsetto register.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dippold
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Voigt
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Echternach
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D008297:Male; D009146:Music; D010699:Phonation / Q000502:physiology; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D063346:Singing / Q000502:physiology*; D012984:Software; D013018:Sound Spectrography; D049489:Stroboscopy; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000502:physiology*; D014833:Voice Quality / Q000502:physiology*; D014834:Voice Training