title: Lower Vocal Tract Morphologic Adjustments Are Relevant for Voice Timbre in Singing.
abstract: The vocal tract shape is crucial to voice production. Its lower part seems particularly relevant for voice timbre. This study analyzes the detailed morphology of parts of the epilaryngeal tube and the hypopharynx for the sustained German vowels /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, and /u/ by thirteen male singer subjects who were at the beginning of their academic singing studies. Analysis was based on two different phonatory conditions: a natural, speech-like phonation and a singing phonation, like in classical singing. 3D models of the vocal tract were derived from magnetic resonance imaging and compared with long-term average spectrum analysis of audio recordings from the same subjects. Comparison of singing to the speech-like phonation, which served as reference, showed significant adjustments of the lower vocal tract: an average lowering of the larynx by 8 mm and an increase of the hypopharyngeal cross-sectional area (+ 21:9%) and volume (+ 16:8%). Changes in the analyzed epilaryngeal portion of the vocal tract were not significant. Consequently, lower larynx-to-hypopharynx area and volume ratios were found in singing compared to the speech-like phonation. All evaluated measures of the lower vocal tract varied significantly with vowel quality. Acoustically, an increase of high frequency energy in singing correlated with a wider hypopharyngeal area. The findings offer an explanation how classical male singers might succeed in producing a voice timbre with increased high frequency energy, creating a singer`s formant cluster.
authors.affiliation: Division of Phoniatrics and Audiology, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Voice Research Laboratory, Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mainka
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poznyakovskiy
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Platzek
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fleischer
authors.affiliation: Department of Speech, Music and Hearing, School of Computer Science and Communication, KTH CSC, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sundberg
authors.affiliation: Division of Phoniatrics and Audiology, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Voice Research Laboratory, Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mürbe
mesh_terms: D000162:Acoustics; D006801:Humans; D007013:Hypopharynx / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D007830:Larynx / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D063346:Singing; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D014831:Voice / Q000502:physiology*; D014833:Voice Quality / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult