title: 3D analysis of the movements of the laryngeal cartilages during singing.
abstract: The vocal range of untrained singers rarely exceeds one and a half octaves, but professional singers have a range of at least two and a half octaves. The aim of this study was to better understand the muscle and cartilage movements responsible for the control of vocal pitch in singing.
  
  
  
  Prospective study.
  
  
  
  We recruited 49 female professional singers (25 sopranos and 24 altos) and analyzed laryngeal three-dimensional images derived from high-resolution computed tomography scans obtained at the mean speaking fundamental frequency (F0) and at one (F1) and two octaves (F2) above this pitch.
  
  
  
  From F0 to F1, the only observable movement was a backward cricoid tilting caused by the cricothyroid muscles (CTMs), leading to vocal fold stretching. Above F1, a medial rotation and inward rocking of the arytenoid cartilages was observed, caused by the lateral cricothyroid muscles (LCAMs) and leading to inferior displacement of the vocal process of the arytenoid cartilage, and thus to further vocal fold stretching.
  
  
  
  Trained singers achieve the first octave of pitch elevation by simple cricothyroid approximation. Further pitch elevation necessitates a complex movement of the arytenoids, first by CTM contraction and second by LCAM contraction.
  
  
  
  4. Laryngoscope, 127:1639-1643, 2017.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Division of Phoniatrics, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Unteregger
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Division of Phoniatrics, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Flurin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Honegger
authors.affiliation: the Institute of Radiology, Limmattal Hospital, Schlieren, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Potthast
authors.affiliation: Department of Music and Private ENT Practice, Zurich University of the Arts, Schlieren, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Salome
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zwicky
authors.affiliation: Department of Music and Private ENT Practice, Zurich University of the Arts, Schlieren, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schiwowa
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Division of Phoniatrics, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Storck
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D007817:Laryngeal Cartilages / Q000502:physiology*; D007821:Laryngeal Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D063346:Singing / Q000502:physiology*; D013018:Sound Spectrography; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000502:physiology; D014834:Voice Training
keywords: 3D; Larynx; MIMICS; biomechanics; cricoarytenoid joint; cricothyroid joint; laryngeal cartilage; singer