Effects of Microphone Type on Acoustic Measures of Voice

Acoustic measures provide an objective means to describe pathological voices and are a routine component of the clinical voice examination. Because the voice sample is obtained using a microphone, microphone characteristics have the potential to influence the values of parameters obtained from a voice sample. This project examined how the choice of microphone affects key voice parameters and investigated how one might compensate for such microphone effects through filtering or by including additional parameters in the decision process. A database of 53 normal voice samples and 100 pathological voice samples was used in four experiments conducted in an anechoic chamber using four different microphones. One omnidirectional microphone and three cardioid microphones were used in these experiments. The original voice samples were presented to each microphone through a speaker located in an anechoic chamber, and the output of each microphone sampled to computer disk. Each microphone modified the frequency spectrum of the voice signal; this, in turn, affected the values of the voice parameters obtained. These microphone effects reduced the accuracy with which acoustic measures of voice could be used to discriminate pathological from normal voices. Discrimination performance improved when the microphone output was filtered to compensate for microphone frequency response. Performance also improved when spectral moment coefficient parameters were added to the vocal function parameters already in use.     

Acoustic Measures of Phonatory Improvement Secondary to Treatment by Oral Corticosteroids in a Professional Singer: A Case Report

Short-term administration of corticosteriods is sometimes indicated for professional voice users experiencing laryngeal edema and/or inflammation. Unfortunately, no data are available to document the effectiveness of these medications to improve phonatory parameters. We present a case report of a 32-year-old male professional singer with vocal fold edema experiencing imminent vocal demands who was prescribed a 6-day course (dose-pack) of oral methyl prednisolone. Endoscopic and stroboscopic evaluations were completed premedication and postmedication, and acoustic measures of phonatory function were obtained premedication, 3 days during the dose cycle, 5 days during the dose cycle, and 1 day postmedication. Postmedication results revealed an increase in fundamental frequency (F0) and large decreases in jitter, shimmer, long-term frequency, and amplitude variability. These corresponded with patient and evaluator perceptual measures of improved voice, and with endoscopic observations of reduced edema. The benefits and risks of corticosteroid therapy are discussed, specific to their use in the professional voice population.     

Fragments of a Greek Trilogy: impact on phonation

This study documents the vocal characteristics of an actor before and after a series of eight performances involving extended voice use. The hypothesis was that this type of extended voice use would result in symptoms of vocal abuse and that damage to the actor's voice would be evident in measures made after the performance series. Three pre-performance and three post-performance speech samples were gathered and analyzed using the CSL and Visipitch II. Measurements taken included maximum phonational range; maximum sustained phonation; fundamental frequency during reading; maximum intensity levels; sound pressure levels for soft, moderate, and loud productions of sustained /a/; and perturbation including jitter, shimmer, harmonics-to-noise ratio, and an s/z ratio. Pre- and post-performance samples of the “Rainbow passage” and sustained vowel phonation were rated by a group of blinded listeners that included professional voice trainers and speech pathologists. In addition, sample lines from the performance were played for the listeners to judge whether this technique would result in symptoms of vocal abuse. Eleven out of 12 professional voice trainers rated that this technique would result in symptoms of vocal abuse. The data revealed post-performance improvement in phonational range, maximum intensity levels, perturbation measures, and s/z ratio. Measures of maximum sustained phonation, fundamental frequency, and sound pressure levels remained stable. Videoendoscopy revealed normal function of the larynx and vocal folds.     

Pedagogical Efficiency of Melodic Contour Mapping Technology as it Relates to Vocal Timbre in Singers of Classical Music Repertoire

The purpose of this investigation was to ascertain the pedagogical viability of computer-generated melodic contour mapping systems in the classical singing studio, as perceived by their resulting effect (if any) on vocal timbre when a singer's head and neck remained in a normal singing posture. The evaluation of data gathered during the course of the study indicates that the development of consistent vocal timbre produced by the classical singing student may be enhanced through visual/kinesthetic response to melodic contour inversion mapping, as it balances the singer's perception of melodic intervals in standard musical notation. Unexpectedly, it was discovered that the system, in its natural melodic contour mode, may also be useful for teaching a student to sing a consistent legato line. The results of the study also suggest that the continued development of this new technology for the general teaching studio, designed to address standard musical notation and a singer's visual/kinesthetic response to it, may indeed be useful.     

Effects of Muscle Tension Dysphonia on Tone Phonation: Acoustic and Perceptual Studies in Vietnamese Female Teachers

Muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) is a hyperfunctional voice disorder commonly seen in professional voice users. To date, published acoustic studies of this disorder have mainly focused on nontonal language speakers, and no publication has documented its impact on lexical tone characteristics. In this study, we examined whether and how this voice disorder affected acoustically and perceptually the characteristics of tones in Vietnamese teachers. Voice data were obtained from 42 Vietnamese female primary school teachers diagnosed with MTD and 30 vocally healthy teachers. Tonal data were analyzed using Computerized Speech Lab (CSL-4300B) and Speech Analyzer. Parameters analyzed included the two most important acoustic cues in Vietnamese tones, that is, tonal fundamental frequency (F₀) and laryngealization. Tonal F₀ was assessed using a factorial analysis of variance with group and career durations as independent variables. Tonal samples were also perceptually assessed by a panel of native speakers of the same dialect. The results showed that MTD lowered tonal F₀ in high tones and tones with extensive fundamental frequency variation. There was also a significant main effect for career duration; in MTD group, tonal F₀ was lower in teachers with longer career duration. The teachers with MTD showed different patterns of laryngealization compared with the control group. Tone perception was poorer for tones with extensive fundamental frequency variation and without a typical phonation type. The results in this group of teachers supported our hypothesis that MTD impairs lexical tone phonation.     

Effects of Family Therapy on Children''s Voices

The families of nine children with deviant voice qualities were selected for family treatment according to the SYGESTI model. Recordings of the children's speech were made before and after therapy. Perceptual evaluation of their voice quality showed significant improvement in various perceptual parameters after the therapy. Acoustical analysis confirmed changes of voice quality and mean fundamental frequency in speech. The therapy also was found to improve relations between family members, conflict management and other aspects of communication. The results suggest that these children's deviant voices were related to family conditions.     

Norm equalities and inequalities for operator matrices

Several norm equalities and inequalities for operator matrices are proved in this paper. These results, which depend on the structure of circulant and skew circulant operator matrices, include pinching type inequalities for weakly unitarily invariant norms.