• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.32-38
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• 2000

Background and Objectives : Voice therapy has been used as a viable adjuvant to surgery and pharmacological therapy fir the management of voice disorders. The singing voice features a special brand of emotion, intensity, and energy so successful therapeutical approach requires the doctor is able to involve himself into the physical and psychic condition and artistic usage of the voice. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect and utility of singing therapy as an initial treatment for classically trained singers with voice disorders. Material and method : Twenty-one male and fifty-five female classic singers with voice disorders were treated with singing therapy. At first, abdominal breathing, resonant phonation, and relaxation method was trained, then after accessing each patient's singing abilities, treatment methods for each specific problems was applied. The results were compared according to age, sex, treatment duration, part, laryngeal pathology, patient subjective evaluation, perceptual evaluation of voice, and maximal phonation time. Results : Patients subjective evaluation, perceptual evaluation, pathologic findings of larynx, maximal phonation time showed superior results after singing therapy. Conclusion : Singing therapy changes the mode of respiration and phonation and enhances the vocal function and improves the laryngeal pathology, The result of this study indicate that singing therapy is an effective treatment method that laryngologists can use for classical singers with voice disorders.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.113-126
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• 2000

A comparative phonetic analysis of Yodel singing and Belcanto singing by the electroglottographic(EGG) measurement was done in three singers. One professional tenor singer(SDI) who is also well trained in Yodel singing, another yodler(KWS) who is not so trained in Belcanto singing, and the other training tenor singer(CSK) who is not well trained both yodel and Belcanto singing. Closed quotient(CQ), speed quotient(SQ) and fundamental frequency (F0) at the initial modal part(I) , middle falsetto part(M), and final modal part(F) of the same phrase were measured by EGG machine and program(Kay model 4338). In the middle part, not only CQ but also SQ of the Yodel singing were much smaller than that of Belcanto singing in all three singers. However, accuracy of parameters in Belcanto singing of the yodler(KWS) and both Yodel singing and Belcanto singing of the training singer(CSK) were inferior to that of trained tenor singer(SDI). Possible advantages of utilizing Yodel singing training under the guidance of feedback control by the EGG for hyperfunctional voice disorders such as vocal nodules were discussed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.56-61
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• 2007

Introduction: Actually classification of classic singers' voice depends on habitual judgment by voice teachers or voice trainer referring to vocal timbre, vocal range and vocal quality. Such judgments, however, may turn out to be incorrect because they are based on subjective opinions. Therefore, more objective methodology is required. Method: Foreign dissertations searched through Pub Med, along with foreign and domestic journals, were reviewed regard ing how singers' voice has been categorized. Results: Vocal range, vocal timbre, voice quality, fundamental frequency of habitual speaking, length of vocal tract, the length from cricoid cartilage to thyroid cartilage's thyroid notch and length of vocal fold, tone of passaggio as well as traditional approaches such as perceptual judgment used by professional singers have been used for categorize the voice classification. Conclusion: To optimize categorizing singers' voice, vocal range, vocal timbre, voice quality, fundamental frequency of habitual speaking, length of vocal tract, the length from cricoid cartilage to thyroid cartilage's thyroid notch and length of vocal fold, tone of passaggio may be totally recommended.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.21-26
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• 2004

Vocal Register Transition(Passaggio) is one of the most important vocal technique for classically trined male singers(tenor). Passaggio is that it bridges the chest register to head register without a noticeable voice break. Vocalist gest the feeling that voice is not locked a particular register. The purpose of this study was to clarify the difference between easy($B_3$) tone and non passaggio(F#_4$) & passaggio(F#_4$). We selected 6 trained singers(tenor), who had more than 12.6 years of experience and were well trained in passaggio technique. Simulataneous measurement was performed frequency(F0), mean flow rate(MFR), intensity(I), and subglottal pressure(Psub) using a phonatory function analyzer(Nagashima) and Closed Quotient(CQ), Jitter, Shimmer, NHR a Electro-glottography(EGG) of Lx. Speech Studio(Laryngogrph Lt, London, UK) and vocal efficiency was calculated by Carroll's method. For the tenor, target tone/a/was measured in three conditions : 1) easy phonation : $B_3$, 2) high tone without passaggio : F#_4$, 3) high tone with passaggio : F#_4$). The results revealed that F0 of the target tones between non-passaggio group and passaggio group were not significantly different though higher is F0, higher is subglottal pressure. And also CQ, MFR, Psub were increased in passagio than nonpssagio but these values were not statistically different. This study concluded that passaggio is the vocal technique to make the same quality of tone between chest register and head register in tenor.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.115-139
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• 1998

The aim of this study is to develop an the assessment program for the singing voice which is based on the physiological and acoustic methods. 22 sopranos, 6 mezzo sopranos, 4 tenors and 4 baritones participated to these experiments. The results measured by Visi-Pitch, spectrograph, and strobo-scope can be summarized as follows: (1) The maximum phonation time of singers must over 14 second higher with one deep inspiration (2) The parts classified by vocal range using Visi-Pitch: soprano between 167Hz $\sim$1,190Hz, mezzo soprano between 146Hz$\sim$956Hz, tenor between 75Hz$\sim$503Hz and baritone between 73 Hz and 385 Hz. (3) Longitudinal glottal size of singers decreases depending on the high-low pitch variation while lattitudinal glottal size increases depending on high-low pitch variation. (4) Well-trained singers show over 5 times the vibrato rate of untrained singers and regular pitch variation during measured periods. Vibrato's intensity do not over 3 dB. (5) Singer's formant indicates professional voice depending on the each parts: 3,207 Hz for soprano, 3,057 Hz for mezzo soprano, 2,754 Hz for tenor and 2,560 Hz for baritone.. (6) $F_1$ of singing voice is higher than that of speech while $F_2\;and\;F_3$ of singing voice are lower than those of speech.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.122-127
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• 2004

Background and Objectives : Many studies have described and analyzed singer's formant and it has been shown that the epilaryngeal tube in the human airway is responsible for vocal ring, or the singer's formant. A similar phenomenon produced by trained singers in their speech led some authors to examine the speaker's ring. This study was designed to analyze the speaking voice of the singers and speaker's ring. Baterials and Methods : Ten tenors, fifteen baritones, fifteen sopranos and ten mezzo sopranos attending the music college, department of vocal music were chosen for this study. Fifteen male and fifteen female untrained normal speakers were chosen for control group. Each subject was asked to produce a sample of a sustained spoken vowel /ah/ sound for at least five seconds and read sentence 'Kaeul'. The sound data was analyzed using the Fast Fourier Transform(FFT) - based power spectrum, Long term average(LTA) power spectrum using the FFT algorithm of the Computerized Speech Lab(CSL, Kay elemetrics, Model 4300B, USA). Statistical analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney test of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences(SPSS). Results : For LTA Power spectrum of/ah/ sound, a significant increase was seen in the 2,500-3,500Hz region(p<0.01) in four trained singer group compared with untrained speaker group, and a significant increase in the 9,000-10,000Hz region(p<0.01) in soparano group. Similarly, in sentence 'Kaeul', there was a significant increase in energy in the tenor, baritone, mezzo soprano group compared with the untrained speaker group in the 2,500-3,500Hz region(p<0.01), and a significant increase in all frequency region(p<0.01) in the soprano group. Conclusions : The LTA power spectrum suggests that trained singers group show more energy concentration in the 'singer's formant' region in the speaking voice, and authors believe this region to be the 'speaker's ring'. Further research is needed on the effect of singing training on the resonance of the speaking voice.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.169-189
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• 2003

Trained singers, one group of professional voice users, have much more interest on the voice than common people, and on its management, too. They train for singing beautiful songs, and, at the same time, try for efficient voice production. The present study was performed with three tenors and three baritones, undergraduate students majored in classical singing, to investigate the degree of improvement of their voice production efficiency through vocal function exercise, by measuring the three dependent variables, maximum phonation time, speed quotient of glottal contact, and the number of semi tones. For the baseline establishment, dependent variables were measured 3$\sim$6 times for two weeks. Then, the subjects exercised vocal function exercise for seven weeks, and after the termination of training, evaluation was performed four times for two weeks, to find the maintenance of the training effect. Vocal function exercise is composed of four successive steps: warm-up, stretching exercise, contracting exercise, power exercise. As results, all of six subjects showed improvement in the aspect of maximum phonation time, speed quotient if glottal contact, and the number of semitones.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.39-48
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to examine changes in acoustic characteristics after drinking alcoholic beverages and singing in order to establish guidelines for vocal hygiene of both singers and non-singers. 21 university students (10 males and 11 females) vocalized /a/ before drinking, after drinking and after singing. Changes in vocal range and acoustic characteristics were analyzed by Dr. Speech 4.0 (Tigers Electronics). No significant difference was observed in vocal range following drinking. However, there was statistically significant changes in vocal range after singing. We may infer that appropriate amount of singing functioning as vocal warm-up, rather than drinking alone, resulted in improvement in their abilities to lengthen vocal folds. This is directly related to the ability to produce high-pitched sounds. Changes in jitter in female voices after singing was the only acoustic factor that was significant. Changes in Shimmer and NNE was not significant either after drinking nor singing. Subjects who were judged to perform better in singing were marked by minimum acoustic changes, which may due to their well-trained vocal fold function. The results of this study may address the necessity for vocal function exercises for the patients with neurogenic voice disorders including dysarthria. The need for more extensive research with a larger number of subjects including professional voice users is also addressed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 2004

Background and Objectives : It has been shown that the epilaryngeal tube in the human airway is responsible for vocal ring, or the singer's formant. In previous study, authors showed that in trained tenors, besides the conventional singer's formant in the region of ,5500Hz, another energy peak was observed in the region of 8,000Hz. This peak was interpreted as the second resonance of the epilarynx tube. Singers in other voice categories who produce vocal ring are assumed to have the same peak, but no measurements have as yet been made. Materials and Methods : Fifteen tenors, fourteen baritones, seven sopranos and five mezzo sopranos attending the music college, department of vocal music who could reliably produce the head and chest registers were chosen for this study. Each subject was asked to produce an/ah/sound for at least three seconds for the head register sound(tenors ; G4, barions ; E4 sopranos ; F5 and mezzosopranos ; C5) and for the chest register sound (tenors ; C3, baritones ; D3, sopranos ; D4 and Mezzosoprano ; A3). The sound data was analyzed using the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT)-based power spectrum, Long term average(LTA) power spectrum using the FFT algorithm of the Computerized Speech Lab (CSL, Kay elemetrics, Model 4300B, USA). Statistical analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney test of the Statistical Package for Social sciences(SPSS). Results : For head register sounds, a significant increase was seen in the 2,200-3,400Hz region(p<0.05) and the Similar to the head register sounds, there was a significant increase in energy in the four trained singer group compared with the untrained group in the 2,200-3,100Hz region(p<0.05), the 7,800-8,400Hz region(p<0.05) for the chest register sounds. Conclusions : When good vocal production was made for the head and chest registers, an energy peak was observed near 2,500Hz, a frequency already known as the "singer's formant', in all subjects in the study group. Another region of increased energy was observed around 8,000Hz that had not been noticed previously. The authors believe this region to be the second singer's formant.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.88-93
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• 2003

Whether respiratory muscle training is of benefit to the singing students is controversial. The purpose of the study is to investigate pulmonary function and the maximal inspiratory(MIP) and expiratory pressure(MET), and maximum phonation time in five female singing students before and after the specially programmed respiratory muscle training during 2 months. All singing students had average 4.8 years of formal classical voice training. Respiratory muscle training machine (Ultrabreath) was used to train respiratory muscle. Pulmonary function test data on simple pulmonary function, flow volume curve, static lung volumes are obtained from Vmax 6200. The MIP and MEP were measured using Spirovis, and the MPT were measured using hand-held stopwatch. Any pulmonary function test variables are not changed after respiratory muscle training. However, MIP and MEP were significantly increased between before and after respiratory muscle training. MPT increased significantly after training, compared to the pre-trained. MIP, MEP, and MPT after training in female singing students were 26%, 25% and 33% higher than those before training. The result indicated that the specially programmed respiratory muscle training is beneficial to improve respiratory muscle strength and vocal function without an increment in pulmonary function.