Articulatory and Phonatory Precision When Singing Staccato at Different Speeds

Matthias Echternach; Jonas Kirsch; Fabian Burk; Louisa Traser; Bernhard Richter; Michael Burdumy; Marie Köberlein

doi:10.1016/j.jvoice.2023.08.011

Articulatory and Phonatory Precision When Singing Staccato at Different Speeds

J Voice. 2023 Sep 7:S0892-1997(23)00252-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2023.08.011. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Matthias Echternach¹, Jonas Kirsch², Fabian Burk³, Louisa Traser³, Bernhard Richter³, Michael Burdumy⁴, Marie Köberlein²

Affiliations

¹ Division of Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, LMU University Hospital, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 Munich, Germany. Electronic address: matthias.echternach@med.uni-muenchen.de.
² Division of Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, LMU University Hospital, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 Munich, Germany.
³ Institute of Musicians' Medicine, Freiburg University Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine Freiburg University, Elsässer Str. 2m, 79110 Freiburg, Germany.
⁴ Department of Medical Physics, Radiology, Freiburg University Medical Center, Breisacher Str. 60, 79106 Freiburg, Germany.

PMID: 37689581
DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2023.08.011

Abstract

Introduction: Vocal tract adjustments are important for resonatory modification of the voice and also with respect to interactions concerning the voice source production. It is not clear, however, how fast, separated notes (staccato) influence vocal tract adjustments.

Material and methods: Twelve professional singers (four sopranos, three mezzo-sopranos, three tenors, and two baritones/basses) were recorded with dynamic real-time 2D-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with 25 fps singing a scale in legato and different staccato speeds (60, 120, 180, and 240 bps). From the MRI material, the lip opening, jaw opening, jaw protrusion, tongue position, pharynx width, and larynx position were measured. Furthermore, the fundamental frequency was analyzed from the simultaneously recorded audio signal after noise cancellation.

Results: The data show only very small differences between the legato and the staccato tasks and no great variations for different staccato speeds. During the pauses in between the staccato notes, minimal vocal tract adjustments were only detectable for the slowest staccato task.

Conclusion: There are no great differences in the vocal tract shapes for legato singing in contrast to staccato phonation and no great differences for different staccato speeds.

Keywords: Articulation; Magnetic resonance imaging; Vocal tract.