Explore the vast range of titles available.

Singing voice directivity for five sustained German vowels /a:/, /e:/, /i:/, /o:/, /u:/ over a wide pitch range was investigated using a multichannel microphone array with high spatial resolution along the horizontal and vertical axes. A newly created dataset allows to examine voice directivity in classical singing with high resolution in angle and frequency. Three voice production modes (phonation modes) modal, breathy, and pressed that could affect the used mouth opening and voice directivity were investigated. We present detailed results for singing voice directivity and introduce metrics to discuss the differences of complex voice directivity patterns of the whole data in a more compact form. Differences were found between vowels, pitch, and gender (voice types with corresponding vocal range). Differences between the vowels /a:, e:, i:/ and /o:, u:/ and pitch can be addressed by simplified metrics up to about d2/D5/587 Hz, but we found that voice directivity generally depends strongly on pitch. Minor differences were found between voice production modes and found to be more pronounced for female singers. Voice directivity differs at low pitch between vowels with front vowels being most directional. We found that which of the front vowels is most directional depends on the evaluated pitch. This seems to be related to the complex radiation pattern of the human voice, which involves a large inter-subjective variability strongly influenced by the shape of the torso, head, and mouth. All recorded classical sung vowels at high pitches exhibit similar high directionality.

This study aims to compare the nasalance and nasal airflow between professional singers trained in Carnatic classical singing and non-singers. We also aimed to correlate perceived nasality with objective measurements of nasalance and nasal airflow. A total of 40 female participants (20 to 50 years) were involved in this study. The first group comprised 15 female professional Carnatic singers with a minimum of 10 years of classical training. The second group consisted of 25 non-singer females. These participants were compared on nasalance, nasal airflow and perceived nasality across three sets of stimuli (vowels, oral non-words, and nasal non-words) and three pitch-conditions (low, mid, and high). Correlations were also made between objective measures of nasalance and nasal airflow and perceived nasality. Mixed ANOVA showed a significant ( P <  0.05) interaction in nasalance between pitch conditions and groups. Group differences were also observed in the nasalance scores of vowels, oral non-words, nasal non-words. There was a significant difference ( P <  0.05) in nasalance with ascending pitch in singers and non-singers. A comparison of aerodynamic analysis of vowels, oral non-words, and nasal non-words between singers and non-singers suggested that nasal airflow was higher in singers. Perceptual nasality was significantly lower ( P <  0.05) in Carnatic singers than non-singers. Correlations between objective measures of nasalance and nasal airflow and perceived nasality were not observed. Despite an increased airflow, nasality was lower in trained Carnatic singers than non-singers. Current findings suggest that vocal training impacts nasalance, nasal airflow and perceived nasality.

Introduction: Opera singers are professionals whose voices are extremely heavily burdened, not only due to repertoire, but also due to the hourly workload of the voice and its unique use resulting from the specificity of the profession. Singers are required to fill very large concert halls with their singing and must deal with immediate feedback from the audience which is associated with a lot of stress. Stage fright, as a type of stress, is a phenomenon that takes place over a period of time and has a triple dimension: pre-concert stage fright during which the musician prepares for a performance, concert stage fright which involves a sense of a lack of control over the performance, and post-concert stage fright, i.e. retrospection of the work and the assessment of whether the quality of the performance met the expectations set by oneself and by others. Although certain personality traits are crucial for coping with stressful situations, they are not taken into account during the recruitment process for vocal studies or applications to work in the opera. Voice disorders may cause problems and have negative economic consequences for professional singers.The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of voice disorders among people working in professional opera theaters as singers with regard to their temperament and personality traits, and the influence of such disorders on the levels of stress in this professional group.Materials and methods: The study involved 225 singers, employed in 6 randomly chosen opera theaters in Poland: the Grand Theater of the National Opera in Warsaw, the Grand Theater in Poznań, Opera Nova in Bydgoszcz, the Grand Theater in Łódź, Wrocław, and the Castle Opera in Szczecin. The research instruments were: the Voice Handicap Index (VHI), the Neuroticism Ekstraversion Openness–Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), the Formal Characteristics of Behavior–Temperament Inventory (FCB-TI), and the author’s questionnaire.Results: Voice disorders were found in 57.3% of respondents (n = 129; p ≤ 0.001). Significant relationships were observed between voice disorders and noise in the workplace (60.4%; p = 0.023). As well as this, the risk of infection in the workplace was an important contributor to voice disorders indicated by 93% of the whole study group and 96.9% of participants with voice disorders (n = 129; p = 0.008). Singers with voice disorders suffered from chronic sinusitis [X2(1) = 5.407; p < 0.05] and bronchial asthma [X2(1) = 4.565; p < 0.05] significantly more often. Respondents with voice disorders were characterized by higher neuroticism i.e., the personality trait which increases susceptibility to stress (n = 129; p = 0.012).Conclusions: 1. It seems reasonable to create interdisciplinary teams monitoring the process of a professional singers’ education. 2. Neuroticism increased the susceptibility of professional singers to stress, and thus predisposed them to voice disorders. 3. An increased risk of infection as well as noise in the workplace are significant external factors contributing to voice disorders in professional singers. 4. Higher emotional reactivity and perseverance may predispose to an increased incidence of voice disorders among singers. As such, there is a need for a psychologist in an interdisciplinary team dealing with these professionals, both during their education and work. 5. The coexistence of somatic diseases, associated with higher neuroticism translates into increased susceptibility to stress, and thus, a higher incidence of voice disorders.

There is always talk about the voice intended exclusively for a certain musical genre. There are singing teachers who systematically refuse to encourage young voices to discover other areas of sound from the perspective of vocal practice. For example, Classical Singing teachers approach the phrase “you can’t” or, worse, “you’re not allowed”, when a student studying Academic Singing wants to discover other musical genres such as Folk Singing, Light Music or Jazz. This obtuseness shown by some teachers leads to the premature inhibition of the singer’s vocal potential in the full period of accumulation, but, above all, leads to the narrowing of horizons and opportunities on the job market of Classical Singing graduates. Such practices should be challenged and dismantled through concrete examples where one and the same voice can interpret a diversity of musical genres, without in any way affecting the artistic act.

Despite the advances in contemporary performer training, which resist a paradigm rooted in Cartesian dualism, an impediment that is evident in the way in which classical singing technique is widely taught remains in the thinking of voice as extra-corporeal. This project centres on uncovering the liminal spaces where the intersection of technology and the lived body may converge in a classical singer’s process. Drawing inspiration from theatre artist Marie Brassard’s use of autobiographical narrative and methods that manipulate voice through mediated means, I integrated my Mother’s recorded voice into the devising process of an autobiographical music-theatre piece which intertwines the personal narrative of my family’s struggle with her descent into dementia and the music of Kurt Weill. The techniques I discovered highlight how using the disembodied mediated voice can function as a catalyst to inhabiting a more fully embodied one. By directly confronting the voice as extra-corporeal, the use of mediated voice in a classical singer’s process demonstrates that technology may encourage the voice to be released from its bodily limitations.

The aim of this study is to present the use of phonetics in non-linguitic researches and sciences such as music and singing. Sung Lyrics of Slovenian songs/poetry have not been investigated phonetically, taking into consideration their quality (vowel formant frequency). The word is about musical art (lyrics), paying attention to the phonetic realization based upon the Slovene language and its norm, which show excellent articulation of the sung vowels.

The female classical singer is a highly functioning vocal athlete who relies on extreme efficiency of her instrument to yield finely nuanced vocalism. Yet many of these singers endure dysphonia during the premenstrual days of the hormonal cycle. This document explores the existence of laryngopathia premenstrualis and its etiologies: not only the hormonal imbalance of high levels of progesterone and mid-level estrogen, but also the possible influence of increased vascularity and vascular congestion of vocal fold tissue. These components may give rise to increased risk of vocal pathologies. Further research into this topic will be proposed and supported.

Respiration in vocal students has been found to change significantly between study semesters with both increases and decreases in rib cage and abdominal excursions during vocal training.6 There are previous studies on effect of singing on pulmonary function parameters and autonomic functions, but however there is sparse in studies which shows effect of singing in children singers who are trained in Indian classical singing on pulmonary function parameters (FEV1FVC, FEVj/FVC and PEFR) and autonomic function parameters (B.P and Pulse Rate) So, this study was aimed to find the immediate effect of singing on autonomic functions and pulmonary function parameters in school going children who are involved in classical singing and to compare the values with non singers. Children in Group A (singers) had better PEFR measurement when compared to Group ? (Non singers).4 A study done by Irons JY et al (2010) to know the effect of singing as a therapy for children and adults with bronchiectasis concluded that therapies which include breathing maneuvers, such as singing, may have health benefits for respiratory function and psychological well being.13 K.Price studied the effect of Vocal exercises on the lung function on ten trained female singers concluded that the vocal exercises are most likely to increase the power of inspiratory muscles, greater muscular coordination, strength and endurance of expiratory muscles in singers.14 The study done by R.Leanderson on role of diaphragmatic activity during singing in four male professional singers performing singing tasks requiring rapid changes of sub glottal pressure provided evidence for a consistent use of the diaphragm in all subjects.Some subjects punctually activate the diaphragm when there is a need for a rapid decrease of sub glottal pressure such as when singing a falling octave interval, when shifting from a loud to a soft note, to save air during explosion, and in performing a trillo involving a repeated switching between glottal adduction and abduction.15 Thus thiatiis supports the present study that there is a variation in respiration in singers.

Existem diversas concepções a respeito de como desenvolver a projeção da voz no canto lírico, embora o recurso seja corriqueiramente enfatizado na prática desse estilo. O objetivo da presente pesquisa foi o de identificar e analisar as principais formas de abordagem de ensino da projeção vocal no canto lírico, por professores atuantes nessa área. Segundo os participantes da amostra, cinco pontos de abordagem para uma efetiva projeção vocal no canto lírico são os aspectos que envolvem o corpo, a percepção/propriocepção do som, a utilização de imagens na didática e, principalmente, a respiração e a emissão da voz. There are different views about how to develop vocal projection in classical singing, although this feature is routinely emphasized in the practice of this style of singing. The objective of this research was to analyze different teaching approaches of vocal projection in classical singing, from the perspective of teachers who work in this area. According to the participants, the five aspects that involve body, breath, perception/proprioception, use of images in teaching and production of the voice can base the development of effective vocal projection in classical singing.

A successful singing lesson requires coordinated efforts from the three parties involved: student, teacher, and accompanist. Results are reported of a survey in which 32 statements were rated on a 5-point Likert scale by high-school students, university students, and professional singers from an opera chorus. The statements were related to students' expectations of their teacher and accompanist during individual singing lessons. Participants were also able to add their own comments to the questionnaire. Results demonstrate that students expect a partnership to develop between the three parties in a singing lesson. The teacher is expected to have a positive attitude, professional and up-to-date skills, and the ability to motivate students to work more efficiently. Alongside progress in musical terms, students expect to receive assistance from their teacher in how better to cope with increasingly stressful situations during a public performance. Keywords: vocal pedagogy, teaching, learning, classical singing, individual tuition DOI: 10.3176/tr.2011.4.05