Chapter 2.4

Question 1

vowel formants

Answer 1

resonant frequencies of the vocal tract
- the formants of a vowel depend on how one has shaped their vocal tract because the shape of the vocal tract alters its length & determines what frequencies get amplified
- formants are not a property of voicing, but of the shape of the vocal tract
—formants are still there even when there is no voicing
—formants can appear when there are other sources of acoustic energy (e.g. frication and aspiration, flicking neck example)

Question 2

f = c/λ

Answer 2

the equation to calculate the first formant (resonant frequency) of a tube that is open on one end and closed on another
- f = frequency
- c = speed of sound
- λ = 4L = 4 x length of tube

Question 3

How do we calculate F2 and F3 knowing F1?

Answer 3

The resonant frequencies of a tube open on one end (the vocal tract, for example) are odd multiples of the first resonant frequency.
F2 = 3 x F1
F3 = 5 x F1
F4 = 7 x F1