Phonation

Question 1

What is Phonation?

Answer 1

the act of making sound.

Question 2

Vocal Fold Length?

Answer 2

Females - 12.5mm - 17.5mm (1/2 - 3/4 inch)

Males - 17mm - 25mm (3/4 - 1 inch)

Question 3

Bernouli Effect

Answer 3

Increased motion of gas molecules = decrease pressure.

Question 4

Elastic Recoil

Answer 4

the ability of a stretched object or organ to return to its resting position or equilibrium.

Question 5

Equilibrium

Answer 5

state of balance

Question 6

3 types of Equilibrium

Answer 6

• stable
• unstable
• neutral

Question 7

Self sustained vocal fold vibration

Answer 7

• no Bernouli effect required.
  1. vocal folds have a stable equilibrium when adducted.
  2. airflow generated by lung pressure, moves vocal folds apart (away from equilibrium).
  3. Elastic recoil kicks in (vocal folds want to return to Equilibrium)
  4. momentum carries vocal folds past their Equilibrium.
  5. Vocal Folds want to, once again, return to Equilibrium (from the other direction).
  6. Airflow, generated by Lung Pressure, moves Vocal Folds apart (away from Equilibrium).

Question 8

What is Subglottic Pressure?

Answer 8

pressure built up under the vocal folds

Question 9

Other info about Subglottic Pressure

Answer 9

Roughly equivalent to alveoli or thoracic pressure, but it involves a resistance at the vocal folds. The glottis is the space between the vocal folds.
Pressure is measured in cm H20

Question 10

Subglottic Pressure used in varying dynamics

Answer 10

• Very soft phonation - 3cm H20 (water)
• Normal speech 4-9 cm H20 (should not vary more than +/- 1 cm H20 during a breath group)
• Loud sounds - 20cm and 70cm H20 (depends on voice type, thickness of vocal folds etc.)
• Heavy Lifting - 150cm H20

Question 11

Indications there is an improper amount of Sub-glottic Pressure

Answer 11

1. Decreased flexibility/Stability
2. Voice Cracking/Excessive noise in the sound
3. Breathy sound/lack of clarity in the sound
4. Outward signs of strain (should’t be rewarded as your working hard).
5. Pitch is either sharp or flat.
6. Vibrato irregular (too fast, too slow, uneven)

Question 12

Titze on the difference between Trained & Untrained Singers

Answer 12

Titze (1992) - the primary difference between trained and untrained singers is that singers obtain 2 to 3 times greater peak flow for a given lung pressure, suggesting that they adjust their glottal or vocal tract impedance for optimal flow transfer between the source and the resonators.

Question 13

4 Factors that determine the fundamental frequency (F0) and intensity of the sound:

Answer 13

1. Vocal Fold tension or Glottal resistance
2. Aerodynamic Power (ratio of Psub to air flow)
3. Length of the Vocal Folds
4. Mass of the Vocal Folds.

Question 14

Low Frequencies

Answer 14

Pitch/intensities regulated by Glottal Resistance (degree and closure time)

Question 15

Higher Frequencies

Answer 15

ALL ABOUT AIR FLOW

Question 16

Flow Rate….

Answer 16

Flow rate almost doubles for increase of 10 dB

Question 17

What is flow phonation?

Answer 17

Highest possible Air Flow with Complete Glottal Closure.

Question 18

Generous Airflow…..

Answer 18

Generous airflow is advantageous is for vocal fold function.

Question 19

Titze Agrees -

Answer 19

Below the Larynx - Aerodynamic Power derived from Psub and Airflow

Within the Larynx - Aerodynamic Power converted to Acoustic Power

Controlled by Prephonatory Glottal Width

*Slight Spreading of Vocal Processes during Flow Phonation is a sign of increase GW.

Question 20

Increase in dB

Answer 20

Boost of 3 dB for one-millimeter increase in glottal width due to increased Air Flow

Possible to achieve up to 4-7 dB increase with GW increase as opposed to 8-9 dB with doubling Psub

Question 21

Breathiness in Singing

Answer 21

Breathiness is commonly caused by poor breathing and or inefficient resonation. Regardless of the aesthetic questions involved, an aspirate attack is not vocally destructive, merely an inefficient kind of voice production.

Question 22

Psub and out of tune singing

Answer 22

…singers consistently sing out of tune if they fail to use the proper subglottic pressure.

Question 23

The only real consensus is…..

Answer 23

The only real consensus is that a combination of abdominal (or diaphragmatic) and thoracic breathing encourages the best cooperation between the air stream and the vibrating vocal folds.

Question 24

Emphasize…..

Answer 24

Emphasize Breath Flow in your teaching!!!!