the vocal filter - final exam

Question 1

resonant frequencies

Answer 1

freqs at which the vocal tract naturally amplifies sounds waves

Question 2

formants

Answer 2

specific resonant freqs of the vocal tract that shape the acoustic properties of vowels & other speech sounds

Question 3

what happens when a compression wave reflects on the closed end of a tube

Answer 3

it is reflected back as a compression wave

Question 4

what happens when a compression wave relflects off the open end of a tube

Answer 4

it is reflected back as a rarefaction wave

Question 5

standing waves

Answer 5

sound waves in a tube interacting & combining w/ incoming waves

forms consistent peaks & valleys

Question 6

single tube model

Answer 6

models the vocal tract as a single tube

ideal for understanding basic vowel production

Question 7

multi tube model

Answer 7

represents the vocal tract as a series of connected tubes

entire length is fixed but can adjust each section
(front gets longer –> back gets shorter)

Question 8

helmholtz resonator

Answer 8

model of sound resonance in a cavity w/ a narrow opening (like vocal tract)

crucial in shaping low freq sounds

glass bottle shape - large closed back cavity
small closed open front cavity

Question 9

fricatives filter

Answer 9

front cavity of the vocal tract (in front of constriction)

resonance determined only by length of the front tube

Question 10

what determines where the constriction is for fricatives

Answer 10

place of articulation

farther forward = shorter front cavity = higher freq

Question 11

voice bar

Answer 11

low freq energy on the spectrogram

on the bottom

Question 12

filter for stops

Answer 12

depends on the stage

front cavity filters the stop burst

whole vocal tract filters voicing source during transitions

Question 13

where are the auditory cues to stop identity

Answer 13

formant transitions to vowels

Question 14

nasals filter

Answer 14

tubes that branch

velum lowered, opening the pathway from pharynx to nasal passages
air can flow from lungs out through nostrils

Question 15

nasal consonants filter

Answer 15

oral cavity closed off completely

no air escapes mouth

Question 16

nasal vowels filter

Answer 16

both mouth & nasal cavities open

air escapes both

Question 17

anti-resonances in nasals

Answer 17

oral cavity is open on one end (pharynx) –> has it’s own resonances

act diff because branch not open to outside air

bounce bath & forth inside & get louder but then get absorbed & cancel out frequencies in the output

reduce amplitude of all higher formants

show up in the spectrum as valleys

Question 18

anti formant formula

Answer 18

c/4L

F2 = 3c/4L (odd numbers)

Question 19

anti formants on spectrogram

Answer 19

lighter band

n has higher anti formants than m because oral cavity tube is shorter
constriction at lips rather than alveolar ridge

Question 20

what can act as cues of place of articulation for nasal consonants

Answer 20

anti formants

weak cues

Question 21

closed tube formula

Answer 21

nc/2L

Question 22

closed open tube formula

Answer 22

(2n-1)c/4L

Question 23

why not give sopranos lyrics

Answer 23

higher freqs = less space between freqs = harder to determine peaks = hard to distinguish formants

w/out formants, can’t even tell what vowel they are saying

very unintelligible