Physics 1240 Thurs 4/24/06Today: The human voiceNext time: Singing voice, throat singingLearning goal• Recognize and understand what formants areKey concept - formantsOutline• Anatomy of the vocal tract• Source and resonant cavity• Formants - vowel sounds onlyVocal TractSinging voice or vowel soundsVocal folds (also called cords) -- sound source -- a buzzing sound produces a harmonic seriesThroat cavity (throat, mouth, nasal cavity) -- resonance cavity “shapes” frequency spectrumVocal folds - periodic sound sourceVocal folds look like brass player’s lips(glass mouthpiece)Vocal tract – pipe closed at one end (very approximate)Steady vowel sounds – produce sensation of distinct pitch –periodic waveform – harmonic seriesFormants – natural frequencies of the vocal tract Frequency of the formants determines the perceived vowel soundCT25.1 If the second formant has a frequency of 1200 Hz, what might be approximate frequencies of the first and third formants?A) 600, 1800B) 600, 2400C) 400, 1600D) 400, 2000intensity = source x filterCT25.2 If you sing an “ee” sound, then sing an “uu” sound at the same pitch, what changes?A) the “ee” sound has all harmonics present, whereas the “uu” sound only has odd harmonics presentB) the vocal fold period of vibration changesC) the shape of the frequency spectrum changesD) 2.1 secondsCT25.3 In CT.25.2 the frequency spectrum changed when singing an “ee” and “uu” at the same pitch. What caused the frequency spectrum to change?A) the “ee” sound has all harmonics present, whereas the “aye” sound only has odd harmonics presentB) the vocal fold period of vibration changesC) the shape of the vocal tract changesD) 2.1 secondsCT25.4 The pitch of a voiced sound is determined byA) the frequency of the first formantB) the frequency of the fundamental of the vocal foldsC) both A) and B)D) none of the aboveCT25.5 The particular vowel sound of a steady note is determined by the A) the frequency of the formantsB) the frequency of the vocal foldsC) both A) and B)D) none of the aboveCT25.6 What increases the pitch of a singer’s voice?A) increasing the frequency of the formants by changing the vocal tract shapeB) increasing the tension of the vocal foldsC) both A) and B)D) none of the aboveLocation of first two formants determines vowel
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