Determining The Relevant Criteria For 3D Vocal Tract Characterisation

0.1. Introduction Soprano singers face a number of specific challenges when singing vowels at high frequencies, due to the wide spacing of harmonics in the voice source. The varied and complex techniques used to overcome these are still not fully understood. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become increasingly popular in recent years for singing voice analysis. This study proposes a new protocol using 3D MRI to investigate the articulatory parameters relevant to resonance tuning, a technique whereby the singer alters their vocal tract to shift its resonances nearer to a voice source harmonic, increasing the amplitude of the sound produced. 0.2. Method The protocol was tested with a single soprano opera singer. Drawing on previous MRI studies, articulatory measurements from 3D MRI images were compared to vocal tract resonances measured directly using broad-band noise excitation. The suitability of the protocol was assessed using statistical analysis. 0.3. Results No clear linear relationships were apparent between articulatory characteristics and vocal tract resonances. The results were highly vowel-dependent, showing dierent patterns of resonance tuning and interactions between variables. This potentially indicates a complex interaction between the vocal tract and sung vowels in soprano voices, meriting further investigation. 0.4. Conclusion The eective interpretation of MRI data is essential for a deeper understanding of soprano voice production, and in particular the phenomenon of resonance tuning. This paper presents a new protocol that contributes towards this aim, and the results suggest that a more vowel-specific approach is necessary in the wider investigation of resonance tuning in female voices.