Articulatory Activity Of The Tongue, Jaw, And Lips During The Second Passaggio Acoustic Transition Of Female Singers
Thursday 15th September 2022, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
Sopranos typically exhibit an acoustic modification between 600 and 700 Hz (on /ɑ/) during which second resonance (R2) tracking of the second harmonic (2fo) changes to first resonance (R1) tracking of the fundamental (fo).
To quantify the alteration, the sound pressure level difference between the first two harmonics (L1-L2) was measured for chromatic scales sung between C5♮ and G5♮ (523 to 784 Hz) by 17 sopranos (9 judged by the first author as “techniqued” and 8 as “untechniqued” and confirmed by perceptual experiment).
Techniqued sopranos shifted from negative to positive values of L1-L2 as early as D5♮ (587 Hz), while the least techniqued singers did not make the change at all.
Articulatory correlates were measured using ultrasound of the tongue and optical tracking.
Head-corrected tongue contours showed the most critical articulatory factor to be the size of a triangular area between two points on the hard palate and the most anterior tongue point.
Sopranos who made the change earliest exhibited the largest anterior oral cavities whereas sopranos who never made the acoustic change had significantly smaller anterior cavities.
Larger anterior oral cavities appear to accommodate lower frequencies of R2, presumably lowering L2 and increasing L1-L2. [Supported by NIH grant DC-002717.]
Richard Lissemore
Richard Lissemore is a collaborative teacher, researcher, and performer of voice. He is equally adept at teaching vocal technique and performance for both classical...
Sorry, this is an archived short course...
We have plenty of upcoming short courses coming soon. See details of some of them below or look at the full list of short courses.
Monday 7th July 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday 8th July 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday 9th July 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Friday 11th July 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Monday 14th July 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday 15th July 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday 16th July 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Friday 18th July 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(London Time)
Introduction to statistics and working with quantitative data for Voice Professionals: 8-Session Online Bootcamp
Dr David Cane
This certificated statistics course is ideal for individuals interested in laying a solid foundation in quantitative research methods. By focusing on essential statistical principles, you will be equipped with the tools to understand and apply quantitative research techniques effectively. Statistics is a crucial component of quantitative research; mastering it will enable you to grasp quantitative methods more confidently and precisely.
Tuesday 8th July 2025
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
(London Time)
Oxygen Advantage for Vocal Educators • Empowering Vocalists Through Breath
Kate Cubley
Are you a singing teacher or trainee voice educator eager to expand your toolkit? Join Kate Cubley at Voice Study Centre for a dynamic 2-hour lecture exploring the role of functional breathing in supporting vocal performance, vocal health, and resilience—for both you and your students. This engaging session introduces the Oxygen Advantage® method: a science-backed approach to breathing that can transform how you teach, coach, and care for the voice.
Wednesday 9th July 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(London Time)
Accents in Musical Theatre Singing!
Colton Weiss
Colton Weiss (he/they) is a professional dialect coach, actor, and lecturer (Ohio State Univ.) based out of Columbus, Ohio. With the continued popularity and development of productions that call for more demanding voice, speech, and accent work, dialect coaches, music directors, and actors must collaborate across jobs. Inspired from the text, Voice and Speech for Musical Theatre by Chris Palmer, and ongoing production experience, this presentation by Colton explores the intersections of accent work, and the musical skills needed for actors to perform in Musical Theatre.