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 2nd June 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Monday 9th June 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Monday 16th June 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Monday 23rd June 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Monday 30th June 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
Certificate in Foundations of Vocology with Adam Roberts
Adam Roberts
This fifteen week (30-hour) Vocology Cohort Intensive provides a comprehensive overview of basic vocal anatomy, physiology, and theories of voice production & perception, fundamentals of vocal health, pathology, evaluation, performance, and habilitation of the speaking and singing voice, and a survey of research, resources, and professional opportunities.
Thursday 26th June 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday 1st July 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
The Contemporary Classical Singer: Incorporating New Music into Vocal Pedagogy!
Page Stephens
There are evolving expectations for vocalists, who now need to perform in a variety of styles beyond traditional classical music. In this two-part course, Page Stephens argues that voice teachers should incorporate contemporary repertoire and techniques into their lessons to help singers grow in expressivity, flexibility, and economic opportunities. The course will cover industry trends, cultural pressures, and economic benefits of contemporary music, and provide tools for integrating new music into vocal education. Interviews with professionals will highlight the strengths and weaknesses observed in the field, and strategies for teaching new music will be discussed.
Wednesday 2nd July 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
(London Time)
The identity politics of accent learning!
Jenru Wang
Jenru Wang has an MFA in Voice Studies with distinction from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London - in this session, he will begin to explore the complexities accent coaches might face in their work, examining the intersection of language, identity, and cultural sensitivity. Participants will explore how to navigate challenging situations in different contexts and understand what to do—and avoid—when working with diverse clients and materials.