Physiological and acoustic characteristics of the male music theatre voice

Overview & Synopsis

Six male music theatre singers were recorded in three different voice qualities: legit and two types of belt (‘chesty’ and ‘twangy’), on two vowels ([e] and [ɔ]), at four increasing pitches in the upper limit of each singer’s belt range (~250-440 Hz). The audio signal, the electroglottographic (EGG) signal and the vocal tract impedance were all measured simultaneously. Voice samples were analyzed and then evaluated perceptually by sixteen expert listeners. The three qualities were produced with significant differences at the physiological, acoustical and perceptual levels: Singers produced belt qualities with a higher EGG contact quotient (CQEGG) and greater contacting speed quotient (Qcs), greater sound pressure level (SPL) and energy above 1kHz (alpha ratio), and with higher frequencies of the first two vocal tract resonances (fR1, fR2), especially in the upper pitch range when compared to legit. Singers produced the chesty belt quality with higher CQEGG, Qcs and SPL values and lower alpha ratios over the whole belt range, and with higher fR1 at the higher pitch range when compared to twangy belt. Consistent tuning of fR1 to the second voice harmonic (2f0) was observed in all three qualities and for both vowels. Expert listeners tended to identify all qualities based on the same acoustical and physiological variations as those observed in the singers’ intended qualities.