Acoustic characteristics of the voice. Analysis of the acoustic characteristics of the voice. Control questions and tasks

The human voice is made up of a set of sounds of various characteristics, formed with the participation of the vocal apparatus. The source of the voice is the larynx with vibrating vocal folds. The distance between the vocal folds is called the "glottis". When inhaling, the glottis is fully opened and takes the form of a triangle with acute angle at the thyroid cartilage (Fig. 1). In the expiratory phase, the vocal folds approach somewhat, but at the same time they do not completely close the lumen of the larynx.

At the moment of phonation, i.e. sound reproduction, the vocal folds begin to vibrate, passing portions of air from the lungs. During a normal examination, they seem to be closed, since the eye does not catch the speed of oscillatory movements (Fig. 2).

The human voice, its acoustic properties, the mechanisms of its generation are studied by a variety of sciences - physiology, phonetics, phoniatry, speech therapy, etc. Since the voice phenomenon is not only a physiological phenomenon, but also a physical one, it becomes the subject of study of such a branch of physics as acoustics, which gives clear characteristics of each reproduced sound. According to acoustics, sound is the propagation of vibrations in an elastic medium. A person both speaks and sings in the air, so the sound of the voice is the oscillation of air particles propagating in the form of waves of condensation and rarefaction, like waves on water, at a speed of 340 m/s at a temperature of +18°C.

Among the sounds around us, tonal sounds and noises are distinguished. The former are generated by periodic oscillations of the sound source with a certain frequency. The frequency of vibrations creates in our auditory organ a sense of the pitch of the sound. Noises appear during random vibrations of various physical nature.

Both tonal and noise sounds arise in the human vocal apparatus. All vowels have a tone character, and deaf consonants have a noise character. The more often periodic oscillations are made, the higher the sound we perceive. Thus, pitch - This subjective perception by the organ of hearing of the frequency of oscillatory movements. The quality of the pitch depends on the frequency of oscillation of the vocal folds in 1 s. How many closings and openings the vocal folds carry out in the course of their oscillations and how many portions of the condensed subglottic air they let through, this is the frequency of the generated sound, i.e. pitch. The fundamental tone frequency is measured in hertz and can vary in normal colloquial speech for men from 85 to 200 Hz, and for women from 160 to 340 Hz.

Changing the pitch of the main tone creates expressiveness of speech. One of the components of intonation is melody - relative changes in the pitch of the fundamental tone of sounds. Human speech is very rich in changes in melodic pattern: declarative sentences are characterized by a decrease in tone at the end; interrogative intonation is achieved by a significant increase in the basic tone on the word containing the question. The root tone always rises on the stressed syllable. The absence of a noticeable, changing melody of speech makes it inexpressive and usually indicates some kind of pathology.

To characterize a normal voice, there is such a thing as tone range - voice volume - the ability to produce sounds within certain limits from the lowest tone to the highest. This property is different for each person. The tone range of a spoken voice in women is within one octave, in men a little less, i.e. the change in the main tone during a conversation, depending on its emotional coloring, fluctuates within 100 Hz. The tonal range of the singing voice is much wider - the singer must have a voice of two octaves. Singers are known whose range reaches four and five octaves: they can take sounds from 43 Hz - the lowest voices - up to 2,300 Hz - high voices.

The power of the voice, its power,depends on the intensity of the amplitude of the oscillations of the vocal folds and is measured in decibels, the greater the amplitude of these vibrations, the stronger the voice. However, to a greater extent, this depends on the subglottic pressure of the air exhaled from the lungs at the time of phonation. That is why, if a person is going to shout loudly, he first takes a breath. The strength of the voice depends not only on the amount of air in the lungs, but also on the ability to expend exhaled air, maintaining a constant subglottic pressure. A typical conversational voice, according to various authors, ranges from 40 to 70 dB. The voice of the singers has 90-110 dB, and sometimes reaches 120 dB - the power of the noise of an aircraft engine. The human ear has adaptive capabilities. We can hear quiet sounds against the background of strong noise or, finding ourselves in a noisy room, at first we do not distinguish anything, then we get used to it and begin to hear conversational speech. However, even with the adaptive capabilities of human hearing, strong sounds are not indifferent to the body: at 130 dB, a pain threshold sets in, 150 dB - intolerance, and a sound strength of 180 dB is fatal for a person.

Of particular importance in characterizing the strength of the voice is dynamic range - the maximum difference between the quietest sound (piano) and the loudest (forte). A large dynamic range (up to 30 dB) is a necessary condition for professional singers, but it is important in the spoken voice and for teachers, as it gives speech more expressiveness.

If the coordination relationship between the tension of the vocal folds and air pressure is violated, there is a loss of voice power and a change in its timbre.

Sound timbre is an essential characteristic of the voice. By this quality of his, we recognize familiar people, famous singers, without yet seeing them with our own eyes. In human speech, all sounds are complex. Timbre reflects their acoustic composition, i.e. structure. Each voice sound consists of a fundamental tone, which determines its height, and numerous additional or overtones of a higher frequency than the fundamental tone. The frequency of the overtones is two, three, four, and so on times greater than the frequency of the fundamental. The appearance of overtones is due to the fact that the vocal folds fluctuate not only along their length, reproducing the main tone, but also in their separate parts. It is these partial vibrations that create overtones that are several times higher than the fundamental tone. Any sound can be analyzed on a special device, divided into separate component overtones. Each vowel in its overtone composition contains areas of enhanced frequencies that characterize only this sound. These areas are called vowel formants. There are several in sound. To distinguish it, the first two formants suffice. The first formant - the frequency range of 150-850 Hz - during articulation is provided by the degree of elevation of the tongue. The second formant - the range of 500-2500 Hz - depends on the vowel series. The sounds of ordinary colloquial speech are located in the region of 300-400 Hz. From the frequency areas in which overtones arise, such qualities of the voice as its sonority, flight quality depend.

The study of the timbre of the voice is carried out both in our country (V. S. Kazansky, 1928; S. N. Rzhevkin, 1956; E. A. Rudakov, 1864; M. P. Morozov, 1967), and abroad (V. Bartholomew, 1934; R. Husson, 1962; G. Fant, 1964). The timbre is formed due to the resonance that occurs in the cavities of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi. Resonance is a sharp increase in the amplitude of forced oscillations that occur when the frequency of oscillations of an external influence coincides with the frequency of natural oscillations of the system. During phonation, resonance enhances the individual overtones of the sound formed in the larynx, and causes the coincidence of air vibrations in the cavities of the chest and extension tube.

The interconnected system of resonators not only amplifies the overtones, but also influences the very nature of the oscillations of the vocal folds, activating them, which in turn causes even greater resonance. There are two main resonators - head and chest. Under the head (or upper) understand the cavities located in the front of the head above the palatine vault - the nasal cavity and its paranasal sinuses. When using the upper resonators, the voice acquires a bright flight character, and the speaker or singer has a feeling that the sound passes through the facial parts of the skull. Research by R. Yussen (1950) proved that vibrational phenomena in the head resonator excite the facial and trigeminal nerves, which are associated with the innervation of the vocal folds and stimulate the voice function.

During chest resonance, the chest vibrates, here the trachea and large bronchi serve as resonators. At the same time, the timbre of the voice is “soft”. A good, full-fledged voice simultaneously voices the head and chest resonators and accumulates sound energy. The oscillating vocal folds and the system of resonators increase the efficiency of the vocal apparatus.

The optimal conditions for the functioning of the vocal apparatus appear when a certain resistance is created in the supraglottic cavities (extension tube) to portions of the subglottic air passing through the oscillating vocal folds at the time of phonation. This resistance is called return impedance. When sound is formed, "in the area from the glottis to the oral opening, the return impedance manifests its protective function, creating in the reflex adaptive mechanism preconditions for the most favorable, rapidly increasing impedance." The return impedance precedes the phonation by thousandths of a second, creating the most favorable sparing conditions for it. At the same time, the vocal folds work with low energy consumption and a good acoustic effect. The phenomenon of return impedance is one of the most important protective acoustic mechanisms in the operation of the vocal apparatus.

1) first there is a slight exhalation, then the vocal folds close and begin to fluctuate - the voice sounds as if after a slight noise. This method is considered inhalation attack;

SECTION XI CORRECTIONAL PEDAGOGY, SPECIAL PSYCHOLOGY

UDC 376.1-058.264

M. V. Mokhotaeva

In recent years, in the theory and practice of speech therapy, there has been an increase in interest in the study of speech disorders in the structure of a complex defect in children with various forms of dysontogenesis. In this aspect, one of actual problems is the study of speech disorders in children with cerebral palsy (CP). The most common speech disorders in this category of children are dysarthria. characteristic feature dysarthria disorders are disorders of the voice. Voice disorders in the structure of dysarthria most often manifest as dysphonias of central organic origin. Most works recent years is devoted to the study of the pathology of the voice as an independent disorder and, mainly, in adults. Works whose purpose was to study the originality acoustic characteristics the voices of children are few and mostly of foreign authors.

It is voice disorders, melodic-intonational characteristics of speech that most affect the intelligibility, emotional expressiveness of children's speech. The presence of speech disorders in children with cirrhosis and, in particular, voice disorders often reduces the motivation for speech communication, leads to a violation of speech contact.

The presence of voice disorders in children with CP was shown in the works of K. A. Semenova, E. M. Mastyukova, I. I. Panchenko, L. A. Shcherbakova, E. S. Almazova. However, data on the nature of voice disorders in this category of children were descriptive. Thus, the authors indicated that voice disorders in children with cirrhosis are extremely diverse. Most often, there is insufficient voice power and voice timbre disturbances (deaf, nasalized, hoarse, choked)

Currently, phoniatric science has the necessary methods for studying the voice function, including in the structure of complex speech disorders. There are two fundamental different approaches to voice quality assessment: subjective and objective. More often

In total, the voice is evaluated by a speech therapist or phoniatrist subjectively, i.e. by ear. Examples of subjective voice assessment are the N. Yanagi-hara scale and the GRBAS voice sonority scale. According to the N. Yanagihara scale, voice quality is assessed in points from 0 to 5, and only one characteristic of the voice is taken as the basis - the sonority of the voice or the degree of hoarseness.

According to the GRBAS scale, where G (“grade”) is translated from in English in this case it means “quality”, R (“roughness”) - “roughness, sharpness”, B (“breathiness”) - “breathing disorder, aspiration”, A (“asthemicity”) - “weakness”, S (“strain ”) - “tension, tone”, voice quality is evaluated taking into account several parameters simultaneously. The voice is evaluated for each of the parameters in points from 0 to 3, where 0 is the norm, 1 is a mild symptom, 2 is a moderate manifestation, 3 is a severe symptom.

E. S. Almazova developed criteria for the qualitative characteristics of voice disorders. According to this scale, the voice is characterized by the presence of timbre features, indicated by the following terms: “hoarse”, “deaf”, “croaking” (false-folded), “diplophonic”, “gutally-sharp” and “metallic”.

The main disadvantage of subjective methods is that the result of the study depends on the qualifications of the specialist who evaluates the voice.

Objective methods for assessing voice function are based on an acoustic analysis of the voice. These primarily include spectrography and phonetography. Spectral voice analysis (spectrography) is an objective research method that allows you to decompose the voice into separate components - overtones and get a graphic, two-dimensional or three-dimensional image of the voice. Phonetography (or definition of the vocal field) involves obtaining a graphical representation of the intensity and frequency of the fundamental tone and allows you to explore the dynamic range of the voice. Many authors are of the opinion that real-time phonetography is the most informative in voice assessment.

At present, various computer programs for voice recording and evaluation: MDVP (Multi-dimensional Voice Program), EVA (Evaluation Vocal Assistee), CSL (Computerized Speech Laboratory), CSpeech, SoundScope, Praat, Dr. Speech, DIANA and others. The main purpose of their use is to evaluate the acoustic characteristics of the voice and the effectiveness of the ongoing phoniatric treatment, as well as phonopedic work.

Acoustic parameters that make it possible to judge the state of the voice function are: maximum phonation time (MPF), fundamental tone frequency (PFC), voice strength, voice instability in frequency and amplitude (jitter and shimmer), voice range.

VMF or the duration of phonation expiration reflects the state of the function of the larynx, and, in particular, the neuromuscular tone. According to D.K. Wilson, the shortening of the Navy to 5 seconds in children 5-7 years old and up to 9 seconds in children 8-12 years old indicates insufficient closure vocal cords.

The frequency response of the voice is determined by the frequency of vibration of the vocal cords, which, in turn, depends on their length, thickness and tension. Changes in the pitch of the voice are provided by the muscular apparatus of the larynx. Consequently, the FER index reflects the functional and anatomical features of the larynx. D.K. Wilson carried out a study of POT in healthy boys and girls different ages, as a result of which normative indicators of FER were determined depending on age and gender. Later these data were refined by L. E. Glaze, D. M. Bless, R. D. Susser and Milencovic P. .

The frequency of oscillations during sound phonation and keeping it at the same height is not constant. Such inconsistency is commonly referred to as voice frequency instability (jitter). According to a number of authors, the value of this parameter in the absence of voice disorders should not exceed 1%. At high values ​​of this parameter, the voice is characterized as "trembling" or "trembling".

The value of the strength of the voice, depending on the amplitude of the vibration of the vocal cords, makes it possible to judge their condition. The amplitude of oscillations is determined by the amount of subglottic pressure in the larynx, which is the result of the work of the respiratory and laryngeal muscles. With more filling of the lungs with air and with a greater intensity of exhalation, a louder voice is obtained. Thus, the possibility of arbitrarily changing the strength of the voice reflects the ability to regulate the work of these muscle groups. V. P. Morozov noted that the strength of the child's voice is 75-85 dB. In colloquial speech, the range of strength of phonated sounds ranges from 30-40 to 70-90 dB.

During normal functioning of the larynx, when the sound is phonated at a certain volume, the amplitude of oscillations is not constant, like the frequency of oscillations of the vocal folds. Such voice instability in amplitude should not exceed 7% (L. E. Glaze, D. M. Bless et al., 1988; Horii, 1982; Orlikoff & Baken, 1990). An increase in the indicator indicates dysfunction of the larynx, while the voice is characterized as “flickering”.

The purpose of our study was to identify the qualitative originality of the acoustic characteristics of the voice in children with CP, to analyze the nature of deviations in the state of the acoustic characteristics of the voice of schoolchildren with CP in comparison with their standard sound characteristics. The study involved 31 children aged 7-10 years (14 girls and 19 boys) who did not have ENT pathology at the time of the study. All children were diagnosed with cerebral palsy of various

ny forms and degrees of severity. The control group consisted of elementary school students secondary school(14 people, 8 girls and 6 boys) aged 7-10 years also without pathology of ENT organs.

The study of the state of the voice function was carried out using the LingWaves program (Atmos, Germany) and included: a study of phonation respiration (definition of the IMF), fundamental tone frequency (FOT), voice strength, voice instability in frequency (Jitter) and amplitude (Shimmer); the frequency and dynamic range of the voice, the availability of changes in the pitch and strength of the voice, and the characteristics of the timbre.

To determine the WMF, a special option of the LingWaves program was used when analyzing the sound phonation recording [a]. The child's voice was recorded using a microphone (sensitivity 16 Hz - 16000 Hz) located at a distance of 30 cm in a room where the noise level did not exceed 40 dB. In order to objectify the data, the measurement was carried out three times with an interval of at least one minute, after which the average value was determined.

The study of the frequency range of the voice and the availability of pitch changes was carried out using next tasks. The subject was asked to repeat the glissando after the experimenter (up and down) on the sound [a]. As a result, the lowest and highest available voice frequencies were determined.

We also carried out a study of the availability of a change in the strength of the voice when counting from 1 to 10 with a gradual strengthening and weakening of the voice.

In order to study the dynamic range of the voice, the phonetography method was used. In the present study, the phonetographic study was also implemented using the LingWaves program. The research methodology involves singing the sound [a] forte and piano on each note within the range accessible to the child. To facilitate the task, some subjects were asked to sing a verse of a famous song. In real time, the program graphically displayed the voice field and automatically determined the maximum and minimum frequency and strength of the voice.

Upon completion of the study, the following acoustic parameters of the voice were available for analysis: the maximum and minimum voice frequency and the difference between them, the maximum and minimum voice power and the difference between them. We used these values ​​for

dysphonia severity index DSI (Dysphonia Severity Index). This indicator was first proposed by F. L. Wuytz. Wuytz calculated the DSI from a study of 387 patients with the goal of "translating" the vocal voice into a one-dimensional dimension. The following formula is used to determine the coefficient:

DSI = 0.13*VMF+0.0053*F0-0.26*I-1.18*Jitter+12.4

VMF - time of maximum phonation;

According to F. L. Wuytz, with a normal voice, the value of the coefficient approaches +5. With severe dysphonia, this indicator is -5 or close to this value. The author suggested using DSI to diagnose voice disorders and control the treatment of patients with dysphonia.

E. S. Almazova. In addition, a study of the balance of resonation (hyponasalization and hypernasalization) was carried out. The method proposed by Bloomer and Wolski was used to investigate the presence of hypernasalization. The subject was asked to pronounce a sentence containing no nasal sounds twice: with and without closing the nostrils. With normal palatopharyngeal function, the sound in both cases was the same. To determine the presence of hyponasalization, it was proposed to pronounce a sentence with nasal sounds. During hyponasalization, [m] sounded like [b], and [n] like [d].

The study showed that the prevalence of voice disorders among the children of the study group is extremely high. In 95% of children with cirrhosis, deviations in the state of the acoustic characteristics of the voice were revealed. The values ​​of the IMF, FER, voice power, instability in frequency and amplitude in the subjects of the experimental and control groups are shown in Table. 1.

More than 93% of the subjects showed a statistically significant decrease in HMF (p<0,01) по сравнению с нормативными показателями. Значения ВМФ у 6,25% испытуемых с ЦП соответствовали возрасту детей и составили более 9 секунд. Величина параметра у 18,75% находилась в пределах 7-9 секунд, у 43,75% - 4-6 секунд. 31,25% детей с ЦП отличали крайне низкие значения (менее 4 секунд).

Table 1

and control groups (x is the mean value of the parameter,

SD - standard deviation).

Indicators Average values ​​of indicators in groups

Children without motor pathology Children with CP

Navy, sec. 9.8 2.21 5.5 2.74

FER, Hz 231.88 33.11 267.16 48.1

Strength, dB 75 6.69 67.92 10.44

Jitter, % 1.5 1.03 3.2 4.35

Shimmer, % 7.01 3.2 11.9 2.3

When comparing the indicators of both groups of subjects, significant differences were found in the values ​​of FR (p<0,01). Для детей с ЦП характерно увеличение значений ЧОТ. У 12,5% младших школьников с ЦП значения данного параметра были близки к норме. Тоже число испытуемых отличало повышение ЧОТ на 15 Гц, для остальных школьников с ЦП было характерно увеличение значения более чем на 30 Гц.

The group of subjects with CP as a whole was characterized by insufficient voice power compared to normally developing peers. In 53% of children in the experimental group, a slight decrease in the average voice power was noted. The values ​​of this parameter were in the range of 60-70 dB. No subjects with CP with excessively loud voices were identified. The average values ​​of the voice strength of 33.7% of the subjects were less than 59 dB, the voice was characterized as fading. The values ​​of the voice power of 13.3% of children corresponded to the age norm and were within 75-85 dB.

The study of voice instability in frequency (Jitter) showed that the average values ​​of this parameter in children of the experimental group are statistically different from the values ​​of the control group (p<0,01). Значения Jitter у 26% испытуемых с ЦП было не более 1,5%, что рассматривается как норма. Величина нестабильности по частоте у 33,3% детей находилась в пределах 1,5-3,5%. Значения параметра 26,6% испытуемых были в пределах 3,5-7%. Голоса остальных детей экспериментальной группы характеризовались высокими значениями (более 7%).

The results of the study of voice instability in amplitude (Shimmer) led to the conclusion that the values ​​of this parameter in the group of children with cirrhosis also differed statistically significantly from the values ​​in the control group (p<0,05) в сторону увеличения. Значение параметра у 26% испытуемых соответствовало норме и не превышало 7%. У 60% детей величина Shimmer находилась в пределах от 7 до 14%. Значение параметра у

13.3% of the subjects were in the range of 25-30%. The rest of the subjects were distinguished by very high (more than 30%) Shimmer values.

The data obtained as a result of the study of the frequency range of the voice in younger schoolchildren with CP showed its significant narrowing compared to similar indicators in normally developing children (p<0,01). Для учащихся общеобразовательной школы, не имеющих двигательной патологии, доступный звуковысотный диапазон составил 397,7±102,4 Гц (от 261,6±25,7 Гц до 659,3±56,3 Гц). Для детей с ЦП было характерно сужение диапазона до 155,1± 52,51 Гц (от 207± 57,7 до 362,2±32,9 Гц).

The dysphonia coefficients (DSI) calculated on the basis of the obtained values ​​of acoustic parameters in the group of children with cirrhosis were statistically significantly different compared to the values ​​of this indicator in children of the control group (p<0,01). Среднее значение в группе детей с ЦП составило -5,6±3,87. В группе нормально развивающихся школьников среднее значение показателя равнялось 2,3±1,69.

Among the characteristic features of the voice timbre of children with CP, identified during the auditory analysis and the study of the balance of resonance, were hoarseness, deafness of the voice and hypernasalization. Nasal tone of voice was noted in 43% of subjects with cirrhosis. A similar characteristic of the voice was given only to 6.6% of the subjects of the control group. The timbre of the voice was characterized as hoarse and deaf in 12.5% ​​of children with cirrhosis, and in 3% of children of the second group.

Thus, when comparing the acoustic characteristics of the voice of children with cerebral palsy with similar indicators in students without motor pathology, significant differences were revealed. It can be concluded that there are a number of reasons leading to voice disorders in children with CP. So, it can be assumed that the reasons for the shortening of the IMF were the asynchrony of the activity of the respiratory and vocal apparatus, shallow and rapid breathing, spasticity or paresis of the vocal folds and respiratory muscles.

The presence of hoarseness was due to a lesion of the vagus nerve due to dysfunction of the internal muscles of the larynx, especially the cranial-thyroid, stretching the true vocal cords. Weakness and paresis or, on the contrary, spasticity of the muscles of the vocal apparatus caused a violation of the normal vibration of the vocal cords, which was expressed in a general decrease in the strength of the voice and high rates of instability of the voice in frequency and amplitude. Due to the inability to arbitrarily regulate the work of the laryngeal and respiratory muscles, the availability of voice changes in pitch and strength was sharply limited. Besides,

it can be argued that the narrowing of the frequency range of the voice, its monotony, is also a consequence of the insufficient development of pitch hearing.

The high values ​​of FER, which do not correspond to the age of the subjects, can be explained, firstly, by the spasticity of the vocal cords, and, secondly, by the lag in physical development, in particular, the anatomical features of the vocal apparatus, which are characteristic of an earlier age.

The data obtained as a result of the study allow us to state that there is a close relationship between the motor pathology of central organic genesis and the manifestation of specific voice disorders, which are expressed in a peculiar change in its acoustic characteristics.

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The human voice is made up of a set of sounds of various characteristics, formed with the participation of the vocal apparatus. The source of the voice is the larynx with vibrating vocal folds. The distance between the vocal folds is called the glottis. When inhaling, the glottis is fully opened and takes the form of a triangle with an acute angle at the thyroid cartilage (Fig. 1). In the expiratory phase, the vocal folds approach somewhat, but at the same time they do not completely close the lumen of the larynx.

At the moment of phonation, i.e. sound reproduction, the vocal folds begin to vibrate, passing portions of air from the lungs. During a normal examination, they seem to be closed, since the eye does not catch the speed of oscillatory movements (Fig. 2).

The human voice, ᴇᴦο acoustic properties, the mechanisms of ᴇᴦο generation are studied by a variety of sciences - physiology, phonetics, phoniatry, speech therapy, etc.
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Since the voice phenomenon is not only a physiological phenomenon, but also a physical one, it becomes the subject of study in such a branch of physics as acoustics, which gives clear characteristics of each reproduced sound. According to acoustics, sound is the propagation of vibrations in an elastic medium. A person both speaks and sings in the air, therefore the sound of the voice is the oscillation of air particles propagating in the form of waves of condensation and rarefaction, like waves on water, at a speed of 340 m / s at a temperature of + 18 ° C.

Among the sounds around us, tonal sounds and noises are distinguished. The former are generated by periodic oscillations of a sound source with a certain frequency. The frequency of vibrations creates in our auditory organ a sense of the pitch of the sound. Noises appear during random vibrations of various physical nature.

Both tonal and noise sounds arise in the human vocal apparatus. All vowels have a tone character, and deaf consonants have a noise character. The more often periodic oscillations are made, the higher the sound we perceive. Thus, pitch- this is the subjective perception of the frequency of oscillatory movements by the organ of hearing. The quality of the pitch depends on the frequency of oscillation of the vocal folds in 1 s. How many closings and openings the vocal folds carry out in the course of their oscillations and how many portions of the condensed subglottic air they let through, this is the frequency of the generated sound, i.e. pitch. The frequency of the fundamental tone is measured in hertz and can, in ordinary colloquial speech, range from 85 to 200 Hz for men, and from 160 to 340 Hz for women.

Changing the pitch of the main tone creates expressiveness of speech. One of the components of intonation is melody - relative changes in the pitch of the fundamental tone of sounds. Human speech is very rich in changes in melodic pattern: declarative sentences are characterized by a decrease in tone at the end; interrogative intonation is achieved by a significant increase in the basic tone on the word containing the question. The root tone always rises on a stressed syllable. The absence of a noticeable, changing melody of speech makes it inexpressive and usually indicates some kind of pathology.

To characterize a normal voice, there is such a thing as tone range- voice volume- the ability to produce sounds within certain limits from the lowest tone to the highest. This property is different for each person. The tone range of a spoken voice in women is within one octave, in men it is slightly less, i.e. the change in the main tone during a conversation, based on the ᴇᴦο emotional coloring, fluctuates within 100 Hz. The tonal range of the singing voice is much wider - the singer must have a voice of two octaves. Singers are known whose range reaches four and five octaves: they can take sounds from 43 Hz - the lowest voices - up to 2,300 Hz - high voices.

The strength of the voice, ᴇᴦο power, depends on the intensity of the amplitude of the oscillations of the vocal folds and is measured in decibels, the greater the amplitude of these oscillations, the stronger the voice. However, to a greater extent, it depends on the subglottic pressure of the air exhaled from the lungs at the time of phonation. That is why, if a person is going to shout loudly, he first takes a breath. The strength of the voice depends not only on the amount of air in the lungs, but also on the ability to expend exhaled air, maintaining a constant subglottic pressure. A typical conversational voice, according to various authors, ranges from 40 to 70 dB. The voice of the singers has 90-110 dB, and sometimes reaches 120 dB - the power of the noise of an aircraft engine. The human ear has adaptive capabilities. We can hear quiet sounds against a background of strong noise, or, finding ourselves in a noisy room, at first we don’t distinguish anything, then we get used to it and begin to hear conversational speech. However, even with the adaptive capabilities of human hearing, strong sounds are not indifferent to the body: at 130 dB, a pain threshold sets in, 150 dB - intolerance, and a sound strength of 180 dB is fatal for a person.

Of particular importance in characterizing the strength of the voice is dynamic range- the maximum difference between the quietest sound (piano) and the loudest (forte). A large dynamic range (up to 30 dB) is a necessary condition for professional singers, but it is important in the spoken voice and for teachers, as it gives speech more expressiveness.

If the coordination relationship between the tension of the vocal folds and air pressure is violated, there is a loss of voice power and a change in ᴇᴦο timbre.

Sound timbre is a significant characteristic of the voice. By this ᴇᴦο quality we recognize familiar people, famous singers, without yet seeing them with our own eyes. In human speech, all sounds are complex. Timbre reflects their acoustic composition, i.e. structure. It is important to note that each sound of the voice consists of a fundamental tone, which determines the pitch, and numerous additional or overtones of a higher frequency than the fundamental tone. The frequency of the overtones is two, three, four, and so on times greater than the frequency of the fundamental. The appearance of overtones is due to the fact that the vocal folds vibrate not only along their length, reproducing the main tone, but also in their separate parts. It is these partial vibrations that create overtones that are several times higher than the fundamental tone. Any sound can be analyzed on a special device, divided into separate component overtones. It is important to note that each vowel in its overtone composition contains areas of enhanced frequencies that characterize only that sound. These areas are called vowel formants. There are several in sound. For ᴇᴦο distinction, the first two formants suffice. The first formant - the frequency range of 150-850 Hz - during articulation is provided by the degree of elevation of the tongue. The second formant - the range of 500-2500 Hz - depends on the vowel series. The sounds of ordinary colloquial speech are located in the sphere of 300-400 Hz. From the frequency areas in which overtones arise, such voice qualities as ᴇᴦο sonority, flight quality depend.

The study of the timbre of the voice is carried out both in our country (V. S. Kazansky, 1928; S. N. Rzhevkin, 1956; E. A. Rudakov, 1864; M. P. Morozov, 1967), and abroad (V. Bartholomew, 1934; R. Husson, 1962; G. Fant, 1964). The timbre is formed due to the resonance that occurs in the cavities of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi. Resonance is a sharp increase in the amplitude of forced oscillations that occur when the oscillation frequency of the external influence coincides with the natural oscillation frequency of the system. During phonation, resonance enhances the individual overtones of the sound formed in the larynx, and causes the coincidence of air vibrations in the cavities of the chest and the extension tube.

The interconnected system of resonators not only amplifies the overtones, but also influences the very nature of the vibrations of the vocal folds, activating them, which in turn causes even greater resonance. There are two main resonators - head and chest. Under the head (or upper) understand the cavities located in the front of the head above the palatine vault - the nasal cavity and its paranasal sinuses. When using the upper resonators, the voice acquires a bright flight character, while speaking or singing ᴇᴦο there is a feeling that the sound passes through the facial parts of the skull. Research by R. Yussen (1950) proved that vibrational phenomena in the head resonator excite the facial and trigeminal nerves, which are associated with the innervation of the vocal folds and stimulate the voice function.

During chest resonance, the chest vibrates, here the trachea and large bronchi serve as resonators. At the same time, the timbre of the voice is ʼʼsoftʼʼ. A good, full-fledged voice simultaneously voices the head and chest resonators and accumulates sound energy. The oscillating vocal folds and the system of resonators increase the efficiency of the vocal apparatus.

The optimal conditions for the functioning of the vocal apparatus appear when a certain resistance is created in the supraglottic cavities (extra-glottic tube) to portions of the subglottic air passing through the oscillating vocal folds at the time of phonation. This resistance is called return impedance.
Concept and types, 2018.
When the sound ʼʼ is formed in the area from the glottis to the oral opening, the return impedance manifests its protective function, creating preconditions for the most favorable, rapidly increasing impedance ʼʼ in the reflex adaptive mechanism. The return impedance precedes the phonation by thousandths of a second, creating the most favorable sparing conditions for it. At the same time, the vocal folds work with low energy consumption and good acoustic effect.
Concept and types, 2018.
The phenomenon of return impedance is one of the most important protective acoustic mechanisms in the operation of the vocal apparatus.

1) first there is a slight exhalation, then the vocal folds close and begin to fluctuate - the voice sounds as if after a slight noise. This method is considered an aspiratory attack;

The most common and physiologically justified soft attack. Abuse of solid or aspirated ways of giving voice can lead to significant changes in the vocal apparatus and loss of the necessary sound qualities. It has been proven that prolonged use of an aspiratory attack leads to a decrease in the tone of the internal muscles of the larynx, and a constant hard vocal attack can provoke organic changes in the vocal folds - the occurrence of contact ulcers, granulomas, nodules. However, the use of aspirated and hard sound attacks is still possible based on the tasks and emotional state of a person, and sometimes for the purpose of setting the voice in any one, specific period of training.

The considered acoustic properties are inherent in a normal, healthy voice. As a result of voice practice, all people form a fairly clear idea of ​​the voice norm of children and adults based on gender and age. In speech therapy, ʼʼ under the norm of speech is understood as generally accepted options for using the language in the process of speech activityʼʼ. This fully applies to the definition of the norm of voice. A healthy voice should be loud enough, the pitch of the ᴇᴦο of the main tone should correspond to the age and gender of the person, the ratio of speech and nasal resonance should be adequate to the phonetic patterns of the given language.

Voice source, produced by the vibrations of the vocal folds, is an almost periodic sequence of sound waves, where each previous wave almost repeats the next. Due to its periodicity, the voice signal consists of overtones: sinusoids that form the base frequency of the voice.

Thus, sound signal can be represented (change in air flow) either as an air flow with certain temporal characteristics (top), or as a series of sinusoids with different amplitudes and the same frequency (bottom). Thus, the source of the sound signal can be represented not as a series of air "shocks", but rather as a bunch of certain frequencies entering the overlying parts of the respiratory tract through the glottis.

A fairly accurate analogy is trumpeter or another wind instrument player who, by moving the lips on the trumpet mouthpiece, delivers a series of air pulses into it. These pulses, being periodic, also lead to the formation of a series of harmonic frequencies at the proximal end of the tube.

vocal tract, like a musical instrument, has certain acoustic properties that depend on its length and shape. Some harmonic vibrations undergo certain changes when passing through it, while others remain unchanged. Simplifying, we can say that the vocal tract acts as an acoustic filter. The filter characteristics can be represented as "audiograms", as shown in the figure below, representing the modifying effect of the vocal tract as a function of the harmonic frequency.

This figure reflects the "modulation-transfer" vocal tract function. When the spectrum resulting from the change in airflow enters the vocal tract filter, the vocal tract transfer function determines the amount of transmission up to the distal vocal tract (lips). The end result is shown in the figure below in the lower right corner. The output spectrum now has peaks that have not been modified in any way, and plateaus that have been the most modified. Above is the original sound wave that reaches the ears of the listener and is perceived by him as the voice of the speaker.

A) Voice registers. The phonation model described above is suitable for use in most cases of normal calm speech. At the same time, certain movements of the vocal folds can be used to produce certain vocal registers. The vocal register can be defined as a certain reproducible laryngeal pattern that can be used at certain frequencies to produce a voice with the desired qualities. Frequencies of different registers usually almost do not intersect. Musicians prefer to use a more complex but less precise register definition that is based solely on the perceived qualities of the voice.

Between different music schools there has long been a debate about how many registers actually exist and how to call them correctly. For the physiologist, there are three vocal registers, which are defined in accordance with certain movements of the edges of the vocal folds, visualized during endoscopic examination of the larynx. They are shown in the figure below.

tone register, occurs most often, is used for everyday speech. The vocal folds are moderately tense, their edges are somewhat rounded. The phase of the open glottis slightly exceeds the phase of the closed one. The air flow pressure is moderate, voice F 0 is in the region of average values ​​(about 120 Hz for men and 210 Hz for women).

Falsetto, an old musical term, is still widely used for a voice with a maximum frequency of F 0 . A more modern term is "upper case". Very strongly stretched vocal folds oscillate under the action of a high-pressure air wave, the edges of the vocal folds are like a knife edge. In men, F 0 in this register is 275 Hz and above, in women it is about 500 Hz. The oscillations of the vocal folds are a sinusoid; the complete closure of the glottis most often does not occur.

Pulse register, formerly known by the old name "strobas" (a type of phonation in which the vocal cords vibrate, but are practically not tense. It is the lowest vocal register). F 0 is about 30 Hz. Sound impulses are isolated from each other. The vocal cords are relaxed, atonic, their edges are blunted. The air pressure level is low. Relatively short periods of opening of the glottis are replaced by long periods of closure.

Vocal fold vibrations are periodic only at some moments of phonation. Often the phonation has a "dicrotic" character, when a short, quick opening of the glottis is followed by a longer and wider one. Despite the fact that strobas is perceived as a rough voice, it is not a sign of a disease of the larynx. Also, its use does not harm the larynx of anyone (although in clinical practice there is often the opposite opinion).

b) Key points:
Both the "source" and the "filter" take part in the formation of the human.
During phonation, inspiration takes up only 10% of the respiratory cycle. With calm breathing, it takes about 40%.
When talking, the pressure in the trachea can exceed the resting pressure by 10 times or more.
According to the myoelastic-aerodynamic theory of phonation, vibrations of the vocal folds, the biomechanical properties of which change under the action of the internal muscles of the larynx, form the basic harmonic frequency of phonation, which is further modified by the structures of the vocal tract.

The human voice is made up of a set of sounds of various characteristics, which are formed with the participation of the vocal apparatus. The source of the voice is the larynx with vibrating vocal cords. The larynx is a tube that connects the windpipe (trachea) and the pharynx. The walls of the larynx consist of cartilages: cricoid, thyroid, supraesophageal and 2 arytenoids. The muscles of the larynx are divided into external and internal, the external muscles connect the larynx to other parts of the body, raise and lower it. The internal muscles, during their contraction, set in motion certain cartilages of the larynx, as well as the vocal cords, which expands or narrows the glottis. In the upper part of the larynx there are false vocal cords, in which the muscle fibers are poorly developed (in some cases, when the voice disorders are eliminated, a false ligamentous or false folded voice is formed in patients). Below the false ones are the true vocal cords, which protrude in the form of folds and mainly consist of muscle fibers, the distance between the vocal cords is called the glottis.

When inhaling, the glottis is fully opened and takes the form of a triangle with the apex at the thyroid cartilage. In the expiratory phase, the vocal folds approach somewhat, but do not close the lumen of the larynx. During phonation, that is, in the process of voice formation, the vocal folds begin to fluctuate, passing portions of air from the lungs. During normal examination, they seem to be closed, since the eye does not catch the speed of oscillatory movements. In a whisper, the vocal folds are open in the shape of a triangle. The vocal folds do not oscillate, and the air leaving the lungs meets the resistance of the organs of articulation in the form of cracks and bows, which creates a specific noise. The larynx is innervated by the sympathetic nerve and the 2nd branches of the vagus nerve - the superior and inferior laryngeal nerves.

The concept of sound is considered in line with various sciences. Among the sounds around us, tone sounds and noises are distinguished. Tone sounds are generated by periodic oscillations of a sound source with a certain frequency, noises appear during random oscillations of various physical nature. Both tone sounds and noises (vowel sounds and deaf consonants) are formed in the human vocal apparatus.

1) Pitch- this is the subjective perception of the hearing organs of the frequency of oscillatory movements. In colloquial speech in men, the frequency of the fundamental tone of the voice varies from 85 to 200 Hz, and in women from 160 to 340 Hz. Pitch modulation provides expressiveness of oral speech (7 types of intonation structures in Russian). Allocate the concept of a tonal range, that is, the ability to produce sounds within certain limits, from the lowest tone to the highest. These possibilities are individual for each person. The singing voice has a large range. Mandatory is the possession of a voice in the 2nd octave for vocalists. However, there are cases of having a voice in 4-5 octaves (sounds in the range of 43 - 2300 Hz).

2) The power of the voice- is perceived objectively as the loudness of the sound and depends on the amplitude of the vibrations of the vocal cords, on the degree of subglottic pressure of the air stream. In colloquial speech, the intensity of the voice ranges from 40 to 70 dB, the voice of singers has 90 - 110 dB, and in some cases it can reach 120 dB (the noise level of an aircraft engine).

Human hearing has adaptive capabilities, thanks to which you can listen to quiet sounds against loud ones, or gradually get used to the noise and begin to distinguish sounds. However, even with this, loud sounds are not indifferent to human hearing - at 130 dB, a pain threshold sets in, 150 dB - intolerance, and 180 dB is fatal to humans.

Allocate the concept of the dynamic range of the voice, that is, the maximum difference between the quietest and loudest sound.

A wide range is important for singers (up to 30 dB), as well as for voice-speech professions.

3) Voice timbre, that is, its individual painting. The timbre consists of the main tone of the voice and overtones, that is, overtones that have a greater height. The appearance of these overtones is due to the fact that the vocal folds fluctuate not only along their length, reproducing the main tone, but also in their separate parts. These partial vibrations create overtones that are several times higher than the fundamental tone.

The head resonator, which includes the cavities of the facial part above the palatine vault (the nasal cavity and its paranasal sinuses). The head resonator provides sonority, flying sound of the voice.

The chest resonator includes the chest, trachea and large bronchi, provides power and softness of the voice.