Priorities in Voice Training: Carrying Power or Tone Quality

Abstract

The voices of 42 students studying classical opera singing at the Estonian Academy of Music were investigated to find any objectively definable qualities possibly correlating with the length of training. Each student's singing of a four-bar sevenword initial phrase from a well-known Estonian classical solo was recorded. The recordings were digitalized and subjected to acoustic analysis yielding the longterm average spectrum (LTAS) for each voice studied. It turned out that the longer a singing student had been trained professionally, the higher was the level of the so-called singer's formant in her/his LTAS. Subsequently the voice quality in each recording was evaluated by four experts using a five-point scale, five points marking the best quality and one point the poorest. It turned out that the average ratings did not show any positive correlation with the length of training, rather, a slightly negative trend (not statistically significant) could be observed. The results seem to support the critical remarks made by some Estonian specialists about domestic teaching of vocal music being perhaps inadequate in some respects (Pappel, 1990). The teaching process seemsto be focused on the development of those qualities that enable the singer to be audible in large halls and with a symphony orchestra, while the timbral qualities recede into the background.

Becoming and Being an Opera Singer: Health, Personality, and Skills

“…The use of amplification systems is rarely accepted in the opera world. One major aim of singing training is to enable the singer to develop stamina (singing for hours without harming the voice), to enable flexibility in order express the character of the music and drama, and to be audible under these particular taxing conditions (Vurma & Ross, 2000). In addition, timbre needs to be developed.…”

Acoustic and Perceptual Appraisal of Vocal Gestures in the Female Classical Voice

“…LTAS of the highest-ranking singers showed an increase in energy between 2 and 4 kHz, whereas LTAS of mid-and low-scoring singers lacked the unified peak of energy increase above 2 kHz. Previous similar findings 9,13,14,18,41 have interpreted these visual cues in LTAS as representative of classical vocal quality. However, as the third ranking singers 1 and 3 in both the Mozart and the Schubert O…”

“…In singing literature, particular LTAS models or exemplars are associated with particular vocal qualities; high-range energy within the LTAS identifies voices that produce a "ringing quality" 2,3 or carrying power or amplification over an orchestra, 9,13,14 which is considered essential to operatic voices. In Barnes et al,20 the LTAS provides information about the formant structure.…”

“…1, 2006 expert listeners. 2,3,9 The voice can be represented acoustically in many ways. In current singing research, long-term average spectra (LTAS) are widely applied to represent timbre and vocal features, both in speech and in singing.…”

The effects of open throat technique on long term average spectra (LTAS) of female classical voices

“…Vocal projection has also been conceptualized in this way. Vocal projection and the ability to be audible above an orchestra are vital to the classical singing voice (17,18). Classical and operatic singers demonstrate a characteristic spectral energy above 2 kHz, to enable amplification over an orchestra, which does not show amplification in this frequency band (12,16,19).…”