Spectrographic analysis of the effect of vocal warm-up on the voice of choir girls

Purpose To analyse the immediate effect of a vocal warm-up program on children that sang in a choir by means of spectrographic analysis. Methods Experimental study consisting of 14 girls from an amateur children’s choir, aged 9 to 12 years. Acoustic spectrographic analyses were performed before and after a specific vocal warm-up program, consisting of a hierarchical sequence of body exercises, respiratory and articulation training, vocal exercises, ascending and descending musical scales and facilitating sounds. The speech material for spectrographic analysis was the sustained /Ɛ:/ vowel, pre and post warm-up program. The selected acoustic parameters were instability of trace, noise at low and high frequencies, frequency bifurcation, harmonics series, presence of a hard vocal attack, pitch and voice breaks, and mean fundamental frequency. Results No significant differences were found regarding the effect of the vocal warm-up when pre and post data were compared. However, there was a negative correlation between the level of harmonics and noise in the high frequencies post warm-up. Conclusion The vocal warm-up program implemented for children that sang in choirs produced a richer acoustic spectrum that may indicate enhanced glottic closure or vocal tract adjustment.

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Multidimensional acoustic analysis of pathological voice

Srpski arhiv za celokupno lekarstvo ◽

10.2298/sarh0906234p ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 137 (5-6) ◽

pp. 234-238

Author(s):

Mirjana Petrovic-Lazic ◽

Snezana Babac ◽

Zoran Ivankovic ◽

Rade Kosanovic

Keyword(s):

Vocal Fold ◽

Acoustic Analysis ◽

Control Group ◽

Acoustic Parameters ◽

Vocal Rehabilitation ◽

Voice Treatment ◽

Before And After ◽

The Voice ◽

Vocal Fold Nodules ◽

Pathological Voice

Introduction. There are subjective and objective ways to examine the effects of vocal therapy in voice disorders. The most precise and objective check-up is the use of computer voice analysis. Objective. The aim of the research was to perform a detailed analysis of acoustic structure of the vowel A before and after voice treatment in patients with vocal fold nodules in order to obtain objective verification of the vocal rehabilitation success. Methods. We examined 30 female patients, aged 34.6?6.69 years, with vocal fold nodules. Acoustic parameters of voice were compared with the control group consisting of 21 subjects without voice pathology. In all persons the vowel A was recorded and analyzed before and after a month of vocal therapy. The success of the vocal therapy was tracked using computer analysis of vocal structure. Signal, noise and tremor parameters were processed. Results. Of the analyzed vowel A parameters: STD, PER, JITA, JITT, RAP, vFO, ShdB, SHIM, APQ, VTI, SPI, F0, NHR, FTRI, eleven improved (p<0.05 and p<0.01). Three parameters (F0, NHR, FTRI) changed showing improvement, but the obtained differences were not statistically significant (p>0.05). Conclusion. Based on the obtained results it was concluded that vocal therapy gave satisfactory results, but that it should be continually applied until full stabilization of the voice.

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Dynamics of acoustic voice parameters in patients after antireflux surgery

Russian otorhinolaryngology ◽

10.18692/1810-4800-2020-4-34-38 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 19 (4) ◽

pp. 34-38

Author(s):

G. A. Dudaity ◽

◽

L. V. Georgieva ◽

Keyword(s):

Antireflux Surgery ◽

Respiratory Diseases ◽

Ph Monitoring ◽

Control Group ◽

Acoustic Parameters ◽

Voice Analysis ◽

Before And After ◽

Upper Respiratory ◽

The Voice ◽

Late Postoperative Period

The article is devoted to the influence of pharyngolaryngeal reflux on the voice acoustic parameters in patients before and after the antireflux surgery (fundoplication). The study involved 12 patients aged 33 to 64 years with a confirmed impedance–pH monitoring diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease. The control group included 10 patients aged 18 to 33 years. These subjects did not have any upper respiratory diseases (including pharyngolaryngeal reflux) and gastrointestinal tract diseases. Computer voice analysis was used to objectively evaluate the voice acoustic parameters. In patients before fundoplication, a statistically significant increase in Jitter and Shimmer parameters was observed in 100% of cases compared with the control group (p ≤ 0,05). In the late postoperative period, 6 months after surgery, the analysis of acoustic parameters of voice in the study group revealed: Jitter and Shimmer indicators in 100% of cases significantly decreased compared to the preoperative values (p ≤ 0,05), which indicates an improvement in voice function. Jitter and Shimmer were the most diagnostically significant parameters.

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Impact of speech therapy on the improvement of voice quality in patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis

Polski Przegląd Otorynolaryngologiczny ◽

10.5604/01.3001.0012.7783 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 7 (4) ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Anna Kuligowska ◽

Barbara Jamróz ◽

Joanna Chmielewska ◽

Katarzyna Jędra ◽

Tomasz Czernicki ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vocal Fold ◽

Speech Therapy ◽

Acoustic Analysis ◽

Vocal Tract ◽

Voice Quality ◽

Maximum Phonation Time ◽

Before And After ◽

Vocal Fold Palsy ◽

The Voice

Aim of study: Evaluation of the speech therapy on voice quality in patients with unilateral vocal fold palsy. Material and methods: The study group included 11 patients, 8 women and 3 men, in age between 16 to 72 years, with unilateral vocal fold palsy, diagnosed in ENT Department of Warsaw Medical University between 2017-2018. Each person completed questionnaires: the voice disability self-assessment scale (VHI), the voice-based quality of life (VRQoL) scale, the vocal tract discomfort scale (VTD). All questionnaires were completed twice, before and after the voice therapy. In addition, the acoustic analysis of the voice, the assessment of the maximum phonation time and the breathing tract were performed twice in each patient. Each of the patients had a voice rehabilitation consisting of a series of 10 meetings. Results: Statistical analysis of the results of maximum phonation time, the self-assessment of voice disability, the quality of life depending on the voice, discomfort of the vocal tract voice acoustic analysis showed statistically significant differences in the results before and after rehabilitation (p <0.005). In addition, the improvement of the respiratory tract was observed in the majority of patients. Conclusions: Speech therapy significantly affects the voice quality of patients with unilateral laryngeal nerve palsy.

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The Effect of Traditional Singing Warm-Up Versus Semioccluded Vocal Tract Exercises on the Acoustic Parameters of Singing Voice

Journal of Voice ◽

10.1016/j.jvoice.2014.12.009 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 29 (6) ◽

pp. 727-732 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Emily Duke ◽

Laura W. Plexico ◽

Mary J. Sandage ◽

Matthew Hoch

Keyword(s):

Vocal Tract ◽

Singing Voice ◽

Acoustic Parameters ◽

Warm Up

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Acoustic Analysis Before and After Voice Therapy for Laryngeal Pathology

Kathmandu University Medical Journal ◽

10.3126/kumj.v13i4.16831 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 323-327 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

S.S. Chhetri ◽

R. Gautam

Keyword(s):

Acoustic Analysis ◽

Alternative Therapy ◽

Vocal Folds ◽

Objective Evaluation ◽

Voice Therapy ◽

Good Effect ◽

Acoustic Parameters ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Before And After ◽

The Voice

Background Voice problems caused by pathologies in vocal folds are well known. Some types of laryngeal pathologies have certain acoustic characteristics. Objective evaluation helps characterize the voice and voice problems providing supporting evidences, severity of disorders. It helps assess the response to the treatment and measures the outcomes.Objective The objective of the study is to determine the effectiveness of the voice therapy and quantify the results objectively by voice parameters.Method Study includes 61 patients who presented with different types of laryngeal pathologies. Acoustic analyses and voice assessment was done with Dr. Speech ver 4 (Tiger DRS Inc.). Acoustic parameters including fundamental frequency, jitters, shimmers, Harmonic to noise ratio (HNR), Normalized noise energy (NNE) were analyzed before and after voice therapy.Result Bilateral vocal nodules were the most common pathologies comprising 44.26%. All acoustic parameters showed a significant difference after the therapy (p<0.05) except for NNE. Dysphonia due to vocal fold polyp showed no improvement even after voice therapy (p>0.05).Conclusion Acoustic analysis provides an objective, recordable data regarding the voice parameters and its pathologies. Though, few pathology require alternative therapy rather than voice therapy, overall it has a good effect on glottic closure. As the voice therapy can improve the different indices of voice, it can be viewed as imperative part of treatment and to monitor progression.

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Efectos de la terapia de Tracto Vocal Semi-Ocluido sobre los parámetros acústicos de la voz en docentes-Effects of the semi-occluded vocal tract therapy on acoustic parameters of the voice teachers

Apuntes Universitarios ◽

10.17162/au.v6i2.210 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Karina Vásquez Burgos ◽

María Pilar Retamal Sandoval ◽

Yessenia Zapata Urrutia

Keyword(s):

Vocal Tract ◽

Acoustic Parameters ◽

Voice Teachers ◽

The Voice

El objetivo de esta investigación es analizar el efecto de la terapia de Tracto Vocal semi-ocluido, sobre los parámetros acústicos de la voz en docentes de educación básica de la comuna de Chillán. La presente investigación se sitúa en la población de docentes, principal grupo de profesionales que requieren usar su voz por períodos prolongados; por lo que están más expuestos a padecer desórdenes vocales. Esta investigación propone la terapia de Tracto Vocal semi-ocluido, ya que según autores como Guzmán, Titze, Belhau entre otros, ofrece resultados inmediatos manteniendo los parámetros acústicos tono e intensidad, permitiendo que se mantenga la calidad de la voz, evitando así padecer disfonías. Es entonces, la fonoaudiología la encargada de aplicar ejercicios de calentamiento y enfriamiento vocal, con el fin de evitar efectos negativos en los parámetros acústicos tono e intensidad. Metodológicamente, la investigación se orienta al paradigma cuantitativo, de tipo descriptiva y comparativa. En relación al diseño es de tipo cuasiexperimental y longitudinal. Para este efecto se midieron los parámetros acústicos de la voz utilizando el programa de análisis acústico de la voz Praat, en un grupo experimental y control. Respecto a los resultados obtenidos se evidenciaron efectos positivos sobre los parámetros acústicos de la voz, probando así la efectividad de la terapia de tracto vocal semi-ocluido.

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Efectos de la terapia de Tracto Vocal Semi-Ocluido sobre los parámetros acústicos de la voz en docentes-Effects of the semi-occluded vocal tract therapy on acoustic parameters of the voice teachers

Apuntes Universitarios ◽

10.17162/au.v6i2.133 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Karina Vásquez Burgos ◽

María Pilar Retamal Sandoval ◽

Yessenia Zapata Urrutia

Keyword(s):

Vocal Tract ◽

Acoustic Parameters ◽

Voice Teachers ◽

The Voice

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Voice analysis before and after vocal rehabilitation in patients following open surgery on vocal cords

Vojnosanitetski pregled ◽

10.2298/vsp141218144b ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 73 (2) ◽

pp. 165-168

Author(s):

Mila Bunijevac ◽

Mirjana Petrovic-Lazic ◽

Nadica Jovanovic-Simic ◽

Mile Vukovic

Keyword(s):

Open Surgery ◽

Life Quality ◽

Control Group ◽

Outpatient Basis ◽

Acoustic Parameters ◽

Voice Analysis ◽

Vocal Cords ◽

Vocal Rehabilitation ◽

Before And After ◽

The Voice

Background/Aim. The major role of larynx in speech, respiration and swallowing makes carcinomas of this region and their treatment very influential for patients? life quality. The aim of this study was to assess the importance of voice therapy in patients after open surgery on vocal cords. Methods. This study included 21 male patients and the control group of 19 subjects. The vowel (A) was recorded and analyzed for each examinee. All the patients were recorded twice: firstly, when they contacted the clinic and secondly, after a three-month vocal therapy, which was held twice per week on an outpatient basis. The voice analysis was carried out in the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Clinic, Clinical Hospital Center ?Zvezdara? in Belgrade. Results. The values of the acoustic parameters in the patients submitted to open surgery on the vocal cords before vocal rehabilitation and the control group subjects were significantly different in all specified parameters. These results suggest that the voice of the patients was damaged before vocal rehabilitation. The results of the acoustic parameters of the vowel (A) before and after vocal rehabilitation of the patients with open surgery on vocal cords were statistically significantly different. Among the parameters - Jitter (%), Shimmer (%) - the observed difference was highly statistically significant (p < 0.01). The voice turbulence index and the noise/harmonic ratio were also notably improved, and the observed difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The analysis of the tremor intensity index showed no significant improvement and the observed difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05 ). Conclusion. There was a significant improvement of the acoustic parameters of the vowel (A) in the study subjects three months following vocal therapy. Only one out of five representative parameters showed no significant improvement.

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Acoustic analysis of voice in post-tonsillectomy patients

Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science ◽

10.3329/bjms.v17i3.36992 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 17 (3) ◽

pp. 382-387 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Lee Kai Lea ◽

Nik Fariza Husna Nik Hassan ◽

Irfan Mohamad

Keyword(s):

Acoustic Analysis ◽

Vocal Tract ◽

Medical Science ◽

Acoustic Parameters ◽

Formant Frequency ◽

Care Givers ◽

Voice Changes ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Before And After ◽

Age Range

Introduction: Tonsillectomy is a common surgical procedure performed in otolaryngology setting worldwide. It is a procedure to remove the palatine tonsils, which are one of the major structures in the oropharynx which constitute part of the vocal tract. The study aimed to determine acoustic changes in post-tonsillectomy patients.Methodology: Voice sampling was collected using Praat software before and after operation, which was one day before operation and within 2-3 weeks after the operation respectively. Acoustic parameters including fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, harmonic to noise ratio and first formant frequency were analyzed by using paired t-test.Results: A total of 27 participants that underwent tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy were involved in this study. The age range of participants was 3-56 years old. The mean age of study was 18.57. There was no significant difference for all the acoustic parameters between pretonsillectomy and post tonsillectomy. However, there were noticeable voice changes through auditory as perceived by participants or caregiver.Conclusion: Although patient and care givers do notice a significant voice changes, but objectively this finding is not reveals during objective voice assessment.Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.17(3) 2018 p.382-387

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Vocal warm-up and breathing training for teachers: randomized clinical trial

Revista de Saúde Pública ◽

10.1590/s0034-8910.2015049005716 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 49 (0) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Lílian Paternostro de Pina Pereira ◽

Maria Lúcia Vaz Masson ◽

Fernando Martins Carvalho

Keyword(s):

Clinical Trial ◽

Speech Therapy ◽

Voice Quality ◽

Voice Handicap Index ◽

Upper Respiratory Tract ◽

Warm Up ◽

Breathing Training ◽

Before And After ◽

Tract Infections ◽

The Voice

OBJECTIVE To compare the effectiveness of two speech therapy interventions, vocal warm-up and breathing training, focusing on teachers’ voice quality.METHODS A single-blind, randomized, parallel clinical trial was conducted. The research included 31 20 to 60-year old teachers from a public school in Salvador, BA, Northeasatern Brazil, with minimum workloads of 20 hours a week, who have or have not reported having vocal alterations. The exclusion criteria were the following: being a smoker, excessive alcohol consumption, receiving additional speech therapy assistance while taking part in the study, being affected by upper respiratory tract infections, professional use of the voice in another activity, neurological disorders, and history of cardiopulmonary pathologies. The subjects were distributed through simple randomization in groups vocal warm-up (n = 14) and breathing training (n = 17). The teachers’ voice quality was subjectively evaluated through the Voice Handicap Index (Índice de Desvantagem Vocal, in the Brazilian version) and computerized voice analysis (average fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, noise, and glottal-to-noise excitation ratio) by speech therapists.RESULTS Before the interventions, the groups were similar regarding sociodemographic characteristics, teaching activities, and vocal quality. The variations before and after the intervention in self-assessment and acoustic voice indicators have not significantly differed between the groups. In the comparison between groups before and after the six-week interventions, significant reductions in the Voice Handicap Index of subjects in both groups were observed, as wells as reduced average fundamental frequencies in the vocal warm-up group and increased shimmer in the breathing training group. Subjects from the vocal warm-up group reported speaking more easily and having their voices more improved in a general way as compared to the breathing training group.CONCLUSIONS Both interventions were similar regarding their effects on the teachers’ voice quality. However, each contribution has individually contributed to improve the teachers’ voice quality, especially the vocal warm-up.TRIAL RECORD NCT02102399, “Vocal Warm-up and Respiratory Muscle Training in Teachers”.

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