scholarly journals Comparative perceptual evaluation and acoustic voice analysis of a transgender client male to female before and after laser-assisted voice adjustment surgery

2021 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-55
Author(s):  
Gordana Varošanec-Škarić ◽  
Siniša Stevanović ◽  
Iva Bašić
Keyword(s):  
Voice Quality ◽  
Spontaneous Speech ◽  
Female Voice ◽  
Normal Female ◽  
Male Voice ◽  
Perceptual Evaluation ◽  
Average Spectrum ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Voice ◽  
Male To Female

In this study, we examined changes in the voice quality of a transgender client who had previously undergone male-to-female (MtF) transition. We conducted a longitudinal phonetic analysis after obtaining recordings from our client before and after undergoing laser-assisted voice adjustment (LAVA) surgery. The following acoustic parameters were compared: fundamental frequency (F0) measures, local jitter, shimmer, harmonic to noise ratio, phonation time, and long-term average spectrum. We assumed that the voice would not change significantly as a result of previous hormonal and vocal therapy, and that its timbre would be closer to female values after LAVA surgery. Since the client was on hormone therapy before the surgery, the average values of F0 corresponded to the values of a normal female voice (190.1 Hz), and, after surgery, the voice became significantly higher in phonation (235.6 Hz). Before surgery, the voice was high for a male voice during reading (mean F0 = 150.19 Hz for non-fricative text (NT) and mean F0 = 158.06 Hz for fricative text (FT)). After surgery, the voice exhibited higher F0 values (F0 = 184.72 Hz for NT and F0 = 191.87 Hz for FT). Before surgery, the voice was average high for a male voice during spontaneous speech (F0 = 119.90 Hz), while after surgery the F0 was 161.33 Hz during spontaneous speech, which is somewhat lower than the average pitch values of the female voice, but its timbral quality is more feminine. Since spontaneous speech is very important for comparison vocal timbre, we can conclude that the 42 Hz difference observed is notable. Although the minimal and maximal values of F0 based on phonation were significantly higher after surgery (p < 0.001), the range was limited. The total results of the F0 measures are higher than expected, while the shortened phonation time points to the need for voice therapy. Considering all our results, we can conclude that it is important to discuss a client’s profession before considering LAVA surgery.

scholarly journals The Effect of Voice Therapy for the Treatment of Functional Aphonia: A Preliminary Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 75-80
Author(s):  
No Eul Kim ◽  
Jun Seok Kim ◽  
Jae Hwan Oh ◽  
Dong Young Kim ◽  
Joo Hyun Woo
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Therapy ◽  
Voice Quality ◽  
Retrospective Chart Review ◽  
Clinical Information ◽  
Voice Therapy ◽  
Maximum Phonation Time ◽  
Perceptual Evaluation ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Cepstral Peak Prominence ◽  
The Voice

Background and Objectives Functional aphonia refers to in which by presenting whispering voice and almost producing very high-pitched tensed voices are produced. Voice therapy is the most effective treatment, but there is a lack of consensus for application of voice therapy. The purpose of this study was to examine the vocal characteristics of functional aphonia and the effect of voice therapy applied accordingly.Materials and Method From October 2019 to December 2020, 11 patients with functional aphonia were treated using voice therapy which was processing three stages such as vocal hygiene, trial therapy, and behavioral therapy. Of these, 7 patients who completed the voice evaluation before and after voice therapy was enrolled in this study. By retrospective chart review, clinical information such as sex, age, symptoms, duration, social and medical history, process of voice therapy, subjective and objective findings were analyzed. Voice parameters before and after voice therapy were compared.Results In GRBAS study, grade, rough, and asthenic, and in Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice, overall severity, roughness, pitch, and loudness were significantly improved after voice therapy. In Voice handicap index, all of the scores of total and sub-categories were significantly decreased. In objective voice analysis, jitter, cepstral peak prominence, and maximum phonation time were significantly improved.Conclusion The voice therapy was effective for the treatment of functional aphonia by restoring patient’s vocalization and improving voice quality, pitch and loudness.

scholarly journals The voice quality of sports coaches

Logopedija ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anđela Bučević ◽  
Ana Bonetti ◽  
Luka Bonetti
Keyword(s):  
Voice Quality ◽  
Training Session ◽  
Acoustic Method ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Sports Coaches ◽  
The Voice ◽  
Female Coaches

The aim of this research paper was to examine the voice quality of sports coaches using the objective (acoustic) method. A total of 28 sports coaches (mean age 28.58, SD=5.08), from the City of Zagreb participated in this research. Recordings of the phonation of the vowel /a/ before and after one training session were obtained and analyzed using the PRAAT Program. Mean, minimal and maximal values of fundamental frequency, shimmer, jitter and harmonics-to-noise ratio were observed. The statistical analyses showed no statistically significant difference in acoustic voice quality of male and female coaches before and after the training session, or between male and female coaches. However, intra-individual differences among participants were observed, which may be significant in terms of their potential to affect the quality of their voices in the future.

scholarly journals Voice re-education and its evaluation through digital signal processing: A case study

Loquens ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 040
Author(s):  
Zulema Santana-López ◽  
Óscar Domínguez-Jaén ◽  
Jesús B. Alonso ◽  
María Del Carmen Mato-Carrodeguas
Keyword(s):  
Voice Quality ◽  
Quality Measurement ◽  
Digital Signal ◽  
Communication Process ◽  
Time Frequency ◽  
Voice Signal ◽  
Functional Dysphonia ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Voice Pathologies ◽  
The Voice

Voice pathologies, caused either by functional dysphonia or organic lesions, or even by just an inappropriate emission of the voice, may lead to vocal abuse, affecting significantly the communication process. The present study is based on the case of a single patient diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (Erb-Goldflam syndrome). In this case, this affection has caused, among other disruptions, a dysarthria. For its treatment, a technique for the education and re-education of the voice has been used, based on a resonator element: the cellophane screen. This article shows the results obtained in the patient after applying a vocal re-education technique called the Cimardi Method: the Cellophane Screen, which is a pioneering technique in this field. Changes in the patient’s voice signal have been studied before and after the application of the Cimardi Method in different domains of study: time-frequency, spectrum, and cepstrum. Moreover, parameters for voice quality measurement, such as shimmer, jitter and harmonic-to-noise ratio (HNR), have been used to quantify the results obtained with the Cimardi Method. Once the results were analyzed, it has been observed that the Cimardi Method helps to produce a more natural and free vocal emission, which is very useful as a rehabilitation therapy for those people presenting certain vocal disorders.

scholarly journals Age Differences in Voice Evaluation: From Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation to Social Interactions

2018 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 227-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine L. Lortie ◽  
Isabelle Deschamps ◽  
Matthieu J. Guitton ◽  
Pascale Tremblay
Keyword(s):  
Social Interactions ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Smoking Status ◽  
Voice Quality ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Perceptual Evaluation ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
The Voice

Purpose The factors that influence the evaluation of voice in adulthood, as well as the consequences of such evaluation on social interactions, are not well understood. Here, we examined the effect of listeners' age and the effect of talker age, sex, and smoking status on the auditory-perceptual evaluation of voice, voice-related psychosocial attributions, and perceived speech tempo. We also examined the voice dimensions affecting the propensity to engage in social interactions. Method Twenty-five younger (age 19–37 years) and 25 older (age 51–74 years) healthy adults participated in this cross-sectional study. Their task was to evaluate the voice of 80 talkers. Results Statistical analyses revealed limited effects of the age of the listener on voice evaluation. Specifically, older listeners provided relatively more favorable voice ratings than younger listeners, mainly in terms of roughness. In contrast, the age of the talker had a broader impact on voice evaluation, affecting auditory-perceptual evaluations, psychosocial attributions, and perceived speech tempo. Some of these talker differences were dependent upon the sex of the talker and his or her smoking status. Finally, the results also show that voice-related psychosocial attribution was more strongly associated with the propensity of the listener to engage in social interactions with a person than auditory-perceptual dimensions and perceived speech tempo, especially for the younger adults. Conclusions These results suggest that age has a broad influence on voice evaluation, with a stronger impact for talker age compared with listener age. While voice-related psychosocial attributions may be an important determinant of social interactions, perceived voice quality and speech tempo appear to be less influential. Supplemental Materials https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.5844102

scholarly journals Association between voice disorder and breathing alteration in children

Revista CEFAC ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-200
Author(s):  
Cristiane Marangom ◽  
Viviani Souza Peruchi ◽  
Marta Assumpção de Andrada e Silva ◽  
Irene Queiroz Marchesan ◽  
Léslie Piccolotto Ferreira
Keyword(s):  
Voice Quality ◽  
Voice Disorder ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Breathing Mode ◽  
Perceptual Evaluation ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Chi Square Test ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Nasal Flow ◽  
The Voice

ABSTRACT Objective: to analyze the association between voice disorder and aspects related to breathing mode in children, according to sex. Methods: 250 children, aged six to nine years, attending a public school in São Paulo city, were selected. The collection consisted of spontaneously audio recorded speech samples. The breathing mode was evaluated for lip resting posture and nasal flow. Three audiologists performed the perceptual evaluation of the voice quality, with the help of GIRBAS scale. The results were associated using the chi-square test (p = 0.05). Results: 50.4% females and 49.6% males. As for the overall grade (G), 12.8% had voice disorder with respect to voice quality. In the breathing mode, 36.8% presented alterations in lip posture and 71.2%, in nasal flow. The associations between voice disorder and gender (p = 0.96), lip posture (p = 0.38) and nasal flow (p = 0.18) and between alterations in the nasal flow and sex (p = 0.449) were not confirmed. The association between lip posture and sex revealed significant differences in favor of males (p = 0.003). Conclusion: there was no statistically significant difference associating voice disorders with breathing mode (lip posture and nasal flow) and gender.

Teflon Injection in 16 Patients with Paralytic Dysphonia

1984 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Britta Hammarberg ◽  
Björn Fritzell ◽  
Helge Schiratzki
Keyword(s):  
Perturbation Analysis ◽  
Vocal Fold ◽  
Distribution Analysis ◽  
Point Scale ◽  
Acoustic Data ◽  
Perceptual Evaluation ◽  
Average Spectrum ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Time Average ◽  
The Voice

Sixteen patients with paralytic dysphonia were treated with Teflon injection in the paralyzed vocal fold. Trained voice pathologists rated the pre- and postinjection voices on a 5-point scale for each of 11 voice characteristics. Among these, aphonia, breathiness, and hypofunction diminished significantly after injection. The perceptual evaluation was correlated with acoustic data from long-time-average spectrum analysis, fundamental frequency distribution analysis, and waveform perturbation analysis. In this acoustic assessment, systematic changes were found in the long-time-average spectra, which agreed well with the perceptual data. In 12 of 16 patients the voice was both perceptually and acoustically improved after Teflon injection.

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

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.

scholarly journals Effects on Vocal Fold Collision and Phonation Threshold Pressure of Resonance Tube Phonation With Tube End in Water

2013 ◽  
Vol 56 (5) ◽  
pp. 1530-1538 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Enflo ◽  
Johan Sundberg ◽  
Camilla Romedahl ◽  
Anita McAllister
Keyword(s):  
Vocal Fold ◽  
Voice Quality ◽  
Glass Tube ◽  
Audio Signals ◽  
Resonance Tube ◽  
Phonation Threshold Pressure ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Subglottal Pressure ◽  
Voice Pathologies ◽  
The Voice

Purpose Resonance tube phonation in water (RTPW) or in air is a voice therapy method successfully used for treatment of several voice pathologies. Its effect on the voice has not been thoroughly studied. This investigation analyzes the effects of RTPW on collision and phonation threshold pressures (CTP and PTP), the lowest subglottal pressure needed for vocal fold collision and phonation, respectively. Method Twelve mezzo-sopranos phonated into a glass tube, the end of which was placed under the water surface in a jar. Subglottal pressure, electroglottography, and audio signals were recorded before and after exercise. Also, the perceptual effects were assessed in a listening test with an expert panel, who also rated the subjects' singing experience. Results Resonance tube phonation significantly increased CTP and also tended to improve perceived voice quality. The latter effect was mostly greater in singers who did not practice singing daily. In addition, a more pronounced perceptual effect was found in singers rated as being less experienced. Conclusion Resonance tube phonation significantly raised CTP and tended to improve perceptual ratings of voice quality. The effect on PTP did not reach significance.

Social Responses to Conversational TV VUI

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eun Kyung Park ◽  
Kwan Min Lee ◽  
Dong Hee Shin
Keyword(s):  
Interaction Effects ◽  
Female Voice ◽  
Male Voice ◽  
Tv Viewing ◽  
Error Message ◽  
Social Responses ◽  
The Voice

The study investigated whether apologetic synthetic gendered voices affect users' perception of an error-prone VUI. In a TV viewing task, participants interacted with the conversational TV, and executed eight menus in a 2 (apologetic error message: yes vs. no) by 2 (voice gender) by 2 (subject gender) gender balanced, between participants experiment. When participants encountered errors, the TV provided verbal error messages, with or without an apology. The results revealed significant two-way interaction effects of apology (yes) and voice gender (male) on perception of the TV, and the voice. Irrespective of gender, participants responded to a male voice more, when it offered apologies for errors. It is interpreted that the context in which genuineness of apology was regarded as important made participants perceive a male voice as being more trustworthy than a female voice. The participants seem to have applied gender stereotypical perceptions to gendered VUI, as they do to other humans.

Priorities in Voice Training: Carrying Power or Tone Quality

2000 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allan Vurma ◽  
Jaan Ross
Keyword(s):  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Voice Quality ◽  
Symphony Orchestra ◽  
Vocal Music ◽  
Voice Training ◽  
Tone Quality ◽  
Average Spectrum ◽  
Singer's Formant ◽  
The Voice

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 seven-word initial phrase from a well-known Estonian classical solo was recorded. The recordings were digitalized and subjected to acoustic analysis yielding the long-term 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 (notstatistically significant) could be observed. The results seem to support the critical remarksmade bysome Estonian specialists about domestic teaching of vocal music being perhaps inadequate in some respects (Pappel, 1990). The teaching process seems to 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.

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