The spectral and acoustical impact of vowel changing in choral tuning

Abstract

Mixed soft/solid models of the Vocal Tract were moulded with a 3D rapid prototyping technique based on MRI data obtained from two male singers during the phonation of five English vowels as in hard, stern, neap, port and food. The replicas are used to assess the interaction of several vocal tracts in different settings: twice the same singer or two different singers, singing on the same vowel or on different vowels, on a consonant or a dissonant interval. The spectral output is analysed and the acoustical output is submitted to a listening test to evaluate the spectral and acoustical grounds for an interval/chord to perceptually sound "in tune". © 2013 Acoustical Society of America.