Electroglotographic voice measurement analysis: normality standards for singers through Kay Pentax® CSL Program

Abstract

Purpose: Analyze the measures of the fundamental frequency, electroglotographic jitter, contact quotient and periodicity of the electroglotographic waves of the singers in habitual voice. Method: A cross-sectional observational study, which selected individuals from singing schools in the central region of the municipality of Belo Horizonte. The sample was non-probabilistic, for convenience consisted of 60 singers aged between 18 and 55 years, 30 males and 30 females. For the electroglotographic record collection, the Kay Pentax ™ CSL program, model 6103, the Electroglotographic module was used. The participants were placed in a seated position, and after cleaning the skin of the neck with 70% alcohol, two electrodes were placed on the wings of the thyroid cartilage at the level of the vocal folds. Subsequently, the participants were instructed to emit the vowel/a/sustained in a habitual way. The measurements of the fundamental frequency (f0), contact quotient (QC), electroglotographic jitter and periodicity of the electroglotographic wave were analyzed. The data were statistically analyzed using Minitab 17. Results: The parameters analyzed were statistically significant. The fundamental frequency (f0) was higher in females (226.91Hz) when compared to males (166.54Hz). The measure of contact quotient and periodicity was also higher in women (40.46% and 15.51% respectively) when compared to men (27.45% and 7.82, respectively). The jitter parameter was higher in men when compared to women. Conclusion: Women presented higher values in the fundamental frequency (f0), contact quotient (QC) and periodicity of the wave compared to men. The men presented the jitter value higher than that of the women.