Chapter 2Resonance

Perry C. Hanavan, Au.D.

Question

What is meant by phonation?

A.Whispered speech sound

B.Voiced speech sound

C.Produce a nasal sound

D.Use your lips to produce sound

E.I don’t know

Vocal Cords

• Phonation

• Vocal cords (variables)– Length– Mass (thickness)– Tension

– Normal Vocal Cord Images/Videos

Cultures

The Jimi Hendrix of Mongolia

Incredible Human Machine Steven Tyler

Wall of Sound Naturally 7

Dr. Patricia Kuhl: Linguist Genius of Babies

Question

Who has the longer vocal folds?

A.Men

B.Women

C.Young boys

D.Young girls

E.Cats

Question

Whose pitch rises as they age?

A.Men

B.Women

C.Young boys

D.Young girls

E.Cats

Question

When does the most dramatic change in phonation occur?

A.Childhood

B.Pubescence

C.Adulthood

D.Elderly

E.Infancy

VC Fundamental Frequency

• Fo (fundamental of vocal fold vibrations)– Vocal folds/chords generate a fundamental and

harmonics– Fundamental is not audible due to vocal tract

resonance– Although Fo not audible, the listener perceives the

audible harmonics as the Fo (perceptually as pitch)• SFF = speaking fundamental frequency

– Average Fo of an individual during normal conversation or during oral reading

VC Fundamental Frequency

• SFF variations:– Age– Gender– Emotions– Sentence type– Disease– Medications

SFF and Age

• Infants 350-500 Hz• Children 270-300 Hz• Pubescence 120 Hz - males; 220 Hz - females• Seniors 162 Hz - males; 177 Hz - females

Gender

• Pubescence– More dramatic change in males than females

SFF

• Seniors– SFF increases in males– SFF decreases in females

Adult Gender Differences

• Male vocal folds: 17 mm and 25 mm (0.67" to 1.0") in length.

• Female vocal folds: 12.5 mm and 17.5 mm (0.5" to 0.7") in length.

Frequency Variables

• Stress and accent of sounds in speech• Prosody features of speech• Measured by:

– FoSD• Normal conversation 20-35 Hz• Varies by age, gender, emotions

– Semitones=pitch sigma (2-4 semitones)– Range – difference between highest and

lowest Fo in sample of speech

Question

Whose voice has the greatest frequency variation?

A.Infants

B.Children

C.Adolescents

D.Adults

E.Seniors

Range of Freq. Variability

• Infants greatest range -1202 Hz

• Children 150-190 Hz

• Adolescents 64-95 Hz

• Seniors 78-101 Hz

Question

What can influence our voice intensity?

A.Prosody of speech

B.Emotions

C.Social situations

D.Health

E.All the above

Amplitude

• Normal 65-85 dB SPL– Prosody of speech– Emotions– Social situations– Health

Medications Adversely Affecting Voice

• Antidepressants • Muscle relaxants • Diuretics • Antihypertensives (blood pressure medication) • Antihistamines (allergy medications) • Anticholinergics (asthma medications) • High-dose Vitamin C (greater than five grams per day)   • Angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (blood pressure

medication) may induce a cough or excessive throat clearing. • Pill may cause edema in the vocal cords due to estrogen. • Estrogen replacement therapy post-menopause may have effect. • Low level of thyroid replacement medication in patients with

hypothyroidism. • Anticoagulants (blood thinners) may increase chances of vocal cord

hemorrhage or polyp formation in response to trauma.

Medical ConditionsAffecting Voice

• Poor health• Laryngitis• Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Disease (LPRD)• Voice misuse and overuse• Benign vocal cord nodules• Vocal Cord Hemorrhage• Vocal Cord Paralysis and Paresis • Neurologic related• Laryngeal cancer

Voice Disorders

• Diplophonia– Muscle Tension Dysphonia (MTD) is a general term to describe

excessive and unnecessary tension of laryngeal muscles during voicing. 

– MTD is often referred to by many different names including - hyperfunction, functional dysphonia, ventricular or false vocal fold compression, etc. 

– MTD is thought to be a compensatory mechanism in the presence of underlying laryngeal pathology. 

– Symptoms often include a sensation of excessive laryngeal tension and strain, vocal fatigue, and hoarseness.

• Neurologic– Spasmodic disphonia– Spasmodic disphonia