• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.139-146
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• 2012

This study was designed to examine comfort levels of pitch and loudness with target matching and their effects on electroglottographic (EGG) and acoustic measures. Twelve speakers, six males and six females, were instructed to produce /a/ sustained vowel for three seconds at a comfortable pitch and loudness level without any instruction and with a target matching procedure of either a certain f0 or SPL separately with visual and auditory feedback. The range of pitch for females and males were presented by progressing up and down randomly at intervals of 5Hz from 150 Hz to 310 Hz (total 33 frequency targets) and from 85 Hz to 190 Hz (total 22 frequency targets), respectively. The loudness levels were 65, 75, 85, 95 dB (total of four intensity targets) for both males and females. Subjective estimations of comfortable levels were obtained using a 10-point equal-appearing interval rating scale following each phonation. The results showed that males and females demonstrated similar trends in loudness levels with greatest comfort at 75 dB, whereas pitch comfort ratings showed a greater variability with females having a wider range with target matching. In the comfort levels of individuals, most male and female speakers rated higher comfort at soft, rather than loud phonations. On the other hand, most male speakers perceived highest comfort levels below the comfort pitch levels they phonated under natural conditions. Higher frequency ranges, however, were perceived to be more comfortable than those of natural condition in most female speakers, although the comfortable pitch levels in spontaneous phonations were within the comfort level ranges determined by targeted phonations. When comparing acoustic (%jitter, %shimmer, SNR) and EGG measures (CQ%) between spontaneous comfortable phonations and targeted phonations produced by the same subject at similar f0 and intensity, no significant differences were observed (p>0.05). Thus, target matching procedures may be considered a compatible and alternative method to reduce the variability of comfortable pitch and loudness levels by eliciting consistent comfortable phonations.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.19-26
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• 2013

The aerodynamic characteristics (subglottal pressure (Ps) and mean airflow rate (MFR)), fundamental frequency (Fo), intensity (I), vocal efficiency (VE), and closed quotient (CQ) were compared during a sustained vowel /o/ sound under three conditions: in a comfortable loudness and pitch level (condition 1), in a maximum loudness level with a fixed pitch (condition 2), and in a maximum loudness level without a fixed pitch (condition 3). Also, multiple regression analyses were done to measure the aerodynamic characteristics affect on the VE and the CQ in each condition. The results showed the Fo, Ps, MFR, VE, and CQ increased as I increased with and without fixed pitch. Most notably, VE in condition 3 was the highest of all the conditions, but CQ was not very high. By the results of multiple regression analysis, VE was significantly affected by I and Ps in all conditions; Fo was the other main key for affecting VE in high pitch. However, none of the aerodynamic characteristics significantly affected CQ. As I increases, Fo should be increased by increasing Ps and VE. Therefore, researchers should consider and specify an a priori to Fo, Ps, and I when measuring VE to examine the complex and delicate vocal mechanism.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.12-17
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• 1997

Measuring phonatory stability using MDVP(Multi-dimensional voice program, Kay Elemetrics Corp., NJ, USA) are becoming popular in many Korean clinics and laboratories, yet questions about standardization and reference values have remained. The purpose of present study was to examine the effects of frequency and intensity variation on the results of acoustic analysis related to phonatory stability. Twenty young adults(ten females and ten males) were asked to sustain vowel /a/ for more than 3 seconds under 9 different pitch and loudness conditions. Using MDVP, nine voice samples were analyzed, and jitter percent, fundamental frequency variation, shimmer percent, peak amplitude variation, noise to harmonic ratio, amplitude tremor intensity index, and degree of subharmonics were compared. The results showed that intensity changes can significantly affect various phonatory stability measures, and the lowest perturbation values can be obtained from slightly louder(10dB) phonatory condition than comfortable level phonation.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.39-49
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• 2016

The present study examined the change of aerodynamic features after laryngomicrosurgery in patients with vocal polyps. Aerodynamic evaluation was performed in thirty-nine patients (15 males and 24 females) one week before surgery and four weeks after surgery. Evaluation protocols of vital capacity, maximum sustained phonation(MXPH), and voicing efficiency(VOFT) were used to collect 29 phonatory aerodynamic measures, requiring voice with a comfortable pitch and loudness. Statistically significant changes were found for phonation time and airflow values in the MXPH protocol, while changes were also found for airflow values, subglottal pressure values and acoustic resistance values in the VOFT protocol. Although phonation time was increased in both male and female patients, gender-dependent changes were found in airflow measurements. Men's phonation time increased with no difference in airflow rate, but women's phonation time increased with decreased airflow rate and lower subglottal pressure. The changes of aerodynamic features may be affected by women's self-perceived change for vocal attitude, which was reducing sense of vocal effort after surgery.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.223-228
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• 2010

This study investigated the closed quotient and other voice quality parameters using electroglottography (EGG) in sustaining the vowel /a/ and reading a sentence at the comfortable pitch and loudness in healthy Korean adults. Seventy two healthy adults (36 men, 36 women) aged 20~40 years were included in the study. The tasks were recorded and analyzed using Lx Speech Studio. In vowel sustaining task, closed quotient (Qx), fundamental frequency (Fx), sound pressure level (SPL), Jitter, and Shimmer were measured. In sentence reading task, closed quotient (DQx), fundamental frequency (DFx), and sound pressure level (DAx) were measured. The sex effects were observed on Qx, Fx, Shimmer, DQx, and DFx. Men had significantly higher Qx and DQx than women, but had significantly lower Shimmer than women. However, there was no sex effect on Jitter. The task effects on Qx and SPL as well as DQx and DAx were also assessed. Qx and SPL were significantly higher than DQx and DAx in both gender. This study showed that the closed quotients in both vowel sustaining and sentence reading tasks were significantly related to other voice quality parameters. Therefore, clinicians and researchers should describe the voice quality parameters like fundamental frequency, sound pressure level, Jitter, Shimmer, and so on when reporting closed quotients using EGG.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.57-62
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• 2009

Background and Objectives : There are few studies reported that specifically examine the laryngeal function in patients with profound hearing loss or deafness, This study was designed to examine videostroboscopic findings and phonetic characteristics in adult patients with prelingually deaf. Materials and Method: Sixteen patients (seven males, nine females) diagnosed as prelingually deaf aged from 19 to 54 years, and were compared with a 20 normal control group with no laryngeal pathology and normal hearing group, Videostroboscopic evaluations were rated by experienced judges on various parameters describing the structure and function of the laryngeal mechanism during comfortable pitch and loudness phonations. Acoustic analysis test were done, and a nasalance test performed to measure rabbit, baby, and mother passage. CSL were measured to determine the first and two formant frequencies of vowels /a/, /i/, /u/, Statistical analysis was done using Mann-Whitney U or Wilcoxon signed ranks test. Results: Videostroboscopic findings showed phase symmetry but significantly more occurrences decrement in the amplitude of vibration, mucosal wave, irregularity of the vibration and increased glottal gap size during the closed phase of phonation, In addition, group of prelingually deaf patients were observed to have significantly more occurrences of abnormal supraglottic activities during phonation. The percentage of shimmer in the group of prelingually deaf patients were higher than in the control group. Characteristics of vowels were lower of the second formant of the vowel /i/. Nasalance in prelingually deaf patients showed normal nasality for all passages, Conclusion: Prelingually deaf patients show stroboscopic abnormal findings without any mucosal lesion, suggesting that they have considerable functional voice disorder. We suggest that prelingually deaf adults should perform vocal training for normalized laryngeal function after cochlear implantation.