Mitt arbete handlar om att undersöka mitt vokala uttryck och att analysera utvecklingsprocessen. Underlaget för mitt arbete har varit egen praktisk erfarenhet och tidigare forskning (om att skriva musik för sin röst). Den här uppsatsen består av tre delar; klingande musik; talad text och vokal uppvisning framförd genom röstmemon och denna skrivna text.  Frågeställning som jag grundar min undersökning på är ”hur ser processen ut när jag utvecklar mitt vokala uttryck”?  Jag valde att använda mig av inspelningsappen "röstmemo" på min Iphone för att tydligare demonstrera vad jag har gjort och för att förklara mina tankar kring mitt vokala uttryck. På det sättet har jag tydligare kunnat få fram den emotionella och vokala processen jag genomgick. Jag har även samlat på mig återanvändbart material, uttryck och röstkvaliteter som kan användas i framtida verk. Några utav de viktigaste upptäckterna jag gjort i det här arbetet är att jag har fått syn på hur jag förmedlar mina verk genom min röst och hur jag uttrycker mig vokalt på ett djupgående sätt. Mitt vokala uttryck baserar sig mycket på vad låten handlar om, på så sätt tror jag att lyssnaren kan förstå vad jag vill förmedla även om de exempelvis inte förstår vad orden i sig betyder. / My thesis is about examining my vocal expression and analysing my process when doing so. The basis for my work has been my own practical experience and a previous bachelor’s thesis (about composing music for your own voice). This thesis consists of three parts: sounding music, spoken text and vocal demonstration performed on Apple voice memo application, and this written text. The main question of my thesis is ”what does the process look like when I develop my vocal expression”? I chose to use a voice memo to demonstrate in a more explicit way what I have done and to explain my thoughts about my vocal expression. In that way, I have also been able to bring out the emotional and vocal process I went through. I have also accumulated reusable material, expressions and voice qualities that I like so much that I can use them in the future. Some of the most important findings I’ve made in this thesis are how I’ve been able to more profoundly analyse and understand analyse my vocal expression when trying to communicate something in a song. My vocal expression is very much based on what the song is about, in this way I think the listener can understand what I want to convey even if they, for example, do not understand what the words in themselves mean.

La première partie de ce travail vise à étudier les effets de la présence vocale maternelle, chant et la parole, sur l'état clinique de l'enfant prématuré, évalué en termes de paramètres physiologiques (fréquence cardiaque, oxygénation du sang et événements critiques) et sur son état comportemental. Dans cette partie on observe donc la mère comme sujet actif et stimulant, par rapport à un bébé prématuré qui, à travers des indices comportementaux et physiologiques, montre bénéficier de la stimulation directe de la voix de la mère. La comparaison des périodes avec et sans stimulation vocale maternelle révèle un plus haut niveau de saturation en oxygène et la fréquence cardiaque et significativement moins d'événements critiques négatives (p <0,0001) lorsque la mère parle et chante. Une connexion renouvelé à la voix de la mère peut être une expérience importante et significative pour les enfants prématurés. L'exposition à la parole et au chant de la mère montre des effets bénéfiques précoces importantes sur l'état physiologique du bébé, tels que les niveaux de saturation en oxygène, le nombre d'événements critiques et la prévalence de l'état d'alerte calme. Ces résultats ont des implications pour les interventions en USIN, encourageant l'interaction maternelle avec leurs nouveau-nés prématurés médicalement stables.La deuxième partie inverse le point de vue, visant à évaluer les effets du comportement de l'enfant sur la mère qui chante et parle: on évalue la capacité de l'enfant à être un partenaire actif dans ces première proto-interactions en vis à vis. On analyse en termes acoustiques les effets du comportement du nouveau-né sur la voix maternelle directe. La voix de la mère présente des caractéristiques spécifiques en termes de minimum de fréquence fondamentale (F0min) pendant les 5 secondes qui précèdent les réactions positives des nouveau-nés. Les mères ont élevé la hauteur de leur voix en présence d'un comportement positif de l'enfant, en particulier dans la communication parlée. En outre, la variance de la F0 (F0sd), augmente en particulier dans la langue maternelle, lorsque l'enfant ouvre les yeux. Ces résultats suggèrent que les comportements positifs des prématurés nés hospitalisés, dans le contexte des interactions, peuvent évoquer, dans les mères des formes précoces de attachement, mesurée par l'augmentation des caractéristiques du parler-bébé. En particulier, le F0min a un rôle crucial pour détecter la réactivité émotionnelle de la mère au cours des interactions vocales. Dans la dernière partie, enfin, on analyse dans le détail quelques épisodes de régulation réciproque dans la dyade mère-enfant: une hypothèse hasardeuse. Il s’agit de trouver, dans une relation dyadique profondément compromise, les traces de syntonisations affectives, des imitations amodales, des épisodes d’ajustement mutuel, de désengagements suite aux stimulations excessives. Nous avons analysé trois situations différentes dans lesquelles les mères et les nouveau-nés prématurés interagissent. Les trois séquences présentent (a) un cas de imitation intermodale, où la mère accompagne par la voix et du visage imitation changement postural du nouveau-né; (b) une séquence interactive dans laquelle on peut identifier un moment d’échange du regard entre les deux partenaires, qui est interrompue et réglementé par le bébé prématuré. La troisième microanalyse (c) vise à montrer les caractéristiques acoustiques d'une interaction vocale entre l’adulte (père et mère) et le nouveau-né prématuré. / This thesis investigated the effects, the responsiveness, the characteristics of maternal voice speaking and singing to preterm infants in NICU.In Study 1 we investigated the effects of live maternal speaking and singing on physiological parameters of preterm infants in the NICU and to test the hypothesis that vocal stimulation can have differential effects on preterm infants at a behavioural level.Methods: Eighteen mothers spoke and sang to their medically stable preterm infants in their incubators over 6 days, between 1 and 2 pm. Heart rate (HR), oxygen saturation (OxSat), number of critical events (hypoxemia, bradycardia and apnoea) and change in behavioural state were measured.Results: Comparisons of periods with and without maternal vocal stimulation revealed significantly greater oxygen saturation level and heart rate and significantly fewer negative critical events (p < 0.0001) when the mother was speaking and singing. Unexpected findings were the comparable effects of maternal talk and singing on infant physiological parameters and the differential ones on infant behavioural state.Conclusion: A renewed connection to the mother’s voice can be an important and significant experience for preterm infants. Exposure to maternal speech and singing shows significant early beneficial effects on physiological state, such as oxygen saturation levels, number of critical events and prevalence of calm alert state. These findings have implications for NICU interventions, encouraging maternal interaction with their medically stable preterm infants. In Study 2 we aimed (1) to examine qualitative change in maternal infant-directed singing and speaking, prior to a positive behaviour display by the preterm infants (i.e. eye opening and lip-corner raising), (2) to analyse the effects of the two behaviours on concomitant acoustic characteristics of maternal infant-directed vocal communication (IDVC), (3) to determine whether changes in maternal voice quality persist after the infant’s positive behavioural display.Methods: Participants included 10 mothers who were asked, on different occasions, to speak and sing to their medically stable infants in incubators, 128 vocalization extracts were examined. Results: The maternal voice shows specific characteristics in terms of fundamental frequency minimum (F0min) during the 5 seconds before the positive reactions of newborns. Mothers raised their pitch in presence of infant’s positive behaviour, especially during the speaking stimulation, reinforcing the higher pitched ID speech. Moreover, the variance of the F0 (F0sd), increases in particular in the maternal speaking, when the infant opens the eyes. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the preterm hospitalized infants’ positive displays, in the context of interactions, can evoke in mothers early forms of attachment, measured by the increase of the characteristics of Infant Directed Speech. In particular the F0min has a crucial role for detecting maternal emotional responsiveness in contingent vocal interactions. In the third part we aimed to analyse, with qualitative methods, the interaction between mothers and preterm infants. We will analyse three different situations in which mothers and preterm infants interact. The three sequences will present (a) a case of intermodal imitation, where the mother accompanies through voice and facial imitation postural change of the newborn; (b) an interactive sequence in which we can identify a moment of eye contact between the two partners, which is interrupted and regulated by the premature baby. The third microanalysis (c) aims to show the acoustical features of a vocal interaction bertween adults (mother and father) and their preterm infants.

Submitted by Glauber Assunção Moreira (glauber.a.moreira@gmail.com) on 2018-08-31T16:34:24Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação Tania Soares.pdf: 10091702 bytes, checksum: 04c4b9dd24a286edd34ca49ed13c80ab (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ednaide Gondim Magalhães (ednaide@ufba.br) on 2018-09-11T13:19:26Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação Tania Soares.pdf: 10091702 bytes, checksum: 04c4b9dd24a286edd34ca49ed13c80ab (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-09-11T13:19:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação Tania Soares.pdf: 10091702 bytes, checksum: 04c4b9dd24a286edd34ca49ed13c80ab (MD5) / Esta pesquisa teórico-prática traz reflexões acerca do uso da voz do ator a partir do processo criativo do monólogo “Na Teia de Ananse” inspirado nos contadores de história de matriz africana, os griots, onde inventa-se uma contadora de histórias a partir de procedimentos de criação e de encenação. A dissertação que resultou num exercício de encenação, aborda os meios e modos de atuação utilizados pela atriz Tânia Soares para compor personagens a partir das múltiplas vozes do contador de histórias da tradição oral. Os procedimentos apontados, dialogam intensamente com a pesquisa de Rafael Morais de Souza, intitulado “Na Teia de Ananse: Um Griot no Teatro e sua Trama de Narrativas de Matriz Africana”, do Mestrado em Artes Cênicas da UFBA. O uso expressivo da voz, as experiências vividas, a utilização de improvisação, emoção e memória, a interação com o público, corroboram para o processo criativo e a escrita do texto, revelando a importância do trabalho vocal do intérprete como mobilizador para a construção dramática. As referências bibliográficas destacam diversos autores que abordam as áreas de teatro, cultura e mitologias africanas e afro-brasileiras, memória, improvisação teatral e técnica vocal. / This research provides theoretical and practical reflections on the use of voice actor from the creative process of the monologue "The Web of Ananse" inspired by the storytellers of African origin, the griots, the invention where a storyteller from procedures creation and staging. The dissertation which resulted in a scenario exercise, discusses the ways and means of action used by actress Tânia Soares to compose characters from the multiple voices of the storyteller's oral tradition. The procedures mentioned, intense dialogue with the research of Rafael Morais de Souza, entitled "The Web of Ananse: A Griot Theatre and its Plot Narratives of African Matrix", the Master of Performing Arts of the university. The expressive use of voice, the experiences, the use of improvisation, emotion and memory, the interaction with the public, serve to support the creative process and writing the text, revealing the importance of the vocal work of the interpreter as a mobilizer for dramatic construction. The references highlight several authors that address the areas of theater, culture and mythology african and African-Brazilian, memory, theatrical improvisation and vocal technique.

Submitted by Glauber Assunção Moreira (glauber.a.moreira@gmail.com) on 2018-09-17T18:37:00Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Meran Vargens.pdf: 4609396 bytes, checksum: 0e15ef97e9e947abb76ae195d4a14b43 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marly Santos (marly@ufba.br) on 2018-09-17T20:42:31Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Meran Vargens.pdf: 4609396 bytes, checksum: 0e15ef97e9e947abb76ae195d4a14b43 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-09-17T20:42:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Meran Vargens.pdf: 4609396 bytes, checksum: 0e15ef97e9e947abb76ae195d4a14b43 (MD5) / O sujeito desta pesquisa é o ator e o objeto de estudos é a Expressão Vocal do ator associada ao treinamento técnico e artístico deste componente da linguagem cênica na sua formação profissional. Trata-se de uma pesquisa-ação simultaneamente teórica e prática, desenvolvida com um grupo de trabalho cooperativo composto de doze atores e seis artistas e técnicos. Nela estruturam-se princípios básicos que regem a construção de uma proposta metodológica cujo objetivo é abrir caminhos que conduzam, facilitem e instrumentalizem o ator no alcance da Verdade Vocal na construção da personagem diante de qualquer necessidade artística e estética da obra. A pesquisa deu origem a 3 espetáculos teatrais com construção de dramaturgia original em processo colaborativo compondo o que foi chamado de “Uma Trilogia Baiana: Cidade Real – Cidade Fantástica – Cidade Expressa”. Esta Trilogia estabelece a relação entre teoria e prática da expressão vocal para a formação do ator aplicada a um processo de criação. / The actor is the subject of this research and the object of these studies is an actor’s Vocal Expression associated with the technical and artistic training of this theatrical language component in his professional development. It relates to a research action which is simultaneously theoretical and practical, developed with a cooperative working group comprising twelve actors and six artists and technicians. The basic principles that govern the construction of a methodological proposal are structured in this, with the objective of opening up pathways that lead, facilitate and prepare an actor in reaching Vocal Truth when constructing a character and faced with any artistic and aesthetic necessities of the play. This research was the source for three plays, with construction of an original dramaturgy using a collaborative process in order to write “A Bahian Trilogy: Real City – Fantastic City – Express City”. This trilogy establishes the relationship between the theory and practice of vocal expression for an actor’s development, applied to a creation process.

<p>This thesis investigated whether vocal emotion expressions are conveyed as discrete emotions or as continuous dimensions. </p><p>Study I consisted of a meta-analysis of decoding accuracy of discrete emotions (anger, fear, happiness, love-tenderness, sadness) within and across cultures. Also, the literature on acoustic characteristics of expressions was reviewed. Results suggest that vocal expressions are universally recognized and that there exist emotion-specific patterns of voice-cues for discrete emotions.</p><p>In Study II, actors vocally portrayed anger, disgust, fear, happiness, and sadness with weak and strong emotion intensity. The portrayals were decoded by listeners and acoustically analyzed with respect to 20 voice-cues (e.g., speech rate, voice intensity, fundamental frequency, spectral energy distribution). Both the intended emotion and intensity of the portrayals were accurately decoded and had an impact on voice-cues. Listeners’ ratings of both emotion and intensity could be predicted from a selection of voice-cues.</p><p>In Study III, listeners rated the portrayals from Study II on emotion dimensions (activation, valence, potency, emotion intensity). All dimensions were correlated with several voice-cues. Listeners’ ratings could be successfully predicted from the voice-cues for all dimensions except valence.</p><p>In Study IV, continua of morphed expressions, ranging from one emotion to another in equal steps, were created using speech synthesis. Listeners identified the emotion of each expression and discriminated between pairs of expressions. The continua were perceived as two distinct sections separated by a sudden category boundary. Also, discrimination accuracy was generally higher for pairs of stimuli falling across category boundaries than for pairs belonging to the same category. This suggests that vocal expressions are categorically perceived.</p><p>Taken together, the results suggest that a discrete-emotions approach provides the best account of vocal expression. Previous difficulties in finding emotion-specific patterns of voice-cues may be explained in terms of limitations of previous studies and the coding of the communicative process.</p>

This thesis investigated whether vocal emotion expressions are conveyed as discrete emotions or as continuous dimensions. Study I consisted of a meta-analysis of decoding accuracy of discrete emotions (anger, fear, happiness, love-tenderness, sadness) within and across cultures. Also, the literature on acoustic characteristics of expressions was reviewed. Results suggest that vocal expressions are universally recognized and that there exist emotion-specific patterns of voice-cues for discrete emotions. In Study II, actors vocally portrayed anger, disgust, fear, happiness, and sadness with weak and strong emotion intensity. The portrayals were decoded by listeners and acoustically analyzed with respect to 20 voice-cues (e.g., speech rate, voice intensity, fundamental frequency, spectral energy distribution). Both the intended emotion and intensity of the portrayals were accurately decoded and had an impact on voice-cues. Listeners’ ratings of both emotion and intensity could be predicted from a selection of voice-cues. In Study III, listeners rated the portrayals from Study II on emotion dimensions (activation, valence, potency, emotion intensity). All dimensions were correlated with several voice-cues. Listeners’ ratings could be successfully predicted from the voice-cues for all dimensions except valence. In Study IV, continua of morphed expressions, ranging from one emotion to another in equal steps, were created using speech synthesis. Listeners identified the emotion of each expression and discriminated between pairs of expressions. The continua were perceived as two distinct sections separated by a sudden category boundary. Also, discrimination accuracy was generally higher for pairs of stimuli falling across category boundaries than for pairs belonging to the same category. This suggests that vocal expressions are categorically perceived. Taken together, the results suggest that a discrete-emotions approach provides the best account of vocal expression. Previous difficulties in finding emotion-specific patterns of voice-cues may be explained in terms of limitations of previous studies and the coding of the communicative process.