This Master's thesis deals with the issue of formant extraction. A system of scripts in Matlab interface is created to generate values of the first three formant frequencies from speech recordings with the use of Praat and Snack(WaveSurfer). Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients and Linear Predictive Coefficients are extracted from the audio files in order to be added to the database. This database is then used to train a neural network. Finally, the designed neural network is tested.

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This thesis addresses aspects of voice characteristics in operatic and musical theatre singing. The common aim of the studies was to identify respiratory, phonatory and resonatory characteristics accounting for salient voice timbre differences between singing styles. The velopharyngeal opening (VPO) was analyzed in professional operatic singers, using nasofiberscopy. Differing shapes of VPOs suggested that singers may use a VPO to fine-tune the vocal tract resonance characteristics and hence voice timbre. A listening test revealed no correlation between rated nasal quality and the presence of a VPO. The voice quality referred to as “throaty”, a term sometimes used for characterizing speech and “non-classical” vocalists, was examined with respect to subglottal pressure (Psub) and formant frequencies. Vocal tract shapes were determined by magnetic resonance imaging. The throaty versions of four vowels showed a typical narrowing of the pharynx. Throatiness was characterized by increased first formant frequency and lowering of higher formants. Also, voice source parameter analyses suggested a hyper-functional voice production. Female musical theatre singers typically use two vocal registers (chest and head). Voice source parameters, including closed-quotient, peak-to-peak pulse amplitude, maximum flow declination rate, and normalized amplitude quotient (NAQ), were analyzed at ten equally spaced subglottal pressures representing a wide range of vocal loudness. Chest register showed higher values in all glottal parameters except for NAQ. Operatic baritone singer voices were analyzed in order to explore the informative power of the amplitude quotient (AQ), and its normalized version NAQ, suggested to reflect glottal adduction. Differences in NAQ were found between fundamental frequency values while AQ was basically unaffected. Voice timbre differs between musical theatre and operatic singers. Measurements of voice source parameters as functions of subglottal pressure, covering a wide range of vocal loudness, showed that both groups varied Psub systematically. The musical theatre singers used somewhat higher pressures, produced higher sound pressure levels, and did not show the opera singers’ characteristic clustering of higher formants. Musical theatre and operatic singers show highly controlled and consistent behaviors, characteristic for each style. A common feature is the precise control of subglottal pressure, while laryngeal and vocal tract conditions differ between singing styles. In addition, opera singers tend to sing with a stronger voice source fundamental than musical theatre singers. / <p>QC 20100812</p>

Voice is produced by vibration of the vocal folds, whose number of cycles per second corresponds to the fundamental frequency (f0) of the laryngeal signal. Formants (F) are multipleof (f0), indicatingtheresonance frequency of the vowels in the vocal tract. The first formant (F1), relates to sound amplification in posterior oral cavity and vertical position of the tongue; and the second formant (F2) relates to the anterior oral cavity and to the horizontal position of the tongue. The third formant (F3) is related to the position front and behind of the apex of the tongue, the fourth formant (F4) relates to the shapeof larynx and pharynx at the same height. We identified a cohort of individuals with isolated growth hormone (GH) deficiency (IGHD) caused by the homozygous c.57 +1 G> A mutation in the GH releasing hormone receptor gene, with severe short stature, accentuated reduction of maxillaries, and laryngeal constriction. The voice of IGHD individuals presents high f0, regardless of age and gender. Our objective was to analyze F1, F2, F3 and F4 of the seven oral vowels in Brazilian Portuguese, [a, ε, e, i, o, u]. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 33IGHD individuals, 44.48 (17.60) years, 16 women, and 29 controls, 51.10 (17.65) years, 15 women by a computed acoustics analyze. In addition, it was analyzed a subgroup of 13 men (5 with IGHD) and 20 women (9 IGHD), above 50 years of age. Values were expressed as mean (standard deviation) or median (interquartile range). The comparison between groups was made by Student s t and Mann-Whitney tests and of the vowel in the same formant, by the paired t test. Compared to controls, IGHD men show higher values of F3 [i, e and ε], p=0.006, p=0.022 and, p=0.006, respectively, and F4[i], p=0.001 and lower values of F2 [u] p=0.034. IGHD women, higher values of F1[i and e] p=0.029 and p=0.036; and F2[ ] p = 0.006; F4[ ], p= 0.031; and lower values of F2[i] p=0.004. Men and women IGHD have similar values of formant frequencies, except for F1 [a, ó and ε] p< 0.0001, p=0.004 and p= 0.001, respectively. Men and women IGHD did not present distinction in the pair vowel high and medium high in F1 [u-o]. In both groups were observed the distinction in F2 vowel anterior-posterior. Over 50 years of age, IGHD men have lower values of F1 [i, o] p=0.042, p=0.040; and IGHD women, higher values of F1 [ε] p=0.018. In conclusion, IGHD subjects exhibit higher values of formants frequencies, suggesting shortening of vocal tract. IGHD reduces the effect of aging and gender on the formant structure. / A voz é produzida pela vibração das pregas vocais, cujo número de ciclos por segundo corresponde à frequência fundamental (f0) do sinal laríngeo. Formantes (F) são múltiplos da f0, indicam zonas de ressonância das vogais no trato vocal. O primeiro formante (F1), relaciona-se à amplificação sonora na cavidade oral posterior e à posição da língua no plano vertical; o segundo formante (F2) à cavidade oral anterior e à posição da língua no plano horizontal. O terceiro formante (F3) relaciona-se às cavidades à frente e atrás do ápice da língua; o quarto formante (F4), ao formato da laringe e da faringe na mesma altura. Em Itabaianinha, nordeste do Brasil, uma coorte de indivíduos com deficiência isolada do hormônio de crescimento (DIGH), foi identificada uma mutação homozigótica c.57 +1 G>A no gene do receptor do hormônio liberador do GH, com baixa estatura acentuada, redução acentuada do comprimento da maxila e mandíbula e constrição laríngea. A voz dos indivíduos DIGH apresenta f0 elevada, independentemente da idade e gênero. OBJETIVO: Analisar os formantes F1, F2, F3, F4 das sete vogais orais do português brasileiro [a, ó, é, ô, ê, u, i]. CASUÍSTICA E MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal com 33 indivíduos com DIGH, 44,48 (17,60) anos de idade, 16 mulheres; e 29 controles, 51,10 (17,65) anos, 15 mulheres. Adicionalmente, foi analisado um subgrupo de 13 homens (cinco DIGH) e 20 mulheres (nove DIGH) acima de 50 anos de idade. Foi utilizada a análise acústica computadorizada para extração das medidas dos formantes (Hertz); os valores foram expressos em média (desvio padrão) ou em mediana (distância interquartílica). A comparação entre grupos foi realizada pelos testes t de Student e Mann-Whitney, teste t pareadopara a comparação de vogais no mesmo formante. RESULTADOS: Comparados aos controles, homens com DIGH apresentaram valores maiores de F3[i, ê, é], p=0,006; p=0,022; p=0,006, respectivamente; F4[i] p=0,001; valor menor de F2 [u], p= 0,034. Mulheres com DIGH apresentaram valores maiores de F1[i, ê], p=0,029; p=0,036; F2[ó] p=0,006; F4[ó] p=0,031; valor menor de F2[i] p=0,004. A DIGH apresentou valores dos formantes similares em ambos os gêneros, exceto F1[a, é, ó] p<0,0001 p=0004; p<0,0001, respectivamente, menor em homens que em mulheres com DIGH; ambos também não apresentaram distinção do par das vogais alta e média alta em F1[u-ô]. Em controles e DIGH, de ambos os gêneros, observou-se a distinção em F2 de vogais anteriores e posteriores. Em comparação aos controles, homens DIGH acima de 50 anos apresentam valores menores de F1[i, ô] p=0,042; p=0,040; e as mulheres DIGH na mesma faixa etária têm valores maiores de F1[é] p=0,018. CONCLUSÃO: Indivíduos com DIGH apresentaram um estrutura de formantes elevada, sugerindo encurtamento do trato vocal. A DIGH reduz o efeito da idade e do gênero sobre a estrutura de formantes.

Voices are used as a vehicle for language, and variation in the acoustic properties of voices also contains information about the speaker. Listeners use measurable qualities, such as pitch and formant traits, as cues to a speaker’s physical stature and attractiveness. Emotional states and personality characteristics are also judged from vocal stimuli. The research contained in this thesis examines vocal masculinity, aesthetics and personality, with an emphasis on the perception of prosocial traits including trustworthiness and cooperativeness. I will also explore themes which are more cognitive in nature, testing aspects of vocal stimuli which may affect trait attribution, memory and the ascription of identity. Chapters 2 and 3 explore systematic differences across vocal utterances, both in types of utterance using different classes of stimuli and across the time course of perception of the auditory signal. These chapters examine variation in acoustic measurements in addition to variation in listener attributions of commonly-judged speaker traits. The most important result from this work was that evaluations of attractiveness made using spontaneous speech correlated with those made using scripted speech recordings, but did not correlate with those made of the same persons using vowel stimuli. This calls into question the use of sustained vowel sounds for the attainment of ratings of subjective characteristics. Vowel and single-word stimuli are also quite short – while I found that attributions of masculinity were reliable at very short exposure times, more subjective traits like attractiveness and trustworthiness require a longer exposure time to elicit reliable attributions. I conclude with recommending an exposure time of at least 5 seconds in duration for such traits to be reliably assessed. Chapter 4 examines what vocal traits affect perceptions of pro-social qualities using both natural and manipulated variation in voices. While feminine pitch traits (F0 and F0-SD) were linked to cooperativeness ratings, masculine formant traits (Df and Pf) were also associated with cooperativeness. The relative importance of these traits as social signals is discussed. Chapter 5 questions what makes a voice memorable, and helps to differentiate between memory for individual voice identities and for the content which was spoken by administering recognition tests both within and across sensory modalities. While the data suggest that experimental manipulation of voice pitch did not influence memory for vocalised stimuli, attractive male voices were better remembered than unattractive voices, independent of pitch manipulation. Memory for cross-modal (textual) content was enhanced by raising the voice pitch of both male and female speakers. I link this pattern of results to the perceived dominance of voices which have been raised and lowered in pitch, and how this might impact how memories are formed and retained. Chapter 6 examines masculinity across visual and auditory sensory modalities using a cross-modal matching task. While participants were able to match voices to muted videos of both male and female speakers at rates above chance, and to static face images of men (but not women), differences in masculinity did not influence observers in their judgements, and voice and face masculinity were not correlated. These results are discussed in terms of the generally-accepted theory that masculinity and femininity in faces and voices communicate the same underlying genetic quality. The biological mechanisms by which vocal and facial masculinity could develop independently are speculated.

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This study presents detailed phonetic and acoustic analyses of the speech characteristics of two new cases of Foreign Accent Syndrome (FAS). Participants include a 48-year-old female who began speaking with an "Eastern European" accent following a traumatic brain injury, and a 45-year-old male who presented with a "British" accent following a subcortical cerebral vascular accident (CVA). Identical samples of the participants' pre- and post-morbid speech were obtained, thus affording a new level of control in the study of Foreign Accent Syndrome. The speech tasks consisted of oral readings of the Grandfather Passage and 18 real words comprised of the stop consonants /p/, /t/, /k/, /b/, /d/, /g/ combined with the peripheral vowels /i/, /a/ and /u/ and ending in a voiceless stop. Computer-based acoustic measures included: 1) voice onset time (VOT), 2) vowel durations, 3) whole word durations, 4) first, second and third formant frequencies, and 5) fundamental frequency. Formant frequencies were measured at three points in the vowel duration: a) 20%, b) 50%, and c) 80% to assess differences in vowel 'onglides' and 'offglides'. The phonetic analysis provided perceptual identification of the major phonetic features associated with the foreign quality of participant's FAS speech, while acoustic measures allowed precise quantification of these features. Results indicated evidence of backing of consonant and vowel productions for both participants. The implications for future research and clinical applications are also considered.