The purpose of the meta-analysis was to address the varied and somewhat stratified study results within the area of singing ability and instruction by statistically summarizing the data of related studies. An analysis yielded a small overall mean effect size for instruction across 34 studies, 433 unique effects, and 5,497 participants ranging in age from 5- to 11-years old (g = 0.43). The largest overall study effect size across categorical variables included the effects of same and different discrimination techniques on mean score gains. The largest overall effect size across categorical moderator variables included research design: Pretest-posttest 1 group design. Overall mean effects by primary moderator variable ranged from trivial to moderate. Feedback yielded the largest effect regarding teaching condition, 8-year-old children yielded the largest effect regarding age, girls yielded the largest effect regarding gender, the Boardman assessment measure yielded the largest effect regarding measurement instrument, and song accuracy yielded the largest effect regarding measured task. Conclusions address implications for teaching, research pedagogy, and research practice within the field of music education.

Both science and empirical knowledge seem to indicate that anatomical considerations relating to potential muscular interference be established at the incipiency of the serious study of voice. Experience shows that if this aspect of vocal development is not pursued with utmost diligence, an early deterioration of the vocal instrument is possible many years before a normal expectancy. It has been discovered, also, that the study of articulation, pronunciation, modulation, emphasis, gestures and interpretation seem to avoid, primarily, the necessity of muscular training, per. This thesis will not include, in detail, the aspects of the use of the breath, except in a perfunctory manner. The same can be said of resonance and diction. It will endeavor, however, to indicate the muscular differences of the singing and swallowing actions. Furthermore, it will advance some suggestions for the avoidance of constrictive muscular influences which might impede the singing musculature. Finally, a phonatory process will be presented for consideration as a muscular mechanism to be made operative in connection with a direct control procedure.

Animal communication systems are complex, but in many species relatively little is known about how they develop. Insight into the development of adult repertoires, considering how factors such as genetics, environment and learning contribute to signal changes, provides a more comprehensive understanding of communication. This thesis documented vocal learning and development in the grey seal. In chapter 3, vocal repertoires of grey seal pups were recorded from birth through their first year, and were compared to calls of other seals across life stages, from pups to adults. By examining call parameters that were similar in animals of the same age, size, and sex, changes that may be attributed to physical development and morphology were identified. Past studies have indicated that seals may also have advanced vocal learning abilities, however the extent of these capabilities was unknown. In this thesis, vocal learning in juvenile grey seals was tested considering both how the seals learn to produce calls as well as gain information from perceived sounds. In chapter 4, grey seals were shown to be capable of vocal usage learning by producing specific calls in specific contexts. In chapter 5, grey seals displayed control over the structure of their calls as they could imitate novel sound models, demonstrating vocal production learning. Lastly, in chapter 6 grey seals gained information from perceived sound signals and used them to their benefit to locate food, demonstrating acoustic comprehension learning. Adult grey seals have complex call repertoires, and in this thesis I have shown how their calls develop with physiological growth and experience, as well as how they can gain information from perceived sound signals.

While the gestural communication of apes is widely recognised as intentional and flexible, their vocal communication still remains considered as mostly genetically determined and emotionally bound. Trying to limit the direct projections of linguistic concepts, that are far from holding a unified view on what constitute human language, this thesis presents a detailed description of the pant-grunt vocalisation usage and development in the chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) of the Budongo forest, Uganda. Pant-grunts are one of the most social vocalisations of the chimpanzee vocal repertoire and are always given from a subordinate individual to a dominant. The question of how such a signal is used and develops is critical for our understanding of chimpanzee social and vocal complexity in an ontogenetical and phylogenetical perpective. Results suggest that pant-grunt vocalisations can be used in a flexible way, both in their form and usage within a social group. More specifically, chimpanzees seemed to take into account the number and identity of surrounding individuals before producing these vocalisations. At the acoustic level, pant-grunts seem to be very variable vocalisations that corresponded to different social situations commonly encountered. Grunts are one of the first vocalisations produced by babies but they are not first produced in social contexts. Although some modifications of the social grunts form and usage could not entirely be attributed to maturation only, the role of the mother seemed to be restricted. Her direct influence was perhaps more visible in the rhythmic patterns of chorusing events. Taken together, this thesis suggests that chimpanzee vocalisations are more flexible in their usage, production and acquisition than previously thought and might therefore be more similar to gestural communication.

Genom historien har diskussionen om målbrott ofta varit förknippat till män och mäns röstutveckling. Så sent som på 80-talet kom forskare fram till att även kvinnor genomgår denna fysiska förändring i sina röster som då klassificerades som ett målbrott. Det kvinnliga målbrottet har hamnat i skymundan i forskning och diskussioner, trots att sång i många sammanhang anses vara feminint kodat (Bergström-Källén 2011; Green 2002). Syftet med studien har varit att få en uppfattning om hur sångpedagoger reflekterar kring sin undervisning med flickor som genomgår ett målbrott. Detta för se om det fanns skillnader i tankesättet till det manliga målbrottet ur ett genusperspektiv. Undersökningen genomfördes med hjälp av intervjuer med fyra olika sångpedagoger av blandade åldrar. Samtliga intervjuer spelades in och transkriberades för att likheter och skillnader i pedagogernas svar skulle kunna urskiljas.Resultatet visar att en flicka i målbrottet bör få jobba med repertoar som är bekväm och i det röstläge där flickan har kontroll. Då pedagogerna var eniga om att en flicka i målbrottet ofta har ett lågt självförtroende är det väsentligt att inte pusha henne för hårt. Analysen har sedan resulterat i ett arbetssätt som kan ge pedagoger en fingervisning i hur ett arbete kan se ut med en flicka i målbrottet. Av analysen kan nyckelord plockas ut som Egaliseringsövningar, repertoar i litet omfång ochSamtal om målbrottet. Samtalet om målbrott bör ske men om flickan visar tecken på lågt självförtroende kan till exempel begreppet röstförändring vara ett alternativ.

As grandes mudanças ocorridas na voz masculina durante a puberdade fazem com que o estudo do desenvolvimento vocal masculino normal seja bastante interessante, entretanto pouco estudado. Assim, este trabalho teve como objetivo verificar as características biológicas e vocais durante desenvolvimento vocal masculino nos períodos pré, peri e pós muda vocal. Participaram deste estudo 85 indivíduos do sexo masculino, com idades entre 8 e 18 anos (\'X BARRA\' = 14 anos \'+ OU -\' 32 meses), divididos de acordo com o desenvolvimento vocal nos grupos \"pré-muda\", \"muda\", \"final muda\" e \"pós-muda\". Foram realizadas entrevista, medida de estatura e peso, auto-avaliação da maturação sexual, avaliação perceptivo-auditiva da voz falada (escala GIRBAS), medidas da freqüência fundamental habitual e fonetografia computadorizada. Com os resultados observou-se durante o desenvolvimento vocal: aumento significante da estatura e do peso; desenvolvimento gradativo dos genitais e dos pêlos pubianos, axilares e faciais; pequena porcentagem de alteração vocal discreta em todos os grupos, sendo maior no período da muda vocal (\"muda\" e \"final muda\"); diminuição significante da freqüência fundamental habitual em aproximadamente uma oitava; diminuição significante das freqüências mínima e máxima da fonetografia (11st e 7st respectivamente); aumento significante da extensão vocal e deslocamento desta em direção às freqüências mais graves; ocorrência significante de quebras de freqüência, durante fonetografia, no período da muda vocal; não houve mudança significante das intensidades mínima e máxima da fonetografia; não houve mudança significante da extensão dinâmica máxima, mas observou-se o seu deslocamento em direção às freqüências mais graves; houve aumento não significante na área do fonetograma. As mudanças mais notáveis na fonetografia ocorreram durante o período da muda vocal, entre os grupos \"muda\" e \"final muda\". / The great changes that occur in male\'s voice during puberty make the study of normal vocal male development a very interesting subject, however not much studied. In this manner, the aim of this study was to verify biological and vocal characteristics during vocal male development in vocal premutation, mutation, and postmutation. Eighty-five male subjects with ages ranging between 8 and 18 years (\'X BARRA\' = 14 years \'+ OU -\' 32 months) participated in this study. They were divided in 4 groups, according to their vocal development, such as: \"premutation\", \"mutation\", \"end of mutation\" and \"postmutation\". All the subjects have undergone an interview, a stature and weight measurement, a self-assessment of sexual maturation, a perceptive assessment of speaking voice (GIRBAS scale), measurements of habitual fundamental frequency, and computerized phonetography. The results have shown that during vocal development there was a significant increase of stature and weight; a gradual development of genitals and pubic, axillary and facial hair; a small percentage of vocal dysfonia for all groups specially during vocal mutation (groups \"mutation\" and \"end of mutation\"); a significant decrease of habitual fundamental frequency (approximately one octave). With regard to phonetography there was a significant decrease of minimum and maximum frequencies of phonetography (11st and 7st respectively); a significant increase of vocal range mainly toward lower frequencies; a significant occurrence of voice breaks, during phonetography, in vocal mutation. There was no significant change of minimum and maximum intensities; no significant change of maximum dynamic range, but it was dislocated toward lower frequencies; and a non significant increase of the phonetogram area. The most observed changes in phonetography occurred during vocal mutation, between the groups \"mutation\" and \"end of mutation\".

As grandes mudanças ocorridas na voz masculina durante a puberdade fazem com que o estudo do desenvolvimento vocal masculino normal seja bastante interessante, entretanto pouco estudado. Assim, este trabalho teve como objetivo verificar as características biológicas e vocais durante desenvolvimento vocal masculino nos períodos pré, peri e pós muda vocal. Participaram deste estudo 85 indivíduos do sexo masculino, com idades entre 8 e 18 anos (\'X BARRA\' = 14 anos \'+ OU -\' 32 meses), divididos de acordo com o desenvolvimento vocal nos grupos \"pré-muda\", \"muda\", \"final muda\" e \"pós-muda\". Foram realizadas entrevista, medida de estatura e peso, auto-avaliação da maturação sexual, avaliação perceptivo-auditiva da voz falada (escala GIRBAS), medidas da freqüência fundamental habitual e fonetografia computadorizada. Com os resultados observou-se durante o desenvolvimento vocal: aumento significante da estatura e do peso; desenvolvimento gradativo dos genitais e dos pêlos pubianos, axilares e faciais; pequena porcentagem de alteração vocal discreta em todos os grupos, sendo maior no período da muda vocal (\"muda\" e \"final muda\"); diminuição significante da freqüência fundamental habitual em aproximadamente uma oitava; diminuição significante das freqüências mínima e máxima da fonetografia (11st e 7st respectivamente); aumento significante da extensão vocal e deslocamento desta em direção às freqüências mais graves; ocorrência significante de quebras de freqüência, durante fonetografia, no período da muda vocal; não houve mudança significante das intensidades mínima e máxima da fonetografia; não houve mudança significante da extensão dinâmica máxima, mas observou-se o seu deslocamento em direção às freqüências mais graves; houve aumento não significante na área do fonetograma. As mudanças mais notáveis na fonetografia ocorreram durante o período da muda vocal, entre os grupos \"muda\" e \"final muda\". / The great changes that occur in male\'s voice during puberty make the study of normal vocal male development a very interesting subject, however not much studied. In this manner, the aim of this study was to verify biological and vocal characteristics during vocal male development in vocal premutation, mutation, and postmutation. Eighty-five male subjects with ages ranging between 8 and 18 years (\'X BARRA\' = 14 years \'+ OU -\' 32 months) participated in this study. They were divided in 4 groups, according to their vocal development, such as: \"premutation\", \"mutation\", \"end of mutation\" and \"postmutation\". All the subjects have undergone an interview, a stature and weight measurement, a self-assessment of sexual maturation, a perceptive assessment of speaking voice (GIRBAS scale), measurements of habitual fundamental frequency, and computerized phonetography. The results have shown that during vocal development there was a significant increase of stature and weight; a gradual development of genitals and pubic, axillary and facial hair; a small percentage of vocal dysfonia for all groups specially during vocal mutation (groups \"mutation\" and \"end of mutation\"); a significant decrease of habitual fundamental frequency (approximately one octave). With regard to phonetography there was a significant decrease of minimum and maximum frequencies of phonetography (11st and 7st respectively); a significant increase of vocal range mainly toward lower frequencies; a significant occurrence of voice breaks, during phonetography, in vocal mutation. There was no significant change of minimum and maximum intensities; no significant change of maximum dynamic range, but it was dislocated toward lower frequencies; and a non significant increase of the phonetogram area. The most observed changes in phonetography occurred during vocal mutation, between the groups \"mutation\" and \"end of mutation\".

Made available in DSpace on 2014-07-29T16:25:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Rita de Cassia Mendonca.pdf: 2311795 bytes, checksum: 48636bc792002f04d6f00cd6bd5c47a4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-04-28 / There is a great demand in Brazil for research that have, as the main object of study, the adolescent voice during the stage of vocal change. In regard to the study of the voice of these youngsters, whether solo or in choirs, what we observe is the use of pedagogical practices more appropriate for mature adult s voices. The voice teacher, as well as the conductor, must have knowledge about the predictable and successive stages of vocal development which young people go through at the time of the transition from childhood to adulthood. In addition to these stages, it is necessary to understand the emotional, physiological and sociological issues, as well as the cognitive abilities of the adolescents. With such knowledge, the teacher and the conductor may help with the development of the voices of their students / singers based on the principles of vocal and emotional health. The improper handling of these voices during the process of maturing can cause vocal and psychological problems that may be irreversible. In light of contemporary theories about the adolescent and the vocal study, this study aims to define a repertoire and vocal technique exercises that will work as an appropriate program to be sung by the adolescent voice in phase of change. This program will be applied at the Instrument Technical Course of the Federal Institute of the Education Science and Technology of Goiás, where the students, at this stage, may answer to the aspirations for a consistent training in order to become professional singers and, at the same time, attending to the working world, combined with the vocal and emotional health of the adolescents. / No Brasil há uma grande demanda por pesquisas que tenham como principal objeto o estudo sobre o adolescente em fase de mudança vocal. Com relação ao estudo do canto destes jovens, tanto solo, como em corais, o que se observa é a utilização de práticas pedagógicas apropriadas para as vozes maduras dos adultos. O professor de canto, assim como o regente, devem ser conhecedores dos estágios de desenvolvimento vocal, previsíveis e sucessivos, que ocorrem com os jovens no momento de transição entre a infância e a fase adulta. Além destes estágios, faz-se necessário conhecer as questões emocionais, fisiológicas, sociológicas e cognitivas dos adolescentes. De posse destes conhecimentos, o professor e o regente poderão acompanhar e desenvolver as vozes de seus alunos/cantores a partir do princípio da saúde vocal e emocional. O tratamento inadequado destas vozes em fase de amadurecimento pode provocar problemas vocais e psicológicos muitas vezes irreversíveis. Sob a luz de teorias contemporâneas sobre o adolescente e o ensino do canto, o presente estudo tem como objetivo definir repertórios e exercícios de técnica vocal adequados ao adolescente em fase de mudança vocal. Esta proposta se destina a ser aplicada a alunos do Curso Técnico em Instrumento Musical do Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia de Goiás, cujas vozes se encontram nesta fase de mudança, atendendo, por um lado, os anseios destes jovens cantores em busca de uma formação profissional e, por outro, do mundo do trabalho, aliados à saúde vocal e emocional da adolescência.