Seeing and hearing the evidence

Analyses with VoceVista

Analyses of the voce faringea and further register mechanisms using the VoceVista system, with the audio examples belonging to the figures of the dissertation. Spectrogram and electroglottogram make visible what the ear hears — listen and compare for yourself.

For the methodology and full discussion, see the study Investigations of the Voce Faringea Using the VoceVista pro System (PDF).

Voce faringea versus countertenor falsetto

Spectrogram, audio signal and EGG signal of the voce faringea in the upper row and of the falsetto in the lower row, sung on B4 — Plate IVSpectrogram (left), audio signal and EGG signal (right) of the *voce faringea* (above) and the falsetto (below). Dissertation, fig. 44.

Voce faringea · B4

Countertenor falsetto · B4

Long-term average spectrum of a sequence of tones sung in voce faringea above and in falsetto below — Plate VLong-term average spectrum (LTAS) of a sequence of tones in *voce faringea* (above) and falsetto (below). Dissertation, fig. 47.

Voce faringea · tone sequence

Countertenor falsetto · tone sequence

Mezza voce from the voce faringea

Power spectrum and EGG of a sung tone on B flat 4 in voce faringea above and in mezza voce below — Plate VIPower spectrum and EGG of a sung tone (B♭4) in the *voce faringea* (above) and in the *mezza voce* (below). Dissertation, fig. 49.

Mezza voce from voce faringea · B♭4

Further EGG and audio examples

The following examples document the characteristic differences between the countertenor falsetto and the voce faringea — above all the distinctive knee in the EGG curve and the sound-pressure gain in the region of the singer’s formant cluster.

Power spectra with the indicated regions of formants 1 and 2, and EGG signal curves with a pronounced knee shape — Plate VIIPower spectra with the indicated regions of formants 1 and 2 (left) and EGG signal curves with pronounced knee shape (right). *Voce faringea*, C5.

Voce faringea · C5

Comparison of EGG curve shape and sound pressure level between countertenor falsetto below and voce faringea above on B4 — Plate VIIIDevelopment from countertenor falsetto (below) into the *voce faringea* (above) on B4 — clear differences in the EGG curve shape and in the sound-pressure level within the singer’s formant cluster.

Falsetto → voce faringea · B4

Comparison of EGG curve shape and level of the third harmonic between countertenor falsetto below and voce faringea above on C sharp 5 — Plate IXDevelopment from countertenor falsetto (below) into the *voce faringea* (above) on C♯5 — clear differences in the EGG curve shape and in the level of the third harmonic.

Falsetto → voce faringea · C♯5

EGG curve of a diminuendo sung in voce faringea on B4, the knee shape persisting into the pianissimo — Plate XDiminuendo in *voce faringea* on B4 — the knee in the EGG curve persists even in pianissimo; the closed quotient remains constant. Dynamic gradation without loss of the register mechanism.

Voce faringea · diminuendo on B4

The historical background to these measurements is set out in the essay; the written studies are available under Publications.