Voice source comparison between modern singers of early music and opera

Abstract

An experiment was conducted comparing two subject groups, each comprised of eight professional singers specializing in a genre of classical music: early music or grand opera. Electroglottography was used to consider vocal characteristics idiomatic to each genre. Whilst there are clear differences in contact quotient between subjects, particularly when relationships between fundamental frequency (f0) and contact quotient (Qx) are considered, there is no apparent link between contact quotient behaviour and performance specialism based on the results of this sample.

Key words::

• Contact quotient
• early music
• electrolaryngograph
• opera
• singing

Acknowledgements

The authors thank all the singers for giving up their time to take part in this experiment and the referees for their useful and constructive comments.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.