Logopedics, Vol. 2 No. 1, 2010.
Original scientific paper
Spectral characteristics of klapa singing performed by professional folk singers
Gordana Kovačić
; Croatian Television (HRT)
Paul Boersma
; Institute of Phonetic Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
Hrvoje Domitrović
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to examine the spectral characteristics of klapa singing and to show if this type of singing relies on a singer’s formant. The voices of twelve professional male folk singers were digitally recorded and analysed for long-term average spectrum (LTAS) in the PRAAT program. Each singer performed the Dalmatian song Zaspalo je siroče in G-major. The LTAS contour showed no evidence of a singer’s formant. Instead, the averaged LTAS curve with two distinctive peaks between 2.2 kHz and 3.7 kHz (these correspond to the third and fourth formants) turned out to have features quite similar to a speech spectrum. A more pronounced fourth formant in the case of some singers turned out to have the features of a speaker’s formant. In order to examine the
similarities between klapa singing and speech, a sample of speaker subjects (N=8) was subsequently included in the study. The spectral slope and average intensity in the bands 1-2 kHz, 2-3 kHz, 3-4 kHz and 4-5 kHz as well as alfa and VF (strength of the high formants)
parameters were computed and compared. The results showed that spectral characteristics of klapa singing and speaking were comparable. However, the differences were noticeable in intensity levels in 2-4 kHz frequency range (VF parameter). In this case the klapa singing spectrum was intensified but there were no sings of the singer’s formant. The conclusion is that the production of klapa singing is comparable to that of (trained) speech.
Keywords
acoustic analysis of the singing voice; operatic and folk singing; klapa (vocal group); long-term average spectrum (LTAS); alpha; VF (strength of the high formants); singer’s formant; speaker’s formant
Hrčak ID:
123964
URI
Publication date:
1.7.2010.
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