Acoustic Correlates of
Glottal Opening
Corinne Cabral
Dept. of Communication
Sciences and Disorders
PURPOSE: The
purpose of this study was to compare acoustic correlates of vocal fold function
between young female smokers and nonsmokers.
METHODS: Ten
young adult female non-smokers and ten young adult female smokers, ranging in age from 18 to 28 years participated in this study.
Voice recordings consisted of three trials of the vowel /æ/, produced at a
comfortable pitch and loudness level.
Measurements included the following, as described by Hanson (1997): (1)
H1*-H2*, the ratio of the amplitude of the first harmonic to the amplitude of
the second harmonic, which is associated with open phase; (2) H1*-A1, the ratio
of the amplitude of the first harmonic to the amplitude of the first formant
frequency, which is associated with glottal closure; and (3) H1*-A3*, the ratio
of the amplitude of the first harmonic to the amplitude of the third formant
frequency, which is associated with alterations in spectral tilt, e.g., speed
of vocal fold closure. Fundamental
frequency (F0) and relative loudness level (RLL) were also obtained.
RESULTS: The
results of this study demonstrated a significant difference in the spectral
measure of H1*-A3*. There was no significant difference
found for F0, RLL, H1*-H2*, or H1*-A1.
CONCLUSIONS: The
results from this study suggest that smoking may affect vocal fold function in
young females. These changes in vocal
fold function may be measured by spectral correlates of glottal function. There
was a significant difference indicated in the spectral measure of spectral tilt
H1*-A3*, indicating a reduction in closing speed of the vocal folds during
phonation. This slower closing speed is
likely related to an increase in vocal fold mass.