the visual/kinesthetic effects of melodic contour in musical...

The Visual/Kinesthetic Effects of Melodic Contour inMusical Notation as it Affects Vocal Timbre in Singers

of Classical and Music Theater Repertoire

*Kathryn Barnes-Burroughs,†Christopher Watts,Oren L. Brown, and Jeannette LoVetri

Mobile, Alabama

Summary: The purpose of this investigation was to obtain information fromprofessional singers active in performing of both classical and music theaterrepertoire with regard to the visual/kinesthetic effect of melodic contour inmusical notation as it affects vocal timbre. The evaluation of data gatheredduring the study indicates that there is reason to investigate the resultingpostural shifts of the head and neck because they are guided by visual mapsof melodic contour and its inversion. Significantly, it was discovered that thetone quality produced when a singer’s head and neck postures followedthe natural melodic contour of the melody was in no case considered tobe the most pleasing of the conditions studied and that, in many cases, thetone quality produced when a singer’s head and neck postures followed a mapof the inversion of the melodic contour was judged to be much improved.The results of the study also indicate that the development of new technologyfor the general teaching studio, designed to address these effects, may beuseful to these singers.

Key Words: Posture—Timbre—Melodic contour—Classical voice—Musictheater voice—Head and neck—Tone quality—Visual/kinesthetic effect—Technology.

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Accepted for publication August 2, 2004.Supported in part by a faculty development grant award

by the Graduate School at the University of South AlabamaPresented at the Voice Foundation’s 33rd Annual Symposiu

Care of the Professional Voice, Philadelphia, June 4, 2004.From the *Department of Music, †Department of Speec

Pathology and Audiology, University of South AlabamaMobile, AL.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to KathBarnes-Burroughs, DMA, School of Music, Texas Tech Univesity,Box42033,Lubbock,TX79409-2033.E-mail:[email protected]

Journal of Voice, Vol. 19, No. 3, pp. 411–4190892-1997/$30.00� 2005 The Voice Foundationdoi:10.1016/j.jvoice.2004.08.001

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INTRODUCTION

ChallengeIn June 2002, research was presented at the Vo

Foundation’s 31st Annual Symposium: Care othe Professional Voice that identified three primacriteria commonly recognized among singing pedgogues for the determination of talent in untrainesinging voices. Along with accuracy in intonatioand evidence of musicality, Watts et al1 demon-strated that beauty of timbre or tone color was aldetermined to be essential in the recognition of utrained singing talent.

Within institutions dedicated to the developmenof elite singing voices, talented persons with th

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KATHRYN BARNES-BURROUGHS ET AL412

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most consistent quality of pleasing tone color aprized and promoted. This is generally agreedbe true, both in classical voice and music theavoice training; it is the goal of most singing teacheto develop greater consistency in the tone quaof the student by use of the most healthy and efficiepedagogical means possible.

One of the most commonly observed pedagogichallenges to the achievement of this goal is toften-encountered visual/kinesthetic connectionthe singer’s body to the perceived motion of noton a page of printed music. Because Western muis notated on a vertically fluctuating horizontal gridstudents of singing may sometimes mimic thmotion of those notes across the page, raising alowering postures of the head and neck in respoto the waveform seen in the melodic contour. This to say, if one was to “connect the dots” of musicnotation, an irregular waveform would emergereflect the intervallic movement of that melodthrough the pitches or fundamental frequencies ofdesired sound. This waveform is known as melodshape or contour and is evident in every motivperiod, and phrase of a melody in music.2 Figure 1maps the melodic contour of a musical notatioexample with a continuous chain-like bubble linthrough the note heads, proceeding from left to rig

This study focuses on the resulting vocal timbproduced by a singer when a nodding motionthe head and neck follows this contour as that sinproduces each tone of the melody. It further invesgates the possibility of a new pedagogical tool deicated to the correction of this phenomenon.

Argument for investigationFor the most part, existing studies and pedagogi

texts address the relationship between the postuof the head and neck and vocal tone quality or timbin broad strokes. Meribeth Bunch3 states that optimalvocal quality is the result of a “sense of balance raththan tension,”despite the interplay of theantagonismuscles of the breath, larynx, and resonators neeto produce a pleasing tone. Similarly, William Vennard’s4 famous marionette image of ideal postufor singing refers to the balance of the head supended from its top, along with the chest comfoably elevated, and the pelvis hanging from the spiTo this general image, Bunch5 adds that changes in

Journal of Voice, Vol. 19, No. 3, 2005

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FIGURE 1. Melodic contour in standard musical notation.

thepostureof thehead andneck “alter theshapeof tvocal tract.” Vennard6 then submits that changes inideal singing posture may produce tension and th“sound that passes through a tense throat is diffeent from one that comes from a relaxed throat.Following suit, Bunch7 contributes that changes inpostural shifts may very well result in “undesirablechanges in vocal quality.” Through this virtual dis-cussion of two of the leading pedagogues of ouera, and through further corroboration by fellowvoice scientist Johann Sundberg,8 we find the cruxof the relationship between postural shifts of thhead and neck with resulting variable tone colorin the singing voice. These shifts in posture maproduce less-than-favorable results.

In the field of voice therapy, however, posturashifts have proven to be useful tools for singersResearchers such as Dejonckere and Lebacq9 havedocumented immediate improvement of voice quaity simply by changing basic postural positionsSimilarly, the leaders of music theater methods, sucas Jeannette LoVetri and Jo Estill, who are stidetermining the standard use of these methods, uelevated postures of the head and neck for certavocal and technical effects. Still, classically traineteachers of singing like James McKinney10and OrenBrown11 follow in the tradition of warning againstthe “habit of raising the chin to ‘reach’ for highnotes.” Yet, both classical and music theater authoties tend to prize consistent sound production suable to the artistic needs of the performance.

It is possible, then, that these seemingly opposinviews of the positive and negative effects of posturashifts are facets of the same technical paradigintended for easier use of the vocal mechanism bsingers and consistent tonal output. As with Vennard’s marionette image, apparently defying gravit

MELODIC CONTOUR AND VOCAL TIMBRE 413

FIGURE 2. Authority perceptual measures chart.

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in its postural supports, most students of singinhave been told that “down is up” and “up is downwith regard to the image we have of changing pitcWe have been taught that we should approaeach higher pitch (than the one we are singing)if it were lower, and each lower pitch as if it werehigher—all this in an effort to decrease strain othe mechanism and to increase usable vocal ranfor singers. Consequently, part of the art of singinis our ability to reconcile these directional opposite

The purpose of this study, then, is to investigathe possibility that if we visually invert the conceptof “high” and “low” with regard to notes within themelodic contour of musical notation, we might thederive a more pleasing and consistent vocal timbthrough training.

METHODS

ParticipantsEight trained, professional singers between t

ages of 21 and 45 years who regularly perform boclassical and music theater repertoire volunteeras research subjects from the group of registrantsthe First Annual Pedagogy and Vocology Week of th

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Voice Institute at USA: A Regional Center forVoice Studies and Research at the University oSouth Alabama. All participants had normal hearingno history of chronic vocal pathologic conditions, noprevious voice therapy, no history of drug or alcohoabuse, no history of smoking, and no current allegies or voice problems at the time of testing.

Data acquisitionThis investigation was primarily contingent on

perceptual feedback as judged by 2 voice authoritiin a blind real-time setting with the 8 subjects. OreL. Brown (primary, published classical singing authority) and Jeannette LoVetri (primary, publishemusic theater singing authority) were seated behindscreen and instructed to rate 8 voice samples psubject. They were not aware of the conditions sfor the subjects in producing each sample, aside frothe shift from classical singing voice to music theatesinging voice; because each was a teacher in boclassical and music theater settings, both ratedsamples. Four classical samples and 4 music theasamples produced from the same subject were raas either (1) unacceptable, (2) acceptable, or (ideal on an Authority Perceptual Measures Cha



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FIGURE 3. Condition A—postural shifts with natural me-lodic contour.

such as seen inFigure 2. Brown and LoVetri werealso instructed to circle the most appealing samp(in terms of vocal timbre) of the 4 classical and thethe 4 music theater samples for each subject.

We used theComputerized Speech Lab (CSL; KayElemetrics Corporation, Lincoln Park, NJ) assignal acquisition device for the voice samplesData from these samples were acquired for possibfuture use by researchers in analysis and frecording examples for research presentation.

ProceduresSubjects were instructed individually to stan

before a music stand containing musical notationthe first 10 notes of the melody “Somewhere over thRainbow” (fromThe Wizard of Oz), with the bottomportion of the page remaining covered until the finasample was collected in each of the two style(classical and music theater voice). A commomidrange key of C major was chosen for the execise. The starting pitch (C4 or middle C) was generated from an electric piano keyboard before easample to ensure consistent intonation in all sampleA head-mounted microphone was used by us facoustic recordings. Each subject produced 8 saples of the melody, 4 in a classical singing voic

FIGURE 4. Condition B—head and neck elevated.


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FIGURE 5. Condition C—head and neck downcast.

and 4 in a music theater singing voice. The melodywas sung on the vowel [a] in the followingconditions:

Condition A: The subject was instructed to singthe melody while reading the musical notationand allowing the head and neck to follow thecurve of the normal melodic contour.Condition B: The subject was instructed to singthe melody while reading the musical notationand holding the head and neck in an elevatedposture throughout.Condition C: The subject was instructed to singthe melody while reading the musical notationand holding the head and neck in a downcastposture throughout.Condition D: The subject was instructed toremove the masking on the bottom part of the sheetmusic and reveal an inversion map of the melodiccontour of the melody. The subject was then in-structed to sing the melody while reading themusical notation and allowing the head and neckposture to follow the curve of the inversion.

RESULTS

The Authority Perceptual Measures of Brown andLoVetri are represented inFigures 7 and 8. The

FIGURE 6. Condition D—postural shifts with inversion mapof melodic contour.


FIGURE 7. Authority perceptual measures chart: Brown.

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raw data results are interesting in several aspecAlthough vocal quality varied with the instrumentand use of each subject, both authorities were abto rate a relative “best” sound for each subject ithe 2 singing style products, shown as the scoin parentheses in each case. Brown’s “best” produchoices almost consistently favored the downcaposture timbre product of Condition C or the inverted melodic contour posture product of Condtion D. LoVetri’s “best” product choices were more

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divergent across Conditions B, C, and D. Nevetheless, neither authority rated any subjecteither style at his or her best in the natural melodcontour posture of Condition A.

When percentages of perceptual improvementa compilation of the two Authority PerceptuaMeasures Charts compiled inTable 1were assessedmore subjects produced their “best” vocal timb(indicated on the chart by parentheses) when singwith the head following an inverted melodic contou



FIGURE 8. Authority perceptual measures chart: LoVetri.

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map in the context of the classical singing voiccompared with the other conditions: 0% of thresults favored the timbre produced by head aneck postures following the normal melodic contoof the melody (Condition A), 19% favored the timbrproduced by an elevated posture of the head and n(Condition B), 19% favored the timbre produced ba downcast posture of the head and neck (ConditC), and 62% favored the timbre produced by heand neck postures following the inverted melodcontour (Condition D).


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Interestingly, “best” ratings were less conclusivewhen subjects sang in their music theater voicesbut they still indicated a substantial lean toward thedowncast posture of Condition C: 0% of the resultsfavored the timbre produced by head and neckpostures following the normal melodic contour ofthe melody (Condition A), 19% favored the timbreproduced by an elevated posture of the head and nec(Condition B), 25% favored the timbre producedby head and neck postures following the invertedmelodic contour (Condition D), and 56% favored the


TABLE 1. Composite of “Best” Singing Timbre Perceived at All Conditions

Subjects with Best at Best at Best at Best atvocal timbre Condition A➡ ■ Condition B Condition C Condition D

(natural melodic (elevated posture) (downcast posture) (inverted melodiccontour postures) contour postures)

Classical singing 0% 19% 19% 62%Music theater singing 0% 19% 56% 25%

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timbre produced by a downcast posture of the heand neck throughout (Condition C).

When the composite scores of the two authoritiare analyzed statistically as seen inTable 2, onenoteworthy result is suggested. Based on the copiled descriptive statistics rating each subject as pducing (1) unacceptable, (2) acceptable, or (3) idtimbres in each condition, as derived from the twAuthority Perceptual Measures, subjects were raas having a better singing voice when singing withe head following an inverted contour in the conteof a classical singing voice, compared with the othconditions. However, ratings compared in this wawere inconclusive when subjects sang in a mutheater voice.

DISCUSSION

The purpose of this investigation was to obtainformation from professional singers active in thperformance of both classical and music theater rertoire with regard to the visual/kinesthetic effectmelodic contour in musical notation as it affects thproduction of vocal timbre. The evaluation of dagathered during the course of the study indicathat a reason exists to investigate the resultipostural shifts of the head and neck as they aguided by visual maps of melodic contour and iinversion. In addition, it was discovered that in ncase was the tone quality produced considered tothe most pleasing when a singer’s head and nepostures followed the natural melodic contour of thmelody. Nevertheless, in many cases, tone quawas much improved in conditions when a singehead and neck postures followed a map of theverted melodic contour.

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Analysis also indicates that vocal timbres resulting from such postural shifts must be judged tobe suitable by the existing authority hearing thevocal output. In life, this authority is in the positionto choose or reject the vocal product for its purposeincluding those such as a casting director, producemusic director, conductor, agent, wedding director, choir director, club owner, school ensemble director, or voice faculty. For those talented singerwho seek training, however, the voice studio is thsite for development of the most pleasing vocatimbre possible for any individual instrument.Therefore, the first authority of significance in theeducation of a developing singer is the singingteacher.

As Oren Brown writes in his pedagogical treatiseDiscover Your Voice,11 it is the responsibility ofthe singing teacher to assist the student in “establising kinesthetic actions to bring about automatic responses.” Not all actions or responses in singinare intuitive. Therefore, if developing singers arechallengedtoprocesssuchseemingoppositesasboposture versus gravity, muscular function versubreath management, and natural melodic contoversus desired visual/kinesthetic response, we migthen benefit from the design of a program for theteaching studio that would address this phenomeno

Dr. Robert Thayer Sataloff points out in his textProfessional Voice: the Science and Art of ClinicalCare12 that the “best acoustic analyzers are still thehuman ear and brain.” This is why the singer anthe voice teacher spend so many years conditionina sense of the ideal set of kinesthetic actions thwill result in a desired vocal quality. Obviously,voice teachers have been dealing with this phenomnon for as many years as singers have performe



TABLE 2. Descriptive Statistics of Base Timbre Ratings

Singing style Condition Average rating SD

Classical Natural contour (A) 1.69 0.704Head elevated (B) 1.88 0.342Head downcast (C) 1.63 0.619Inverted contour (D) 2.25 0.683

Music theater Natural contour (A) 1.31 0.479Head elevated (B) 1.56 0.512Head downcast (C) 1.81 0.544Inverted contour (D) 1.75 0.577

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with standard Western musical notation. Fortunatehowever, current technology offers us a unique oportunity to find new ways of conditioning visualkinesthetic responses and actions in the genevoice studio. Development of these alternative metods follow the spirit of Sataloff’s treatise on objective voice function technologies,13 with the caveatthat such technologies “are not substitutes for gostudio teaching techniques but rather extra tools…technology that may enhance teaching efficiencand consistency.”

With the encouragement of the results of thstudy, good support seems to exist for further conseration of a real-time pedagogical tool developedaddress the visual/kinesthetic response to melocontour and following in the tradition of real-timedisplays suchas theCSL (eg, voice rangeprofile, real-time pitch, and spectrogram) and the user-friendstudio technology of Garyth Nair.14 Continuing de-velopment of a computer-based ready-scan invsion program, designed to improve quality anefficiency in the teaching studio, is now under wayA real-time program capable of displaying melodicontour mapping and inversion, made simultanously visible with common practice notation, wilundergo testing at Texas Tech University SchoolMusic in the spring of 2005. It is the intent of thedevelopers to bring the results of this testingthe Voice Foundation in the near future, with thhope of contributing to its ongoing mission of crossdiscipline understanding in our vocal health industr

CONCLUSION

On the basis of the results of this study, thereconsiderable indication that further research


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warranted with regard to the visual/kinesthetic ef-fects of melodic contour in musical notation as itaffects vocal timbre in singers of classical and musictheater repertoire. Further investigation into the sci-entific causes of these kinesthetic responses to melodic contour mapping and the resulting vocaltimbres appropriate to classical and music theatersinging may also be indicated. Moreover, it may beof interest to study the spectral representations ofvocal timbres created from conditions of responseto melodic contour mapping and its inversion as theyareappropriate to classical and music theater singing.Finally, the results of the study indicate that thedevelopment of new technology for the generalteaching studio, designed to address these effectsmay be useful for singers.

Acknowledgments: The authors would like to dedicatethe work of this study and its resulting investigationsto the memory and legacy of Oren L. Brown, a greatcontributor to the fields of vocal health and singing,a caring mentor, a cherished colleague, and an opencollaborator to the end of his days.

REFERENCES

1. Watts C, Barnes-Burroughs K, Andrianopoulos M, CarrM. Potential factors related to untrained singing talent: asurvey of singing pedagogues.J Voice. 2003;17:298–307.

2. Berry W. Smaller structural units. In: Berry W. Form inMusic. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall; 1966:1–31.

3. Bunch M. Dynamics of the Singing Voice. New York:Springer; 1997:102.

4. Vennard W.Singing: The Mechanism and the Technic.New York: Carl Fischer, Inc.; 1967:19.


6. Vennard W.Singing: The Mechanism and the Technic.New York: Carl Fischer, Inc.; 1967:101.


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8. Sundberg J.The Science of the Singing Voice. DeKalb, IL:Northern Illinois University Press; 1987.

9. Dejonckere PH, Lebacq J. Plasticity of voice quality: aprognostic factor for outcome of voice therapy?J Voice.2001;15:251–256.

10. McKinney JC.The Diagnosis and Correction of VocalFaults. Nashville, TN: Genovox Music Group; 1994:39.

11. Brown OL.Discover Your Voice. San Diego, CA: SingularPublishing Group; 1999:42.

12. Sataloff RT. Use of Instrumentation in the Studio. In:Sataloff, ed.Professional Voice: The Science and Art ofClinical Care. 2nd ed. San Diego, CA: Singular PublishingGroup; 1997:756.

13. Sataloff RT. Use of Instrumentation in the Studio. In: Sataloffed. Professional Voice: The Science and Art of ClinicalCare. 2nd ed. San Diego, CA: Singular Publishing Group;1997:757.

14. Nair G.Voice Tradition and Technology: A State-of-the-ArtStudio. San Diego, CA: Singular Publishing Group; 1999.


The visual/kinesthetic effects of melodic contour in musical notation as it affects vocal timbre in singers of class...IntroductionChallengeArgument for investigation

MethodsParticipantsData acquisitionProcedures

ResultsDiscussionConclusionReferences

the visual/kinesthetic effects of melodic contour in musical...

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