Vocal pitch is controlled through fold tension and vibrating mass

Evidence

Vocal fold vibration in a healthy larynx is a cyclic sequence in which the vocal folds close and open regularly when a note is being sung. Thus the vocal folds of a soprano singing A4 (f0 = 440.0 Hz) will complete this vocal fold closing and opening sequence 440 times a second. Singers have two methods by which they can change the f0 of vocal fold vibration: they alter the stiffness of the folds themselves by changing the tension of the fold muscle tissue or by altering the vibrating mass by supporting an equal portion of each fold in an immobile position. Adjustments of the physical properties of the folds themselves allow many trained singers to sing over a pitch range of well over two octaves. — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1324

Categorization

Category: Causal Relationships

• XREF: Connects to the string/membrane pitch-control mechanisms presumably covered earlier in this chapter’s instrument models.

Related

• Singers change vocal pitch only via fold stiffness and vibrating mass (similarity 0.97)
• Pitch change depends only on fold tension and vibrating mass adjustments. (similarity 0.95)
• Different voice qualities result from distinct vocal fold modes (similarity 0.83)
• Vocal fold oscillation frequency is predictable without invoking aerodynamic forces (similarity 0.83)
• Vocal fold pulses produce harmonics falling 12 dB per octave (similarity 0.82)
• The vocal folds vibrate via pressure changes from curved airflow, not the Bernoulli effect (similarity 0.82)
• Vocal fold waveform shape with rich harmonics is what makes speech possible (similarity 0.81)
• Vocal folds drive the tract one-way, unlike the interactive trumpet feedback loop (similarity 0.81)
• Changing membrane tension during ringing produces a controlled pitch glide (similarity 0.80)
• Elastic lips and vocal folds self-oscillate once energy input begins. (similarity 0.80)
• Singing is modeled as vocal-fold excitation filtered by a time-varying vocal tract (similarity 0.79)
• A sinusoidal vocal fold wave would make speech impossible (similarity 0.79)
• Elastic recoil and momentum, not Bernoulli effect, mainly close the vocal folds (similarity 0.78)
• Pitch is controlled by string length, tension, or mass (similarity 0.78)
• Glottal function is modeled as mass-spring or distributed transmission-line systems (similarity 0.78)