Vowel production shifts formants by perturbing vocal tract geometry like a woodwind instrument

Evidence

In order to produce different sounds, the shape of the vocal tract is altered by means of the articulators to change its acoustic properties. The perturbation theory principles explored in the context of woodwind reed instruments (see Figure 4.23) can be employed here also (Kent and Read, 1992). — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 1361

Categorization

• XREF: Bridges woodwind acoustics to speech acoustics — same perturbation-theory machinery governs both, which is a powerful cross-domain lesson. — connects to: Woodwind perturbation theory predicts how articulator constrictions shift formant frequencies — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1347