Biomedical papers volume 147-1 (2003)

Biomed. Papers 147(1), 81-86 (2003)

IN REFERENCE TO PHONATION LARYNX FIXATION: COMPUTER GRAPHIC RECORD

Hana Sochorová^a, Josef Pešák^b, Stanislav Laichman^c, Michal Grepl^b

^a Department of Medical Examination Methods and Medical Biology, University of Ostrava, Syllabova 19, Ostrava 3, Czech Republic

^b Department of Biophysics

^c Department of Normal Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Palacký University, Hněvotínská 3, 775 15 Olomouc, Czech Republic

Key words: Vocal apparatus, Larynx, Modal voice, Falsetto voice, Phonation larynx fixation

The vocal apparatus serves phonation. It represents a biocybernetic self-regulating system, disposing of a feedbacknetwork of the central nervous system. The larynx is a self-induced vibrating system. The larynx, functioning as thephonation apparatus of the vocal apparatus, is a source of human voice. In every individual its frequency rangecorresponds to about eight semitones in speech and about two octaves of the so-called chest register in singing,denoted also as a thoracic or modal voice. This is followed by one more octave of the so-called cranial register orfalsetto voice. We were interested in changes of the larynx positions at intonation in the fundamental singingregisters, both modal and falsetto, in professional male singers. At our disposal were 11 professional male singers.We investigated changes in the position of the laryngeal structures simultaneously with the aid of an X-rayapparatus, the acoustic and mechanical signals registered by means of the B & K 4369 acceleration recorder. It hasbeen found that at phonation with the modal voice a change in the position of the laryngeal structures takes placein two different ways, whereas the larynx movements at falsetto remain the same. It has been suggested thata complex fixation apparatus participates in the phonation larynx movements. Of the same complex character arealso the problems connected with the examination of the entire vocal apparatus. For the purpose of compiling thepresent pieces of knowledge in the field of human voice studies, we have made the most advantageous use of thepresently most complex system Authorware for the production of some interactive multimedial programmes onpersonal computers.

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