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Biophysics of Vocal Production in Mammals

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Vertebrate Sound Production and Acoustic Communication

Part of the book series: Springer Handbook of Auditory Research ((SHAR,volume 53))

Abstract

Most mammals, including humans, produce sound in agreement with the myoelastic-aerodynamic theory (MEAD): by converting aerodynamic energy into acoustic energy via flow-induced self-sustaining oscillation of the vocal folds or other laryngeal tissue. The generated laryngeal sound is filtered by the vocal tract and radiated from the mouth and/or the nose.

In this chapter, some basic biophysical principles of the MEAD theory are explained, mostly based on research done in humans. Empirical evidence and concepts for nonhuman mammals are provided when available and applicable.

In particular, biomechanical properties of vibrating laryngeal tissue and respective vibratory modes are described, and the oscillatory components and forces necessary for flow-induced self-sustaining vibration are discussed. The notions of fundamental frequency and its control, periodicity, and irregularity are explored, followed by a basic description of nonlinear phenomena (NLP) such as bifurcations, subharmonics, or chaos. Subglottal pressure and glottal airflow are essential parameters of voice production, and their influence on the generated voice source spectrum is considered. Finally, linear and nonlinear effects of the vocal tract are reviewed, and the efficiency sound production is discussed.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The terms vocal tract “resonance” and “format” are often used interchangeably, which may in some cases constitute a precarious simplification. Please refer to the discussion in Titze et al. (2015) for precise definitions and a historical perspective.

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Acknowledgments

This publication was partly financed by the European Social Fund and the state budget of the Czech Republic within the project no. CZ.1.07/2.3.00/30.0004 “POST-UP” and partly by the ERC grant SOMACCA. I am very grateful to Aaron Johnson and Jan Svec for their comments and suggestions. I thank Megan Wyman for her aid in acquiring the data for Fig. 6.5 and Nadja Kavcik-Graumann for her help with the artwork of Figs. 6.1 and 6.2.

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  1. Voice Research Lab, Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, 17. listopadu 12, Olomouc, 771 46, Czech Republic

    Christian T. Herbst

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  1. Medical Science, Jordan Hall, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA

    Roderick A. Suthers

  2. Dept. of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    W. Tecumseh Fitch

  3. Marine Biological Laboratory, Falmouth, Massachusetts, USA

    Richard R. Fay

  4. College Park, USA

    Arthur N. Popper

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Herbst, C.T. (2016). Biophysics of Vocal Production in Mammals. In: Suthers, R., Fitch, W., Fay, R., Popper, A. (eds) Vertebrate Sound Production and Acoustic Communication. Springer Handbook of Auditory Research, vol 53. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27721-9_6

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