Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Vocal resistance among choir singers

  • Laryngology
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the present study was to compare the voice of choir singers before and after 60 min of singing and after an absolute rest.

Methods

Twenty-one female choir singers aged on average 26.59 years, with experience in choir singing of at least one year were instructed to emit the vowel /a/ before and after singing and after a vocal rest of 30 min for an analysis of acoustic measures, and for the evaluation of their tactile–kinesthetic self-perception. Vocal warm-up was performed for 10 min. The participants were instructed to sing the “Ave Verum” music continuously for 60 min.

Results

f0 (p = 0.0001) and Flo (p = 0.0002) increased after the singing test and were reduced after the vocal rest, in contrast to Fhi (p = 0.001), which continued to be increased compared to the pre-test measure even after the vocal rest. The vAm parameter (p = 0.05) was reduced after continuous singing and rest. All self-evaluation symptoms increased after the continuous singing task and were reduced after the 30 min rest, except for complaints of low voice, pain when swallowing and cough/throat clearing.

Conclusion

60 min of continuous use of the singing voice induced signs of vocal fatigue with an increase in f0, with improvement of symptoms and a reduction of f0 occurring after 30 min of vocal rest.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Vilkman E (2004) Occupational safety and health aspects of voice and speech professions. Folia Phoniatr Logop 56:220–253

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Smith B (2018) The art and science of lifelong singing. J Voice 32(3):291–299

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Gish A, Kunduk M, Sims L, McWhorter AJ (2012) Vocal warm-up practices and perceptions in vocalists: a pilot survey. J Voice 26(1):e1–e10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Laukkanen AM, Järvinen K, Artkoski M, Waaramaa-Mäki-Kulmala T, Kankare E, Sippola S, Syrjä T, Salo A (2004) Changes in voice and subjective sensations during a 45-min vocal loading test in female subjects with vocal training. Folia Phoniatr Logop 56(6):335–346

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Franca MC, Wagner JF (2015) Effects of vocal demands on voice performance of student singers. J Voice 29(3):324–332

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Jilek C, Marienhagen J, Hacki T (2004) Vocal stability in functional dysphonic versus healthy voices at different times of voice loading. J Voice 18(4):443–453

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Vintturi J, Alku P, Sala E, Sihvo M, Vilkman E (2003) Loading-related subjective symptoms during a vocal loading test with special reference to gender and some ergonomic factors. Folia Phoniatr Logop 55(2):55–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Hunter EJ, Titze IR (2009) Quantifying vocal fatigue recovery: dynamic vocal recovery trajectories after a vocal loading exercise. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 118(6):449–460

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Solomon NP, DiMattia MS (2000) Effects of a vocally fatiguing task and systemic hydration on phonation threshold pressure. J Voice 14(3):341–362

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Chang A, Karnell MP (2004) Perceived phonatory effort and phonation threshold pressure across a prolonged voice loading task: a study of vocal fatigue. J Voice 18:454–466

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. McHenry M, Evans J, Powitzky E (2016) Vocal assessment before, after and the day after opera performance. J Voice 30(2):186–191

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Onofre F, Prado YA, Rojas GVE, Garcia DM, Aguiar-Ricz LN (2017) Measurements of the acoustic speaking voice after vocal warm-up and cooldown in choir singers. J Voice 31(1):129.e9–129.e14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. - Aguiar-Ricz LN, Pellicani AD (2011) Psychometric instrument for the measurement and evaluation of auditory perception and tactile–kinesthetic vocal resistance. In: 1st Congress of the Confederation of European Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery. July; Barcelona, Spain, 2011, p. 448.

  14. Pellicani AD, Ricz H, Iqueda APD, Aguiar-Ricz L (2017) Effect of the tracheoesophageal voice resistance test in total laryngectomees. Laryngoscope 127:405–410

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Sander EK, Ripich DE (1983) Vocal fatigue. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 92(2):141–145

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Rantala L, Vilkman E, Bloigu R (2002) Voice changes during work: subjective complaints and objective measurements for female primary and secondary schoolteachers. J Voice 16(3):344–355

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Pellicani AD, Ricz HM, Ricz LN (2015) Phonatory function after prolonged voice use in Brazilian women. Codas 27(4):392–399

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Hunter EJ, Titze IR (2010) Variations in intensity, fundamental frequency, and voicing for teachers in occupational versus non-occupational settings. J Speech Lang Hear Res 53(4):862–875

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Yiu EML et al (2011) Quantitative high-speed laryngoscopic analysis of vocal fold vibration in fatigued voice of young karaokê singers. J Voice 25(3):e115–e121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Schneider B, Bigenzahn W (2003) Influence of glottal closure configuration on vocal efficacy in young normal speaking woman. J Voice 14(4):468–480

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Welham N, Maclagan MA (2004) Vocal fatigue in young trained singers across a solo performance: a preliminary study. Logoped Phoniatr Vocol 29(1):3–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Buder EH, Wolf T (2003) Instrumental and perceptual evaluations of two related singers. J Voice 17(2):228–244

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Whitling S, Rydell R, LybergÅhlander V (2015) Design of a clinical vocal loading test with long-time measurement of voice. J Voice 29(2):261.e13–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Laukkanen AM, Kankare E (2006) Vocal loading-related changes in male teachers' voices investigated before and after a working day. Folia Phoniatr Logop 58(4):229–239

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Amir O, Amor N, Michaeli O (2005) Evaluating the influence of warm up on singing voice quality using acoustic measures. J Voice 19(2):252–260

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Boucher VJ, Ayad T (2010) Physiological attributes of vocal fatigue and their acoustic effects: a synthesis of findings for a criterion-based prevention of acquired voice disorders. J Voice 24(3):324–336

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Vogel AP, Fletcher J, Maruff P (2010) Acoustic analysis of the effects of sustained wakefulness on speech. J Acoust Soc Am 128(6):3747–3756

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Kwak PE, Stasney CR, Hathway JR, Guffey D, Minard CG, Ongkasuwan J (2017) Physiologic and acoustic effects of opera performance. J Voice 31(1):117.e11–117.e16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Boucher VJ (2008) Acoustic correlates of fatigue in laryngeal muscles: findings for a criterion-based prevention of acquired voice pathologies. J Speech Lang Hear Res 51(5):1161–1170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Carroll T, Nix J, Hunter E, Emerich K, Titze I, Abaza M (2006) Objective measurement of vocal fatigue in classically trained singers: a pilot study of vocal dosimetry data. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 135(4):595–602

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Rantala L, Vilkman E (1999) Relationship between subjective voice complaints and acoustic parameters in female teachers' voices. J Voice 13(4):484–495

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Laukkanen A-M, Ilomaki I, Leppanen K, Vilkman E (2008) Acoustic measures and self-reports of vocal fatigue by female teachers. J Voice 22:283–289

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900. Monte Alegre, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14048-900, Brazil

    Fernanda Onofre, Hilton Ricz, Gleidy Vannesa E. Rojas, Denny Marcos Garcia & Lilian Aguiar-Ricz

  2. Department of Music, Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters at Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil

    Yuka de Almeida Prado

Authors
  1. Fernanda Onofre
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hilton Ricz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yuka de Almeida Prado
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Gleidy Vannesa E. Rojas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Denny Marcos Garcia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Lilian Aguiar-Ricz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lilian Aguiar-Ricz.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethics approval

All procedures in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki.Declaration and its later amendments. This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Clinics Hospital of the School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto of the University of São Paulo according to protocol number 9711/2008.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. Participants signed informed consent regarding publishing their data.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Onofre, F., Ricz, H., de Almeida Prado, Y. et al. Vocal resistance among choir singers. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 278, 159–165 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-020-06238-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-020-06238-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation