RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The effects of breast cancer surgical treatment on the professional singing voice are unknown. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to discover whether there are self-perceived changes in the quality and/or process of singing experienced by professional female singers who have undergone surgical intervention for the treatment of diagnosed breast cancer-including any changes perceived from the use of radiation, chemotherapy, and other drug treatments related to those surgeries. METHODS: A voluntary subject pool comprised female professional singers who have undergone surgery for breast cancer was recruited from professional singing networks. Participants underwent evaluation through an anonymous online survey, psychometrically vetted for content and instrument reliability/validity before administration. RESULTS: Valid participants (N=56) responded to 45 questions regarding surgical procedures, related therapies, and self-perceived vocal effects. Analysis of results produced a preliminary description of types of voice change, duration of changes, and qualitative self-perceptions. CONCLUSIONS: This initial report reveals that there are self-perceived singing voice changes experienced by professional singers treated for breast cancer. However, additional research is needed to determine the degree of vocal impact perceived to be attributable to individual surgical interventions and related therapies.
Asunto(s)
Neoplasias de la Mama/cirugía , Mastectomía/efectos adversos , Ocupaciones , Autoimagen , Autoinforme , Canto , Trastornos de la Voz/etiología , Calidad de la Voz , Adulto , Anciano , Neoplasias de la Mama/fisiopatología , Neoplasias de la Mama/psicología , Quimioterapia Adyuvante , Femenino , Encuestas de Atención de la Salud , Humanos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Proyectos Piloto , Radioterapia Adyuvante , Resultado del Tratamiento , Trastornos de la Voz/fisiopatología , Trastornos de la Voz/psicologíaRESUMEN
Despite fine instructional texts in voice hygiene such as those of Sataloff (2005), McCoy (2004), and Bunch Dayme (2009), giant strides in diagnostic assessment of vocal risk factors, and compelling vocal dose studies of Titze (2000-2005) and others, challenges continue to persist for singing voice teachers who are also active performers, or "Teaching Performers." The purpose of this study was to investigate the voice hygiene and voice use practices of Teaching Performers in and out of performance periods, and to assess the readiness of these individuals to consider hygienic changes in their vocal routines. Volunteers from the National Association of Teachers of Singing (N=727) were recruited to participate in an anonymous online survey. Strong instrument validity and reliability was determined through expert vetting for content validity, internal consistency testing (coefficient alpha), and test-retest reliability measurement. Teaching Performers (N=596) responded to 26 questions, supplying voice hygiene and usage information through a variety of response platforms. Vocal health and hygiene habits of self-described "successful" Teaching Performers were revealed through descriptive and comparative data analyses. Consideration of results focuses on perceived benefits and current practices of calculated voice use in the careers of active Teaching Performers. Notably, a gathering awareness of relevant factors of voice hygiene and voice use was detected in the participant population also. The results of this survey indicate a persistent need for further study and also may provide a basis for continuing investigations into vocal health, hygiene, and vocal dosing. Additionally, the study results may provide a foundation for the development of further recommendations in the field of singing voice pedagogy.
Asunto(s)
Conducta de Elección , Docentes , Hábitos , Enfermedades Profesionales/prevención & control , Canto , Trastornos de la Voz/prevención & control , Calidad de la Voz , Entrenamiento de la Voz , Adulto , Concienciación , Femenino , Humanos , Internet , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Enfermedades Profesionales/etiología , Enfermedades Profesionales/fisiopatología , Percepción , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Factores de Tiempo , Trastornos de la Voz/etiología , Trastornos de la Voz/fisiopatologíaRESUMEN
In recent years, the availability of studio teaching technology tools for the classical singing studio has developed exponentially. Nevertheless, the integration of voice analysis technology and other computer-based technology into a traditional classical singing studio can be a daunting task for many teachers, despite fine instructional texts such as those of Garyth Nair (1999) and Scott McCoy (2004). For this reason, The Texas Tech Voice Alliance developed and assessed a bicoastal online survey of classical singing pedagogues in the United States about their perceptions of, and attitudes toward, the use of studio teaching technology. The purpose of this study was to investigate the current use of this technology and to assess the readiness of these teachers to explore further its possible benefits. Subjects were asked to rank relevant factors associated with voice studio teaching technology in the classical singing studio and respond to questions using calibrated judgment scales. Discussion focuses on descriptive survey results and analyses, including agreement and disagreement between classical singing pedagogues regarding real or perceived uses and future benefits of voice studio teaching technology in their studio programs. Results of this survey provide data on which to base future studies. Building on the record of existing software and related literature, and through ongoing research, this team ultimately intends to expand the survey group and use the results to guide us in further development of user-friendly computer-based technology.
Asunto(s)
Actitud del Personal de Salud , Docentes , Música , Procesamiento de Señales Asistido por Computador , Espectrografía del Sonido , Software de Reconocimiento del Habla , Calidad de la Voz , Entrenamiento de la Voz , Adulto , Anciano , Actitud hacia los Computadores , Recursos Audiovisuales , Recolección de Datos , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
The purpose of this investigation was to ascertain the pedagogical viability of computer-generated melodic contour mapping systems in the classical singing studio, as perceived by their resulting effect (if any) on vocal timbre when a singer's head and neck remained in a normal singing posture. The evaluation of data gathered during the course of the study indicates that the development of consistent vocal timbre produced by the classical singing student may be enhanced through visual/kinesthetic response to melodic contour inversion mapping, as it balances the singer's perception of melodic intervals in standard musical notation. Unexpectedly, it was discovered that the system, in its natural melodic contour mode, may also be useful for teaching a student to sing a consistent legato line. The results of the study also suggest that the continued development of this new technology for the general teaching studio, designed to address standard musical notation and a singer's visual/kinesthetic response to it, may indeed be useful.
Asunto(s)
Música , Percepción de la Altura Tonal , Enseñanza/normas , Tecnología , Calidad de la Voz , Adolescente , Adulto , Femenino , Humanos , MasculinoRESUMEN
A growing body of contemporary research has investigated differences between trained and untrained singing voices. However, few studies have separated untrained singers into those who do and do not express abilities related to singing talent, including accurate pitch control and production of a pleasant timbre (voice quality). This investigation studied measures of the singing power ratio (SPR), which is a quantitative measure of the resonant quality of the singing voice. SPR reflects the amplification or suppression in the vocal tract of the harmonics produced by the sound source. This measure was acquired from the voices of untrained talented and nontalented singers as a means to objectively investigate voice quality differences. Measures of SPR were acquired from vocal samples with fast Fourier transform (FFT) power spectra to analyze the amplitude level of the partials in the acoustic spectrum. Long-term average spectra (LTAS) were also analyzed. Results indicated significant differences in SPR between groups, which suggest that vocal tract resonance, and its effect on perceived vocal timbre or quality, may be an important variable related to the perception of singing talent. LTAS confirmed group differences in the tuning of vocal tract harmonics.
Asunto(s)
Percepción Sonora/fisiología , Música , Fonación/fisiología , Calidad de la Voz , Acústica , Adulto , Femenino , Análisis de Fourier , Humanos , MasculinoRESUMEN
The purpose of this investigation was to obtain information from professional singers active in performing of both classical and music theater repertoire with regard to the visual/kinesthetic effect of melodic contour in musical notation as it affects vocal timbre. The evaluation of data gathered during the study indicates that there is reason to investigate the resulting postural shifts of the head and neck because they are guided by visual maps of melodic contour and its inversion. Significantly, it was discovered that the tone quality produced when a singer's head and neck postures followed the natural melodic contour of the melody was in no case considered to be the most pleasing of the conditions studied and that, in many cases, the tone quality produced when a singer's head and neck postures followed a map of the inversion of the melodic contour was judged to be much improved. The results of the study also indicate that the development of new technology for the general teaching studio, designed to address these effects, may be useful to these singers.
Asunto(s)
Cinestesia/fisiología , Música , Estimulación Luminosa/métodos , Discriminación de la Altura Tonal/fisiología , Voz , Adulto , Cognición , Femenino , Lateralidad Funcional/fisiología , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Calidad de la VozRESUMEN
A national survey was conducted to identify factors associated with untrained singing talent based on perceptions obtained from a homogeneous group of professional singing pedagogues. Survey items included questions related to the perception of singing talent, factors associated with untrained singing talent, and physiological variables that distinguished untrained singing talented individuals from those without obvious singing talent. The survey data suggested that intonation, timbre, and musicality were rated the most important factors associated with the perception of singing talent in an untrained individual. Environmental influences and genetics were rated most important for explaining why one individual would express singing talent and another would not. In addition, the data suggested that abilities related to the control of pitch distinguished untrained talented individuals from those without singing talent more than other physiological variables.
Asunto(s)
Aptitud , Música , Percepción de la Altura Tonal , Calidad de la Voz , Adulto , Anciano , Biorretroalimentación Psicológica , Distribución de Chi-Cuadrado , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , EnseñanzaRESUMEN
At a physiological level, the act of singing involves control and coordination of several systems involved in the production of sound, including respiration, phonation, resonance, and afferent systems used to monitor production. The ability to produce a melodious singing voice (eg, in tune with accurate pitch) is dependent on control over these motor and sensory systems. To test this position, trained singers and untrained subjects with and without expressed singing talent were asked to match pitches of target pure tones. The ability to match pitch reflected the ability to accurately integrate sensory perception with motor planning and execution. Pitch-matching accuracy was measured at the onset of phonation (prephonatory set) before external feedback could be utilized to adjust the voiced source, during phonation when external auditory feedback could be utilized, and during phonation when external auditory feedback was masked. Results revealed trained singers and untrained subjects with singing talent were no different in their pitch-matching abilities when measured before or after external feedback could be utilized. The untrained subjects with singing talent were also significantly more accurate than the trained singers when external auditory feedback was masked. Both groups were significantly more accurate than the untrained subjects without singing talent.