Jude Brereton

Real-time feedback in the singing studio: an innovatory action-research project using new voice technology

The article reports on a one-year AHRB-funded Innovations project that was designed to evaluate the usefulness, or otherwise, of the application of real-time visual feedback technology in the singing studio. The basis for the research was a multi-disciplinary approach that drew on voice science and acoustics, the psychology of singing and voice education. Participants were based in two different singing studios, one in the north of England and the other in the south. They catered for two different adult singer client groups ranging from skilled amateur to advanced professional. An action-research methodology was adopted in which the two participant singing teachers and their adult students were seen as co-researchers in the research activity. The resultant research data consisted of research diaries, observations and interviews, supplemented by multimedia recordings (audio and video) of actual singing behaviours over time. Data analyses indicate that new technology can impact positively on teacher behaviours and student experiences by providing more meaningful feedback through an enriched pedagogy. This offers the possibility of expanding the professional knowledge and skill base of both groups.

WinSingad: a real-time display for the singing studio +

This paper describes the nature and implementation of a specially-designed integrated real-time display that is undergoing evaluation as part of a recently funded innovative pilot project to investigate the relative usefulness of computer displays in the singing studio. Following previous work that suggests that simple displays of a small number of analysis parameters are generally likely to be the most effective, the system makes available a range of complementary analyses that are plotted against time. These relate to: fundamental frequency, spectrum, spectral ratio, and vocal tract area. These can be viewed singly, multiply or in combination using a panel based design within the PC Windows environment, known as WinSingad. The algorithms used are described and the displays themselves are illustrated with results gained from the pilot phase of the research to indicate their potential usefulness.

Four-part choral synthesis system for investigating intonation in a cappella choral singing

Abstract Accurate tuning is an important aspect of singing in harmony in the context of a choir or vocal ensemble. Tuning and ‘pitch drift’ are concerning factors in performance for even the most accomplished professional choirs when singing a cappella (unaccompanied). In less experienced choirs tuning often lacks precision, typically because individual singers have not developed appropriate listening skills. In order to investigate accuracy of tuning in ensemble singing situations, a chorally appropriate reference is required against which frequency measurements can be made. Since most basic choral singing involves chords in four parts, a four-part reference template is used in which the fundamental frequencies of the notes in each chord can be accurately set. This template can now be used in experiments where three of the reference parts are tuned in any musical temperament (tuning system), in this case equal and just temperaments, and played over headphones to a singer to allow her/his tuning strategy to be investigated. This paper describes a practical implementation of a four-part choral synthesis system in Pure Data (Pd) and its use in an investigation of tuning of notes by individual singers using an exercise originally written to explore pitch drift in a cappella choral singing.

A real‐time display system for singing voice development

Central to any pedagogical nurturing of singing development is the provision of some form of meaningful feedback to the developing singer. Singing teachers draw on their personal experiences within an essentially oral culture where expertise is handed down from teacher to student generation by generation. The teacher is engaged in a psychological translation of the student’s performance, and a dual possibility thereby exists for the misinterpretation of information; the teacher may not describe the student’s performance appropriately and/or the student may not understand how to modify his or her singing behavior as intended. The provision of quantitative visual feedback provides a physical basis for vocal development. This paper will describe a real‐time display system for singing training known as ‘‘WinSingad,’’ which enables acoustic and voice source aspects to be viewed in real‐time on a PC. The system has been used in singing lessons and has been universally welcomed by students and teachers alike for...

Special Session on Singing Voice - Towards a Novel Real-Time Visual Display for Singing Training

Real-time visual displays have found application to be tested as part of a recently funded pilot project to investigate the usefulness or otherwise of computer displays in the singing studio. Following previous work that suggests that simple displays of a small number of analysis parameters are generally the most effective, the system makes available analyses plotted against time that relate to: pitch, spectral ratio, larynx closed quotient and vocal tract area. These can be viewed singly, multiply or in combination. The algorithms used will be described as well as previous analysis experiments that indicate their potential usefulness. A number of example output screens will be illustrated to indicate how users interact with the system. The on-going testing paradigm will also be described which is designed to establish whether or not displays such as these can be used in the singing studio to any useful advantage. .