Master of Science (MS), Bowling Green State University, 2009, Communication Disorders

The purpose of this study was to describe the acoustic and aerodynamic characteristics of diatonic scale singing at different tempi in a professional female soprano. The classically trained singer sang ascending-descending ninth scales on /a/ in the F# major key at five different tempi – slow, moderately slow, moderately fast, fast, and fastest. All scales were performed with a moderate loudness level and with a pre-determined metronome marking. Tempo was controlled in order to determine whether differences existed between scales that were sung at a comfortable tempo and scales that were sung at an uncomfortable tempo. The slow (1 note = 104 beats / minute), moderately fast (2 notes = 92 beats / minute), and fastest (4 notes = 92 beats / minute) tempi were designated as comfortable because they were typically performed with integer multiple vibrato cycles per note. The moderately slow (2 notes = 72 beats / minute) and fast (4 notes = 69 beats / minute) tempi were designated as potentially uncomfortable because the note durations were not integer multiples of the singer's typical vibrato cycle period. There were a total of 5 ascending-descending scales analyzed in this study, one for each tempo. The results of the study strongly suggested trends in the acoustic and aerodynamic measures when tempo and scale direction were controlled. The following observations were noted: 1)mean fundamental frequency (F0) was higher in the descending notes than the corresponding ascending notes, 2)average F0 vibrato extent decreased as tempo increased, 3)mean note intensity was greatest at the highest notes and lowest at the lowest notes of the scale, 4)secondary intensity peaks were observed at the third (A#4) or fourth (B4) notes of both the ascending and descending portions of the scale, 5)airflow was greatest at the lowest notes of the scale and lowest at the highest notes of the scale, and 6)average airflow vibrato extent decreased as tempo increased. Distinctive trends were not (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Ronald Scherer PhD (Advisor); Jane Rodgers DMA (Committee Member); Laura Dilley PhD (Committee Member); Roger Colcord PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Speech Therapy

Doctor of Musical Arts, The Ohio State University, 2022, Music

Since the end of the 19th century, musical theater has thrived and continued to grow as a prominent American artform. Though musical theater has roots in classical style singing, it quickly capitalized on the inclusion of contemporary music trends, notation, orchestration, and themes. Because of its influence from contemporary styles, musical theater is considered a part of Contemporary Commercial Music or CCM. Traditionally, if you wish to study voice at the collegiate level, the majority of your education will be classically based; however, current research has demonstrated that there is a want and a need for the inclusion of CCM, and more specifically musical theater into the collegiate voice curriculum. In 2003, Jeanette LoVetri and Edrie Means Weekly conducted a survey evaluating voice teacher training and experience. While a majority of voice teachers taught musical theater, less than half had received any sort of training to do so. The investigators concluded that a high majority of singing teachers desired more organized and consistent vocal education for CCM and especially musical theater. Later investigative surveys revealed similar results. Despite the demand, the current collegiate voice curriculum has not yet adapted to include a well-rounded curriculum inclusive of CCM styles and it is clear that the lack of CCM inclusion is negatively affecting our singers and music educators. To gauge current perceptions on the inclusion of musical theater education at the undergraduate level, this survey gathered insight from recent alumni of vocal music programs at Ohio public universities. The data was collected from a population in which n=24. While this survey serves as a pilot study, we can identify several trends among the respondents. From the study, it is evident that a percentage of Ohio voice alumni are not satisfied with the amount of musical theater education within their undergraduate voice programs. In general, those who are currently employed in (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Katherine Rohrer (Committee Chair); Alan Green (Committee Member); Edward Bak (Committee Member); Cyril Blosser (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Music; Music Education; Theater

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2017, Communication Disorders

Airflow vibrato is the fluctuation in average airflow while singing with vibrato. Understanding airflow vibrato relates to a deeper understanding of its importance to physiological, pedagogical, and clinical aspects. Two studies were performed to examine airflow vibrato. The subjects for Study 1 were four professional Western classical singers, and for Study 2 four highly trained amateur singers. Aerodynamic and acoustic measures were compared among vibrato, bleating (a primarily adductory gesture), and external epigastric pumping (EEP, a primarily subglottal pressure manipulation). Utterances included speaking (phonation and whisper) and singing (constant /a/ vowel, different pitches and loudness levels). Study 1 demonstrated how airflow vibrato compares with fundamental frequency (F0) and intensity vibrato. The correlation between rates of airflow and F0 vibrato was moderately strong. Mean airflow vibrato extents were larger for the female singers than for the male singers, and increased with pitch increase for all four singers. For the males, average airflow extent was 30 and 75 cm3/s for their lower and higher pitch, respectively, and for the females, 47 cm3/s and 94 cm3/s for their lower and higher pitch, respectively. Study 2 was undertaken to better understand sources of airflow vibrato. Airflow modulations were produced during singing with vibrato and also while bleating and with external epigastric pumping. Bleating had the fastest alteration rate (9.5-12 Hz), whereas the other types had similar rates (vibrato: 4.8-6.0 Hz; EEP: 6.0–7.5 Hz). During phonation (combining all conditions), bleating had the largest airflow modulation extents (on average 144 cm3/s, compared to 30 cm3/s for vibrato and 46 cm3/s for EEP). Overall results suggest that airflow vibrato typically leads F0 vibrato, and often has a more complex waveshape than F0 vibrato. Hypotheses generated from the study include: (1) A primarily subglottal pressure driven vibrato may provide relat (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Ronald Scherer Ph.D. (Advisor); Alexander Goberman Ph.D. (Committee Member); Jason Whitfield Ph.D. (Committee Member); Mingsheng Li Ph.D. (Other) Subjects: Health Sciences; Music; Speech Therapy

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1975, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects: Music

Doctor of Musical Arts, The Ohio State University, 2014, Music

A survey of the literature addressing the training and vocal health of singers leads to pedagogic writings on singing and the voice as an instrument, instructions on vocal hygiene, writings on how to address vocal faults, and recently published works addressing the rehabilitation and care of the disordered singing voice. With the understanding that singing is a highly athletic and artistic form of vocalization that is prone to injury, there is a gradual but nonetheless noteworthy focus on the vocal health needs of singers, and an increasing awareness to educate singing students in the basics of vocal hygiene so as to preserve a healthy voice. This same population is faced with many lifestyle changes, together with often-stressful academic programs, competitions and auditions that increase their need for a healthy voice, while also creating conditions that may lead to vocal attrition. The first chapter inquires as to the documented vocal health and knowledge of students, together with an understanding of the most common voice complaints and disorders in the singer-student population. Chapter two addresses the principles of phonation and vocalization. It is followed by vocal hygiene and healthful practice recommendations in the third chapter, with the fourth chapter focusing on a suggested intake procedure for incoming students. Methods of assessing vocal health throughout students' careers as singers will be discussed. The fifth chapter concludes by devising a plan to address various voice symptoms. While an anomaly in vocal function may be more easily noticeable by the experienced singer, it is more challenging to differentiate a symptom of a voice disorder from a manifestation of faulty technique in voice students. Among many functions, college voice teachers have the primary responsibility of instilling in their students an understanding of proper vocal function, coordinating optimal uses of the systems of respiration, phonation, resonance and articulation to prod (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: John Rice (Advisor); Scott McCoy (Committee Member); Michael Trudeau (Committee Member) Subjects: Music; Performing Arts

Doctor of Musical Arts, The Ohio State University, 2006, Music

A common dilemma for today's college voice professor is how to teach vocal diction effectively to the undergraduate student in the limited time allotted to these courses in a college music program. The college voice professor may rely on familiar and previously used texts, though other excellent resources have become available in the last decade. It is the purpose of this study to identify the diction books and supplemental sources currently used in the United States, and provide assessment of their suitability for teaching undergraduate voice students. A survey was conducted to determine which books and sources college professors currently use in vocal diction classes. The survey concentrated primarily on diction instruction resources for the Italian, German, and French languages, since these are the first languages that need to be mastered by the undergraduate voice student. The survey instrument was sent to all 1,733 institution members of the College Music Society in the United States. The 118 completed surveys which were returned formed the basis of this study. From the 118, twenty-two interviews were conducted with instructors who used different diction texts. The questions for both the survey and the interviews deal with the accuracy and accessibility of the books and sources used by the diction instructor, and the preferred structure and activities for this type of course. For results of the survey which featured a number of respondents, a bar graph format provides easy visibility. The most frequently used texts and supplemental sources are discussed in depth and are included in an annotated bibliography. Survey results indicated that "Diction for Singers" by Joan Wall, Robert Caldwell, Tracy Gavilanes, and Sheila Allen, is the textbook most widely used, with 60% of respondents naming it as their primary text. Supplemental sources identified and evaluated by respondents included books other than diction texts; dictionaries, song anthologies, recordings, soft (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Eileen Davis (Advisor) Subjects: Education, Higher; Music

Master of Arts, Miami University, 2005, Speech Pathology and Audiology

Motor learning literature demonstrates that training in a specific motor movement can improve performance for that movement and other similar tasks. Vocalises are exercises used in vocal training to improve quality and precision in singing performance. It was hypothesized that a short-term training program using a specific vocalise would improve singing performance on the practiced vocalise and vocalises of similar and greater complexity. Twelve female sopranos were divided into two groups, only one of which completed the short-term vocalises training program. Performance was assessed for pitch and rhythm accuracy. Results indicated that the group that completed the short-term training program did not significantly improve their pitch and rhythm accuracy on the three vocalises compared to the group that did not complete the training. Also, no carryover effect was seen after a 1-week rest-period for either group. This study demonstrates that short-term training in vocalises may not improve motor performance.

Committee: Susan Baker (Advisor) Subjects: Health Sciences, Speech Pathology

M.M., University of Cincinnati, 2012, College-Conservatory of Music: Music History

The culture of the New Order Amish is a culture, like that of the more traditional Old Order Amish, in which a heritage of singing is very important. Multiple researchers have investigated the culture and the singing of the Old Order Amish, but very few have examined New Order culture and even fewer have studied their music. The oral transmission of Amish music has also been examined by past researchers, but there has not been research in this area recently. This is significant, as there have been several new sources of transcription of these rarely recorded melodies. This thesis utilizes observation of a New Order community and interviews within this community, as well as the examination of new transcriptions alongside previously researched material. This reveals the role music plays in the life of these New Order Amish and the relationship of their music to their overall culture. This thesis also updates the research of previous researchers, include Rupert Karl Hohmann and Nicholas Temperley, on the oral transmission of traditional Amish melodies. Adding the new sources of transcription confirms many of these earlier researchers findings. The oral transmission of Amish music is of particular importance to researchers of oral transmission because the lifestyle of the Amish provides an environment almost completely free from outside musical influence. This thesis provides valuable information concerning New Order Amish culture, New Order Amish music and also for the study of oral transmission.

Committee: Matthew Peattie PhD (Committee Chair); Clement Jeffrey Jacobson PhD (Committee Member); bruce mcclung PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Music

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 1950, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects:

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 1964, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects:

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 1951, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects:

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 1950, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects:

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 1966, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects:

Doctor of Musical Arts, The Ohio State University, 2024, Music

In the standard Spanish diction bibliography, some authors consider the phoneme /v/ in singing to be limited or even completely nonexistent. According to Spanish phonetic rules, the /v/ is pronounced with the voiced bilabial plosive [b] in an initial position and before a nasal and with the voiced bilabial fricative [β] in an interior position (Tomas Navarro, 1918; Bowen & Stockwell, 1960; Dalbor, 1969). This study addresses the presence of the /v/ sound in Argentinian Spanish diction while analyzing the song cycle Las Flores Argentinas by the Argentinian composer Carlos Guastavino. A visual and perceptual analysis of “Cortadera, Plumerito…” were made, showing a 90% accuracy in pronouncing the /v/ among Argentinian professional singers.

Committee: Cyril A. Blosser (Advisor); Youkyung Bae (Committee Member); Robert J. Ward (Committee Member); Edward Bak (Committee Member) Subjects: Music

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2024, Music

If I asked you to imagine what a “robot” looks and sounds like, I assume it would share characteristics with many of the ones that occupy popular culture, such as The Robot Model B-9 from the Lost in Space series, Marvin the Paranoid Android from The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series, C-3PO from the Star Wars series, WALL-E and EVE from WALL-E (2008), Baymax from Big Hero 6 (2014), and so on. These figures have existed across many different time periods of history and remain a continual source of human fascination. This dissertation develops a methodology for the analysis of the singing voices of robot-like figures, which are broadly defined by their depiction of and/or integration with aspects of mechanical, electronic, and/or digital technologies. One conceptual issue is that the term “robot” does not capture the wide range of representations that are musically possible. I utilize Despina Kakoudaki's (2014) concept of artificial people, which effectively subsumes the different robot-like characters that have appeared in music. Artificial people occupy a wide range of musical styles and time periods, and their voices display very disparate sonic profiles that complicate making broader comparisons or even using the same analytical tool. Therefore, I frame the voices of artificial people as being but one point in a constellation of processes, and advocate for the use of an interdisciplinary methodology that expands the scope of analysis to encompass sonic and non-sonic elements. I draw upon the work of Kristal Spreadborough (2022), Victoria Malawey (2020), and Kate Heidemann (2016) to analyze the vocal timbre/quality of artificial people. Philip Auslander's (2021) work on performance personas and Malte Kobel's (2022) development of the musicking voice facilitate my argument that non-sonic elements also play a role in the construction of artificial people. I focus on Olympia the Automaton from Jaques Offenbach's 1881 opera The Tales of Hoffmann, Shimon the (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Anna Gawboy (Advisor); Daniel Shanahan (Advisor); Katherine Rohrer (Committee Member); Jeremy W. Smith (Committee Member) Subjects: Music

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2023, Speech Language Pathology

Twang is a highly resonant and efficient vocal quality used in many contemporary music genres. Its efficiency allows vocalists to increase their volume substantially without increasing vocal effort. Many misconceptions surround twang, such as its erroneous description as “nasal" despite its independence of velar elevation. There have also been few direct observations of the physiology of twang production. Most knowledge of twang production comes from simulation data. Because twang is commonly used in contemporary music, it is a frequent target of vocal instruction. Additionally, because past research has shown that twang is primarily produced by configuring structures above the level of the vocal folds, such as the aryepiglottic sphincter, it shows promise as a compensatory strategy for hypofunctional voice disorders. More direct observations of twang production are necessary to dispel misconceptions and create better understanding of the vocal tract gestures involved. This will ultimately improve effectiveness of instruction in twang production in both musical and clinical contexts. The first MRI study of twang was conducted by Perta et al. (2021). This study observed twang physiology at the oropharyngeal level. However, structures in the lower part of the pharynx could not be observed. The present study aimed to replicate Perta et al.'s findings at the oropharyngeal level while making observations at the aryepiglottic sphincter level to more comprehensively describe twang physiology and individual variations.

Committee: Youkyung Bae (Advisor); Nicole Wiksten (Committee Member) Subjects: Acoustics; Medical Imaging; Music; Performing Arts; Physiology; Speech Therapy

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2023, Speech and Hearing Science

Preterm infants are at increased risk for long-term neurodevelopmental sequelae affecting all areas of development. Despite ongoing advances in medical care resulting in infants surviving from increasingly younger gestational ages at birth, the neurodevelopmental implications of extreme prematurity and its requisite NICU stay are not yet fully understood. Furthermore, preterm infants are at increased risk for neural insults, further complicating their developmental progression. Parental involvement in the NICU is a known contributor to improved outcomes; however, barriers to parental presence and involvement often reduce parents' ability to contribute to their infant's care. One potential way for parents to contribute to their infant's care, even if they cannot be present at bedside, is through parent voice recordings, and, particularly, through infant-directed language. However, very little is known about the acoustic properties of infant-directed language to preterm infants, namely infant-directed speech and singing, or how these infants respond to infant-directed auditory stimuli. This dissertation consists of 7 chapters examining infant-directed speech and singing with preterm infants and its potential as an early intervention. The first and second chapters provide a background on challenges associated with preterm birth and current approaches to care in the NICU. Chapter 3 provides the theoretical and neuroscientific basis for the use of infant-directed speech and singing as neurodevelopmental support for preterm infants in the NICU. Chapters 4-6 outline three experiments that sought to better understand how preterm birth affects infant-directed language with preterm infants and their mothers. Chapter 4 focuses on the acoustic features of infant-directed speech and singing of mothers of preterm infants recorded during the perinatal period and discusses those features in the context of well-established acoustic parameters of infant-directed language with (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Rachael F. Holt (Advisor); Jennifer P. Lundine (Committee Member); Janet Vuolo (Committee Member); Nathalie L. Maitre (Other) Subjects: Audiology; Music; Speech Therapy

DMA, University of Cincinnati, 2022, College-Conservatory of Music: Voice

Operatic vocalists encounter a range of external expectations that threaten to inhibit their pleasure of singing. Performers are often trained to fulfill the composer's creative vision, which can compel performers to neglect and limit their own creative desires. Disconnected from their creative flow, vocalists may struggle to sustain their singing. The vocal hardships and lack of artistic fulfillment become mutually constitutive and cause strife in their relationship with singing. Concurrently, many historical opera plots include outmoded sexual politics which seem to affirm repressive gendered stereotypes about women. In most performative contexts, performers do not have the freedom to alter the libretti of standard repertoire. Given these constraints placed upon the performer, could there be methods to destabilize conventional constructions and semiotic codes in a way that would deconstruct sexist representations in opera and produce alternative meanings? Could the performer's reclamation of pleasure assist in creating new meanings and liberate their singing? The move towards valuing pleasure and embodiment in classical performance can have a positive impact on the field, extending from affective gains for performers to an increase in its social impact. In this thesis, I will be offering strategies for a feminist performance praxis of nineteenth-century operatic repertoire. In my methodology, I will construct a pleasure-oriented vocal practice and then move to devise modes of embodied resistance in performance through a feminist analysis of the sexual politics in operatic libretti. Bringing Carolyn Abbate's conception of the singer's "authorial voice" into dialogue with Audre Lorde's concept of "erotic power," I will argue that women's embodied performance practice can be a site wherein gendered power structures are renegotiated through channeling counterhegemonic forms of feminine desire.

Committee: Shelina Brown Ph.D. (Committee Member); Jeongwon Joe Ph.D. (Committee Member); Quinn Patrick Ankrum (Committee Member) Subjects: Music

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2020, Music

Music perception is influenced by implicit knowledge of musical structures acquired through exposure to music in everyday contexts. The present studied focused on the ways in which music environments provide infants with information about how music is organized and from which they might learn. A 15-month-old infant wore a portable recording device throughout two entire days. The device collected continuous audio data from the infant's perspective for a total of 32 hours. The purpose of the study was to describe the song melodies performed by adults throughout the two days in order to explore the music information presented to the infant in everyday situations in his natural environment. The analyses focused specifically on the structural pitch properties of the song melodies, the contexts in which they were sung, and the characteristics of the song performances. All live, unaccompanied song melodies performed by the parents—the only adults who sang song melodies around the infant—were transcribed into musical notation by two independent transcribers and then analyzed with acoustic analysis software to collect pitch estimates for all notes that were sung. The results showed that the infant heard approximately 15 minutes of adult singing of song melodies on the first day and 10.5 minutes on the second day. Almost 89% of the singing was produced by the parents in infant-oriented contexts, in which the infant was the sole focus of the singing. Over the two days, the infant heard 27 unique song melodies in 47 different instances of singing. Of the 27 unique song melodies, 19 were melodies of repertoire that is usually sung for or sung by children in the family's culture group. The song melodies heard by the infant contained pitch regularities that reflected typical patterns of pitch structures in Western tonal music. For example, the frequency of occurrence of tones perceived as most stable—scale degrees 1, 3, and 5—and the frequency of melodic movements between to (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Eugenia Costa-Giomi (Advisor); Daryl Kinney (Committee Member); Daniel Shanahan (Committee Member) Subjects: Developmental Psychology; Music; Music Education

Doctor of Musical Arts, The Ohio State University, 2020, Music

The clarinet has been favorably compared to the human singing voice since its invention and continues to be sought after for its expressive, singing qualities. How is the clarinet like the human singing voice? What facets of singing do clarinetists strive to imitate? Can voice pedagogy inform clarinet playing to improve technique and artistry? This study begins with a brief historical investigation into the origins of modern voice technique, bel canto, and highlights the way it influenced the development of the clarinet. Bel canto set the standards for tone, expression, and pedagogy in classical western singing which was reflected in the clarinet tradition a hundred years later. Present day clarinetists still use bel canto principles, implying the potential relevance of other facets of modern voice pedagogy. Singing techniques for breathing, tone conceptualization, registration, and timbral nuance are explored along with their possible relevance to clarinet performance. The singer `in action' is presented through an analysis of the phrasing used by Maria Callas in a portion of `Donde lieta' from Puccini's La Boheme. This demonstrates the influence of text on interpretation for singers. Together, these points suggest that voice pedagogy may be used to positively influence clarinet performance and pedagogy, ensuring that clarinetists will continue the tradition of `making the clarinet sing.'

Committee: Caroline Hartig (Advisor); Scott McCoy (Committee Member); Eugenia Costa-Giomi (Committee Member); Katherine Borst Jones (Committee Member) Subjects: Music; Music Education