PHONATIONAL PROFILES OF FEMALE PROFESSIONAL SINGERS AND NONSINGERS

Measures of the SFF, vocal intensity, phonational range, and habitual pitch level are reported for 39 professional singer and 39 nonsinger f emales, who were divided into three age groups (young, middle, and old age), with the professionals further divided into sopranos and altos. Each read the ''Rainbow Passage'' and spoke extemporaneously, from wh ich measures of the SFF and vocal intensity were calculated; phonation al range and habitual pitch levels were also determined. No significan t differences were noted between the reading and speaking tasks. The S FF and intensity levels were significantly higher for the professional s in comparison to the nonsingers, but only for certain age groups. Mo reover, whereas the nonsinger SFF levels varied significantly asa func tion of age, those for the professional singers did not. Although tren ds occurred, no significant differences were found for the mean phonat ional range or habitual pitch levels when the professionals and nonsin gers were compared.