Vocal violence in actors: An investigation into its acoustic consequences and the effects of hygienic laryngeal release training

Acoustic analysis techniques were used to investigate the short-term conseq uences of vocally violent behavior, and to compare voice production before and after training in hygienic laryngeal release (HLR) techniques. Twenty-s even actors ranging in age from 17 to 48 years were audiorecorded before an d after multiple productions of 4 vocally violent behaviors: grunting, groa ning, sobbing, and shouting. After training in HLR techniques, the experime ntal protocol was repeated. Audiorecordings of vowels (produced at 3 pitch levels: modal F-0, minimum F-0, maximum F-0) before and after vocal violenc e, and before and after HLR training, were analyzed using the Multidimensio nal Voice Program (4305, Kay Elemetrics Corp, Lincoln Park, NS). After voca l violence, no consistent acoustic changes were detected for voice generate d at modal and minimum F-0; however, significant increases in both fundamen tal frequency range and maximum F-0 were observed. After training in HLR te chniques, acoustic measures sensitive to pitch and amplitude perturbation, and non-harmonic noise, improved across pitch levels. The results also indi cated that vocal training does defend the laryngeal system from undesirable changes related to vocally violent maneuvers that might surface at the ext remes of an actor's pitch range. Because the HLR technique used in this inv estigation was multimodal, interesting questions are raised regarding which aspect of training is primarily responsible for the observed effects. Furt her study is required to identify such factors.