DEPENDENCE OF JAW OPENING ON PITCH AND VOWEL IN SINGERS

In singing, F-0 sometimes is much higher than the typical frequency va lue of F-1. According to previous investigations, sopranos raise F-1 t o a frequency near F-0 by widening the jaw opening in such cases. In t he present study, the jaw opening was measured in 10 professional sing ers of different categorizations whose task was to sing an ascending t wo-octave scale on different vowels. Their normal F-1 values for these vowels were determined at a low F-0. Only for the vowels /a/ and /a/ did the singers widen the jaw opening when F-0 approached the F-1 valu e measured at a low pitch. For the other vowels, jaw opening was widen ed, beginning at a higher F-0. It is assumed that for these vowels the singers used other articulatory means to increase F-1.