Vocal Intensity and Air Flow Rate

Abstract

Simultaneous measurements of the vocal intensity level and the flow rate during a prolonged phonation of the vowel a at different pitch and intensity levels were recorded using 22 subjects. An analysis of the results revealed that the variation of the flow rate as a function of vocal intensity is generally greater at a high pitch than at a low pitch, although there is a considerable individual variation in this tendency. No particular relationship was found between the vocal proficiency and the tendency of flow rate variation as a function of intensity. A difference in the flow rate variation between the sustained vowel phonation and speech was explained by nothing the effect of frequent openings of the glottis during speech.