The Impact of Vocal Cool-down Exercises: A Subjective Study of Singers' and Listeners' Perceptions

Vocal Fatigue Experiences and Mitigation Strategies in the Sacred Harp Singing Community

OBJECTIVES

Sacred Harp singers sing at a high volume for sustained periods of time without collective warm-up or cool-down exercises, ostensibly putting them at elevated risk for vocal fatigue (VF) and associated vocal pathologies. Participants are also likely to lack formal vocal training. The purpose of this study was to (1) assess singers' experiences with VF, (2) document singers' strategies for mitigating VF, and (3) determine whether vocal training was associated with decreased vocal difficulties.

STUDY DESIGN

Self-reporting via online questionnaire containing quantitative and qualitative items.

METHODS

This study employed an online questionnaire that combined demographic items, open-ended questions, and the Evaluation of the Ability to Sing Easily (EASE). Participants were recruited at one in-person event and via social media and a mailing list.

RESULTS

This study returned 134 valid responses. Singers with formal choral experience scored lower on the EASE and two subscales, but length of experience had no impact. There were no correlations between vocal training and EASE scores. Women scored higher on the EASE than men and nonbinary individuals, while age, length of experience with Sacred Harp singing, and frequency of attendance at annual singing events were all negatively correlated with EASE score. Singers reported a wide range of mitigation strategies, most of which are unique to the Sacred Harp context.

CONCLUSIONS

Sacred Harp singers do not appear to struggle more with VF than other populations of singers. However, a few characteristics of their practice put them at risk, and many singers would benefit from professional guidance concerning vocal health.

Amateur choir singers - Does good vocal health matter?

BACKGROUND

Many amateur singers enjoy singing in choirs. They are likely to lack the training and expertise of professional singers and this may have an impact on their vocal health.

AIMS

To assess the experiences of amateur singers, their use of warm-up and cool-down sessions, their vocal health, their sources of help and advice and their reactions to receiving a diagnosis and treatment.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

A questionnaire was sent to amateur choir singers. Quantitative data on their use of warm-up and cool-down activities were collected and the singers rated how frequently they experienced adverse voice symptoms after singing. Qualitative data were collected from singers who had sought advice about their voice and from those who had received a diagnosis and treatment.

OUTCOME AND RESULTS

Most choirs used warm-up sessions but few used cool-down. Singers who participated in choir warm-ups experienced significantly less vocal symptoms. Individual warm-ups were ineffective. Singers who had previously had a diagnosis continued to have significantly higher symptom scores. A quarter of the singers who had neither sought help nor had a diagnosis had high scores. Singers appeared uncertain about who to consult for help. Those who saw a speech and language therapist were much more likely to receive a diagnosis and treatment either by the therapist or by referral to an ear, nose and throat specialist. Those receiving treatment were mainly positive about it and likely to complete a course of therapy.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Warm-up sessions performed by choirs are helpful in avoiding voice symptoms and are recommended. The presence of singers who are unaware of potential damage to their voices is a concern. A simple rating system, as used in this research, may act to alert them to the dangers. Choir leaders could be more active in advising singers and refer them to professionals where necessary. Speech and language therapists appear more sensitive to their problems and could be a first point of contact.

WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS

What is already known on this subject Poor vocal health may occur in amateur singers and lead to voice disorders which will reduce the demonstrated benefits of regular singing. They may be less aware than professional singers of potential hazards and may not know how to sing in a way that ensures good vocal health. There has been less research on the extent of voice problems in amateurs or of the actions they may take to resolve the vocal difficulties they encounter. What this paper adds to the existing knowledge This survey demonstrates that choir warm-ups were effective in helping to avoid common symptoms associated with voice problems. A large minority of singers who had not sought help for voice problems had high symptom scores on our assessment. Singers frequently turned to a singing teacher for help. Those who consulted a speech and language therapist were much more likely to be referred for further investigation and treatment. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? We present a simple subjective measure of symptom severity which succeeds in distinguishing between singers who warm up their voices and those who do not and between singers who have received a past diagnosis and those who have not. There are a number of indications in this research that amateur singers are unsure if they need help and are uncertain who can offer it. In these circumstances the use of a simple measure of the severity of vocal abuse may be useful.

Quantifying Subjective and Objective Measures of Singing After Different Warm-Up Durations

BACKGROUND

Performing vocal warm-ups prior to singing repertoire has been shown to change the perceived quality and acoustic parameters of the voice. To date, there are no studies that specifically compare singers' and listeners' perceptions of vocal quality after various warm-up durations.

OBJECTIVE

To determine if specific warm-up durations (0, 5, 10, or 15 minutes) change subjective and objective measures of voice.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

METHODS

Information related to demographics, singing practice, medical history, and vocal hygiene were collected. First- and second-year collegiate classical voice majors completed a series of four warm-up times, 1 week apart, prior to singing Caro mio ben in a standard key for their voice type. A modified Voice Range Profile (mVRP), and the Evaluation of the Ability to Sing Easily (EASE) scale were completed. Participants blindly rated 30-second recorded audio clips using the Auditory-Perceptual Rating Instrument for Operatic Singing. Four independent expert blinded listeners rated all audio clips for each participant in random order.

RESULTS

Six first-year and three second-year classical vocal performance majors completed all measures. Results of the EASE scale showed decreased scores with 5- and 10-minute warm-up duration, compared to 0 and 15 minutes of warm-up (P = 0.029 for the total EASE score and P = 0.044 for Rasch score). Delayed perceptual analysis of voice yielded nearly equal medians between warm-up durations for both self and expert-listener ratings. The mVRP showed that both 5 and 10 minutes of warm-up duration led to increased highest fundamental frequency for females (P = 0.017).

CONCLUSION

This pilot study demonstrates the immediate self-perceived benefit for all participants and increased frequency range for females after performing 5 and 10 minutes of vocal warm-up. No significant differences were found in delayed perceptual analyses completed by the participants or the expert raters after the different warm-up durations. Future investigations should include a larger population and different levels of education and genres of singing.

Vocal Quality After a Performance in Actors Compared to Dancers

STATE OF THE ART

Theater actors are a high risk group for developing voice disorders.

AIMS

The first purpose of this study was to examine and compare the objective and subjective vocal quality between professional theater actors, non-professional theater actors and a control group of professional dancers. Secondly, the impact of one theater performance on the objective and subjective vocal quality was investigated within and between the groups. It is hypothesized that actors will experience vocal fatigue and a deteriorated vocal quality compared with dancers as a result of the vocal load during the performance. Dancers will face more general fatigue and smaller vocal changes due to the impact of a performance including stress, decompensation and physical fatigue.

METHODS

Recordings of 27 professional actors, 19 non-professional actors and 16 professional dancers were collected before and after a performance using the PRAAT software. Voice samples included sustained vowel phonation, continuous speech, aerodynamic measurements and voice range profile. Both Acoustic Voice Quality Index and Dysphonia Severity Index were computed. For auditory-perceptual evaluations the GRBASI scale was used. Several questionnaires were completed pre and post performance to capture vocal risk factors.

RESULTS

Vocal quality between groups showed lower fundamental frequency (f_o) values (female), larger fundamental frequency (female) and intensity ranges and a longer maximum phonation time (female) in professional actors compared to non-professionals. Professional dancers showed higher Acoustic Voice Quality Index values compared to non-professional actors. Dysphonia Severity Index, Voice Handicap Index, Vocal Tract Discomfort Scale and GRBASI results did not differ between groups at the baseline. Both objective measurements and questionnaires did not show significantly different results post performance. Questionnaires revealed poor vocal habits in professional actors.

CONCLUSION

Professional actors have better vocal capacities than non-professionals. Dancers' vocal quality is worse than actors. The results show no impact of one performance on the vocal quality in theater actors and dancers. The long-term impact of performing, however, is subject for further research.

Immediate Effects of a Semi-Occluded Water Resistance Ventilation Mask on Objective and Subjective Vocal Outcomes in Musical Theater Students

Background Traditional semi-occluded vocal tract exercises (SOVTEs) are restricted to single-phoneme tasks due to the semi-occlusion at the mouth, which hinders full articulation, continuous speech, and singing. Innovative SOVTEs should overcome this limitation by creating the semi-occlusion outside the oral cavity. Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the immediate effects of a semi-occluded water resistance ventilation mask, which allows for continuous speech and singing, on objective (voice range, multiparametric voice quality indices) and subjective (auditory-perceptual, self-report) vocal outcomes in musical theater students. Method A pre-/posttest randomized controlled trial was used. Twenty-four musical theater students (16 women and eight men, with a mean age of 21 years) were randomly assigned into a study group and a control group. The study group received a vocal warm-up session with the innovative water resistance ventilation mask (tube attached to the mask "outside" the mouth), whereas the control group received the traditional water resistance approach (tube "inside" the mouth). Both sessions lasted 30 min and were similar with respect to vocal demand tasks. A multidimensional voice assessment including objective and subjective outcomes was performed pre- and posttraining by an assessor blinded to group allocation. Results The Dysphonia Severity Index significantly and similarly increased (improved) in both the study and control groups, whereas the Acoustic Voice Quality Index solely decreased (improved) in the control group. The intensity range significantly decreased (worsened) and the semitone range significantly increased (improved) in the study group, whereas no differences in voice range profile were found in the control group. Auditory-perceptually, a more strenuous speaking voice was noticed after the use of the traditional water resistance approach. The subjects perceived both SOVTEs as comfortable vocal warm-up exercises that decrease the amount of effort during speaking and singing, with a slight preference for the water resistance ventilation mask. Conclusions Both the innovative water resistance ventilation mask and the traditional water resistance exercise seem effective vocal warm-up exercises for musical theater students. The additional articulatory freedom of the mask might increase the phonatory comfort and the practical implementation of SOVTEs in the daily vocal warm-up of (future) elite vocal performers. The hypothesis of a higher transfer to continuous speech or singing in the mask condition has not been supported by the current study. Larger scale investigation and longer term follow-up studies are needed to confirm these preliminary results. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.11991549.