Assessments of Voice Use and Voice Quality Among College/University Singing Students Ages 18-24 Through Ambulatory Monitoring With a Full Accelerometer Signal

A Semiautomated Protocol Towards Quantifying Vocal Effort in Relation to Vocal Performance During a Vocal Loading Task

To increase the reliability and comparability of vocal loading studies, this paper proposes the use of a standardized approach with experiments that are [1] grounded on consistent definitions of terms related to vocal fatigue (vocal effort, vocal demand, and vocal demand response), and [2] designed to reduce uncertainty and increase repeatability. In the approach, a semi-automated vocal loading task that also increases efficiencies in collecting and preparing vocal samples for analysis was used to answer the following research question: To what extent is vocal effort and vocal demand response sensitive to changes in vocal demands (ie, noise only, noise plus duration)? Results indicate that the proposed protocol design consistently induced change in both vocal effort and vocal demand response, indicating vocal fatigue. The efficacy of future vocal loading studies would be improved by adopting a more consistent methodology for quantifying vocal fatigue, thus increasing interstudy comparability of results and conclusions.

Examination of Voice Perception and Voice Fatigue in Call Center Employees

OBJECTIVES

Call center employees are professional voice users and use their voices extensively while performing their professional functions. The purpose of this study is to examine whether a higher occupational voice burden among call center employees affects voice fatigue and perception.

METHODS

A total of 114 adult individuals working in call centers who were not diagnosed with any voice disorder (study group, n = 57) and who were not professional voice users (control group, n = 57) were included in this study. Demographic information, the Voice Fatigue Index (VFI), and the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) were administered to all participants. Sub-factors of the VFI, such as tiredness and avoidance of voice use (factor 1), physical discomfort after voice use (factor 2), and improvement in symptoms with rest (factor 3), were also examined.

RESULTS

Each group included 71.9% females (n = 41) and 28.1% men (n = 16). The scores of VFI factor 1, VFI factor 2, 3, VFITOTAL, and VHI-10 in the study group were statistically higher than those in the control group. The average VFI factor 2, VFI factor 3, and VFITOTAL scores of females in the study group were considerably greater than the average scores of men. The VFI and its sub-factors, as well as the VHI-10 scores of the study group whose daily working hours were 8 hours or less and 8 hours or more, did not vary significantly.

CONCLUSIONS

It has been observed that call center employees experience voice fatigue, which has an impact on voice perception in their professional functions. As a result of their heavy vocal load, contact center workers may be at a higher risk of acquiring voice disorders. Voice fatigue must be taken into account in the assessment and intervention of contact center employees by professionals and therapists working in the field of voice.

Vocal Dose and Vocal Demands in Contemporary Musical Theatre

OBJECTIVE

To document and quantify vocal dose and student-singers' self-assessment during rehearsals for a contemporary musical theater production.

METHODS/DESIGN

Six student singers fastened the sensor from the KayPentax APM 3200 dosimeter to the lower neck to capture neck vibration data during their preparation for the musical Wonderland by Frank Wildhorn. Data were collected during 8-hour periods, at four different stages throughout the rehearsal process: beginning (music and choreography learning phase), middle (staging phase), and end (running the entire show/dress rehearsal phase), plus a post-production day once the production had concluded to establish a baseline vocal load. Students concurrently completed the EASE questionnaire1 after each data collection day.

RESULTS

The EASE score (Appendix 1) and demographics/perceptual questionnaire (Appendix 2) revealed that all subjects (three males and three females) found the singing role vocally and physically demanding but only two found the roles to be emotionally challenging. The musical score demanded a higher usage of chest register (judged perceptually) than mixed register from lead singers. All subjects' maximum fundamental frequency range exceeded the pitch range required by the score. The mean daily vibration dose (distance dose, as computed with Kay Pentax Software) of the three individual female singers' during rehearsals, 5,203 meters, was higher than the mean daily dose of the three male singers, 3,766 meters. The subjects' self-ratings on the EASE were not correlated with the distance dose.

CONCLUSIONS

A review of Wonderland's score and perceptual judgment of the singers' performances revealed extensive use of chest register, with belting and mix vocal strategies being the predominant stylistic choices. Students described the singing roles' vocal and physical requirements as more challenging than the character's emotional components. This pilot study provides information on the vocal dose for lead and ensemble singers in rehearsal for a Contemporary Musical Theatre production. Singers and voice professionals may find dosimetry a valuable tool for monitoring the vocal dose during rehearsals and performances.

Quantifying Vocal Repertoire Tessituras Through Real-Time Measures

INTRODUCTION

Voice teachers use anecdotal evidence and experience in determining the appropriateness of repertoire for each student's development. Tessitura is important in that determination, but until recently a straightforward, repeatable, and quantifiable method for determining tessitura has not existed. However, technology exists to provide the means to estimate the tessituras of standard vocal repertoire by measuring sung pitch (fundamental frequency) and vocal dose (amount of phonation) in real-time performance.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to examine the combined use of tessituragrams, Voice Range Profiles (VRPs), a singer's self-perception of a performance, and expert listeners perception of a performance towards the goal of a more systematic way of selecting appropriate voice repertoire for singers. The following research questions guided this investigation: 1) How do Performance Range Profiles (PRPs, performance-based tessituragrams computed from neck skin surface vibration during singing), compare to score-based tessituragrams of the same selection in the same key? 2) How do PRPs of the same vocal score compare when performed in three different keys? 3) How do singer VRPs compare with PRPs of three performances of a score, each sung in a different key? and 4) How do singer and expert panel perceptions of the selection's "fit" in three different keys compare with the alignment of each singer's VRP to their PRPs? Four female singers and five expert voice pedagogues were enlisted to address these questions.

RESULTS

The distribution (histogram) of the score-based tessituragram closely matched the distribution of performance-based tessituragrams (PRP), suggesting that score-based tessituragrams have promise in accurately reflecting the performance-based tessitura of a musical vocal work. Acquired data revealed relationships of practical importance between score-derived tessituragrams, PRPs, acquired VRPs, and singer perceptions of ease in singing. These data suggest that score-based tessituragrams aligned with singer VRPs show promise in repertoire selection. However, there was only a minor relationship between expert panel perceptions of ease in singing and the acquired PRPs or singer perceptions of ease. Creation of a score-based tessituragram database could be combined with singer VRPs to assist in appropriate repertoire selection.

Vocal Demands of Musical Theatre Rehearsals: A Dosimetry Study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate singers' vocal load by documenting three types of vocal doses (time, cycle, and distance doses) and sound pressure levels during the four phases of rehearsal and how the vocal doses vary between singers across rehearsals in the musical Nine, written by Maury Yeston.

METHODS/DESIGN

Five student-singers participating in the musical Nine gave informed consent to participate in the study. All five participants were assigned female at birth and female-identifying individuals. They attached a KayPENTAX APM 3300 dosimeter sensor to their lower neck and wore the accelerometer during four three-hour rehearsals throughout the rehearsal process (the music learning phase, the choreography learning phase, the blocking learning phase, and the dress rehearsal) of the musical. The dosimeter records neck vibrations at a rate of 20 samples per second. but it does not record linguistic content.

RESULTS

A dosimetric analysis of five student singers identified variability in voice production throughout the rehearsal process. According to the dosimetry findings, singers employed extensive low-frequency voicing below the first passaggio, with belting and mixed vocal strategies as the predominant stylistic choices when performing in Nine. Additionally, the singers used an occasional head voice effect at specific moments. The roles of Carla, Saraghina, La Fleur, and Ensemble One and Two required specific vocal ranges due to the musical score.

CONCLUSIONS

Researchers have yet to establish a safe baseline vocal dose for singers. The vocal dose is affected by many factors, such as duration of phonation, frequency range, SPL, and styles of vocalism required by the score. Louder and heavier vocalization produces larger distance doses, representing the cumulative load placed on vibrating tissue. The cycle dose, distance dose, and SPL reported in this study varied within and between singers. The phonation density graphs show this variability and the low tessitura required by the score. Time doses ranged from 4% to 7% of rehearsal time; this short dose suggests that the rehearsals provided healthy conditions for the successful rehearsal process with efficient attention to the vocalization of a score that requires heavy vocal styles, including belting. While the rehearsal pace was not alarming, the demands of the score alone may prove to be much greater than the vocal dose reported through the rehearsal. Further studies are needed to establish the overall dose of each Broadway role to serve as parameters for vocal pacing and voice care.

Do-It-Yourself Voice Dosimeter Device: A Tutorial and Performance Results

PURPOSE

Voice dosimeters gather voice production data in the daily lives of individuals with voice disorders. Additionally, voice dosimeters aid in understanding the pathophysiology of voice disorders. Previously, several voice dosimeters were commercially available. However, these devices have been discontinued and are not available to clinicians and researchers alike. In this tutorial, instructions for a low-cost, easy-to-assemble voice dosimeter are provided. This do-it-yourself (DIY) voice dosimeter is further validated based on performance results.

METHOD

Ten vocally healthy participants wore the DIY voice dosimeter. They produced a sustained /a/ vowel and read a text with three different vocal efforts. These tasks were recorded by the DIY voice dosimeter and a reference microphone simultaneously. The expanded uncertainty of the mean error in the estimation of four voice acoustic parameters as measured by the DIY dosimeter was performed by comparing the signals acquired through the reference microphone and the dosimeter.

RESULTS

For measures of sound pressure level, the DIY voice dosimeter had a mean error of -0.68 dB with an uncertainty of 0.56 dB. For fundamental frequency, the mean error was 1.56 Hz for female participants and 1.11 Hz for male participants, with an uncertainty of 0.62 Hz and 0.34 Hz for female and male participants, respectively. Cepstral peak prominence smoothed and L₁ minus L₂ had mean errors (uncertainty) of -0.06 dB (0.27 dB) and 2.20 dB (0.72 dB).

CONCLUSION

The mean error and uncertainties for the DIY voice dosimeter are comparable to those for the most accurate voice dosimeters that were previously on the market.

The Effect of Vocal Intonation Therapy on Vocal Dysfunction in Patients With Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: A Randomized Control Trial

In this study, the vocal intonation therapy (VIT) was compared with the standard respiratory therapy for people suffering from respiratory dysfunction as a result of cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) to observe its effect on vocal quality. Thirty patients with vocal dysfunction after CSCI with the injury time of more than 3 months were screened for inclusion in the trial, and 18 patients completed the 12-weeks, each participant had 60 sessions in total in the clinical trial. All patients were allocated to the intervention group or the control group. The intervention group received VIT training and the control group received respiratory phonation therapy. Both groups were trained by professional therapists, and the training time was 30 min/day, 5 days/week, for 60 sessions for each group in a total of 12 weeks. In the Baseline (T0), mid-intervention period (after 6 weeks, T1), and after intervention (after 12 weeks, T2), the vocal quality of the two groups of patients was tested with a computer-aided real-time audio analyzer 2.1.6 (Adobe Systems, United States) for Sing-SPL (p < 0.0001), Speech-SPL (p < 0.0001), SNL (p < 0.0001), and F0 (p < 0.0001) of the intervention group were significantly improved compared with the control group. In comparing the spectrometry analysis of vocal quality for the 2 groups of participants, there was a significant difference in the results of Sing-SPL and Speech-SPL acoustic analysis in the intervention group of patients at T2 (after 12 weeks) compared to the control group. Vocal intonation therapy—music therapy can improve the speech sound quality of cervical CSCI patients and provide CSCI patients with a practical, highly operable treatment that has both functional training effects and can bring a pleasant experience that can be promoted in the medical field. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of China Rehabilitation Research Center (CRRC) (approval No. 2019-83-1) on May 20th, 2019. It was registered with the National Health Security Information Platform, medical research registration, and filing information system (Registration No. MR-11-21-011802) on January 28th, 2021.

Amount and Characteristics of Speaking and Singing Voice Use in Vocally Healthy Female College Student Singers During a Typical Week

OBJECTIVES

Singers, college students, and females are groups known to be at an elevated risk of developing functional/hyperfunctional voice disorders; therefore, female college students majoring in vocal performance may be at an even higher risk. To mitigate this risk, it would be helpful to know the "safe limits" for voice use that would help maintain vocal health in this vulnerable group, but there is a paucity of high-quality objective information upon which to base such limits. This study employed weeklong ambulatory voice monitoring in a large group of vocally healthy female college student singers to begin providing the types of objective data that could be used to help develop improved vocal health guidelines.

METHODS

Participants included 64 vocally healthy females currently enrolled in a vocal performance or similar program at a college or university. An ambulatory voice monitor recorded neck-surface acceleration throughout a typical week. A singing classifier was applied to the data to separate singing from speech. Weeklong vocal dose measures and distributional characteristics for standard voice measures were computed separately for singing and speech, and for both types of phonation combined.

RESULTS

Participants spent 6.2% of the total monitoring time speaking and 2.1% singing (with total phonation time being 8.4%). Singing had a higher f_o mode, more pitch variability, higher average sound pressure level (SPL), negatively skewed SPL distributions, lower average CPP, and higher H₁-H₂ values than speaking.

CONCLUSIONS

These results provide a basis for beginning to establish vocal health guidelines for female students enrolled in college-level vocal performance programs and for future studies of the types of voice disorders that are common in this group. Results also demonstrate the potential value that ambulatory voice monitoring may have in helping to objectively identify vocal behaviors that could contribute to voice problems in this population.

Acoustic Variability in the Healthy Female Voice Within and Across Days: How Much and Why?

Purpose The aims of this study were (1) to quantify variability in voice production (as measured acoustically) within and across consecutive days in vocally healthy female speakers, (2) to identify which acoustic measures are sensitive to this variability, and (3) to identify participant characteristics related to such voice variability. Method Participants included 45 young women with normal voices who were stratified by age, specifically 18-23, 24-29, and 30-35 years. Following an initial acoustic and auditory-perceptual voice assessment, participants performed standardized field voice recordings 3 times daily across a 7-day period. Acoustic analyses involved 32 cepstral-, spectral-, and time-based measures of connected speech and sustained vowels. Relationships among acoustic data and select demographic, health, and lifestyle (i.e., participant-based) factors were also examined. Results Significant time-of-day effects were observed for acoustic analyses within speakers (p < .05), with voices generally being worse in the morning. No significant differences were observed across consecutive days. Variations in voice production were associated with several participant factors, including improved voice with increased voice use; self-perceived poor voice function, minimal or no alcohol consumption, and extroverted personality; and worse voice with regular or current menstruation, depression, and anxiety. Conclusions This acoustic study provides essential information regarding the nature and extent to which healthy voices vary throughout the day and week. Participant-based factors that were associated with improved voice over time included increased voice use, self-perceived poor voice function, minimal or no alcohol consumption, and extroverted personality. Factors associated with worse voice production over time included regular or current menstruation, and depression and anxiety.

Differences Between Female Singers With Phonotrauma and Vocally Healthy Matched Controls in Singing and Speaking Voice Use During 1 Week of Ambulatory Monitoring

Purpose Previous ambulatory voice monitoring studies have included many singers and have combined speech and singing in the analyses. This study applied a singing classifier to the ambulatory recordings of singers with phonotrauma and healthy controls to determine if analyzing speech and singing separately would reveal voice use differences that could provide new insights into the etiology and pathophysiology of phonotrauma in this at-risk population. Method Forty-two female singers with phonotrauma (vocal fold nodules or polyps) and 42 healthy matched controls were monitored using an ambulatory voice monitor. Weeklong statistics (average, standard deviation, skewness, kurtosis) for sound pressure level (SPL), fundamental frequency, cepstral peak prominence, the magnitude ratio of the first two harmonics (H₁-H₂ ), and three vocal dose measures were computed from the neck surface acceleration signal and separated into singing and speech using a singing classifier. Results Mixed analysis of variance models found expected differences between singing and speech in each voice parameter, except SPL kurtosis. SPL skewness, SPL kurtosis, and all H₁-H₂ distributional parameters differentiated patients and controls when singing and speech were combined. Interaction effects were found in H₁-H₂ kurtosis and all vocal dose measures. Patients had significantly higher vocal doses in speech compared to controls. Conclusions Consistent with prior work, the pathophysiology of phonotrauma in singers is characterized by more abrupt/complete glottal closure (decreased mean and variation for H₁-H₂ ) and increased laryngeal forces (negatively skewed SPL distribution) during phonation. Application of a singing classifier to weeklong data revealed that singers with phonotrauma spent more time speaking on a weekly basis, but not more time singing, compared to controls. Results are used as a basis for hypothesizing about the role of speaking voice in the etiology of phonotraumatic vocal hyperfunction in singers.

Vocal Dose of Preservice Music Therapists, Preservice Music Teachers, and Other Undergraduate Students

BACKGROUND

Researchers have studied various populations with high vocal doses and prevalence of related voice disorders. Teachers, singers, and university students are three such populations that have been examined extensively. No studies to date, however, have examined the voice use of music therapists and compared their voice use to these other populations.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this investigation was to examine voice dosimeter data including phonation duration and percentage, amplitude, frequencies, and distance dose acquired over contiguous 7 day (1 week) periods by preservice music therapists, preservice music teachers, and other university students in concert with daily voice use surveys.

STUDY DESIGN

This is a quantitative descriptive design.

METHODS

Eight female students of varied majors (music therapy, music education, vocal performance, elementary education, and "other") in their third year of university study wore a voice dosimeter during all waking hours for 7 days. The dosimeter recorded voicing time, percentage, frequency, and estimated amplitude. Participants also completed surveys related to several parameters of vocal health, the number of hours they slept, and their voice care.

RESULTS

Participants experienced relatively low vocal doses during the week. Music majors experienced more voice use than nonmusic majors. Some of the highest doses occurred during teaching demonstrations and leading of music therapy practicum sessions.

CONCLUSION

Preservice music therapists and preservice music teachers may experience extreme increases in vocal load when they enter the field. Absent training protocols, these increases could be detrimental to their vocal health and long-term viability as practitioners.

Vocal Dose in Older Adults with Presbyphonia: An Analytic, Cross-Sectional Study

PURPOSE

Older patients with age-related voice changes (presbyphonia) are considered vocal under-doers due to a reportedly low a amount and intensity of voice use (ie, low vocal dose). This low voice use may be consequential to negative effects of presbyphonia like throat discomfort, as well as anxiety and frustration from difficulty communicating. Causally speaking, vocal fold atrophy (presbylaryngis) may indicate inadequate intrinsic laryngeal muscle loading with low voice use, though research is lacking. As a first step, this study examined voice use objectively using vocal dosimetry in older adults with presbyphonia. We hypothesized participants, especially if retired, would exhibit low vocal doses, and lower than reported for other populations.

METHOD

This research used an analytic, cross-sectional design with subgroup analyses to determine feasibility of vocal dosimetry in older adults with presbyphonia. Thirteen older adults with presbyphonia (7 males) completed vocal dose monitoring using an ambulatory phonation monitor (APM). The APM measured vocal parameters over a day of monitoring, from which time, cycle, and distance doses were calculated. Data also were gathered on demographics, vocal handicap, and vocal effort.

RESULTS

Descriptively, the group showed a low mean time dose as compared to published vocal dose data from other populations. Females exhibited significantly higher mean values of time dose, cycle dose, and fundamental frequency than males. Time dose for males was negatively correlated with vocal effort. Subgroup analyses failed to detect an effect of age group, but found significantly a higher mean value for time dose in employed, compared to retired, participants.

CONCLUSIONS

Consistent with self-report, we found older adults with presbyphonia exhibit low time doses, which were in contrast to high vocal doses published on teachers, patients with dysphonia, and even office workers. We found differences in vocal dose as a function of sex and employment status. Though a limited sample, findings suggest patients with presbyphonia may demonstrate low vocal dose, which may be a useful target in treatment.

Emotion Recognition From Singing Voices Using Contemporary Commercial Music and Classical Styles

OBJECTIVES

This study examines the recognition of emotion in contemporary commercial music (CCM) and classical styles of singing. This information may be useful in improving the training of interpretation in singing.

STUDY DESIGN

This is an experimental comparative study.

METHODS

Thirteen singers (11 female, 2 male) with a minimum of 3 years' professional-level singing studies (in CCM or classical technique or both) participated. They sang at three pitches (females: a, e1, a1, males: one octave lower) expressing anger, sadness, joy, tenderness, and a neutral state. Twenty-nine listeners listened to 312 short (0.63- to 4.8-second) voice samples, 135 of which were sung using a classical singing technique and 165 of which were sung in a CCM style. The listeners were asked which emotion they heard. Activity and valence were derived from the chosen emotions.

RESULTS

The percentage of correct recognitions out of all the answers in the listening test (N = 9048) was 30.2%. The recognition percentage for the CCM-style singing technique was higher (34.5%) than for the classical-style technique (24.5%). Valence and activation were better perceived than the emotions themselves, and activity was better recognized than valence. A higher pitch was more likely to be perceived as joy or anger, and a lower pitch as sorrow. Both valence and activation were better recognized in the female CCM samples than in the other samples.

CONCLUSIONS

There are statistically significant differences in the recognition of emotions between classical and CCM styles of singing. Furthermore, in the singing voice, pitch affects the perception of emotions, and valence and activity are more easily recognized than emotions.

Dose Vocal: uma revisão integrativa da literatura

RESUMO O objetivo da pesquisa foi realizar uma revisão da literatura referente aos tipos de dose vocal e aos resultados destas medidas em diferentes situações comunicativas. Houve levantamento da literatura nacional e internacional, publicada nos idiomas Inglês, Espanhol ou Português, utilizando-se as bases de dados MEDLINE, LILACS, IBECS e ISI (Web of Science), dos últimos 21 anos, cujos artigos estavam disponíveis na íntegra. Quinze estudos contemplaram os critérios propostos. A maioria dos artigos estudou professores, visto que são mais vulneráveis para a ocorrência de disfonia. Os tipos de dose encontrados foram porcentagem de fonação, dose temporal, dose cíclica, dose de distância, dose de energia radiada e dose de energia dissipada. O aumento da dose vocal está associado ao uso excessivo e prolongado da voz na atividade docente, principalmente entre os professores da educação infantil e os de canto. As altas doses vocais correlacionam-se também à presença de disfonia, ao maior nível de ruído ambiental, à grande variação prosódica na fala e à autopercepção de fadiga vocal. Pacientes com disfonia comportamental (nódulos e pólipos) apresentam maiores doses vocais que pacientes com outros quadros disfônicos. Fatores como repouso de voz e uso do amplificador vocal indicam a diminuição da dose da voz.

Pitch Strength as an Outcome Measure for Treatment of Dysphonia

BACKGROUND

Measurement of treatment outcomes is critical for the spectrum of voice treatments (ie, surgical, behavioral, or pharmacological). Outcome measures typically include visual (eg, stroboscopic data), auditory (eg, Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice; Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, Strain), and objective correlates of vocal fold vibratory characteristics, such as acoustic signals (eg, harmonics-to-noise ratio, cepstral peak prominence) or patient self-reported questionnaires (eg, Voice Handicap Index, Voice-Related Quality of Life). Subjective measures often show high variability, whereas most acoustic measures of voice are only valid for signals where some degree of periodicity can be assumed. However, this assumption is often invalid for dysphonic voices where signal periodicity is suspect. Furthermore, many of these measures are not useful in isolation for diagnostic purposes.

OBJECTIVE

We evaluated a recently developed algorithm (Auditory Sawtooth Waveform Inspired Pitch Estimator-Prime [Auditory-SWIPE']) for estimating pitch and pitch strength for dysphonic voices. Whereas fundamental frequency is a physical attribute of a signal, pitch is its psychophysical correlate. As such, the perception of pitch can extend to most signals irrespective of their periodicity.

METHODS

Post hoc analyses were conducted for three groups of patients evaluated and treated for voice problems at a major voice center: (1) muscle tension dysphonia/functional dysphonia, (2) vocal fold mass(es), and (3) presbyphonia. All patients were recorded before and after surgical/behavioral treatment for voice disorders. Pitch and pitch strength for each speaker were computed with the Auditory-SWIPE' algorithm.

RESULTS

Comparison of pre- and posttreatment data provides support for pitch strength as a measure of treatment outcomes for dysphonic voices.

Assessments of Voice Use and Voice Quality Among College/University Singing Students Ages 18-24 Through Ambulatory Monitoring With a Full Accelerometer Signal

The multiple social and performance demands placed on college/university singers could put their still-developing voices at risk. Previous ambulatory monitoring studies have analyzed the duration, intensity, and frequency (in Hertz) of voice use among such students. Nevertheless, no studies to date have incorporated the simultaneous acoustic voice quality measures into the acquisition of these measures to allow for direct comparison during the same voicing period. Such data could provide greater insight into how young singers use their voices, as well as identify potential correlations between vocal dose and acoustic changes in voice quality. The purpose of this study was to assess the voice use and the estimated voice quality of college/university singing students (18-24 years old, N = 19). Ambulatory monitoring was conducted over three full, consecutive weekdays measuring voice from an unprocessed accelerometer signal measured at the neck. From this signal, traditional vocal dose metrics such as phonation percentage, dose time, cycle dose, and distance dose were analyzed. Additional acoustic measures included perceived pitch, pitch strength, long-term average spectrum slope, alpha ratio, dB sound pressure level 1-3 kHz, and harmonic-to-noise ratio. Major findings from more than 800 hours of recording indicated that among these students (a) higher vocal doses correlated significantly with greater voice intensity, more vocal clarity and less perturbation; and (b) there were significant differences in some acoustic voice quality metrics between nonsinging, solo singing, and choral singing.