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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the potential usefulness of spectrographic a nalysis technology for the training of female singers in a college voice studio. Spec ifically, the following questions guided the study: (1) What information can be satis factorily delivered through the study of spectrographic wave files? (2) Will subjecti ve data, including the teacher's evaluation and subjects' self-evaluation of their pe rformance in the vocal studio, be consistent with the objective data from the spectro graphic wave files? (3) Will the subjects find the use of the spectrograph helpful? ( 4) Will the use of spectrographic technology prove to be compatible with traditional teaching techniques? | Subjects were 10 students, ranging from ages 18-23, assigned to the investigator's vo ice studio at a small private women's college. Data collection took place during 10 s equential weekly lessons. After the warm-up segment of the lesson, students repeated three sequences of the same vocalise in ascending keys. A wave file recording was mad e of the third (highest) repetition. After recording the wave file, each subject comp leted a Likert-type questionnaire regarding her perception of the usefulness of the s pectrograph. The teacher completed a comparable questionnaire | The findings were reported via graph analysis and case studies of each student. Analy ses of the findings indicated that: (1) A rich variety of information may be gleaned from wave files. This information includes, but is not limited to, the strength of up per and lower level frequencies and the presence of vibrato, glottal attacks, uneven breath, and diction problems. (2) The spectrographic data were consistent with the in structor's overall assessment of each subject, but little consistency was observed be tween that data and the instructor's or the subjects' assessment of their weekly or l ong-term progress; (3) The subjects found the spectrograph helpful, and appreciated i ts ability to provide a visual picture of vocal strenghths and weaknesses; (4) The us e of the spectrograph is compatible with traditional voice teaching techniques