Acoustical study of classical Peking opera singing

Abstract

Acoustic characteristics of classical opera singing differ considerably between the Western and the Chinese cultures. Singers in the classical Peking opera tradition are specializing on one out of a limited number of standard roles. Audio and electroglottograph signals were recorded of four performers of the Old Man roel and four performers of the Colorful Face role. Recordings were made of the singers' speech and when they sang recitatives and songs from their repertoires. Sound pressure level, fundamental frequency and spectrum characteristics were analyzed. Histograms showing the distribution of fundamental frequency showed marked peaks for the songs, suggesting a scale tone structure. Some of the intervals between these peaks were similar to those used in Western music. Vibrato rate was about 3.5 Hz, i.e., considerably slower than in Western classical singing. Spectra of vibrato-free tones contained unbroken series of harmonic partials sometimes reaching up to 17000 Hz. LTAS curves showed no trace of a singer's formant cluster. However, the Colourful Face role singers' LTAS showed a marked peak near 3300 Hz, somewhat similar to that found in Western pop music singers. The mean LTAS slope between 700 and 6000 Hz decreased by about 3 dB/octave per dB of equivalent sound level.