Control of fundamental frequency, intensity, and register of phonation

Abstract

Electromyographic activity of several intrinsic and extrinsic laryngeal muscles was recorded simultaneously with subglottal pressure as untrained singers produced systematic changes in fundamental frequency (F0), intensity, and register of phonation. Cricothyroid‐muscle activity was most consistently related to F0 over most of the range of F0, although the activity of several other muscles was also related to F0. Vocalis‐muscle activity was most directly related to differences between the chest and falsetto registers. Subglottal pressure varied consistently with changes in vocal intensity. Activity of the extrinsic muscles was correlated with F0 change at both the high and low extremes of the chest‐voice range. For at least one subject, the extrinsic muscles seemed to be solely responsible for varying F0 at its low extreme. The activity of muscles not directly associated with the larynx also changed systematically with F0 at the extremes. [This research was supported by NIH grants T22 DE00202 and DE01774.]