Japanese traditional singing on the same lyrics

Abstract

Described is a database of Japanese traditional singing together with supplementary recording of Bel Canto for comparative studies. Singing sounds and spoken speech by the same singers are recorded in pair to form the body of the database. This database covers most of genres of Japanese traditional singing, such as Shinto prayers, Buddist prayers, Nor, Kyogen, Heikyoku, Sokyoku, Gidayu-bushi, Kabuki, Nagauta, Tokiwazu, Kiyomoto, Itchu-bushi, Shinnai, Kouta, Zokkyoku, Rokyoku, Shigin, Ryukyu-clasico, Goze-uta, etc. All the sounds were recorded in anechoic chambers belonging to local institutions, mainly in Osaka and Tokyo, asking 78 professional singers including 18 ‘‘Living National Treasures’’ to sing as informants. The most important point of this database is that an original lyric especially prepared for this recording is commonly used to make comparative studies easy. All the subjects are asked to sing the common lyrics in their own singing styles. Shown here are comparisons of formant shifts in vowels from ordinary speaking to singing for some singers, and comparison of temporal features of fundamental frequency between Japanese traditional singing and Western Bel Canto. [Work supported by the Academic Frontier Project, Doshisha University.]