Lip Vibration Research Articles

Oral Cavity Movements of the Tongue During Large Interval Slurs in High-Level Horn Players: A Descriptive Study.

Recent publications describing lingual movement strategies within the oral cavity of brass players have established the existence of efficient and predictable movement patterns in healthy performers for a variety of performance tasks. In this study we extend the research to include the playing of large interval slurs in horn players. Real-time MRI films at 40-msec resolution were simultaneously obtained in the sagittal and coronal planes in 9 professional horn players as they performed 2 repetitions each of 3 slur sequences spanning 1 octave, 1 octave + 3rd, and 1 octave + 5th at a mezzo forte dynamic level. Nine profile lines were overlaid on the images allowing the measurement of dorsal tongue edge movement using a customized MATLAB toolkit. Movement along lines representing the anterior, middle, and posterior oral cavity in the sagittal plane, as well as the vertical height of an air channel observed in the coronal plane, are reported. Both sagittal and coronal views demonstrate patterned tongue movements that narrow and widen the air channel during ascending and descending slurs, respectively. The magnitude of these movements is greater during larger intervals, though not perfectly consistent within each slur sequence. Additionally, the tongue position during notes tends to drift in the direction of the subsequent note in each sequence. We suggest that the observed movements may help to modulate air speed through the lips, possible attenuating embouchure muscle tension changes by assisting changes in lip vibration frequency.

Measurements and simulations of sung multiphonics on a trombone played by an artificial mouth

Playing a sung multiphonic on a brass instrument is a specialised technique in which the performer sounds one pitch through lip vibration while simultaneously singing a different pitch. The result is typically a complex sound in which several different pitches are audible. A full acoustical description of the sound generation process would include the mutual interactions of the two nonlinear flow valves (vocal folds and lips), the player’s windway resonances, and the resonances of the instrument. Velut et al. (JASA 2016) reported measurements of mouth pressure, pressure inside the mouthpiece, and radiated sound while a trombone player performed various sung multiphonics. A simplified time domain simulation model replacing vocal folds and windway by a sinusoidal source was partially validated. In the present work the human player has been replaced by an artificial mouth, allowing the “sung” mouth pressure to be provided either by a sinusoidally excited loudspeaker or a human singer. Results are broadly in agreement with those of Velut et al., and with time domain simulations using sinusoidal forcing in the mouth cavity.

A novel theory of Asian elephant high-frequency squeak production

BackgroundAnatomical and cognitive adaptations to overcome morpho-mechanical limitations of laryngeal sound production, where body size and the related vocal apparatus dimensions determine the fundamental frequency, increase vocal diversity across taxa. Elephants flexibly use laryngeal and trunk-based vocalizations to form a repertoire ranging from infrasonic rumbles to higher-pitched trumpets. Moreover, they are among the few evolutionarily distantly related animals (humans, pinnipeds, cetaceans, birds) capable of imitating species-atypical sounds. Yet, their vocal plasticity has so far not been related to functions within their natural communicative system, in part because not all call types have been systematically studied. Here, we reveal how Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) produce species-specific squeaks (F0 300–2300 Hz) by using acoustic camera recordings to visualize sound emission and examining this alongside acoustic, behavioral, and morphological data across seven captive groups.ResultsWe found that squeaks were emitted through the closed mouth in synchrony with cheek depression and retraction of the labial angles. The simultaneous emission of squeaks with nasal snorts (biphonation) in one individual confirmed that squeak production was independent of nasal passage involvement and this implicated oral sound production. The squeaks’ spectral structure is incongruent with laryngeal sound production and aerodynamic whistles, pointing to tissue vibration as the sound source. Anatomical considerations suggest that the longitudinal closed lips function as the vibrators. Acoustic and temporal parameters exhibit high intra- and inter-individual variability that enables individual but no call-subtype classification. Only 19 of 56 study subjects were recorded to squeak, mostly during alarming contexts and social arousal but some also on command.ConclusionOur results strongly suggest that Asian elephants force air from the small oral cavity through the tensed lips, inducing self-sustained lip vibration. Besides human brass players, lip buzzing is not described elsewhere in the animal kingdom. Given the complexity of the proposed mechanism, the surprising absence of squeaking in most of the unrelated subjects and the indication for volitional control, we hypothesize that squeak production involves social learning. Our study offers new insights into how vocal and cognitive flexibility enables mammals to overcome size-related limitations of laryngeal sound production. This flexibility enables Asian elephants to exploit a frequency range spanning seven octaves within their communicative system.

Analysis of the relationship between muscle activity and acoustic features during trumpet play and the construction of a myoelectric visual feedback system

Breath control and lip vibration are crucial for a stable performance while playing the trumpet. We analyzed the differences in abdominal and orofacial muscle activity in acoustic features such as pitch (B♭2, F3, B♭3, F4, B♭4), intensity (pp, mf, ff), and duration (0.75, 6 s) during the preparation and sustain periods using surface electromyography in 11 amateur trumpeters. When the pitch was high, the activity of both muscles increased in both the preparation and sustain periods. However, when the intensity was high, the activity of both muscles increased only during the sustain period. Orofacial muscle activity was lower after tone production and abdominal muscle activity was higher after tone production than before tone production. In addition, we developed a visual feedback system that displays the muscle activities and acoustic features related to the produced sound as biofeedback can make learning performing technique efficient (LeVine, 1984). This system enables the player to objectively recognize the acoustic features and muscle activities related to sound. We aim to enhance performing technique by determining the relationship between the use of the body during a performance and the produced sound.

Desvio fonológico e alterações práxicas orofaciais e do sistema estomatognático

OBJETIVO: verificar, bem como relacionar entre si, o desempenho de crianças com Desvio Fonológico e com Desenvolvimento Fonológico Típico na avaliação do Sistema Estomatognático e em testes de habilidades práxicas orofaciais avaliando suas habilidades práxicas orofaciais. MÉTODOS: amostra constituiu-se de 50 sujeitos, com idades entre quatro e oito anos, com Desvio Fonológico e com Desenvolvimento Fonológico Típico. Avaliou-se a fonologia por meio do instrumento Avaliação Fonológica da Criança e a gravidade do desvio por meio do Percentual de Consoantes Corretas. Posteriormente, aplicou-se a Avaliação do sistema estomatongático e o The Orofacial Praxis Test, para avaliar as habilidades práxicas orofaciais. Os dados foram tabulados e submetidos a tratamento estatístico, considerando-se p<0,05. RESULTADOS: com relação ao sistema estomatongático, observou-se diferença estatística entre os grupos apenas nas tarefas de assobio, contração e vibração de lábios e de língua, apresentando desempenho inferior as crianças com Desvio Fonológico. O mesmo foi observado quanto à postura de língua na sucção. As médias obtidas nas tarefas de habilidades práxicas orofaciais realizadas após Imitação foram melhores que após Solicitação Verbal, para todas as idades. Ainda, as crianças com menor idade apresentaram mais alterações que as crianças maiores, da mesma forma que as crianças com Desvio Fonológico apresentaram mais dificuldades que aquelas sem alterações de fala. CONCLUSÃO: as crianças com Desvio Fonológico apresentaram mais alterações do sistema estomatognático e das habilidades práxicas orofaciais que aquelas com Desenvolvimento Fonológico Típico, havendo melhora no desempenho com o avanço da idade e encontrando-se estas alterações relacionadas com as alterações de fala.

Modeling pulse-like lip vibrations in brass instruments

During the starting transient of a note on a brass instrument it can take several cycles of lip vibration before acoustics reflections from the end of the instrument can influence the lip frequency. Under certain conditions, the lip may fail to oscillate at the pitch of the air column resulting in an unwanted pulse-like waveform with relatively low repetition rates (similar to the vocal fry register of phonation in the human voice). This is often observed in the playing of beginners if the lips are insufficiently tense or if the top and bottom lips overlap to a large extent. In this study, the reasons for this behavior will be investigated using modeling techniques with the aim of improving the agreement between physical models and measured transients by including the forces responsible for this effect.

Efetividade da fonoterapia e proposta de intervenção breve em respiradores orais

OBJETIVOS: verificar o efeito da intervenção fonoaudiológica em um grupo de respiradores orais e propor terapia fonoaudiológica mínima no tratamento da respiração oral. MÉTODO: estudo prospectivo longitudinal, casuística de 40 sujeitos respiradores orais tratados no Hospital das Clínicas - setor de Reabilitação Orofacial do Ambulatório de Respirador Oral da Disciplina de Otorrinolaringologia da Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Universidade Estadual de Campinas - UNICAMP. Realizada documentação fotográfica, avaliação clínica, aplicação de protocolo para categorizar modo respiratório, postura (lábios e bochechas); força e praxias (lábios, bochechas e língua) nas semanas 0, 12 e 24. A proposta terapêutica constou de treino e conscientização da respiração nasal; manobras para aquecimento e vascularização da musculatura orofacial; aplicação de pontos e zonas motoras na face; manobras passivas; uso do impulso distal; exercícios miofuncionais e registro da percepção dos pacientes sobre suas condições olfativas e obstruções nasais.Teste estatístico: não paramétrico de Igualdade de Duas Proporções, p < 0,05. RESULTADOS: houve adequação da função respiração nasal. Aumento da força de lábios, língua e bochechas. Melhora nas praxias: bico direita, bico esquerda, estalo e vibração de lábios. Vibração e estalo de língua. Inflar simultaneamente as bochechas, inflar bochecha direita e esquerda. O tempo com maior ganho terapêutico foi de 12 semanas. A partir deste dado foi esquematizado protocolo com 12 sessões estruturadas abordando estratégias utilizadas nesta pesquisa. CONCLUSÃO: a pesquisa demonstrou que o uso da reabilitação miofuncional para pacientes respiradores orais foi eficiente com maior evolução terapêutica observada na semana 12.

Motion of the lips of brass players during extremely loud playing

When a brass instrument is played loudly, the energy level of the higher harmonics increases dramatically. The generally accepted explanation for this is non-linear steepening of the wavefront and generation of shock waves within the instrument bore. However, it has also been suggested that changes in the player's lip vibration could play a role in generating this "brassy" sound. To test this hypothesis, the dependence of lip opening-area on time has been measured for different dynamic levels in trombones and horns. Results suggest that the behavior of the open area does not change dramatically when the instrument enters the brassy regime.

Lip control of brass instruments

Brass instruments are frequently described in the acoustics literature as lip reed instruments, emphasising the fact that the sounding mechanism of this instrumental class is flow modulation by the vibration of the player's lips. As well as providing the source of sound, the lips act as the major interface through which the performer controls the intonation, dynamics, articulation and timbre of the performance. Indeed, on instruments such as the natural trumpet and the alphorn, the player's lips form the only control interface. This paper reviews recent studies which have examined the vibrational properties of brass players' lips, the types of motion which they undergo when playing different instruments, and the nature of the interaction between the lips and the instrument. It also considers the extent to which current physical models of the lips are capable of encompassing these control processes.

Vocal tract resonances and the sound of the Australian didjeridu (yidaki) II. Theory

The didjeridu (didgeridoo) or yidaki of the Australian Aboriginal people consists of the narrow trunk of a small Eucalypt tree that has been hollowed out by the action of termites, cut to a length of about 1.5 m, smoothed, and decorated. It is lip-blown like a trumpet and produces a simple drone in the frequency range 55 to 80 Hz. Interest arises from the fact that a skilled player can make a very wide variety of sounds with formants rather like those of human vowels, and can also produce additional complex sounds by adding vocalization. An outline is given of the way in which the whole system can be analyzed using the harmonic-balance technique, but a simpler approach with lip motion assumed shows easily that upper harmonics of the drone with frequencies lying close to impedance maxima of the vocal tract are suppressed, so that formant bands appear near impedance minima of the vocal tract. This agrees with experimental findings. Simultaneous vibration of the player's lips and vocal folds is shown to generate multiple sum and difference tones, and can be used to produce subharmonics of the drone. A brief discussion is given of player preference of particular bore profiles.

The Didjeridu: Lip Motion and Low Frequency Harmonic Generation

The dynamic acoustics of the Australian didjeridu are studied by separately considering transverse and longitudinal lip vibration models in the context of highly non-sinusoidal lip motion. Timedomain computer simulations are performed based on these lip models coupled to the input impedance function of a straight pipe. For the purposes of direct comparison, detailed results are reported here for lip motion leading to both sinusoidal lip opening area functions (characteristic of higher frequency brass instruments) and the more complex non-sinusoidal (approximately half-closed cycle) case characteristic of the didjeridu. Over a range of lip resonance frequencies, the sounding frequency for the transverse (longitudinal) model is found to be below (above) both the lip and fundamental pipe resonance frequencies, in qualitative agreement with linear theory for these value types. A striking difference is found between the two models when comparing the effect of significant lip closure in the non-sinusoidal cycle—the sounding frequency in the transverse case is raised by up to 10%, whilst essentially unaltered in the longitudinal model. The effect the lips sticking during the non-sinusoidal cycle was considered by increasing the damping force upon closure, and was found in both transverse and longitudinal models to weaken significantly the generation of harmonics in the sound.

Application of a novel algorithm for calculating a brass instrument’s impulse response to sound simulation

A novel algorithm for calculating a brass instrument’s acoustic pressure response to an impulsive volume flow at the input end [R. D. Ayers, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 100, 1190–1198 (1996)] is applied to sound simulation. The algorithm employs several impulse responses that have no multiple reflections and that decay very rapidly. These are convolved with the mouthpiece pressure and volume flow in the past to give the pressure at the present. The impulse responses calculated from the measured dimensions of an actual B■ trumpet can be considered for simulation purposes as being confined in a period of 13 ms, which is four times shorter than the nonzero period of the reflection function used in the conventional algorithm. Due to the shorter convolution time, the new algorithm, incorporated with a nonlinear driver model of lip vibration and airflow, can run about 4.5 times faster than the method using the reflection function. Simulations with the two algorithms indicate the same behavior for the transition among the air-column resonance modes. Individual waveforms synthesized with the new algorithm are in very good agreement with their counterparts synthesized with the conventional algorithm.

Trumpet sound simulation using a two-dimensional lip vibration model

Trumpet sound simulation is carried out with a two-dimensional lip vibration model, where the lips execute both swinging and stretching motions. This model allows lips to operate on both the lower and higher frequency sides of the air-column resonance frequencies. Oscillations generated by the total sound production system are on both the lower and higher frequency sides in the first through third resonance modes, while in the fourth and higher modes they are realized only on the lower side. From each resonance mode, an oscillation having the least frequency deviation against a change in lip eigenfrequency and also having sufficient amplitude is selected as the optimum oscillation of the resonance mode. It is found that these oscillations in the lower modes have positive phase differences between lip vibration and mouthpiece pressure, whereas those in the higher modes have negative ones. This result closely matches the transition of lip vibration states from the one modeled by the outward-striking valve at the second mode (i.e., the lowest mode among those used musically) to that modeled by the laterally striking valve at the higher modes, which is observed in the simultaneous measurement of mouthpiece pressure and lip vibration.

A stroboscopic study of lip vibrations in a trombone

The purpose of the present study was to obtain detailed photographic sequences and lip motion data on which lip models for brass instruments may be more accurately based. The study expands upon an earlier study by Martin [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 13, 305–307 (1942)] by using advanced fiber-optic stroboscopy, a real instrument mouthpiece, and by studying two dynamic levels. The trombone was selected as representative of the brass family because its relatively large mouthpiece permitted the use of an optic probe. Lip motion was observed from the front and side for six notes (Bflat2, F3, Bflat3, D4, F4, Aflat4) played at loud and soft dynamic levels. The video sequences were used to obtain information on lip opening area, lip motion perpendicular to airflow, and lip motion parallel to airflow. The data are tabulated and represented in graphic form.

Time-domain simulation of sound production in the brass instrument

Sound production in brass instruments is formulated physically with two different models of lip vibration: the ‘‘transverse’’ model, where lips strike laterally to the direction of the air flow, and the ‘‘swinging-door’’ model, where lips execute an outwardly striking motion. This formulation is used to carry out time-domain simulation, which indicates that self-excitation of the brass instrument is possible with both of these lip models. Changing the lip resonance frequency provides sustained oscillation at the first through eighth air column resonance modes, which correspond to the musical tones in the harmonic series played on the brass instrument without valve manipulation. Oscillation probably also occurred at higher modes, but that region was not investigated. The harmonic structure of the simulated sound varies according to the fundamental frequency and sound level, as is the case in the sound produced by actual brass instruments. Unusual regimes of oscillation are also obtained: the pedal tone, whose fundamental does not participate in its sound production, a tone an octave below the third mode, whose odd harmonics do not contribute to the regime of oscillation, and a multiphonic, which is an oscillation perceived as having two fundamentals simultaneously.

Brass sound simulation with a lip vibration model having two degrees of freedom

Brass sound simulation is carried out with the use of a two-dimensional lip vibration model, where lips execute both rolling and reciprocating motions. This model allows lips to operate on both the lower and higher frequency sides of the air-column resonance frequencies. Oscillations generated by the total sound production system are on both the lower and higher frequency sides in the first and second resonance modes, while in the higher modes they are realized only on the lower side. The harmonic series selected from these oscillations in the second and higher modes to achieve the optimum pitch turns out to comprise an oscillation on the higher side of the second resonance frequency and oscillations on the lower sides of the higher resonance frequencies. This result closely matches the transition of lip vibration states from the outward-striking vibration at the second mode (i.e., the lowest mode among the ones used musically) to the vocal-cord-like vibration at the higher modes, which is observed in the simultaneous measurement [S. Yoshikawa, submitted to J. Acoust. Soc. Am.] of mouthpiece pressure and lip vibration.

A study of lip vibrations in a trombone

More than 50 years ago, Martin investigated lip vibrations in a coronet mouthpiece using stroboscopic photography [D. Martin, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 13, 305–307 (1942)]. Since then, several researchers have based lip models on Martin’s data. Unfortunately, due to the quality of the photographs, it is difficult to obtain anything more than a limited quantitative description of the lip motion. The purpose of this study is to obtain more detailed photographic sequences and lip motion data on which new models may be based. The trombone was selected as representative of the lip reed family. A computer-controlled fiber optic stroboscope was used to capture the motion of a player’s lips on video. By inserting the optic bundle through small holes drilled in the mouthpiece, lip motion was observed from the front and side for six notes (Bflat2, F3, Bflat3, D4, F4, G4) played at loud and soft dynamic levels. Video sequences and resulting lip motion data will be presented and discussed.

Time-domain simulation of sound production in brass instruments

Sound production in brass instruments has been formulated physically, including two different models of lip vibration; the perpendicular model, where lips strike laterally to the direction of the air flow, and the ‘‘swinging door’’ model, where lips execute outwardly rolling motion. The above formulation was used to carry out time-domain simulation. As a result, self-excitation of the brass instrument was found to be possible with both of these lip models. By changing the lip eigenfrequency, sustained oscillations near at least the first through the eighth resonant impedance peaks of the instrument were realized. The simulated sound was shown to have variety in the harmonic structure accompanied with pitch and loudness variations as is seen in sound the natural brass instruments produce. Unusual regimes of oscillation were also obtained; the pedal tone, whose fundamental does not participate in its sound production, a tone octave below the third impedance peak, whose odd harmonics do not contribute to the regime of oscillation, and a multiphonic, which is an oscillation perceived having two fundamentals simultaneously.

An experimental investigation of the phase difference between lip vibration and acoustic pressure in brass instrument mouthpieces

Over a century ago, Helmholtz classified reed instruments as those which tend to blow closed as the blowing pressure increases (the mechanical reed instruments), and those which tend to open as blowing pressure increases (the lip reed instruments). All subsequent work has tacitly assumed that these models are correct, and although measurements on clarinet‐like systems support the inward‐blowing model, the outward‐blowing hypothesis has been widely used as the basis for theoretical models of the brass instrument’s sounding mechanism without experimental verification. As an alternate theory, the hypothesis that the vibrating lips of a brass player may act as an inward‐blowing reed has been investigated. For this preliminary study, the phase difference between lip vibration and acoustic pressure was measured in several different lip‐driven devices: a cylindrical tube without a mouthpiece, a French horn mouthpiece coupled to a nonresonant practice pipe, and a trumpet. By means of this experiment study, it is ...

On the modeling of self‐oscillation in brass instruments

It is recognized that the lips of brass players vibrate two‐dimensionally, i.e., in parallel and perpendicularly to the direction of the air flow as the excitatory source. This two dimensionality gives two different models of lip motion in brass instruments: (1) the parallel model as a “reed striking outwards,” which is the reverse to the model of a woodwind reed as a “reed striking inwards” [N.H. Fletcher, Acustica 43, 63–72 (1979)], and (2) the perpendicular model as a “one‐mass vocal cord striking laterally” [J. Saneyoshi, H. Teramura, and S. Yoshikawa, Acustica 62, 194–210 (1987)]. The phase difference between the lip displacement and the acoustic pressure acting on the lips, or the frequency difference between the antiresonance of the horn itself and the sound excited, can determine which model is actually dominant. This paper describes some attempts to find these quantities on a cylindrical pipe blown by lips without a mouthpiece. The discussion of the experimental results and the modeling of the lip vibration is presented after briefly explaining the differences between the regeneration theories based on the above models.