Vocal Profile Analysis Research Articles

Ultrasonography applied to the description of voice quality settings in adult speakers of Brazilian Portuguese

ABSTRACT Purpose: to relate ultrasound images with auditory-perceptual data on vocal quality settings in adult speakers of Brazilian Portuguese. Methods: the corpus consisted of speech samples (sentences contained in the instructional material of the Vocal Profile Analysis Scheme - VPAS-PB) from seven adult subjects of both genders, recorded simultaneously by acoustic and ultrasonographic means. Data analysis was based on auditory-perceptual judgments of vocal quality and ultrasound images generated by the AAA software. Results: vocal quality settings related to the position of the tongue body and the extension of the tongue and jaw found correspondences to the contours of ultrasound images of the tongue in selected key segments (oral vowels), especially those with greater degrees of manifestation. Conclusion: there were correspondences between vocal quality settings detected in the perceptual sphere and their respective tongue body and jaw ultrasound images.

Application of low Intensity laser Associated with Exercise with High-Strength Tube in the Vocal Treatment of Transgender Women: Pilot Study

Introduction: Voice is a determining factor for transgender women to be able to communicate and be recognized by the other as belonging to the desired gender. In voice clinic, exercises of semi-occluded vocal tract and technological resources that act in an adjunct manner are used, aiming to promote better phonatory adjustments, raising the fundamental frequency and vocal tract adjustments such as resonance, intensity, articulation, speed, among others. The work of the speech therapist requires an expanded vision, seeking the integration between voice and body. The present study seeks to understand how the modulation process for acute pitch occurs upon using exercise with a high-strength tube associated with the therapeutic resource of low intensity laser, aiming to evaluate the effectiveness of these two tools when used simultaneously. Material and Methods: The research was based on a case study of a transgender woman. The therapy was based on the application of low intensity laser associated with the use of exercise with high strength tube. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee and the participant signed the Informed Consent Form. Anamnesis, application of the Transsexual Voice Questionnaire (TVQ) and evaluation before and after the application of the techniques were performed, through acoustic analysis of the vocal signal and auditory-perceptive evaluation, through the Vocal Profile Analysis (VPA) Protocol. Results and Discussion: There was an increase in variability in the categories of pitch and loudness, absence of crackling and improvement in energy distribution after therapy. The patient used greater voice breathing and there was a predominance in the distribution of articulatory adjustments. Conclusion: Speech therapy promoted an election of the vocal pitch, modified the characteristics of vocal quality and dynamics and generated a sound fluency for the female. It was possible to observe that the greatest change occurred in an auditory way, interfering in the acoustic impression that the other has in relation to this voice, that is, the greatest gain was in the sound filter

Vocal quality of children with altered frenulum in the tongue

Children with a disordered lingual frenulum are said to be more prone to various difficulties in the development process. Although these children tend to present changes in chewing, swallowing and speech, it can be assumed that the voice is practically not focused, with few studies concerned on vocal function (Camargo et al, 2017, 2017a). With the aim of investigating voice quality in children with and without lingual frenulum disorder, 61 children were clinically evaluated regarding the characteristics of the lingual frenulum (Marchesan, 2012) and the perceptual judgments of voice quality in semi-spontaneous (audio) speech samples. Video samples of orofacial clinical examinations and semi-spontaneous (audio) speech samples were recorded in a soundproof room. 28 children presented altered lingual frenulum (19 boys and 09 girls) and 33 frenulum without alterations (20 boys and 13 girls). We adopted the phonetic description of voice quality model as the theoretical background (Laver, 1980) and the Vocal Profile Analysis Scheme – VPAS (Laver et al, 1981; adapted for brazilian portuguese: Camargo, Madureira, 2008) for perceptual data analysis. Voice quality settings regarding the position of lips, tongue (tip and body), jaw, pharyngeal cavity configuration and vocal tract muscle tension occurred in a greater proportion (in terms of number of the occurrences and the degree of manifestation) in children with lingual frenulum disorded. When observing the data differently by male and female subgroups, we estimate that the former accounted for most of the occurrences related to labiodentalization, retracted and lowered tongue body and pharyngeal constriction. In the girls' subgroup, pharyngeal constriction was also recurrent. With regard to our previous explorations on the topic (Camargo et al, 2017, 2017a), we were able to advance in terms of a broader understanding of children's voice quality profiles and, particularly, those related to congenital orofacial motricity limitations. The relationships between size and position of the hyoid bone in children with an altered frenulum of the tongue (Ardekani et al, 2016), especially the raised and posterior position of the hyoid bone and the posteriorization of the jaw compared to children without frenulum disorerss, seem to influence the voice quality findings reported in this study. The high incidence rates of dysphonia in childhood tend to make it difficult to associate the alterations of the lingual frenulum to phonatory settings, although they may, hypothetically, appear as aggravating factors for dysphonia.

Voice quality and coda /r/ in Glasgow English in the early 20th century

AbstractWe present acoustic and auditory analyses of changes to coda /r/ and voice quality in Glasgow English in the early twentieth century. Our initial acoustic analysis suggests that /r/ was weakening across the board based on an increase in F3. However, an auditory analysis of the same data finds no significant changes. An acoustic analysis of the same speakers’ vowels reveals that the shift in F3 is not unique to /r/. It reflects a change in voice quality, which we link to velarization using Vocal Profile Analysis. We then reanalyze the acoustic /r/ data, controlling for voice quality, and find only moderate changes that are restricted to females. These findings provide new evidence for diachronic changes in voice quality, contribute to our understanding of the development of /r/ in Glasgow English, and highlight the importance of investigating speech sounds in their broader context using multiple methodologies.

A phonetic study of Zootopia characters’ voices in Brazilian Portuguese dubbing: the role of stereotypes

ABSTRACT This work comprises an experimental investigation approach of expressive speech that integrates methodological procedures of perceptual and acoustic analyses. As the object of this work, we have focused on voice quality and vocal dynamics. Speech samples from the four main personality-distinct characters in the animated feature film “Zootopia” dubbed by Brazilian voice actors have been analysed. Due to the expressive function of voice quality, we have posed the following question: what types of voice quality and vocal dynamics settings were used by the voice actors in the Brazilian dubbing of “Zootopia” to compose the vocal profiles of the characters? Perceptual evaluation of the 54 speech stimuli was performed using the Vocal Profile Analysis protocol (Laver & Mackenzie Beck, 2007). Acoustic measures were automatically extracted using the ExpressionEvaluator script (Barbosa, 2008) for PRAAT. The profiles for each of the four characters were composed based on the psychological traits described in the film script. The results of the acoustic analysis, the perceptual analysis of voice quality and vocal dynamics settings were correlated using the MFA (Multiple Factor Analysis) method in the R environment based on 40 variables (quantitative and qualitative) and it turned out that the speech stimuli were distributed in 6 clusters according to the variables analysed. The quantitative variables that presented the highest correlation percentage were: Standard Deviation of f0 Derivative, Standard Deviation of Spectral Tilt, f0 Median. The qualitative variables that presented the highest correlation percentage were: Lowered Larynx, Lip Rounding, Breathy Voice and Minimised Pitch Range. The research has presented evidence in favor of the symbolic use of phonic matter and contributions to the understanding of how vocal stereotypes are established.

A Computer-Based Tool for the Assessment of Voice Quality Through Visual Analogue Scales: VAS-Simplified Vocal Profile Analysis

In this study we propose a new tool for the perceptual assessment of voice quality. For its design, we have adapted the Simplified Vocal Profile Analysis so that the new tool features two main characteristics: (1) the ordinal scalar degrees of the original protocol are turned into a visual analog scale; and (2) the original paper-based version of the protocol is now a computer-based implementation. In order to assess the reliability of the new tool, five phoneticians listened to 12 different speakers and evaluated their voice quality using the proposed tool. Inter-rater agreement was then calculated using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient. The results show that high agreement was reached for most of the perceptual settings of the protocol. Yet more investigations seem necessary into the continuous nature of the perceptual dimensions making up the voice quality of a speaker. As a preliminary approach to the graphical possibilities that the visual analog scale offers to the Simplified Vocal Profile Analysis, we explore the usefulness of multiple dot plots and propose an adaptation of the Bland-Altman plot to be used in pairwise comparisons. In this study, these visualization techniques are tested on two pairs of identical twins.

Vocal range profile in elderly women with and without voice symptom

ABSTRACT Purpose: to characterize and compare the vocal range profile in elderly women with and without voice symptoms. Methods: a total of 23 elderly women attending an elderly care public service participated in the study. They were divided into groups - with and without voice symptoms, according to the results of the Voice Symptom Scale (VoiSS). All participants were submitted to a vocal range profile analysis, by means of the Vocalgrama software. Appropriate statistical tests were applied, by adopting a significance level lower than 0.05. Results: the values for vocal range profile were 3.74% (±1.56) and 3.62% (±1.95) in the groups with and without symptoms, respectively. There were no differences between the groups in the various parameters of the vocal range profile. Conclusion: in the elderly women studied, the vocal range profile showed to be reduced, regardless of having or not voice symptoms. The importance of the elderly investing in the possibilities of vocal training is highlighted, with emphasis on vocal flexibility, aiming at increasing vocal range in this population.

The Effect of Telephone Transmission on Voice Quality Perception

This study aims to analyze the effect of telephone transmission on the voice quality perception of subjects with dysphonia and seeks to contribute to the use of perceptual voice analysis in forensic context. The main hypothesis is that the auditory perception of voice quality differs according to the acoustic quality of the speech material. Eight male speakers were simultaneously recorded directly by a digital recorder and over a mobile phone. A perceptual experiment containing 21 speech samples was used. The samples were analyzed via an online adaptation of the Vocal Profile Analysis Scheme (VPAS) into Brazilian Portuguese by a group of six voice-specialized professionals. Data analysis included the relative frequency of the 10 most evaluated VPAS settings in both recording conditions, and the relative frequency of the VPAS groups of features. A multidimensional scaling technique was applied to investigate the perceptual distance between stimuli pairs from both recording conditions. This was followed by a nonparametric multiple linear regression analysis that aimed to comprehend the underlying variables that motivated the spatial arrangement of the stimuli. The telephone transmission effect may have an influence on assessing correctly the supralaryngeal, laryngeal, prosodic, and temporal VPAS settings. The perceptual distance between stimuli pairs were mainly motivated by the rating of velopharyngeal system, respiratory support, laryngeal tension, speech rate, and creaky voice. The auditory perception differences between the stimuli pairs with different acoustic qualities could be related to the mobile phone bandwidth and data compression, and to telephone interaction characteristics. A group of laryngeal, supralaryngeal, temporal, and respiratory settings was mainly related to the dissimilarities reported. In terms of the application of VPAS in forensic context, the protocol was considered a relevant scientific tool that enables standardizing and analysis comparison among different groups of forensic specialists.

The use of the Vocal Profile Analysis for speaker characterization: Methodological proposals

Among phoneticians, the Vocal Profile Analysis (VPA) is one of the most widely used methods for the componential assessment of voice quality. Whether the ultimate goal of the VPA evaluation is the comparative description of languages or the characterization of an individual speaker, the VPA protocol shows great potential for different research areas of speech communication. However, its use is not without practical difficulties. Despite these, methodological studies aimed at explaining where, when and why issues arise during the perceptual assessment process are rare. In this paper we describe the methodological stages through which three analysts evaluated the voices of 99 Standard Southern British English male speakers, rated their voices using the VPA scheme, discussed inter-rater disagreements, and eventually produced an agreed version of VPA scores. These scores were then used to assess correlations between settings. We show that it is possible to reach a good degree of inter-rater agreement, provided that several calibration and training sessions are conducted. We further conclude that the perceptual assessment of voice quality using the VPA scheme is an essential tool in fields such as forensic phonetics but, foremost, that it can be adapted and modified to a range of research areas, and not necessarily limited to the evaluation of pathological voices in clinical settings.

Vocal quality assessment: methodological approach for a perceptive data analysis

ABSTRACT Purpose: to present a methodological approach for interpreting perceptual judgments of vocal quality by a group of evaluators using the script Vocal Profile Analysis Scheme. Methods: a cross-sectional study based on 90 speech samples from 25 female teachers with voice disorders and/or laryngeal changes. Prior to the perceptual judgment, three perceptual tasks were performed to select samples to be presented to five evaluators using the Experiment script MFC 3.2 (software PRAAT). Next, a sequence of tests was applied, based on successive approaches of inter- and intra-evaluators’ behavior. Data were treated by statistical analysis (Cochran and Selenor tests). Results: with respect to the analysis of the evaluators' performance, it was possible to define those that presented the best results, in terms of reliability and proximity of analyses, as compared to the most experienced evaluator, excluding one. The results of the cluster analysis also allowed designing a voice quality profile of the group of speakers studied. Conclusions: the proposal of a methodological approach allowed defining evaluators whose judgments were based on phonetic knowledge, and drawing a vocal quality profile of the group of samples analyzed.

A Simplified Vocal Profile Analysis Protocol for the Assessment of Voice Quality and Speaker Similarity

A simplified perceptual protocol for the assessment of voice quality (VQ) is attempted based on the Vocal Profile Analysis (VPA) scheme, with the aim of alleviating typical issues associated with the multidimensionality of VQ and enabling an easy quantification of speaker similarity. Twenty-four non-pathological male speakers (12 monozygotic twin pairs) of Standard Peninsular Spanish were perceptually evaluated by two trained phoneticians using the simplified VPA (SVPA). Based on their perceptual ratings, intra- and inter-rater agreement was measured, and an index of speaker similarity was calculated not only between twin pairs but also between non-twin pairs. For that purpose, one member of each twin pair was compared with a member of a different twin pair. Intra- and inter-rater agreement measures were tested with unweighted and linear weighted kappa. Speaker similarity was measured with simple matching coefficients (SMC). The results show that analysts' internal consistency was very high, whereas inter-rater agreement was found to be strongly setting-dependent. SMCs between speakers indicate that twin pairs are, on average, more similar than non-twin pairs. Agreement results suggest that the proposed SVPA is a reliable protocol for the perceptual characterization of VQ, and SMC results confirm that it can also be a useful tool for the assessment of speaker (dis)similarity. The extraction of a voice quality similarity index shows potential in fields like forensic phonetics, but could also be of interest in related areas of voice research and professional practice.

Euclidean Distances as measures of speaker similarity including identical twin pairs: A forensic investigation using source and filter voice characteristics

There is a growing consensus that hybrid approaches are necessary for successful speaker characterization in Forensic Speaker Comparison (FSC); hence this study explores the forensic potential of voice features combining source and filter characteristics. The former relate to the action of the vocal folds while the latter reflect the geometry of the speaker’s vocal tract. This set of features have been extracted from pause fillers, which are long enough for robust feature estimation while spontaneous enough to be extracted from voice samples in real forensic casework. Speaker similarity was measured using standardized Euclidean Distances (ED) between pairs of speakers: 54 different-speaker (DS) comparisons, 54 same-speaker (SS) comparisons and 12 comparisons between monozygotic twins (MZ). Results revealed that the differences between DS and SS comparisons were significant in both high quality and telephone-filtered recordings, with no false rejections and limited false acceptances; this finding suggests that this set of voice features is highly speaker-dependent and therefore forensically useful. Mean ED for MZ pairs lies between the average ED for SS comparisons and DS comparisons, as expected according to the literature on twin voices. Specific cases of MZ speakers with very high ED (i.e. strong dissimilarity) are discussed in the context of sociophonetic and twin studies. A preliminary simplification of the Vocal Profile Analysis (VPA) Scheme is proposed, which enables the quantification of voice quality features in the perceptual assessment of speaker similarity, and allows for the calculation of perceptual–acoustic correlations. The adequacy of z-score normalization for this study is also discussed, as well as the relevance of heat maps for detecting the so-called phantoms in recent approaches to the biometric menagerie.

The reliability of three perceptual evaluation scales for dysphonia

Perceptual rating scales are widely used in voice quality assessment, yet apart from the GRBAS scale, their reliability has been poorly demonstrated. There are no studies that have compared the optimal reliability of experienced judges using different auditory rating scales in a controlled experimental environment. This study aimed to assess the reliability of three common scales (The Buffalo Voice Profile, The Vocal Profile Analysis Scheme (VPA) and GRBAS. Sixty-five varyingly dysphonic and five normal voices were recorded onto CD in random order. Thirty voices were recorded twice. Seven experienced and trained speech and language therapists rated all voices on the three scales. Only the overall grade was found to be reliable for the Buffalo Voice Profile. The reliability of the VPA scheme was found to be poor to moderate. The VPA may have a use as a multi-dimensional and in-depth evaluation of voice types, but its greater scope is at the expense of reliability. The GRBAS was reliable across all parameters except Strain. Our detailed reliability analysis comparing performance of three commonly used rating scales provides further evidence to support the GRBAS as a simple reliable measure for clinical use.

Speech and language skills and cognitive functioning in children with Apert syndrome: a pilot study.

There are few studies that report findings on the speech and language characteristics of Apert syndrome and little is known about the cognitive profile of the syndrome. The current study addresses this gap and explores speech, language, resonance/voice, attention oro-motor and cognitive skills in a group of 10 children (4;1-5;11) with Apert syndrome. The speech and language battery included: the CELF-Pre-school, the PLS-3, the Vocal Profile Analysis, GOS.SP.ASS, PACS; and the Brodsky Drooling Scale. Subscales of the BAS II-Early Years Version were used to assess cognition. Data were also collected on other factors that could influence developmental outcome such as audiological history and management; occlusion/dentition; respiratory problems and management; neuroanatomical abnormalities; the number and nature of cranial surgeries; and the occurrence of raised intracranial pressure. All children for whom a Performance IQ was obtained (n = 8) had abilities within the average range and IQ scores were considerably higher than those reported in previous studies. Eight children had moderate or severe language difficulties and expressive language difficulties were the most frequent. These language difficulties were not associated with a general cognitive deficit. All the children had problems with attention, speech and oro-motor skills. Nine had abnormal voice. In addition, a range of other associated factors that could affect functioning were identified. The discrepancies between the current study and previous investigations are outlined. Parameters for assessment are considered. The implications of these findings for valid assessments of children with Apert syndrome are discussed. Multidisciplinary assessment of children with Apert syndrome across a broad range of dimensions is recommended to obtain a profile of each child's strengths and weaknesses to ensure that appropriate educational placements and early interventions are implemented. Considering patterns of development over time at key ages is also argued to be of central importance.

Formal perceptual evaluation of voice quality in the United Kingdom

This document is a position statement on the formal perceptual evaluation of voice quality in the United Kingdom (UK). It addresses a number of clinical issues pertaining to the complexity of voice quality analysis. There is also a brief description of the three formal perceptual protocols most commonly used in the UK: The Vocal Profile Analysis (VPA), GRBAS and The Buffalo III Voice Profile. Potential clinical problems with perceptual voice quality evaluation are highlighted. Problems associated with the lack of defined terminology, limitless variety of voice quality, general lack of reliability data and difficulties in determining specificity and sensitivity are discussed. A practical guide for selecting an evaluation scheme is described. The conclusion is that the GRBAS scheme should be recommended as the absolute minimum standard for practising UK voice clinicians. However, there is a clear need to develop a more satisfactory perceptual rating scheme that is clinically realistic, theoretically sound, internationally acceptable and has proven reliability.

Long-term ventilator-dependent children: a vocal profile analysis

Ventilator dependent children need to be able to communicate effectively to be able to re-integrate into society. This study was performed to see if the Vocal Profile Analysis can be used to assess the voice quality produced by speaking aids in ventilated children, and therefore help to direct speech therapy input. This study attempted to evaluate vocal function using a perceptual rating scale in four ventilator-dependent children fitted with the Passy-Muir Tracheostomy Speaking Valve. The children were at different stages of speech development and had either intact or abnormal cognitive function. The evaluation was performed independently by three trained speech therapists blinded to the child's underlying diagnosis. Although speaking aids enhanced verbal communication skills, most of the subjects still displayed marked abnormalities of speech. There was significantly greater agreement among the trained observers when assessing children who were cognitively intact at the time of the study. The older child with intact cognitive function achieved near normal speech potential with the speaking valve. The Vocal Profile Analysis is a useful tool for assessing vocal characteristics in ventilated children with intact cognitive function. Near normal speech can be attained with speaking aids, provided a certain stage of speech development has already been attained.

The effect of perceptual training on ability to use the Vocal Profile Analysis Scheme.

The Vocal Profile Analysis Scheme (VPAS) (Laver et al. 1981) is the vocal perceptual scheme most often used by British speech and language therapists. In this study, the voices of four speakers with normal voices and four with a voice disorder were recorded in reading and independently rated on the VPAS protocol by Dr Sheila Wirz and by the author. Inter-judge reliability was established and agreement reached in judging the twenty vocal quality features for each speaker. Thirty eight speech and language therapists were assessed on their ability to describe the voices. Significant improvement was found in the ability to rate features. These findings suggest that the use of a perceptual scheme can be a reliable part of voice assessment in both therapy and research.

Analysis of voice outcomes in pediatric patients following surgical procedures for laryngotracheal stenosis.

To evaluate long-term (> 2 years) voice function and corresponding anatomical features in children who have undergone augmentation procedures for laryngotracheal stenosis. Follow-up survey assessment. Academic pediatric referral center. The families of 50 patients were contacted by mail, and completed home questionnaires. Of these 50 patients, 33 agreed to participate in a comprehensive hospital-based voice assessment, and 28 of these underwent fiberoptic endoscopy. Hospital-based evaluation and parental questionnaire. (1) Perceptual voice assessment from taped samples by using the Vocal Profile Analysis protocol performed by 3 speech and language therapists, (2) fiberoptic laryngeal endoscopy assessment performed by 3 otolaryngologists, and (3) parental assessment of voice by questionnaire. The conditions of the patients were categorized by etiology, the degree of stenosis, coexisting laryngeal lesions, and the type of surgical procedure that was done based on a review of medical records. Eight of 33 patients were judged perceptually by using an amended version of the Vocal Profile Analysis scheme to have "normal" voices. In the remaining 25 patients, abnormalities were demonstrated in the parameters, including harshness (52%), whisper (36%), ventricular band phonation (21%), continuity (27%), mean pitch (27%), and falsetto voice (12%). By using endoscopy, 3 of 25 larynges were judged to be anatomically normal. Abnormalities that were found in the other patients included altered vocal fold mobility (42%), abnormal subglottis (38%), supraglottic vibration (31%), and anterior commissure blunting (31%). Supraglottic vibration corresponded with the perceptual judgment "ventricular band phonation type," and was seen in children with glottic insufficiency. Only 12% of parents indicated by questionnaire that deterioration of voice and dissatisfaction with voice function occurred after surgical procedures were performed. A substantial proportion of children who have undergone laryngotracheal surgical procedures for stenosis demonstrate chronic voice and endoscopic abnormalities. The effects of these surgical procedures and preexisting laryngeal abnormalities on voice continue to be difficult to establish in the pediatric population. Careful management by speech and language therapists who are familiar with such children is essential for optimal voice function.

A pilot investigation of changes in laryngeal function pre‐ and post‐cochlear implant surgery

ABSTRACT The pilot investigation was undertaken to determine if there were any measurable changes in laryngeal function when comparing pre‐ and post‐operative status with regard to cochlear implant surgery. The subjects, all totally deafened adults with various aetiologies, were unable to monitor speech/voice production accoustically before surgery. The study aimed to evaluate whether change was effected to laryngeal function, and therefore voice quality, once an auditory feedback loop had been re‐established and no direct therapeutic intervention had taken place. All the subjects were implanted with multi‐channel cochlear implant devices (Nucleus 22: SPEAK strategy). Previous studies have measured various vocal parameters for subjects using single‐channel cochlear implant devices. Examples of these include longitudinal effects of single‐channel cochlear implantation on voice quality (Leder et al., 1990), changes in speech breathing following cochlear implantation in post‐lingually deafened adults (Lane et al., 1991), immediate effects of cochlear implants on voice quality (Leder et al., 1987) and voice intensity levels (Leder et al., 1987). This pilot investigation used the following assessments: videostroboscopy, laryngography, speech production recordings, and the ‘Vocal Profile Analysis’ (Laver, 1981). The patients were assessed immediately before cochlear implantation (within one week of surgery), and three months after implantation in order to compare results. A further follow‐up assessment nine months after cochlear implant surgery was carried out to monitor and evaluate further change. Results indicate that a statistically significant change can be measured in laryngeal function when comparing pre‐ and post‐operative status of cochlear implant surgery. Furthermore, the assessment of laryngeal function identifies the source of acoustic findings which facilitates effective management of voice quality during rehabilitation following cochlear implantation.