Caitlin Craig McKinney Chapter 8

What is McKinney’s definition of Resonance?  Resonation is the process by which the basic product of phonation is enhanced in timbre and/or intensity by the air-filled cavities through which it passes on its way to the outside air.

What is the end point (the purpose) of resonation? to make a better sound.

Define the 2 basic kinds of resonance. 
1. Sympathetic resonance (free resonance): there is no physical contact between the body of the vibrator and the resonator. The resonator starts functioning because it receives vibrations through the air and responds to them sympathetically. 
2. Conductive resonance (forced resonance): the resonator starts vibrating because it is in physical contact with a vibrating body. 

Describe how conductive resonance works in singing. The vibrations that singers feel during phonation are much due to conductive resonance. The vibrations created by the vf's travel along the bones, cartilages, and muscles of the neck, head, and upper chest, causing them to vibrate. These conductive vibrations, however, are good sensation guides for the singer, regardless of their effect on the external sound. They provide evidence to the singer that his vf's are forming strong primary vibrations which are being carried from them to the head and chest. These vibratory sensations can supply feedback about the efficiency of the phonatory process. 

Describe how sympathetic resonance works in singing. Sympathetic resonance translates into the sound a person listening hears. Vibrations created by the vf's travel through the air from the larynx into the cavities of the throat and head, setting them into vibration. This is sympathetic resonance, for there is no physical contact between these cavities and the vf's. 

What are the factors that determine the resonance characteristics of a resonator? 1) size, 2) shape, 3) type of opening, 4) composition and thickness of the walls, 5) surface, and 6) combined resonators.

If a resonator is larger, in general, what will happen to its resonant frequency? The larger the resonator, the lower the frequency it will respond to; the greater the volume of air, the lower its pitch. 

Which pitches does a conical shaped resonator amplify? A conical resonator, such as a megaphone, tends to amplify all pitches indiscriminately; this is why it fulfills its purpose so well. 

In a cylindrical resonator, which parameter is the primary pitch determiner? the length of the tube.

In what ways can the opening of a spherical resonator affect resonant pitch? A spherical resonator will be affected by the amount of opening it has and by whether or not that opening has a lip. 

What 3 factors relating to the walls of a resonator will affect how it functions? the material it is made of, the thickness of its walls, and the type of surface it has.

How does the hardness/softness of the surface of a resonator affect how it functions? In general, the harder the surface of the resonator, the more selective it will be, and the softer the surface, the more universal it will become.  Hardness carried to the extreme will result in a penetrating tone with a few very strong high partials. Softness carried to the extreme will result in a mushy, non-directional tone of little character. Between these two extremes lies a whole gamut of tonal possibilities.

What happens to the resonant frequency of a resonator when it is combined with another? This is a complicated area, but in general it may be said that the effect will be to lower the resonant frequency of each in different proportions according to the their capacities, their orifices, and so forth. The rules governing combined resonators apply to the human voice, for the throat and mouth and sometimes the nose function in this manner.

What are the 7 POSSIBLE vocal resonators? The Chest, tracheal tree, the larynx, pharynx, oral cavity, nasal cavity, and the sinuses.

Why does McKinney consider the pharynx the most important resonator? Because of its position, size, and degree of adjustability. It is the first cavity of any size through which the product of the laryngeal vibrator passes; the other supraglottal cavities have to accept whatever the pharynx passes onto them. 

Why does McKinney consider the oral cavity the 2^nd most important resonator? Because of it's well-suited location, size, and adjustability to serve as an effective vocal resonator. Its dimensions are altered by movements of the tongue, soft palate, jaw, and lips, and the shape and size of both its front and back orifices are capable of alteration. 

Vibrations in the nasal cavity are the result not the cause of the sound you are producing.

What are the 3 primary resonators? The pharynx, mouth, and the nasal cavity.

What are the optimal conditions in the vocal resonators for classical singing?
1. The Larynx -- the best position for the larynx is a comparatively low one, and that the larynx does not need to make any significant excursions up or down once phonation has started.
2. The "open" throat -- a general openness in all directions, both in length and width. The feeling of the beginning of a yawn.
3. The Soft Palate -- The soft palate assumes its highest position (most complete closure) on the vowel [i], but also elevates considerably for the plosive consonants. On the nasal consonants the soft palate is down and the nasal port is open; this adds the nasal cavity to the resonance system. In swallowing the nasal port is completely closed to prevent food or drink from being pushed into the naso-pharynx.
3. The external orifice -- the lips should avoid any rigid position; they should not be pulled back, pushed forward, or rendered almost immobile, but should be free to move at all times. The mouth should open freely, as in the beginning of a yawn, with the lower jaw dropping freely open as well. 

What are the favorable conditions for creating the Singer’s Formant (Sundberg) Sundberg states that since the singer's formant can be present in all sounds, it must be comparatively insensitive to vowel articulation. He also says that the laryngeal tube is the part of the vocal tract that varies the least with vowel articulation. Among the conditions he has observed which seem to create a favorable environment for the generation of the singer's formant are 1) lowering the larynx, 2) widening of the laryngeal ventricle, and 3) widening of the pyriform sinues (the bottom part of the vocal tract surrounding the laryngeal tube).

Describe the 2 categories of faults related to nasal resonance. 1) excessive nasal resonance (hypernasality), and 2) insufficient nasal resonance (hyponasality).

What is postnasality?  What is another name for it?  True nasal resonance occurs when the nasal port is open enough for the nasal resonator to exert the predominant influence on the external sound produced. This happens naturally in the nasal consonants. If the nasal resonator is allowed to remain predominant in other sounds, however, it is classified as excessive nasal resonance or true nasality. It appears in an exaggerated form in cleft palate speech because the individual cannot close the nasal port completely enough with his soft palate to cut out the nasal cavity when it is not needed. Another name for this is nasal honk. In this true nasality the nasal cavity is coupled into the resonance system along with the mouth and pharynx, but dominates the tonal result. 

What is forced nasality?  What is another name for it? Forced nasality or nasal twant is more widely recognized by the general populance as nasality that the true varity is, and is characterized by a tight, pinched sound which seems to be centered in the nasal cavity. This is often produced when the nasal port is completely closed.

What is denasality? when there is insufficient nasal resonance, the resulting sound is said to be denasal. It occurs when some physical condition or organic factor prevents the normal formation of the nasal consonants and limits nasal resonance in other sounds. 

What are some causes of a sound that is too bright? They result from a failure to bring the vocal resonators into proper balance. There often tends to be too much emphasis on the mouth as a resonator and not enough on the pharynx. 

What are some causes of a sound that is too dark? They result from a failure to bring the vocal resonators into proper balance. There is too much emphasis on the pharynx and not enough on the mouth.