Emily F. McCoy Ch. 4

Emily F. McCoy Ch. 4:
a) How is the vocal tract like an amplifier and tone controls of a stereo system? It is highly adjustable and can selectively modify sound. Tone is transformed into the vowel sounds required for speech. 
b) Define the term formant. A formant is a resonance of the vocal tract. (A sound potential)
c) Which formants are responsible for vowel creation? F1 and F2
d) What is formant tuning? Formant tuning is vowel modification, even if it is slight. This synchronizes F1 with F0.
e) Why is the singer's formant important? It allows the voice to "carry" over an orchestra or other sounds.
f) Are there alternatives to using the singer's formant? Yes, sopranos can forgo it altogether because the pitches they sing can be heard over an orchestra anyway. Others can align different formants with other harmonics to boost sound.
g) How are formants viewed differently in linear and nonlinear descriptions of vocal resonance? In the linear model, formant peaks provide maximum amplification; in the nonlinear model, maximum amplification occurs just before the formant peak--the formant itself induces instability.
h) What is the average pitch F1 of the cardinal vowels? [i]=E4, [e]=C5, [a]=G5, [o]=C5, [u]=E4, all plus or minus about a major third
i) how are formants different from resonance frequencies in a fixed-diameter quarter-wave resonator? Formant frequencies can be changed by moving the articulators whereas resonances of a fixed diameter tube are locked in place. 
j) If the vowel [a] is sung on F4, which of the first three harmonics is likely to be strongest? 2F0 is in close proximity of F2, and [a]=about G5.