Qualities of a voice emeritus

Abstract

The effects of vocal ageing are investigated in a professional mezzo-soprano singer, for which the phonetogram, and 45 vowels, each sung at fundamental frequencies of 220, 392, and 659 Hz, were recorded at the age of 52 and 74 years. The comparison demonstrates a serious loss in the vocal range, dynamics and control: (1) a loss of half an octave in the highest fundamental frequency range, (2) a loss of 6 dB at the highest vocal intensities, (3) less accuracy in targeting of F0, (4) no significant change in average vibrato frequency, but (5) much more instability in vibrato frequency and less vibrato modulation depth. The analysis of vocal vibrato is realized with a new method that allows computation of instantaneous vibrato frequency and extent (modulation depth).