Interference between normal vibrato and artificial stimulation of laryngeal muscles at near-vibrato rates

Author(s): Solomon, N. P., Luschei, E. S., Hirano, M.

Journal/Book: J Voice. 1994; 8: 215-23.

Abstract: A stabilized tremor hypothesis for vocal vibrato is investigated. The stabilizer is assumed to be a mechanical oscillator that may contain reflex loops. Artificial stimulation of the cricothyroid muscle in one subject showed a well-defined resonance curve of this peripheral oscillator at approximately 5.0 Hz. Combined artificial stimulation with natural vibrato showed that the vibrato could be entrained by a peripheral stimulus, provided the two frequencies are separated by no more than approximately +/- 0.5 Hz. This suggests that vibrato frequencies are not "hard-wired" centrally, even though a collection of centrally generated tremors may serve as excitation to the peripheral oscillator.

Keyword(s): Electric Stimulation. Human. Laryngeal Muscles/innervation/physiology. Laryngeal Nerves/physiology. Male. Models, Neurological. Muscle Contraction/physiology. Music. Phonation/physiology. Sound Spectrography. Speech Acoustics. Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.. Voice Quality/physiology. Voice Training

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