How to Sing Better: Vowels, Harmonics, and Formants

Harmonics

Every component of sound has a vibrational frequency, represented in Hertz (Hz). Pitch, for example, is a vibrational frequency; the A above middle C is called A-440 because it vibrates at 440 Hz or cycles per second.

During phonation, the vocal folds rapidly open and close, converting aerodynamic energy to acoustic energy. This acoustic energy is comprised of partials, including F₀, the fundamental or pitch (also known as the first harmonic or H₁) and overtones. 

Some overtones are non-musical noise sounds, and others, those occurring with mathematical regularity above the fundamental, are called harmonics.

Harmonics are multiples of the fundamental. For example, if the fundamental (F₀, or the pitch) is 220, the next harmonic would occur at 440 (220 x 2), the next at 660 (220 x 3), the next at 880 (220 x 4), etc. Harmonics occur at decreasing intervals above the pitch, starting with the second harmonic at the octave, the third harmonic is a perfect fifth above that octave, and the fourth harmonic is a perfect fourth above that fifth, etc.

The basic voiced sound, as it manifests at the vocal folds, is a soft buzz. The vocal tract acts as a filter where harmonics are either boosted or attenuated (damped) depending on the size and shape of the resonators of the mouth and pharynx as we form vowels.

The relative strength of various harmonics provides the richness and timbre or tone quality of a musical sound, whether that sound is a voice or an instrument. Strong higher harmonics provide ring and brilliance; a singer with an abundance of upper partials can be easily heard over loud accompaniments.

Vowel Formants

We will delve into formants extensively in the next blog.  For now, this is what you need to remember about vowel formants:

Formants are vibrating pockets of air in the vocal tract. Formants and harmonics interact; a harmonic frequency that is near a formant frequency will be boosted.  Formants play a crucial role in registration and register transitioning. The shape of the vocal tract (the mouth and pharynx) alters the formant frequencies and thus the strength of the nearby harmonics.  We can change the shape of the vocal tract by moving the jaw, soft palate, lips, tongue, and larynx.

Vowels require two formants, F₁ and F₂, to be recognizable.

• Higher F₁ frequencies correlate to a lower tongue. Lower F₁ frequencies correlate to a higher tongue.
• Higher F₂ frequencies correlate to a forward tongue and a brighter timbre. Lower F₂ frequencies correlate to a less bright timbre and vowels formed further back on the tongue.
• F₁ is responsible for the depth or darkness in the tone, known as oscuro, because it occurs in the larger container of the pharynx, which resonates lower frequencies.
• F₂ is responsible for the treble or brightness in the tone, known as squillo, because it occurs in the smaller chamber of the mouth, which resonates higher frequencies. The smaller the space in front of the tongue is, the brighter the sound will be. [i] has the smallest space in front of the tongue. A smaller container resonates at higher frequencies.

Laryngeal Elevation: F₁ frequencies raise as the pharyngeal cavity size is decreased (smaller container-higher frequencies); when the larynx lifts, the distance from the larynx to the tongue constriction decreases.

Mouth Widening:  When the mouth cavity size is increased, (as the jaw is dropped) or lip aperture is increased (as with the wide, lateral grin), pharyngeal resonating space is comparatively decreased, and F₁ frequencies are higher.

Lip Rounding:  Rounding the lips and pushing them forward increases the length of the resonator and decreases the opening, lowering F₂. For the singer in the Unbalanced-Pulled Lower category, a rounded, forward lip position can create less pull and more release.

Try rounding the lips and pushing them forward if you are straining as you transition through the first bridge. F₂ lowers as the front resonating cavity is enlarged because of tongue retraction or lip protrusion. This creates less treble in the timbre.

For a mellower, less edgy tone, round the lips.

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