Vowel Distinction

at High Frequencies

Vowel Distinction

at High Frequencies

Hermann Ingi RagnarssonHermann Ingi Ragnarsson

The Purpose

To find out if vowels move closer to each other on a vowel space

chart when they are sung at higher frequencies.

The Method

• I recorded the singing of the Icelandic vowels a, e, í, o, ú at 5 different frequencies.

• I used a piano for reference. Playing five different keys. After each key was pressed the singer would sing the vowels.

The Piano Keys that Were Used

• Middle-C, E, G, C(one octave higher) and E (one octave higher)

Middle C - Spectrogram

Middle C - Formants

E - Spectrogram

E - Formants

G - Spectrogram

G - Formants

C (higher) - Spectrogram

C (higher) - Formants

E (higher) - Spectrogram

E (Higher) - Formants

Vowel Space Charts

Middle C

E

G

C (Higher)

E (Higher)

Conclusion

Despite showing instances of unpredictable ‘behavior’ the

vowels generally move closer to each other on the vowel space

chart with increasing frequencies.