Vowel Distinction at High Frequencies Hermann Ingi Ragnarsson.

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.