Xeroradiographic-electrolaryngographic analysis of male vocal registers

Comparison is made between the vocal tract and voice source behaviours of sample professional bass/baritones (n = 6), tenors (n = 4), and countertenors (n = 9) using xeroradiographic-electrolaryngographic analysis (XEL). XEL analysis combines two known techniques: soft tissue radiographic imaging (xeroradiography) and an analysis of voice source vibratory patterning (electrolaryngography). Results indicate that (a) in the bass/baritone sample the lower oropharynx and laryngeal airway dimensions expand systematically with increasing pitch; (b) the principal differences between the bass/baritone and tenor samples are in the vertical dimensions of the vocal tract at rest and during phonation and in the voice source patterning; (c) the relationships between the vocal tract dimensions of bass/baritones and tenors tend to be maintained across registers; (d) there are significant differences between bass/baritone/tenors and countertenors for identical pitches, particularly at the voice source.