Chapter Seven: Quality
Objectives:
•
To introduce the determinants of vocal quality
•
To explain the paralinguistic and extralinguistic features of vocal quality
•
To identify desirable and undesirable vocal qualities
•
To present exercises for varying qualities of voice
Content:
•
Terms—quality/timbre, nasality, denasality, breathiness, gutturality, stridency, thinness,
hoarseness, harshness, raspiness
•
General discussion of vocal quality
•
Vocal paralinguistics
•
Extralinguistic indicators of health
•
Vocal qualities/exercises
Activities:
•
Since vocal quality frequently indicates a person’s role in life, ask your students to role-
play vocally. Here are some improvisational situations you might use, or devise your
own:
a.
An interview. One person, either gender, aggressive, demanding employer seeking
a new employee. One person, either sex, positive, assertive prospective employee.
Vary character types.
b.
Demanding professor giving student a poor grade. Student fears discussing it but
must do so.
c.
One male, one female of equal status in a job situation. Discuss a problem within
Vocal Quality
The concept is an illusive one. What may appeal to one person may be annoying to
another.
Popular voices often serve as referents for students, thus instructors should be able to refer
to notable personalities. Should you need assistance the Center for Voice Disorders of
Wake Forest University often runs a poll. Try: http://www.wfubmc.edu/voice/
As of this writing the following persons made the list:
Best Voices Worst Voices
James Earl Jones Fran Drescher
If you need examples of various vocal qualities, here is a “starter set.” Please feel free to use
your own examples.
Nasality Breathiness
Maria Bartiromo Marilyn Monroe
Guttural Strident
Matt LeBlanc Julia Child
Morley Safer
Raspy
Demi Moore
Dorothy Lucey
While as a competent educator, you will, no doubt find many examples, here are a few
other notable or interesting examples.
Application Questions:
Ask your students to write response to these questions; use them for in class
discussion; or simply ask students to personally apply the questions.
1.
Under what conditions or circumstances do you seem to be more breathless or does
your voice seem to “tire”? Now that you understand breath control, how can you
achieve better breathing during those times?
2.
When does your voice seem to be tight, hoarse or harsh? How can you produce a more
relaxed sound?
Focus Messages:
•
The concept of resonance focus is especially important for the ESL student. You may
have to individualize instruction depending upon the various dialects you encounter in
class.
Discussion questions
1.
What qualities of voice do you find pleasant or unpleasant? Why?
2.
What are some of the distinguishing characteristics of your voice? Of your
friends’ voices?
Quiz Questions:
True/false
Multiple choice
(b) velum, (c) tonsils, (d) septum.
(c) laterals, (d) affricates.
(c)
thin, (d) dialectal.
(d)
quality.
Short answer
1.
Define good vocal quality. (Clear, resonant with about mid-mouth resonance focus,
2.
What three things primarily determine the quality of your voice? (anatomy,
3.
Discuss the role of paralinguistics to vocal quality. (It can indicate a role such as the
5.
How might you use a negative vocal quality to dramatize a character onstage? (Ex. A
