>===== Original Message From vocalist-temporary@egroups.com =====
>Tako wrote:
>>There is
>>not enough longitudinal symmetry in the vocal cords to allow nodal
>>harmonics.
>
>Hi Tako,
>Thanks for all your posts.
>Please excuse my ignorance, but what's nodal harmonics??
>Thank you!
>Sungil
Taking advantage of the different time zones to jump in....
The best way to explain nodal harmonics is to imagine a stringed instrument,
say a violin. Normally, the whole string will vibrate at its full length
(fundamental, I believe). As you place your fingers on the string, the
vibrating length shortens, and so the frequency (ie pitch) increases. When
you have got to the point when you have halved the length of the string, the
pitch will have increased by one octave. However, if instead of fully
stopping the string you place your finger very lightly on it at this midpoint,
then both halfs of the string will vibrate. This will still give the same
pitch, but a very different tone. The point of the string which is stationary
(ie where your finger is resting) is called a node, and the effect is a nodal
harmonic. If you rest your finger very lightly a quarter of the way along the
string, you will get 3 nodes, and four equal vibrating sections of string.
The resultant pitch will be two octaves higher than the unstopped string. Of
course one of the reasons that this is possible is that the vibrating section
of a violin string is longitudinally symmetric. This is not the case for the
vocal cords, and so this phenomenon would not occur in the voice.
This would be much easier if I could draw you a diagram :-) Hope the above
explanation makes some sort of sense.
Best wishes
Colin
Colin Reed, Tenor
Newark, UK
Tel: +44 1636 706158
Mobile: +44 7973 952447
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