Dear mike, John, Linda and fellow Vocalisters:
The fact that a peak of intensity of the vocal spectrum occurs in the 2800 to 3200 Hrz range signifies only that this gives the voice a noticeable presence which is higher than the peak of intensity of the combined orchestral sound (which occurs at about 1500 Hrz). It does not mean that the rest of the vocal spectrum is not present or not heard.
The individual tonal quality of the voice is usually considered to be comprised of formants 3, 4 and 5 which in male voices are usually found above the frequency range of the singer's formant. With female voices singing above G4, formants 3, 4, and 5 tend to cluster in the area of the singer's formant and, consequently, Sundburg considers these three formants to actually be the female singer's formant for this pitch range.
The two vowel formants (formants 1 and 2) are in the range from about 500 to 2200 Hrz, that is, within the range of strongest orchestral sound. For this reason vowels are often unclear for all voices when singing over a full orchestral sound. But that does not mean that these formants are completely obliterated.
The voice produces a wide range of overtones and the 2 vowel formants, the singer's formant, and formants 3, 4 and 5 are only representative of intensity peaks within this wide spectrum of vocal overtones. A well produced voice provides a rich spectrum of sound which can fill many of the intensity "holes" in the orchestra sound.
And one must not forget that what the ear hears is interpreted by the brain. If one considers that the male voice seldom produces a fundamental below middle C it becomes obvious that all pitches below this middle C are interpolated by the brain based on the overtone series that would logically occur if said fundamental were present. The brain provides the missing fundamental. The same is true for bass sounds on car radios with speakers that can only produce sounds down to about 100 Hrz. The brain provides what is not there.
Lloyd W. Hanson, DMA Professor of Voice, Pedagogy School of Performing Arts Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ 86011
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