Classical singers' performances vary across different acoustic environments. The changes in the delivery are influenced by the singer's perception of the venue's acoustics. This study investigated these relationships using nine professional or semi-professional classical singers. Participants performed Giordani's “Caro mio ben” aria in five venues, and the acoustic parameters reverberance (T30 and EDT), clarity (C80), early vocal support (STv), and tonal color (EDTf) were measured. From a factor analysis of the subjective analysis three major factors emerged that, we propose, would represent three generalized percepts of Room Supportiveness, Room Noiselessness, and Room Timbre. These percepts correlated significantly with objective acoustic parameters traditionally linked to vocal support, reverberation, and timbre. Room Supportiveness and Room Noiselessness significantly contributed to the singers' likability of the acoustic environment, while Room Timbre did not. This indicates that singers' perceptual preference for a performance space may be influenced by factors affecting both auditory feedback and vocal function. These findings underscore the need for performing space designers to consider the unique needs of all stakeholders, including listeners and performers. The study contributes to the bridging of the gap between subjective perceptions and objective measurements, providing valuable insights for acoustic design considerations.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
October 2023
October 11 2023
Singing in different performance spaces: The effect of room acoustics on singers' perception
Yvonne Gonzales Redman;
Yvonne Gonzales Redman
1
School of Music, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign
, Champaign, Illinois 61820, USA
Search for other works by this author on:
Joshua D. Glasner;
Joshua D. Glasner
2
School of Graduate and Professional Studies, Delaware Valley University
, Doylestown, Pennsylvania 18901, USA
Search for other works by this author on:
Dario D'Orazio
;
Dario D'Orazio
3
Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Bologna
, Bologna 40136, Italy
Search for other works by this author on:
Pasquale Bottalico
Pasquale Bottalico
a)
4
Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign
, Champaign, Illinois 61820, USA
Search for other works by this author on:
a)
Email: pb81@illinois.edu
J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 154, 2256–2264 (2023)
Article history
Received:
July 18 2023
Accepted:
September 24 2023
Citation
Yvonne Gonzales Redman, Joshua D. Glasner, Dario D'Orazio, Pasquale Bottalico; Singing in different performance spaces: The effect of room acoustics on singers' perception. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 1 October 2023; 154 (4): 2256–2264. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0021331
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign In
You could not be signed in. Please check your credentials and make sure you have an active account and try again.
Pay-Per-View Access
$40.00
481
Views
Citing articles via
A survey of sound source localization with deep learning methods
Pierre-Amaury Grumiaux, Srđan Kitić, et al.
Recommendations on bioacoustical metrics relevant for regulating exposure to anthropogenic underwater sound
Klaus Lucke, Alexander O. MacGillivray, et al.
Related Content
Singing in different performance spaces: The effect of room acoustics on vibrato and pitch inaccuracy
J. Acoust. Soc. Am. (June 2022)
Singing in different rooms: Common or individual adaptation patterns to the acoustic conditions?
J. Acoust. Soc. Am. (February 2020)
Changes in the voice production of solo singers across concert halls
J. Acoust. Soc. Am. (July 2020)
The effect of acoustic environments on singers’ vocal behaviors and mental effort
J Acoust Soc Am (April 2022)
Sound pressure level and spectral balance linearity and symmetry in the messa di voce of female classical singers
J. Acoust. Soc. Am. (March 2007)