Why fry? An exploration of the lowest vocal register in amplified and unamplified singing

Vocal fry is defined on a psycho-acoustical basis as vocalization at frequencies below approximately 70 Hz. Vocal fry has become more commonplace in speech and amplified singing styles such as popular and country, but it is typically unused in non-amplified accompanied performances of Western Classical music. This led the author to question why singers chose to use fry onsets in amplified singing styles, but rarely do so in unamplified styles. Extracting fry onsets from two performances in popular style, the author determined that the primary acoustical information contained in the short fry onsets is the formant frequencies of the initial vowel to be sung. The author also tested whether a fry onset can be detected at a distance when the singer is unamplified and accompanied by making a series of recordings with microphones set 2, 4, 8, and 16 meters away from the singer in a recital hall. In general, due to the low frequency and amplitude of fry phonation, the intensity of accompanying instruments, and hall reverberation, vocal fry onsets are hard to perceive at a distance without amplification. The author concludes that the use of fry in popular styles is an expressive device for communicating deeply emotional content.