A Twangy Timbre Cuts Through the Noise

Among loud noise, a brassy and bright voice can help speakers be understood.

A study by Tsai et al. showed that twangy, female voices are best understood amongst plane and train sounds. Credit: AIP

A study by Tsai et al. showed that twangy, female voices are best understood amongst plane and train sounds. Credit: AIP

WASHINGTON, July 29, 2025 — Twangy voices are a hallmark of country music and many regional accents. However, this speech type, often described as “brassy” and “bright,” can also be used to get a message across in a noisy environment.

In JASA Express Letters, published on behalf of the Acoustical Society of America by AIP Publishing, researchers from Indiana University found that it was easier to understand twangy female voices compared to neutral voices when…click to read more

From: JASA Express Letters
Article: How vocal timbre impacts word identification and listening effort in traffic-shaped noises
DOI: 10.1121/10.0037043

More Press Releases

Would a Musical Triangle of Any Other Shape Sound as Sweet?

Would a Musical Triangle of Any Other Shape Sound as Sweet?

The surprising proof of resonance in the open-ended musical triangle could exist in circles and squares too.

musical triangle

For the triangle, researchers captured proof that resonance occurs even with the notched, open corner, and it may occur in other instrument shapes as well. Credit: Risako Tanigawa

WASHINGTON, May 6, 2025 – The triangle is a small instrument made of a metal rod bent into a triangle shape that is open at one corner. While small, its sound is distinct, with multiple overtones and nonharmonic resonance. But what causes the surprisingly powerful sound?

“The triangle instrument produces enchanting and beautiful tones, raising deep and profound questions about the connection between music and physics,” author Risako Tanigawa said. “Optical sound measurement has…click to read more

From: JASA Express Letters
Article: How the musical triangle’s shape influences its sound
DOI: 10.1121/10.0034851

Simulate Sound in 3D at a Finer Scale than Humans Can Perceive

Simulate Sound in 3D at a Finer Scale than Humans Can Perceive

Ambisonics algorithm helps create rich virtual soundscapes using a domed array of loudspeakers.

The AudioDome, a loudspeaker that can reproduce an entire surrounding acoustic field as if the listener is immersed in a real-life soundscape. Credit: sonible GmbH, Graz, Austria

WASHINGTON, April 15, 2025 – Surround-sound speakers can immerse you in a multimedia experience, but what if there was a speaker that could completely re-create a three-dimensional soundscape?

The AudioDome is more than just a loudspeaker arrangement — it’s a dome of speakers that can create an immersive sound experience that reproduces sound sources at any location when… click to read more

From: JASA
Article: Focality of sound source placement by higher (ninth) order ambisonics and perceptual effects of spectral reproduction errors
DOI: 10.1121/10.0036226

‘Fishial’ Recognition: Neural Network Identifies Coral Reef Sounds

‘Fishial’ Recognition: Neural Network Identifies Coral Reef Sounds

Faster identification of fish sounds from acoustic recordings can improve research, conservation efforts

CUREE, an autonomous underwater robot, is used by the researchers to collect acoustic data for analysis. Image by Austin Greene, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

WASHINGTON, March 11, 2025 – Coral reefs are some of the world’s most diverse ecosystems. Despite making up less than 1% of the world’s oceans, one quarter of all marine species spend some portion of their life on a reef. With so much life in one spot, researchers can struggle to gain a clear understanding of which species are present and in what numbers.

In JASA, published on behalf of the Acoustical Society of America by AIP Publishing, researchers from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution combined acoustic monitoring with a neural network to… click to read more

From: JASA
Article: Automated acoustic voice screening techniques for comorbid depression and anxiety disorders
DOI: 10.1121/10.0035829

Listening for Multiple Mental Health Disorders

Listening for Multiple Mental Health Disorders

Automated analysis of voice can reliably diagnose co-occurring depressive and anxiety disorders in one minute.

Listening for Multiple Mental Health Disorders

Acoustic and phonemic features from recordings and applied machine learning technique can distinguish subjects with and without comorbid AD/MDD. Credit: Hannah Daniel/AIP

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4, 2025 – It’s no secret that there is a mental health crisis in the United States. As of 2021, 8.3% adults had major depressive disorder (MDD) and 19.1% had anxiety disorders (AD), and the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these statistics. Despite the high prevalence of AD/MDD, diagnosis and treatment rates remain low – 36.9% for AD and 61.0% for MDD – due to a variety of social, perceptual, and structural barriers. Automated screening tools can help.

In JASA Express Letters, published on behalf of the Acoustical Society of America by AIP Publishing, researchers developed machine learning tools that screen for comorbid AD/MDD using acoustic voice signals extracted from… click to read more

From: JASA Express Letters
Article: Automated acoustic voice screening techniques for comorbid depression and anxiety disorders
DOI: 10.1121/10.0034851

Ouch! Commonalties Found in Pain Vocalizations and Interjections Across Cultures

Ouch! Commonalties Found in Pain Vocalizations and Interjections Across Cultures

Study investigates vocalizations and interjections for pain, joy, and disgust across 131 languages.

Vowel density maps reveal that distinct vowel spaces for vocalizations of pain, disgust, and joy remain consistent across languages. Credit: Ponsonnet et al.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12, 2024 – There are an estimated 7,000 languages spoken worldwide, each offering unique ways to express human emotion. But do certain emotions show regularities in their vocal expression across languages?

In JASA, published on behalf of the Acoustical Society of America by AIP Publishing, an interdisciplinary team of linguists and bioacousticians led by Maïa Ponsonnet, Katarzyna Pisanski, and Christophe Coupé explored this by… click to read more

From: JASA
Article: Vowel signatures in emotional interjections and nonlinguistic vocalizations expressing pain, disgust and joy across languages
DOI: 10.1121/10.0032454