Do Pipe Organs Create an Auto-Tune Effect? #ASA187

Pipe organs create sympathetic resonance in concert halls and church sanctuaries

Media Contact:
AIP Media
301-209-3090
media@aip.org

MELVILLE, N.Y., Nov. 20, 2024 – The pipe organ, with its strong timber base and towering metal pipes, stands as a bastion in concert halls and church sanctuaries. Even when not in use, the pipe organ affects the acoustical environment around it.

Researcher Ashley Snow from the University of Washington sought to understand what effects the world’s largest class of musical instrument has on the acoustics of concert halls that house them.

Ashley Snow studied the resonant effects of the D-K Organ on concert hall acoustics at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Credit: Ashley Snow

“The question is how much the pipe organ contributes to an acoustic environment—and the bigger question is, what portion of music is the acoustic environment, and vice versa?” Snow said.

Snow will present data on the sympathetic resonance of pipe organs and its effect on concert hall acoustics on Wednesday, Nov. 20, at 11:00 a.m. ET as part of the virtual 187th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, running Nov. 18-22, 2024.

Snow hypothesized that the pipe organ creates an auto-tune effect since its pipes sympathetically resonate to the same frequencies they are tuned to. This effect may enhance the overall musical sound of ensembles that play in concert halls with organs.

A sine-sweep—a resonance test in which a sine-wave shaped signal is used to excite a system—was played through loudspeakers facing the organ pipes and measuring the response with a microphone at different positions. Data was gathered by placing microphones inside and around the organ pipes during a musical performance and a church service.

“I was way up in the ranks dangling a probe microphone into the pipes, trying my hardest not to make a sound or fall,” Snow said.

Snow verified experimentally that sympathetic resonance does occur in organ pipes during musical performances, speeches, and noises at frequencies that align with musical notes, and that the overall amplitude increases when the signal matches the resonance of one or more pipes.

Investigation into the significance of these effects on the overall quality of musical performance to listeners in the audience is still ongoing. Snow hopes to expand this research by comparing room acoustics between rooms with and without the presence of an organ, along with categorizing and mathematically modeling the tuning system of various world instruments. “What about the sympathy of a marimba, cymbal, or piano strings? Or the mode-locking of horns in a band? Would it sound the same if these things were separated from each other? For better or for worse? I want people to think about that.”

———————– MORE MEETING INFORMATION ———————–
Main Meeting Website: https://acousticalsociety.org/asa-virtual-fall-2024/
Technical Program: https://eppro01.ativ.me/src/EventPilot/php/express/web/planner.php?id=ASAFALL24

ASA PRESS ROOM
In the coming weeks, ASA’s Press Room will be updated with newsworthy stories and the press conference schedule at https://acoustics.org/asa-press-room/.

LAY LANGUAGE PAPERS
ASA will also share dozens of lay language papers about topics covered at the conference. Lay language papers are summaries (300-500 words) of presentations written by scientists for a general audience. They will be accompanied by photos, audio, and video. Learn more at https://acoustics.org/lay-language-papers/.

PRESS REGISTRATION
ASA will grant free registration to credentialed and professional freelance journalists. If you are a reporter and would like to attend the virtual meeting and/or press conferences, contact AIP Media Services at media@aip.org. For urgent requests, AIP staff can also help with setting up interviews and obtaining images, sound clips, or background information.

ABOUT THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
The Acoustical Society of America is the premier international scientific society in acoustics devoted to the science and technology of sound. Its 7,000 members worldwide represent a broad spectrum of the study of acoustics. ASA publications include The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (the world’s leading journal on acoustics), JASA Express Letters, Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Acoustics Today magazine, books, and standards on acoustics. The society also holds two major scientific meetings each year. See https://acousticalsociety.org/.

How Pitch, Dynamics, and Vibrato Shape Emotions in Violin Music

Wenyi Song – wsongak@cse.ust.hk
Twitter: @sherrys72539831

Department of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, NA, NA, Hong Kong

Anh Dung DINH
addinh@connect.ust.hk

Andrew Brian Horner
horner@cse.ust.hk
Department of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR

Popular version of 1aMU2 – The emotional characteristics of the violin with different pitches, dynamics, and vibrato levels
Presented at the 187th ASA Meeting
Read the abstract at https://eppro01.ativ.me//web/index.php?page=IntHtml&project=ASAFALL24&id=3767557

–The research described in this Acoustics Lay Language Paper may not have yet been peer reviewed–

Music has a unique way of moving us emotionally, but have you ever wondered how individual sounds shape these feelings?

In our study, we looked at how different features of violin notes—like pitch (the height of the notes), dynamics (the loudness of the sounds), and vibrato (how the note vibrates)—combine to create emotional responses. While previous research often focuses on each feature in isolation, we explored how they interact, revealing how the violin’s sounds evoke specific emotions.

To conduct this study, we used single-note recordings from the violin at different pitches, two levels of dynamics (loud and soft), and two vibrato settings (no vibrato and high vibrato). We invited participants to listen to these sounds and rate their emotional responses using a scale of emotional positivity (valence) and intensity (arousal). Participants also selected which emotions they felt from a list of 16 emotions, such as joyful, nervous, relaxed, or agitated.

Audio 1. The experiment used a violin single-note sample (middle C pitch + loud dynamics + no vibrato).

Audio 2. The experiment used a violin single-note sample (middle C pitch + soft dynamics + no vibrato).

Audio 3. The experiment used a violin single-note sample (middle C pitch + loud dynamics + high vibrato).

Audio 4. The experiment used a violin single-note sample (middle C pitch + loud dynamics + high vibrato).

Our findings reveal that each element plays a unique role in shaping emotions. As shown in Figure 1, higher pitches and strong vibrato generally raised emotional intensity, creating feelings of excitement or tension. Lower pitches were more likely to evoke sadness or calmness, while loud dynamics made emotions feel more intense. Surprisingly, sounds without vibrato were linked to calmer emotions, while vibrato added energy and excitement, especially for emotions like anger or fear. And Figure 2 illustrates how strong vibrato enhances emotions like anger and sadness, while the absence of vibrato correlates with calmer feelings.

Figure 1. Pitch, Dynamics, and Vibrato average ratings on valence-arousal with different levels. It shows that higher pitches and strong vibrato increase arousal, while soft dynamics and no vibrato are linked to higher valence, highlighting pitch as the most influential factor.

Figure 2. Pitch, Dynamics, and Vibrato average ratings on 16 emotions. It shows that strong vibrato enhances angry and sad emotions, while no vibrato supports calm emotions; higher pitches increase arousal for angry emotions, and brighter tones evoke calm and happy emotions.

Our research provides insights for musicians, composers, and even music therapists, helping them understand how to use the violin’s features to evoke specific emotions. With this knowledge, violinists can fine-tune their performance to match the emotional impact they aim to create, and composers can carefully select sounds that resonate with listeners’ emotional expectations.

How Do the Erhu and Violin Shape Our Emotions? A Cross-Cultural Study

Wenyi Song – wsongak@cse.ust.hk
Twitter: @sherrys72539831

Department of Department of Computer Science and Engineering
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Hong Kong SAR

Andrew Brian Horner
horner@cse.ust.hk
Department of Department of Computer Science and Engineering
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Hong Kong SAR

Popular version of 1aMU3 – Emotional characteristics of the erhu and violin: a comparative study of emotional intensity in musical excerpts
Presented at the 187th ASA Meeting
Read the abstract at https://eppro01.ativ.me//web/index.php?page=IntHtml&project=ASAFALL24&id=3767558

–The research described in this Acoustics Lay Language Paper may not have yet been peer reviewed–

Music speaks to us across cultures, but can the instruments we choose shape our emotions in different ways?

This study compares the emotional responses evoked by two similar yet culturally distinct string instruments: the Chinese erhu and the Western violin. Both are bowed string instruments, but they have distinct sounds and cultural roles that could lead listeners to experience different emotions. Our research focuses on whether these instruments, along with variations in performance and listener familiarity, influence emotional intensity in unique ways.

Western violin performance example: violinist Ray Chan playing ‘Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64’

Chinese erhu performance example: erhu player Guo Gan playing the Chinese piece ‘Horse Racing’ (feat. Pianist Lang Lang)

To explore these questions, we conducted three online listening experiments. Participants were asked to listen to a series of short musical pieces performed on both the erhu and violin. They then rated each piece using two emotional measures: specific emotion categories (such as happy, sad, calm, and agitated) and emotional positivity and intensity.

Our results show clear emotional differences between the instruments. The violin often evokes positive, energetic emotions, which may be due to its bright tone and dynamic range. By contrast, the erhu tends to evoke sadness, possibly because of its softer timbre and its traditional association with melancholy in Chinese music.

Interestingly, familiarity with the instrument played a significant role in listeners’ emotional responses. Those who were more familiar with the violin rated the pieces as more emotionally intense, suggesting that cultural background and previous exposure shape how we emotionally connect with music. However, our analysis also found that different performances of the same piece generally did not change emotional ratings, emphasizing that the instrument itself is a major factor in shaping our emotional experience.

These findings open new paths for understanding how cultural context and personal experiences influence our emotional reactions to music. The distinct emotional qualities of the erhu and violin reveal how musical instruments can evoke different emotional responses, even when playing the same piece.

How voice training changes the tongue in chest versus head voice

Jiu Song – jiusongjd@gmail.com
Integrated Speech Research Lab
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4
Canada

Additional authors:
Jaida Siu – jaidasiu@gmail.com
Jahurul Islam – jahurul.islam@ubc.ca
Bryan Gick – gick@mail.ubc.ca

Popular version of 1aMU8 – Effect of years of voice training on chest and head register tongue shape variability
Presented at the 187th ASA Meeting
Read the abstract at https://eppro01.ativ.me/web/page.php?page=IntHtml&project=ASAFALL24&id=3767562

–The research described in this Acoustics Lay Language Paper may not have yet been peer reviewed–

Imagine being in a voice lesson, and as you try to hit a high note, your voice coach says, “suppress your tongue” or “pretend your tongue doesn’t exist!” What does this mean, and why do singers do this?

One vocal technique used by professional singers is to sing in different vocal registers. Generally, a man’s natural speaking voice and the voice people use to sing lower notes is called the chest voice—you can feel a vibration in your chest if you place your hand over it as you vocalize. When moving to higher notes, singers shift to their head voice, where vibrations feel stronger in the head. However, what role does the tongue play in this transition? Do all singers, including amateurs, naturally adjust their tongue when switching registers, or is this adjustment a learned skill?

Figure 1: Approximate location of feeling/sensation for chest and head voice.

We are interested in vowels and the pitch range during the passaggio, which is the shift or transition point between different vocal registers. The voice is very unstable and prone to audible cracking during the passaggio, and singers are trained to navigate it smoothly. We also know that different vowels are produced in different locations in the mouth and possess different qualities. One way that singers successfully navigate the passaggio is by altering the vowel through slight adjustments to tongue shape. To study this, we utilized ultrasound imaging to monitor the position and shape of the tongue while participants with varying levels of vocal training sang vowels across their pitch range, similar to a vocal warm-up.

Video 1: Example of ultrasound recording

The results indicated that, in head voice, the tongue is generally positioned higher in the mouth than in chest voice. Unsurprisingly, this difference is more pronounced for certain vowels than for others.

Figure 2: Tongue position in chest and head voice for front and back vowel groups. Overlapping shades indicate that there is virtually no difference.

Singers’ tongues are also shaped by training. Recall the voice coach’s advice to lower your jaw and tongue while singing—this technique is employed to create more space in the mouth to enhance resonance and vocal projection. Indeed, trained singers generally have a lower overall tongue position.

As professional singers’ transitions between registers sound more seamless, we speculated that trained singers would exhibit smaller differences in tongue position between registers than untrained singers, who have less developed tongue control. In fact, it turns out that the opposite is true: the tongue behaves differently in chest voice and head voice, but only for individuals with vocal training.

Figure 3: Tongue position in chest and head voice for singers with different levels of training.

In summary, our research suggests that tongue adjustments for register shifts may be a learned technique. The manner in which singers adjust their tongues for different vowels and vocal registers could be an essential component in achieving a seamless transition between registers, as well as in the effective use of various vocal qualities. Understanding the interactions among vowels, registers, and the tongue provides insight into the mechanisms of human vocal production and voice pedagogy.

All Wound Up: A Clearer Look at Electric Guitar Pickups #ASA186

Understanding the physical phenomenon at the heart of the electric guitar.

Media Contact:
AIP Media
301-209-3090
media@aip.org

OTTAWA, Ontario, May 15, 2024 – The electric guitar has been a core element of popular music for much of the past century. Pickups are the components that turn vibrations from the strings into electricity for sound and can be seen as the “heart” of the instrument. Electric guitarists have long known that the magnetic force from pickups affects the quality of their sound and how smoothly the sound transitions, known as timbre.

Takuto Yudasaka, visiting scholar at McGill University and researcher at Yamaha, will present their work on the physics behind electric guitar pickups Wednesday, May 15, at 10:30 a.m. EDT as part of a joint meeting of the Acoustical Society of America and the Canadian Acoustical Association, running May 13-17 at the Shaw Centre located in downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Pickups can be seen as the “heart” of the electric guitar, turning vibrations from the strings into electricity for sound. Image credit: Yamaha Corporation of America

“In electric guitars, the vibration of a magnetized string generates an electric current in the pickup coil,” said Yudasaka. “This current is very weak, but by winding the coil thousands of times, more signal can be detected.”

The details of how the pickup coil is wound has a significant impact on the resulting sound of the instrument. Winding the coil more will increase the output volume, but a coil wound too much can begin to lose its clarity. A minuscule winding of the coils, even as small as a hundredth of a millimeter, can make a noticeable sound change to a trained ear.

Furthermore, variables such as the type and thickness of the wire, the winding pattern, the shape and size of the pickup, and even the type of magnets used can all influence the guitar’s sound. While the average listener may not pick up on it, electric guitarists have both noticed and been intrigued by these physical phenomena.

With such a range of choices, finding the perfect sound can be a challenge, one Yudasaka and his colleagues hope to address.

“We were able to understand how the magnetic force of pickups affects the sound of electric guitars and how we can simulate it,” said Yudasaka. “This simulation has the potential to not only reduce design time but also to enable the development of electric guitars with new timbres.”

This understanding allows guitarists to make customary pickup selections and adjustments purposefully, removing most of the guesswork involved.

Yudasaka along with collaborators at Yamaha and McGill University will continue their research on how pickups affect timbre through future simulations.

———————– MORE MEETING INFORMATION ———————–
Main Meeting Website: https://acousticalsociety.org/ottawa/
Technical Program: https://eppro02.ativ.me/src/EventPilot/php/express/web/planner.php?id=ASASPRING24

ASA PRESS ROOM
In the coming weeks, ASA’s Press Room will be updated with newsworthy stories and the press conference schedule at https://acoustics.org/asa-press-room/.

LAY LANGUAGE PAPERS
ASA will also share dozens of lay language papers about topics covered at the conference. Lay language papers are summaries (300-500 words) of presentations written by scientists for a general audience. They will be accompanied by photos, audio, and video. Learn more at https://acoustics.org/lay-language-papers/.

PRESS REGISTRATION
ASA will grant free registration to credentialed and professional freelance journalists. If you are a reporter and would like to attend the in-person meeting or virtual press conferences, contact AIP Media Services at media@aip.org. For urgent requests, AIP staff can also help with setting up interviews and obtaining images, sound clips, or background information.

ABOUT THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
The Acoustical Society of America is the premier international scientific society in acoustics devoted to the science and technology of sound. Its 7,000 members worldwide represent a broad spectrum of the study of acoustics. ASA publications include The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (the world’s leading journal on acoustics), JASA Express Letters, Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Acoustics Today magazine, books, and standards on acoustics. The society also holds two major scientific meetings each year. See https://acousticalsociety.org/.

ABOUT THE CANADIAN ACOUSTICAL ASSOCIATION/ASSOCIATION CANADIENNE D’ACOUSTIQUE

fosters communication among people working in all areas of acoustics in Canada
promotes the growth and practical application of knowledge in acoustics
encourages education, research, protection of the environment, and employment in acoustics
is an umbrella organization through which general issues in education, employment and research can be addressed at a national and multidisciplinary level

The CAA is a member society of the International Institute of Noise Control Engineering (I-INCE) and the International Commission for Acoustics (ICA), and is an affiliate society of the International Institute of Acoustics and Vibration (IIAV). Visit https://caa-aca.ca/.

Courtship Through Flute Song in Indigenous Southern Plains Culture #ASA186

For some tribes, performing an original flute song is the first step toward marriage.

Media Contact:
AIP Media
301-209-3090
media@aip.org

OTTAWA, Ontario, May 14, 2024 – Every love story is unique, and in traditional Indigenous Southern Plains culture, it begins with an original ballad performed on the flute. In order to win a lover’s affection, and respect among the tribe, each pursuer must compose one good flute serenade.

“Warrior with flute” by Timothy Tate Nevaquaya.

Paula Conlon, a former music professor at the University of Oklahoma, has researched the history and cultural significance of the Indigenous flute since the 1980s. Conlon will present her work Tuesday, May 14, at 9:45 a.m. EDT as part of a joint meeting of the Acoustical Society of America and the Canadian Acoustical Association, running May 13-17 at the Shaw Centre located in downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Conlon’s deep dive into this tradition includes a focus on four aspects that make a flute song “good” music: characteristics of the musical elements within the song, features that epitomize quintessential flutes, the qualities of the individual flute player, and how the flute players serve in their respective communities as mentors and role models. She also found that a love worth pursuing inspires its own music.

“Traditionally, a flute player would not use the same love song to court multiple partners, similar to a love letter or love poem,” said Conlon.

To study this romantic art form, Conlon looked to the works of flutists who helped maintain the tradition.

“The findings are based on an analysis of historical recordings of Indigenous flute love songs and the related literature, and the flute songs of Kiowa flutist Belo Cozad and Comanche flutist Doc Tate Nevaquaya,” said Conlon.

The decline of this courting tradition followed the end of the Reservation Era in 1887. Cozad and Nevaquaya are recognized for the survival of the Plains’ flute tradition, and nearly a century after the Reservation Era, in the late 20th century the tradition experienced a resurgence.

Nevaquaya was a leader in the Indigenous flute revival. He learned how to construct the flutes, personalized playing techniques, and put a spotlight on the old repertoire. He notably developed two new composition styles — one for modern courtship and the other to expand on the creativity of the individual flutist. His solo flute album, released in 1979, is regarded as a bridge between the traditional culture and the style of up-and-coming flute players.

“In 2024, it is another generation of Indigenous flute players, including Nevaquaya’s sons, Timothy, Edmond, and Calvert, who are making their mark,” said Conlon.

During her two-decade-long tenure in Oklahoma, Conlon developed relationships with many of the Indigenous flute players in the area. Now living in her hometown of Ottawa, she plans to continue this investigation by conducting comparable research on Indigenous flute players in Canada.

———————– MORE MEETING INFORMATION ———————–
Main Meeting Website: https://acousticalsociety.org/ottawa/
Technical Program: https://eppro02.ativ.me/src/EventPilot/php/express/web/planner.php?id=ASASPRING24

ASA PRESS ROOM
In the coming weeks, ASA’s Press Room will be updated with newsworthy stories and the press conference schedule at https://acoustics.org/asa-press-room/.

LAY LANGUAGE PAPERS
ASA will also share dozens of lay language papers about topics covered at the conference. Lay language papers are summaries (300-500 words) of presentations written by scientists for a general audience. They will be accompanied by photos, audio, and video. Learn more at https://acoustics.org/lay-language-papers/.

PRESS REGISTRATION
ASA will grant free registration to credentialed and professional freelance journalists. If you are a reporter and would like to attend the in-person meeting or virtual press conferences, contact AIP Media Services at media@aip.org. For urgent requests, AIP staff can also help with setting up interviews and obtaining images, sound clips, or background information.

ABOUT THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
The Acoustical Society of America is the premier international scientific society in acoustics devoted to the science and technology of sound. Its 7,000 members worldwide represent a broad spectrum of the study of acoustics. ASA publications include The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (the world’s leading journal on acoustics), JASA Express Letters, Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Acoustics Today magazine, books, and standards on acoustics. The society also holds two major scientific meetings each year. See https://acousticalsociety.org/.

ABOUT THE CANADIAN ACOUSTICAL ASSOCIATION/ASSOCIATION CANADIENNE D’ACOUSTIQUE

fosters communication among people working in all areas of acoustics in Canada
promotes the growth and practical application of knowledge in acoustics
encourages education, research, protection of the environment, and employment in acoustics
is an umbrella organization through which general issues in education, employment and research can be addressed at a national and multidisciplinary level

The CAA is a member society of the International Institute of Noise Control Engineering (I-INCE) and the International Commission for Acoustics (ICA), and is an affiliate society of the International Institute of Acoustics and Vibration (IIAV). Visit https://caa-aca.ca/.