Influence of Carnatic Vocal Training on Voice Measures in Males.
Athickal Sreeparvathi, Shekharaiah Sheela, Venkataraja Udupi Aithal
PMID 39231455WHAT IT FOUND
Male Carnatic singers with 6–10 years of training showed lower pitch measures in the low and middle registers during a humming task, suggesting improved control in these ranges.
However, they also exhibited increased noise in the middle register and no significant differences in most other acoustic or aerodynamic voice measures compared to less trained singers.
Key findings
01Singers with higher training had significantly lower fundamental frequency measures in the low and middle registers during the 'mkaram' (humming) task.
02Singers with higher training had significantly lower harmonic-to-noise ratio (HNR) in the middle register during the 'mkaram' task, indicating more noise in the voice signal.
03No significant differences were found between the groups for cepstral, perturbation (jitter), or aerodynamic measures (maximum phonation time, s/z ratio).
STILL TO COME
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What it does not show
The study used convenience sampling, which may limit generalizability. The groups were defined by training duration (6 months–5 years vs. 6–10 years), but actual skill levels within these ranges may vary. No non-singer control group was included, so differences cannot be attributed solely to training versus natural variation. Test-retest reliability for some acoustic parameters (especially frequency-related) was poor (Cronbach's alpha as low as 0.25), which may affect the stability of the reported findings. The study did not control for potential breaks in training or other confounding variables.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was self-funded by the first author, with no external sponsor involvement in design, execution, or analysis.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the significantly lower pitch measures in trained singers as evidence of voice pathology or weakness. The authors attribute these findings to improved vocal control and range efficiency, not dysfunction. Furthermore, the poor test-retest reliability for some frequency parameters means these specific acoustic differences should be interpreted with caution.