Auditory-motor mapping for pitch control in singers and nonsingers

• Published in: Experimental brain research Vol. 190; no. 3; pp. 279 - 287
• Main Authors: Jones, Jeffery A., Keough, Dwayne
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.09.2008; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adaptation, Physiological - physiology; Adolescent; Adult; Auditory Cortex - physiology; Biofeedback, Psychology - physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Brain Mapping; Ear and associated structures. Auditory pathways and centers. Hearing. Vocal organ. Phonation. Sound production. Echolocation; Efferent Pathways - physiology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Motor control and motor pathways. Reflexes. Control centers of vegetative functions. Vestibular system and equilibration; Music; Neurology; Neurosciences; Pitch Perception - physiology; Research Article; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Voice - physiology; Singer; Singing; Internal model; Pitch; Auditory feedback; F0; Sensorimotor; Fundamental frequency; After effect; Human; Vocal system; Motor control
• ISSN: 0014-4819; 1432-1106
• DOI: 10.1007/s00221-008-1473-y

Little is known about the basic processes underlying the behavior of singing. This experiment was designed to examine differences in the representation of the mapping between fundamental frequency (F0) feedback and the vocal production system in singers and nonsingers. Auditory feedback regarding F0 was shifted down in frequency while participants sang the consonant-vowel /ta/. During the initial frequency-altered trials, singers compensated to a lesser degree than nonsingers, but this difference was reduced with continued exposure to frequency-altered feedback. After brief exposure to frequency altered auditory feedback, both singers and nonsingers suddenly heard their F0 unaltered. When participants received this unaltered feedback, only singers’ F0 values were found to be significantly higher than their F0 values produced during baseline and control trials. These aftereffects in singers were replicated when participants sang a different note than the note they produced while hearing altered feedback. Together, these results suggest that singers rely more on internal models than nonsingers to regulate vocal productions rather than real time auditory feedback.