Comparing Working Memory and Verbal Learning in Older Adult Musicians and Non-musicians

Previous research suggests that learning or playing an instrument may benefit working memory and executive functioning. The literature also suggests vocal training or singing ability may increase proficiency in verbal learning and working memory. Despite the benefits of musical training, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Older adult participants (N=38, Mean age =70.2) provided their music training history and completed a cognitive test battery. Musicians were either instrumentalists and/or vocalists (N=24) or non-musicians (N=14). Independent t test analyses were run with the current modest sample size to compare scores in basic and complex attention and working memory (Digit Span Forward (DSF) and Digit Span Backwards (DSB, and Digit Span Sequencing (DSS)), and verbal learning and memory (California Verbal Learning Test-3 (CVLT)). Results found that musicians/singers had higher scores compared to non-musicians on DSS (t(32)= -1.96, Cohen’s d =.72, p =.058) and on CVLT delayed raw scores(t(32)= -1.98, Cohen’s d=.71, p=.056), both with a medium-large effect size. There were no significant differences found between musicians and non-musicians in DSF and DSB or on CVLT immediate recall/learning. The results suggest that musical training, either instrumental or vocal, may contribute to working memory and verbal memory in older adults. Both the Digit Span task and CVLT rely heavily on executive functioning ability, which may act as a mechanism or mediator between instrumental and vocal training and scores on these cognitive tasks.

Introduction

The Introduction positions the history of girl and young woman singers in the 1960s in the context of broader histories of vocal training; ideas about voice, respectability, and expressivity; and the models of youthful femininity that were emergent in 1960s Britain. It opens with discussion of vocal discipline in magazines and books produced for young women. This is followed by reflections on the concept of voice as sound and voice as expression, how ideas about the use of voice are tied to gender, and how they have been used by feminist thinkers and scholars in the field of Voice Studies. Then, the introduction provides historical background on vocal pedagogy and histories of accent and vocal discipline in the UK, tying this history to the 1960s and notions of modernity that emerged at the time. It reflects on what voice and freedom of expression signified during the youth and musical movements of the “Swinging Sixties,” and, in particular, on how ideas about voice affected girls and young women in this period. Finally, it provides an overview of the book’s chapters provides an overview of the book’s chapters.

The theoretical-praxiological warm-up model (PPAT) for entertainer singers

The following article presents physical exercises and the theoretical-praxiological model for singers’ warm-up. The purpose of this paper is to streamline the warm-up for entertainer singers by using PPAT means. The development of technical and interpretive skills, implementation of PPAT relevant to the field and their improvement throughout the activity are some of the most important concerns of each entertainer singer. The complex method of physical and vocal training includes body gymnastics exercises, exercises of the muscular systems that participate in the emission of sound and vocal exercises. Complex exercises are recommended for maintaining mental and physical qualities, improving general motor skills and phono-articulatory movements. These are basic not just for the development of sound emission, but also for the prevention of the so-called professional diseases. The creative development of PPAT for future specialists has a benefic effect on intellectual, emotional-volitional and practical activity. The means, methods and forms of PAPT are aimed at optimally meeting the requirements of the educational, professional, social and daily life spheres of vocalists. PPAT, as a training factor for singers, includes the following: the greater the motor experience and perceptions of the vocalist are, the more perfect the coordination of movements determines a good physical training, the faster the new action is developed, because man can previously create a preliminary model of any motor act in his mind and reproduce it quickly. The essence of PPAT is the optimal use of resources, methods and forms of physical training, in order to achieve and maintain mental and physical qualities. The artistic activity of a vocalist has possibilities to integrate the influence on his spiritual growth and, in particular, on the improvement of his personality. It is important that the specialist in the field acts with interest, with a sufficient degree of independence, in other words creative, and the creative approach to actions is the basis of education.

Development of individual bright timbre in vocalists

The article discusses the technology of working with the voice of variety vocalists in the preparation of students in the field "Musical Variety Art". The author refers to such an important component of the singer's voice as timbre, shows how this quality of sound production is formed, gives examples of voices with different and recognizable timbres, and considers exercises for developing the timbre basis of the voice, strengthening it and developing its specificity. The author examines the key foundations that form the timbre color of the voice, i.e. breathing and the position of the larynx, and analyzes the process and the result of using technologies for working with voice. The article may be in demand by specialists - variety vocal teachers, as well as by those who are engaged in vocal training of actors.

Effects of Voice Therapy Using Gliding and Humming in Dysphonic Patients With Glottal Gap

Background and Objectives Therapies have been reported to treat the glottal gap previously. However, these voice therapies showed the limits because many techniques focused only on one among breathing, resonance and phonation. In addition patients often have difficulties visiting hospital frequently. ‘Gliding and humming’ is vocal training technique that readjusts total vocal patterns such as breathing, resonance and phonation. This technique can be easily applied during short term sessions. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of voice therapy with ‘gliding and humming’ for patients with glottic gap during short-term treatment sessions.Materials and Method Twenty-three patients with glottal gap were selected. Of all patients, 14 patients had sulcus vocalis and 12 patients had muscle tension dysphonia (MTD). Voice therapies were performed 1.9 sessions in average. GRBAS, jitter, shimmer, noise to harmonic ratio, semitone range, closed quotient_vowel and maximum phonation time were compared before and after the therapies. In addition, changes of glottal gap and MTD severity were evaluated.Results Statistically significant improvement was observed. MTD improvement was observed only among the patients with glottal gap improvement. Also sulcus vocalis group showed the statistically significant improvement.Conclusion ‘Gliding and humming’ was effective to the patients with glottic gap and sulcus vocalis. Also, among patients who have both glottic gap and MTD, the data suggests that voice therapy for glottic gap also makes improvement in MTD.

Issues of musical and vocal education of theater students

The author considers the problem of training specialists in the field of Acting and shows that the need of theaters for actors of a "synthetic" kind (with universal voice capabilities, with a high degree of musicality) is dictated by the increasing role of musical elements in a modern performance and is also determined by the search in modern directing. Theatrical practice demonstrates that the musicality of an actor is a crucial quality of acting. Today, in general, as always, the issues of organizing and implementing vocal education for future actors are among the most complex and energy-intensive. First-year students who come to the theater program track at the higher educational institution either do not have any preliminary vocal training at all, or are trained at the elementary level. Nevertheless, it should be noted that some of them were trained to play musical instruments and have musicality. The article deals with the specifics of working with students, aimed mainly at the formation of basic singing skills, which are associated with the acoustic properties of sound, high singing position, vocal diction, breathing, voice science, i.e. all the things that make up the technology of singing professionalism. Meanwhile, the author shows that this work is not with students of the vocal department, but with future actors of the drama theater. And our task is to educate an artistic and creative person, a participant in the dramatic process, which is all theatrical activity.

A Mandarin Chinese Reading Passage for Eliciting Significant Vocal Range Variations

Purpose There is a lack of standardized Mandarin reading text material that could potentially elicit significant variations in fundamental frequency (F0) and in vocal intensity for clinical voice evaluation. In this study, a phonetically balanced “Three Bears Passage” was developed based on the classical “Goldilocks” story for this purpose. The hypothesis was that the vocal range (F0 range and Intensity range) elicited while reading aloud the passage could be similar to that of the voice range profile (VRP) obtained with sustained vowel production and significantly different from that while reading an existing standard Mandarin passage. Method One hundred twenty young adults (60 men and 60 women, aged 25.22 ± 3.74 years) without vocal pathologies and vocal training participated in the study. Vocal range data, including F0-related measures and intensity-related measures, were obtained with Praat in order to construct VRPs for the sustained /a/ and to construct speech range profiles for passage reading. Results F0 range and intensity range for the new passage were significantly larger than those for the existing Mandarin passage for both male and female participants. In particular, the F0 range for the passage was not significantly different from that of the VRP for male participants. Conclusions These findings suggested that the new passage could allow individuals without vocal training to demonstrate a large vocal range in both F0 and vocal intensity, in a passage reading setting in a relatively short time. Further studies should be pursued with the passage to investigate the vocal range and vocal potential of individuals with voice disorders.