Vowel Acoustics - Result of Sinusoids - Essay Example

Sinusoids, which possess a “pure” sound, consist of three aspects. First, sinusoids are specified as possessing frequency, or the number of occasions per measured second in which a waveform completes one cycle by repeating itself, computed through hertz. One inclusive cycle of the waveform, or the time it takes to complete, is referred to as a period.

Another component of a sinusoid is the amplitude or the total quantity of pressure variation surrounding the mean of the wavelength. The final specification of a sinusoid is part of the cycle where the wave progresses relative to a particular fixed point in time, referred to as the phase. Phase is only a crucial aspect to consider for the measurement of continuous sinusoids, because one is forced to reflect upon the relationship between two or more different waves, rather than just a single wave.

However, because the vowel is considered to be a complex waveform, it can be evaluated by converting the complex waveforms into a series of sinusoids distinguished by specific frequencies, amplitudes, and phases. In doing so, it is determined that a vowel has two different frequencies, one high and one low. The sinusoids of low frequency lean towards a higher amplitude, while the sinusoids of high frequency are nearly equally balanced in amplitude from the mean.

The combination of two sinusoids of two different frequencies results in a complex wave. This is accomplished by adding low and high frequencies, in which the frequency is maintained in the resulting wave. Also, a complex wave can be formed by adding two amplitudes at a suitable point in time. The perceived shape of the complex wave is reliant upon the relative frequency, amplitude, and phase of each aspect of the sine wave. This can be observed through dark bands which appear on a spectrogram, signifying acoustic resonances emitted from the vocal tract.

The vocal tract operates as a resonant cavity and the placement of certain facial features, including the tongue, jaw, and lips, results in different formant values. This occurs because of the effect on the parameters of the resonant cavity. The spectrograms create an image of the energy emitted from the acoustics of vowels and the alterations which occur over a distinguished period. Read More