Download Terms List

MEMT 450: Know for the Vocal Anatomy & Physiology Competency Test
These lists also on course web site as a .doc, so you may reformat them in your word processor
according to your needs:
BASIC ANATOMICAL/PHYSIOLOGICAL TERMINOLOGY
anatomy
physiology
larynx
pharynx
hyoid bone
epiglottis
thyroid cartilage
cricoid cartilage
arytenoid cartilages
corniculate cartilages
cuneiform cartilages
trachea
esophagus
piriform sinuses
false vocal folds
ventricular folds
true vocal folds
epithelium
lamina propria
Reinke’s Space
vocal ligament
thyroarytenoid muscles
vocalis
muscularis
glottis
vocal fold adduction
vocal fold abduction
vestibule
ventricles
aryepiglottic fold
nasopharynx
oropharynx
laryngopharynx
vocal tract
intrinsic laryngeal muscles
cricothyroid muscle (pars recta and pars oblique)
cricoarytenoid muscles (posterior and lateral)
thyroarytenoid muscles
interarytenoid muscles (transverse and oblique)
extrinsic laryngeal muscles
strap muscles
suprahyoid muscle group
infrahyoid muscle group
vagus nerve
superior branch vagus nerve
superior branch external route vagus nerve
recurrent branch vagus nerve
hard palate
velum/soft palate
uvula
rib cage
12 rib pairs
true ribs
false ribs
floating ribs
intercostals muscles
diaphragm
sternum
clavicle
appoggio
respiration
phonation
resonance
articulation
thorax cavity
abdominal cavity
phonation threshold pressure
transglottal airflow
gentle onset
glottal onset
aspirate onset
Myoelastic-Aerodynamic Theory of voice production
Bernoulli Effect
Source-Filter theory
Non-linear Theory of voice production
transducer
Can you accurately describe, in terms your students can understand, how the vocal folds open
and close, with specific reference to the opener/closer muscles involved?
Can you accurately describe, in terms your students can understand, how the vocal folds lengthen
and shorten, with specific reference to the lengthener/shortener muscle involved?
BASIC TERMS: VOICE ACOUSTICS
Acoustics
Psychoacoustics
Vibration
Sound wave
Waveform
Compression
Rarefaction
Simple harmonic motion
Complex harmonic motion
Cycle
Period
Periodic cycle
Aperiodic cycle
Noise
Frequency
Pitch
Fundamental Frequency (Fo)
Hertz (Hz)
Amplitude
Intensity (Io)
Decibel (dB)
Sound Pressure Level (SPL)/Sound Intensity Level (SIL)
Lombard Effect
Self-to-Other Ratio (SOR)
Chorusing Effect
Reverberation
Vibrato
Vibrato rate
Vibrato extent
Timbre
Resonance frequency
Harmonics
Overtones
Partials
Formants
Singer’s Formant
Formant tuning
Acoustic loading of vocal folds
“Register break”
Passaggio
Sound spectrum
Spectrogram
Can you explain succinctly, in terms your students can understand, why the Lombard Effect
matters with respect to choral singing?
In a way your students can understand, can you explain vocal resonance succinctly, using such
terms as fundamental frequency (Fo), partials/overtones/harmonics, and formants?
In a way your students can understand, can you explain the differences between solo singing
voice acoustics and choral singing voice acoustics?
VOICE CARE/VOICE HEALTH
Can you list three major things all students can/should do to care proactively for their voices, and
give a succinct anatomical, physiological, or acoustic reason for each?
Can you list and briefly discuss at least four signs/symptoms of inefficient voice production?
After you have mastered these terms and concepts sufficiently to score 90 or above on the
competency test, succeeding units of this course will address application of these understandings
to lifespan voice development (including child voice, adolescent changing voices, aging voice)
and to the diagnosis and correction of specific vocal inefficiencies.