Investigating the Effects of Amateur Singing on Speaking Voice Quality, Function, and Motor Control Across Adulthood.

Abstract

Objectives: Singing is an accessible activity that may promote vocal health, including vocal function, quality, and motor control. However, evidence remains limited and heterogeneous, as some studies have shown an association between singing practice and dysphonia-related complaints in certain populations. This study investigated whether amateur singing practice influences adult speaking voice outcomes related to function, quality, and motor control, and whether it may moderate age-related vocal changes.

Methods: Participants were 143 French-speaking adults (20-98 years; 72 singers, 71 non-singers). Amateur singers were defined as individuals singing in a choir for at least two years with a minimal weekly practice of 60 minutes. Vocal function and quality were assessed using the Dysphonia Severity Index, Acoustic Voice Quality Index, speaking habitual intensity, and perceptual judgment of overall severity. Voice Onset Time (VOT) and its variability during a diadochokinetic task were used as proxies for vocal motor control. Linear and mixed-effects regression models tested the main effects of group (singers/non-singers), age, and their interaction, while controlling for relevant variables.

Results: Singers exhibited higher harmonic-to-noise ratios and lower shimmer values than non-singers. Age predicted lower maximal fundamental frequency values, independent of singing status. A moderating effect of singing was found for overall severity ratings, showing a trend toward better perceptual vocal quality in younger and middle-aged singers, but not in older singers, resulting in a steeper association between age and overall severity among singers. Interactions also revealed differential associations between VOT and age in singers compared to non-singers for specific consonants, suggesting potential differences in laryngeal-articulatory coordination between groups.

Conclusion: Findings suggest that amateur singing is associated with specific acoustic and perceptual benefits, although some of these associations may not be found in older adults. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the potential benefits of amateur singing.