Overall voice and strain level analysis in rock singers.

Background: overall voice and strain level analysis in rock singers.

Aim: to analyze the voice o rock singers according to two specific parameters: overall level of vocal deviation (OLVD) and strain level (SL); to compare these parameters in three different music samples.

Method: participants were 26 male rock singers, ranging in age from 17 to 46 years (mean = 29.8 years). All of the participants answered a questionnaire for sample characterization and were submitted to the recording of three voice samples: Brazilian National Anthem (BNA), Satisfaction and self-selected repertoire song (RS). Voice samples were analyzed by five speech-language pathologists according to OLVD and SL. Statistical analysis was done using the software SPSS, version 13.0.

Results: statistically significant differences were observed for the mean values of OLVD and SL during the performance of Satisfaction (OLVD = 32.8 and SL = 0.024 / p=0.024) and during the RS performance (OLVD = 38.4 and SL = 55.8 / p=0.010). The values of OLVD and SL are directly proportional to the samples of the BNA* and RS**, i.e. the higher the strain the higher the OLVD (p,0.001*; p=0.010**). When individually analyzing the three song samples, it is observed that the OLVD does not vary significantly among them. However, the mean values present a trend to increase from non-rock to rock performances (24.0 BNA / 32.8 Satisfaction / 38.4 RS). The level of strain found during the BNA performance presents statistically significant difference when compared to the rock performances (Satisfaction and RS, p=0.008 and p=0.001).

Conclusion: the obtained data suggest that rock style is related to the greater use of vocal strain and that this strain does not necessarily impose a negative impression to the voice, but corresponds to a common interpretative factor related to this style of music.