Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: neilep on 12/12/2011 16:51:21

Title: Why Does Holding Your Nose Raise Your Voice Pitch ?
Post by: neilep on 12/12/2011 16:51:21

Dearest Voice Pitchologists,

As a sheepy I of course luff to squeeze my nose and Baa at a highher pitch !...It's all I think about really as I know ewe all do too !


Look, here's Arbuthnot Archibold the 3rd doing the very same !


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Arbuthnot Archibold pinching his nose before extending his vocal range just earlier today.


Nice eh ?......well....ewe can't hear him but take it from me...his range exteneded somewhat a pitch or two !

Why's that then ?...why does pinching your nose make your voice raise a pitch or two ? What's the biology behind it ?

ewe see..I just don't know !!..I want to though...and ewe can help me know but telling me what ewe know !


Ta

hugs and shmishes


mwah mwah mwah



Neil
Doh Ray Me Far So La Tee DOH !!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Title: Why Does Holding Your Nose Raise Your Voice Pitch ?
Post by: RD on 12/12/2011 18:22:25

The squeaky helium voice is not an increase in pitch but a change in timbre ...
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1803/why-does-helium-make-your-voice-squeaky

Holding your nose is also changing the timbre (not pitch) by changing the resonance (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resonance) of the cavities in your noggin.

Quote

The timbre of an instrument is determined by which overtones it emphasizes. That is to say, the relative volumes of these overtones to each other determines the specific "flavor" or "color" of sound

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overtone (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overtone)

Title: Why Does Holding Your Nose Raise Your Voice Pitch ?
Post by: neilep on 12/12/2011 20:35:16

Thank ewe every much RD... [:)]

Timbre then !...why does the Timbre change ?

Title: Why Does Holding Your Nose Raise Your Voice Pitch ?
Post by: RD on 13/12/2011 00:37:17

Quote from: neilep on 12/12/2011 20:35:16

Thank ewe every much RD... [:)]

Timbre then !...why does the Timbre change ?

The shape and size of a resonating chamber (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resonator#Acoustic), (and how many holes it has in it), determine the frequencies at which it resonates. Depending on those frequencies different harmonics (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonics) will be attenuated and the timbre (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timbre) of the sound will change, but the fundamental frequency (e.g. generated by the vocal chords) remains the same.