Perception of register break

This study investigated the perception of the upper register break in classically trained mezzo-soprano and soprano singers. Many researchers have investigated the lower register break, but little is known regarding the perception of the upper register break. In this study three questions were investigated: (1) can the upper register break be perceived? (2) is it perceived in the same location by singer, their voice teacher, and listeners? and (3) are mezzo-sopranos perceived to have a register break at lower pitch intervals than sopranos? Three mezzo-sopranos and three sopranos were recorded singing the vowel /α/ on eight pitches, C5-G5. These sung vowels were used as stimuli in three perceptual tasks. In the first task, listeners were presented with 126 stimuli consisting of two half-step pairs. Listeners were asked to choose the most dissimilar pair. In the second task, listeners were presented with 42 half-step pairs and 36 whole-step pairs. Listeners indicated whether there was a register break within the pair by marking "yes" or "no". In the third and final task, the listeners heard six chromatic scales (C5-G5), one for each singer, and indicated where they heard the register break. Overall, the listeners perceived a difference in quality in the same locations that they perceived a register break. Singers and listeners were in the greatest agreement for location of register break. Singers and voice teachers, on the other hand, were not in agreement. Mezzo-sopranos were perceived to have an upper register break at lower pitch intervals than were sopranos.