Week 4! Onsets and Offsets and Fold Mass

 Summary

This week we discussed the three options for starting and stopping sound, also known as onsets and offsets. These are glottal, aspirate, or simultaneous, and depend on the coordination of the breath and meeting of the folds. We also discussed the variety of fold mass options which adjust volume and sound quality perceived: the fold mass options are thick and thin, and stylistic choices can be made with br-ick and br-in combinations as well.

The 3 houses of onset-

1) Glottal

---hardcore house

---demonstrated with "uh oh"

---vocal folds close, there is a buildup of subglottic pressure, then a release at the moment of sound

---folds close, air flows!

2) Aspirate

---the laid back house

---demonstrated with "Hey"

---air passes through open folds creating "fuzz" noise, then phonation follows with closing of the folds

---much lower subglottic pressure, hence the "laid-back" nickname, there's no pressure here, man! Easy, breezy!

---can be abrupt or gradual based on how fast the folds come together after air flows through

---air flows, folds close!

3) Simultaneous/Balanced

---Type-A house

---demonstrated with glide "you"

---folds come together at the moment of air passage; also known as coordinated or balanced onset

---type-A because it is getting stuff done! This is an efficient and versatile onset that is utilized over a wide range of styles.

Offsets have the same three houses and operate a little differently to stop the sound!

1) Glottal

---demonstrated with "uh oh uh!"

---feels like a grabbing or squeezing of the sound or holding your breath

---high effort, folds completely close while pressure still exists underneath.

2) Aspirate

---demonstrated with "hey-yyy-hh"

---gentle release of sound into the air, left with open folds and continued air flow and extra, non-pitched noise like fogging up glasses

3) Simultaneous

---demonstrated with "yooooou"

---folds come apart quickly at the same time air flow stops

---not a squeeze like glottal or continuation of air like aspirate, but a balanced release

Vocal Fold Mass

------>Fold mass refers to how much surface area of the folds are meeting in order to phonate. 

---the three factors that affect frequency and amplitude of a pitch are fold length, mass, and tension!

2 fold houses-

Thick- larger, more intense sound, greater mass area oscillating together, often described or perceived as a "clearer" tone, although there can be clarity in thin fold as well.

Thin- lighter, gentler sound with less surface area of the fold mass meeting to phonate. 

Some additional options-

Br-ick- breathy quality with thick fold. Hard to demonstrate, but works best when paired with a microphone, and often heard in blues, jazz, or rock styles.

Br-in- breath quality with thin fold. Billie Eilish is the queen of br-in. It sounds very airy and almost lazy, as if you are too cool to be committing to a full sound. It can also be stylistically helpful in conveying fragile emotions or flips in poetic and country styles.

Slack- vocal fry or creak, an unpitched, aperiodic vibration of the vocal folds. Also commonly associated with the "Kim Kardashian style of speaking," it is often how we youths end or begin our spoken sentences.