80TH MEETING ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA

the microphonesunder test and the reciprocity-calibrated time and voltage relationshipsfor all 252 channelssimultane-
microphone were located within a sound-treated enclosure ously. A secondplayback system processes 40 channelsat a
inside a hyperbaric chamber. Using a standard acousticcali- time through a 40-channel A-to-D converter and a 40-channel
bration technique, the frequency-response characteristicsof 1024-pointFFT processor. This systemproducesdigital tapes
the transducers were obtained. The reciprocity-calibrated containingthe signal samples,the auto-spectral-densitydata
microphone was then used to obtain the correction factors and the cross-spectral data for the 40 input channels.The data
associatedwith the varying acousticaloutput of the systemas on thesetapes is either plotted, further processedby a com-
a result of increasingthe ambient pressureto 19 ata (600 ft). puter, or combined with other output tapes to produce the
The results indicate that the ribbon and condenser micro- cross spectra between any pairs of the 252 input channels.
phones did not function as well as the standard. The data Examplesof current usesof this systemare given.
from this study are discussedin relationship to the problems
associatedwith obtaining calibration data under high pres- 4:45
suresand in relationship to the use of microphonesin helium
LL12. New Developments in Underwater Acousticsfor Marine
speechunscramblingsystems.
Applications. RANDOLPH BLUMBERG, American Science &
4:30
Engineering Company, Houston, Texas 77002.--Underwater
acousticsprovidesone of the most economicaland dependable
L 11. A 252-Channel Recorder and Analyzer for Large Acoustic methods of underwater communication available to ocean
Array Studies. FRANCISX. BYRNES,Naval UnderseaResearch industries. Rapid expansionof offshoreactivity shouldquad-
and Development Center, San Diego, California 9213Z.--A ruple the number of underwater acoustic devices in service
multichannel recordingand analysissystem is now in use for within the next decade. This paper discussesthe importance
beamforming, signal processing, and noise-field studies on of an accurate understandingof the effects of the ocean en-
large acoustic arrays. Each of the 252 data channels records vironment on the fidelity of acoustictransducers.Improve-
and reproducessignalsfrom dc to 20 kHz with a reproduced- ments in pulse-codemodulation and other signal-identification
signal to system-noiselevel differenceof more than 40 dB and techniquesto prevent unwanted triggering of valves and re-
a maximum timing error between channelsof lessthan 3 usec. leasesby improperly coded signalsare discussed.A forecast
Timing signalsgiving 1-usectime resolutionand digital signals of trends in ocean engineering application of underwater
with housekeepingand manually set information are also acousticsis made, highlighting current researchin underwater
recorded.A real-time playback systemreproducesthe original acoustic
techniques. -.

FRIDAY, 6 NOVEMBER 1970 EMERALD ROOM, 2:00 P.M.

SessionMM. Musical AcousticsII: Symposiumon Vibrato in Singing

J. w. LARGE, Chairman

Invited Papers (25 minutes)

2:00

MM1. Frequency, Amplitude, and Waveform Modulation in the Vocal Vibrato. P. B. ONCL.,The
Boeing Company, Seattle, Washington98108.Various observers have noted that the fluctuation of
pitch in the normalvocalvibrato is accompaniedby a fluctuationof loudnessand of timbre. Although
this coupling is an implicit outgrowth of the formant principle. the point does not appear to have
beenexplicitly pointedout in the literature, and seemsto have beenmissedby some.Considerany
singlepartial lying on the slopeof a resonancepeak, suchas a vowel formant. If the slopeis positive,
an increasein frequencyleadsto an increasein intensity; if negative,the converseis true. Sincethe
voicehas many partialsrandomlylocatedwith respectto the formants,the loudnessmay be expected
to vary with pitch, but with sometimesa positive and sometimesa negative phase relation. The
overtone structure will also vary though the ribtaro cycle. This timbre vibrato is clearly shown in
a motionpicturemadesomeyearsagoat Bell TelephoneLaboratories.Severalother interestingpoints
concerningthe practical utility of the vibrato in singingare also mentioned.
2:30

MM2.Physiological
Components
ofVocal
Vibrato.
R.M. MASON,
University
ofTennessee,
Knoxville,
Tennessee 37916,ANDW. R. ZEtLIN, Universityof Illinois, Urbana,Illinois 61820.--The physiologyof
vocal vibrato was studiedin four adult subjectssustaining/o/vowels during four conditions:two in
an erect sitting posture,and two in the usualposturefor high-speedlaryngealphotography.Subject
performanceswere monitoredby acousticrecordings,electromyographic recordingsof selectedareas
of the neck and thorax, and by high-speedcinematography.The cricothyroidmuscleappearedto be
a primary regulator of vocal vibrato in all subjects.Vocal-fold activity, as observedon films taken
at 4000 frames per second,resembled nonvibrato vowel productions. Acoustic analysis revealed
synchronyof the fluctuations in pitch and loudnessof vibrato. EMG data, gathered from morpho-
logicalantagonistsat varioussiteson the body, suggeststhat the functional synergismof opposing
musclesis responsible for vibrato, and is a rather basicphysiological
phenomenon.

136 Volume49 Number1 (Part 1) 1971