Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI) in Praat as a Tool for the Assessment of Singers of different Musical Styles: Classical and Flamenco

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study is to compare the DSI calculated from Multi-Dimensional Voice Program (KayPENTAX Corp., Mont vale, NJ) and the DSI beta, implemented in the program Praat in singers of different musical styles; Western classical and Flamenco.

Method: the sample was formed by 34 professional or aspiring pro fessional singers; 16 Flamenco singers (FG) and 18 Western Clas sical singers (CG). Measures of Maximum Phonation Time, Highest Fundamental Frequency, Lowest Intensity and pitch perturbation were obtained for each index. T-Test was run for all the study’s vari ables between groups and sex. From the DSI and DSI beta values, the Pearson correlation coefficient was extracted.

Results: scores were very high with respect to normal healthy subjects. DSI beta (men=4.52; women=5.73) showed concurrent validity with DSI (men=5.72; women=7.44) when applied in singers (rp=0.869) and greater variability among CG than FG, compared to DSI original. F0.hi was higher in the CG, Jitt% showed more variabil ity in the FG and jitter ppq% was not sensitive to musical style. Inten sity values were around 40db for both groups and indices. Maximum Phonation Time was not exceptionally high.

Conclusion: DSI original is capable of distinguishing between fla menco and classical, while DSI beta is not. This capability is due to the effect of the perturbation parameters that varied more among flamenco singers than among classical singers.