Stemmetilstand

Stemmetilstand, literally “voice state” in Norwegian, is a term used in phonetics and voice research to describe the configuration of the vocal apparatus during phonation. It covers different modes of glottal phonation, including modal voice, creaky voice, breathy voice, pressed voice, and vocal fry. The stemmetilstand reflects how the vocal folds are set and how subglottal pressure interacts with laryngeal tension, affecting the produced sound.

Common types of stemmetilstand

- Modal voice: the typical phonation with regular glottal pulses and moderate vocal fold tension.

- Creaky voice: low fundamental frequency with irregular, often pulsatile glottal pulses and a tense, slack vocal fold state.

- Breathy voice: more open glottis, higher noise in the voice, and a relatively higher spectral tilt.

- Pressed voice: a tight, constricted glottis with increased medial compression, producing a harsh timbre.

- Vocal fry: extremely low F0 with a very slow, creaky pulsing pattern, often associated with a thick vocal fold state.

Linguistic and vocal context

Some languages exhibit phonation contrasts where stemmetilstand differentiates vowel qualities or distinguishes lexical items. In singing and voice artistry, different stemmetilstander are used to modify timbre and expressivity. In clinical and research settings, stemmetilstand is analyzed to assess voice quality and voice disorders.

Acoustic cues and measurement

Researchers use measures such as fundamental frequency (F0), jitter and shimmer, spectral tilt (for example, H1–A3), and cepstral peak prominence to characterize stemmetilstand. Laryngoscopic observation and high-speed imaging can provide direct evidence of glottal configuration.

See also: phonation, voice quality, creaky voice, breathy voice, vocal fry.