The aim of the present study was to investigate knowledge about the voice and voice care in teacher-training students. A voice care questionnaire was administered to teacher-training students (N5184) and students of other professions (N5143). Discriminant analysis demonstrated that the teacher-training students' knowledge was significantly better. However, descriptive analysis indicated that both samples' scores were not satisfactory. The results suggested a need for preventive voice programs within the curriculum of the studies preparing students for the teaching professions so as to improve the learning process in schools, and increase (future) teachers' vocal endurance and ability in such a challenging profession.

This paper examines the differences between three Croatian folk singing styles, namely klapa, ojkanje and tarankanje. In order to factor out singer-specific properties, each of the styles was performed by the same 12 professional male singers. The 36 performances were analysed with a pitch-corrected LTAS (long-term average spectrum) method. After factoring out each singer's average, the 36 LTAS contours were reduced to a 2-dimensional representation in two ways: (1) a principal-component analysis, (2) a graphical plot of spectral slope versus speaker formant strength. Both ways clearly separate the three styles. The spectrum of the klapa style turns out to be similar to that of speech. The ojkanje style shows a high spectral peak around 3.5 kHz, which is implemented by high vocal effort and the articulation of a shouter's formant and can be explained by the desire to be heard across large distances on mountain slopes. The tarankanje style has a very flat spectrum, which is implemented by vocal pressedness and nasality and can be explained by the desire to match the timbral characteristics of the sopile folk instrument.

The aim of the present study was to investigate differences in the acoustic characteristics of the voice between adolescent actors and non-actors. The experimental sample consisted of 10 actresses and 10 actors while the control sample included 13 girls and 14 boys. Phonation of the vowel /a/, spontaneous speaking and oral reading provided a set of acoustic variables (fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, speaking and reading ranges); t test showed statistically significant differences between actresses and non-actresses in speaking range, reading F₀ maximum, and reading range, whereas between actors and non-actors the difference was found in reading range only. The results showed that drama in education without systematic voice training had no effects in terms of acoustic characteristics of the voice.

The influence of thyroid gland dysfunction on voice is barely investigated, particularly the influence of hyperthyroidism. The aim of the study was to investigate the voices of 18 female subjects with hyperthyroidism (mean age 38.2 years) by means of objective voice analysis. The phonation of the vowel /a/ was acoustically analyzed by PRAAT computer program. Additionally, laryngeal and respiratory efficiency was examined by means of maximum phonation/friction time tests. Subjects were asked about subjective voice complaints. The differences in means of objective measurement variables between subjects reporting voice complaints and subjects without complaints were statistically analyzed by the method of t-tests for independent samples. The objective measurement findings showed laryngeal inefficiency and suggest possible laryngeal pathology and dysphonia, with low vocal fundamental frequency being the most remarkable characteristic. Half of the subjects reported subjective voice complaints. Lowered voice pitch and hoarseness were among the most frequent and are in concordance with objective measurement findings. No significant difference was observed between the two samples of subjects on any objective measurement variable. In conclusion, hyperthyroidism does affect voice. Lowering of the voice pitch and reduced laryngeal efficiency are clinical symptoms of hyperthyroidism.