Speech and Voice Science

Speech and Voice Science, Fifth Edition provides a clear and comprehensive introduction to the scientific foundations of speech production and perception for students in communication sciences and disorders. Integrating principles from physics, acoustics, physiology, and neuroscience, the text explains how speech and voice are generated and how these processes relate directly to clinical practice in speech-language pathology. Clinical cases and practical examples help students connect foundational science concepts to communication disorders and evidence-based intervention.

Designed for undergraduate and graduate courses in speech science, acoustic phonetics, and voice science, the text emphasizes the interconnected roles of respiration, phonation, articulation, acoustics, and perception in human communication. With updated research, enhanced visualizations, and expanded coverage of key concepts, the fifth edition helps students develop the scientific understanding needed for thoughtful clinical decision-making.

New to the Fifth Edition

• New coauthor, Jason A. Whitfield, PhD, CCC-SLP
• Revised and updated core chapters on acoustics, phonation, vowels, and consonants with additional explanations, deeper exploration of key concepts, and stronger connections between physiology, acoustics, and perception
• Updated sensorimotor control content including discussion of feedback and feedforward control, models of speech motor control, and sensorimotor perturbation
• Over 30 new figures and updated spectrograms, plus more than 10 new animations illustrating dynamic acoustic events and speech production processes
• Expanded diversity and inclusion content covering race and gender-related topics, cultural and dialectal variation, and representation in speech science research
• New content boxes on emerging topics, including applications of artificial intelligence to speech science
• A glossary defining key terms in each chapter

Key Features

• Clinical cases and application sections that illustrate how speech science principles inform assessment and treatment of communication disorders 

• Step-by-step explanations of complex concepts in acoustics, biomechanics, and physiology that support student comprehension across course levels 
• Integrated coverage of speech production and perception, helping students understand how physiological, acoustic, and perceptual processes interact 
• Dedicated chapter on instrumentation and measurement, introducing technologies used in speech science research and clinical analysis 
• Pedagogically structured chapters designed to support instruction in undergraduate and graduate speech science curricula

PluralPlus Online Ancillaries

For instructors: PowerPoint Slides, Test Bank, Videos, Class Activities, Labs
For students: Quizzes, eFlashcards, Videos, Spectograms

Contents

Clinical Cases and Applications
Preface to the Fourth Edition, Alison Behrman
Preface to the Fifth Edition, Jason A. Whitfield
Acknowledgments
About the Authors
About the Illustrator
About the Contributor
Reviewers

Chapter 1. Introduction
    1.1 The Clinical Usefulness of Speech and Voice Science
        Scenario 1
        Scenario 2
        Scenario 3
    1.2 Defining Speech and Voice Science
    1.3 Advice for Students on Effective Study Techniques
        Study as Though You Are Having a Test Every Week
        Study With a Partner or Group
        Reach Beyond Memorization to Understand the Material
        Administer Self-Exams
        Stay Mindfully Present in Class
        Don’t Focus Only on the Slides!
        Read Assignments Before and After Class
        Use the Study Aids
        Understand the Reason Why Facts Are Important
        Create Diagrams and Charts
        Do Not Rely on Index Cards
        Talk It Out!
        Look Over Your Tests and Quizzes for a Pattern of Errors
        Work It Out!
        Ask the Instructor
        Make Sure That Your Study Time Is Focused Without Distractions
        Don’t Wait Until the End of the Semester to Ask Your Professor for Help!
        Advice for Synchronous or Asynchronous Online Classes

Chapter 2. Describing and Explaining Motion
    2.1 Systems of Measurement
    2.2 Describing Motion: Speed, Velocity, Acceleration, and Deceleration
    2.3 Newton’s Laws Explain Motion
        The First Law of Motion
        The Second Law of Motion
        The Third Law of Motion
    2.4 Momentum and Energy
        Momentum
        Energy
            Energy, Work, and Power
            Kinetic and Potential Energy
    2.5 Three States of Matter
        Density
        Elasticity and Stiffness
        Pressure
            Units of Pressure Measurement
    References

Chapter 3. Sound Waves
    3.1 Vibration
    3.2 The Nature of Waves
        Pulse Waves
        Longitudinal Pressure Waves
    3.3 Visualizing a Sound Wave
    3.4 Properties of Sound Waves
        Frequency
        Period
        Phase
        Amplitude and Intensity
            Inverse Square Law
        Wavelength
            Speed of Sound
    3.5 The Perception of Sound Waves
        Perception of Intensity
        Perception of Frequency
    3.6 Pure and Complex Tones
        Power Spectrum
        Noise
    3.7 Behavior of Sound Waves
        Superposition and Interference
        Boundaries
            Reflection
    3.8 Resonance
        Natural Resonant Frequency
        Forced Vibration
        Standing Wave Patterns
        Acoustic Resonators
        Standing Waves in Acoustic Resonators
    Recommended Internet Sites for Further Learning
    References

Chapter 4. Breathing
    Clinical Case 1: Breath-Holding Speech
    4.1 Introduction
    4.2 Respiration
    4.3 Balloons or Boyle’s Law?
    4.4 Anatomy of the Lower Airway
        The Work of Muscles
            Agonist–Antagonist Pairs
            Muscles and Levers
        The Muscles of Breathing
    4.5 The Biomechanics of Breathing
        The Biomechanics of Tidal Breathing
        Lung Volumes and Capacities
        The Biomechanics of Forced Inhalation and Exhalation
    4.6 The Biomechanics of Speech Breathing
        Relaxation Curve and Phonation
        Running Speech
            Breath Groups
        Adaptation of Speech Breathing to Variable Internal and External Demands
            Body Type
            Cognitive-Linguistic Variables
            Speech Breathing Personality
            Respiratory Demands
    4.7 The Work of Breathing
        Airway Resistance
        Laminar and Turbulent Airflow
        Elastic Resistance
        Viscosity
    4.8 Instrumentation for Measuring Breathing Kinematics
        Electromyography (EMG)
        Respiratory Inductance Plethysmography
    4.9 Clinical Application: Disorders Related to Breathing
        Etiologies
        Symptoms and Characteristics
        Diagnostic Strategies
        Therapeutic Approaches
    Recommended Internet Sites for Further Learning
    References

Chapter 5. Phonation I: Basic Voice Science
    Clinical Case 2: Running Out of Breath
    5.1 Overview
    5.2 Anatomy of the Larynx
        Structural Framework
        Laryngeal Membranes and Cavities
        The Vocal Folds
            Structural Overview
            Lamina Propria
        Mechanical Layers
        Functions of the Larynx
        Laryngeal Muscles
            Intrinsic Muscles
            Extrinsic Muscles
        Blood Supply to the Larynx and Lymphatic Drainage
    5.3 Neural Control of Phonation
        Central Motor Control
        Peripheral Motor Neural Control and Brainstem Nuclei
        Peripheral Sensory Control and Brainstem Nuclei
    5.4 Theories of Voice Production
        The Bernoulli Effect
        The Myoelastic-Aerodynamic Theory
    5.5 Biomechanics of Vocal Fold Vibration
        Glottal Geometries During a Cycle of Vibration
        Aerodynamic Forces
        Viscoelastic Component
        Vertical Phase Difference: The Mucosal Wave
        Glottal Airflow
        Laryngeal Airway Resistance
        Phonation Threshold Pressure
        Glottal Release and Phonation Onset Behaviors
    5.6 Stress-Strain Properties of Vocal Fold Tissues
        Biomechanical Forces During Phonation
    5.7 Physiology of Phonatory Control
        Control of Intensity
        Control of Fundamental Frequency (fo)
            Natural Resonance of the Vocal Folds
            Cover-Dominant Vibration
            Body and Cover Vibration
            Lung Pressure in the Regulation of fo
            Differential Control of fo: Evidence From EMG Data
        Summary of Phonatory Control
    5.8 Voice Quality
    5.9 Vocal Registers
        Modal Register
        Pulse Register
        Falsetto Register
    Recommended Internet Sites for Further Learning
    References

Chapter 6. Phonation II: Measurement, Instrumentation, and Clinical Application
    Clinical Case 3: Camp Voice
    6.1 Acoustic Measures of Vocal Function
        F_o Measures
        Intensity Measures
        Voice Range Profile (VRP)
        Spectral Measures
            Long-Term Average Spectrum
            Harmonic-to-Noise Ratio
            Cepstral Measures
    6.2 Measurement of Phonatory Aerodynamics
        Airflow and Lung Pressure
        Glottal Flow and Inverse Filtering
        Vocal Efficiency
        Duration-Based Clinical Measures
            S/Z Ratio
            Maximum Phonation Time
            Phonation Quotient
    6.3 Instrumentation for Exploring the Dynamics of the Vocal Folds
        Stroboscopy
        High-Speed Laryngeal Imaging
        Videokymography
        Photoglottography (PGG)
        Electroglottography (EGG)
        Open Quotient (OQ), Speed Quotient (SQ), and Contact Quotient (CQ)
    6.4 Clinical Application: Assessment and Treatment of Voice Disorders
        Etiologies
        Symptoms and Characteristics
        Diagnostic Strategies
        Therapeutic Approaches
    Clinical Case 4: Persistent Mutational Falsetto
    Recommended Internet Sites for Further Learning
    References

Chapter 7. The Production and Perception of Vowels
    Clinical Case 5: Elective Accent Modification
    7.1 Introduction
    7.2 Acoustic Theory of Speech Production
        Acoustic Characteristics of the Source
        The Vocal Tract Transfer Function
            Formant Bandwidth
            Harmonic–Formant Interaction
        Acoustic Characteristics of Lip Radiation
        Summary of Source-Filter Theory
    7.3 Vowels
        Vocal Tract Constrictions and Formant Frequencies
            First Formant Frequency (F1)
            Second Formant Frequency (F2)
            Third Formant Frequency (F3)
        Resonating Cavities of the Vocal Tract
        The Traditional Vowel Quadrilateral
        Vowel Quality and Articulatory-Acoustic Mapping
        Vowel Formant Data
        Tense–Lax Vowel Quality and Inherent Duration
        Rhotacized Vowel Quality
        Diphthongs
        Intrinsic Pitch of Vowels
    7.4 Language and Dialect Influences on Vowel Production
        Accentedness—Everyone Has an Accent!
    7.5 The Vocal Tract as a Regulator of Intensity
        Acoustic Filters
        Primary Ways the Vocal Tract Regulates Intensity
            Singer’s Formant and Formant Tuning
            Speaker’s Formant
    7.6 Instrumentation for Measuring Vocal Tract Acoustics
        Sound Spectrography
            Narrowband and Wideband Spectrograms
            Exploring Spectrograms
            Visualizing Language and Dialectal Vowel Differences
            Voiceprints: Voice Science or Science Fiction?
    7.7 Vocal Tract Imaging: Current Research and Future Trends
        Conventional Radiography (X-rays)
        Computed Tomography (CT)
        Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
        Ultrasound
    Clinical Case 6: Ataxic Dysarthria
    Recommended Internet Sites for Further Learning
    References

Chapter 8. The Production and Perception of Consonants
    Clinical Case 7: Facial Nerve Trauma
    8.1 Introduction
    8.2 Three Sources of Speech Sounds
        Coarticulation
    8.3 Phonetic Description of Consonants
        Place of Articulation
        Manner of Articulation
    8.4 Acoustic Features of Consonants
        Stops
            Stop Gap
            Release Burst
            Aspiration and Frication Intervals
            Voice Onset Time
            Formant Transitions
            Released and Unreleased Stops
            Glottal Stop
        Fricatives
        Affricates
        Approximants
            Glides (Semivowels)
            Liquids
        Nasals
            Vowel Nasalization
    8.5 Clinical Application: Speech Sound Disorders
        Etiologies
        Symptoms and Characteristics
        Diagnostic Strategies
        Therapeutic Strategies
    8.6 Language and Dialect Influences on Consonant Production
        Accentedness
    8.7 Instrumentation and Measurement of Vocal Tract Aerodynamics
        Intraoral Air Pressure
        Nasal Airflow and Acoustics
            Nasal Airflow
            Nasalance
    8.8 Instrumentation for Measuring Articulation
        X-ray Microbeam
        Electromagnetic Articulography (EMA)
        Optical Motion Capture Systems
        Strain Gauges
        Electropalatography
    Clinical Case 8: Articulation Errors
    Recommended Internet Sites for Further Learning
    References

Chapter 9. Prosody
    Clinical Case 9: Parkinson Disease
    9.1 Introduction to Prosody
    9.2 Basic Building Blocks of Prosody
        Intonation (ƒo Contour)
        Timing (Duration and Juncture)
        Loudness (Intensity Contour)
    9.3 Syllabic Stress and Prominence
    9.4 Speech Rhythm
        Temporal Measurement of Rhythm
    9.5 Accentedness and Prosody
    9.6 Summary of Prosody
    Clinical Case 10: Gender-Affirming Voice and Communication
    References

Chapter 10. Theories and Models of Speech Production
    Clinical Case 11: Spastic Cerebral Palsy
    10.1 Introduction
    10.2 Theories and Models
    10.3 Theoretical Issues for Consideration
        Degrees of Freedom
            Motor Programs
        Output Targets 
        Serial Ordering and Sensory Feedback
        Unit of Analysis 
        Coarticulation
    10.4 Models of Speech Production
        Directions Into Velocities of Articulators (DIVA)
        Alternative Computational Models of Speech Motor Control
        Dynamical Systems 
            Spatiotemporal Organization
        Connectionist Models
    10.5 Experimental Considerations
        Speaking Task
        Perturbation Studies
        Rate
        Speech Styles
    10.6 Motor Learning Principles
    10.7 Language and Speech
    Clinical Case 12: Oral Motor Exercises
    References

Chapter 11. Theories of Speech Perception
    Clinical Case 13: Visual Feedback
    11.1 Introduction
    11.2 Topics in Speech Perception
        Lack of Invariance
        Unit of Analysis Revisited
        Lack of Segmentation
        Perceptual Normalization
        Specialized Perception of Speech
            Duplex Perception
            The McGurk Effect
        Contextual Effect
    11.3 Theories of Speech Perception
        Updated Motor Theory of Speech Perception
            Mirror Neurons
        Acoustic Landmarks and Distinctive Features 
    11.4 What Babies Can Tell Us About Perception
        Native Language Magnet Theory–Expanded
    11.5 Perception of Speaker Identity
        Indexical Properties
        Sex, Gender, and Indexical Properties
        Accentedness and Indexical Properties
        Race and Ethnicity and Indexical Properties
    Clinical Case 14: Auditory Feedback
    Recommended Internet Sites for Further Learning
    References

Chapter 12. Instrumentation
Donald Finan
    12.1 Introduction to Measurement
    12.2 Basic Principles of Measurement
        Error in Measurement
        Transduction
        It’s Electric!
    12.3 Sensors for Capturing Speech
    12.4 Microphones
        Microphone Designs
        Microphone Transducer Types
        Microphone Performance Characteristics
            Directionality
            Frequency Response
            Sensitivity and Dynamic Range
            Adequate Microphone Performance for Speech Analysis
    12.5 Amplification
        Amplifier Performance Characteristics
            Gain
            Frequency Response
            Dynamic Range
        Amplifier Compatibility
    12.6 Making the Connection
    12.7 Recording Environment
        Ambient Acoustic Noise
        Electromagnetic Interference
    12.8 Data Acquisition: Let’s Get Digital
        Sampling: Time Representation
        Quantization: Amplitude Representation
            Frequency-Based Error: Aliasing
            Amplitude-Based Error: Quantization Noise and Peak Clipping
    12.9 Data Storage
    12.10 Balancing Cost, Complexity, and Accuracy in Digital Data Acquisition
    12.11 Best Practices for the Use of Instrumentation 
        Sensor Performance and Use
        Preamplifier Performance and Use
        Data Acquisition System Performance and Use
    12.12 Let’s Wrap This Thing Up!
    References

Appendix A. Measurement Conversions
Appendix B. Reading Passages
Appendix C. Frequencies of the Musical Scale (A4 = 440 Hz)
Appendix D. The International Phonetic Alphabet

Glossary
Index

Speech and Voice Science, Fifth Edition comes with access to supplementary student and instructor resources on a PluralPlus companion website.

The companion website is located at: https://www.pluralpublishing.com/publication/svs5e

STUDENTS:

The student resources include Quizzes, eFlashcards, Videos, and Spectograms.

To access the student resources, you must register on the companion website and log in using the access code located in the front of your textbook.

INSTRUCTORS:

The instructor resources include PowerPoint Slides, Test Bank, Videos, Class Activities, Labs. You will also have access to all of the student resources listed above.

To access the instructor resources, you must contact Plural Publishing, Inc. to be verified as an instructor and receive your access code.

            Email: instructormaterials@pluralpublishing.com

            Tel: 866-758-7251 (toll free) or 858-492-1555

*Note for students: If you have purchased this textbook used or have rented it, your access code will not work if it was already redeemed by the original buyer of the book. Plural Publishing does not offer replacement access codes for used or rented textbooks.