Building a bridge between aesthetics and acoustics with new technology: A proposed framework for recording emotional response to sung performance quality

The paper describes a framework for the incorporation of an interactive-multimedia computer application into a four-year multimethod research project that investigates the psychoacoustic interpretation of vocal performance quality. Initial research, based on the analysis of semi-structured interviews with people from a wide range of backgrounds, followed by an extensive questionnaire survey, indicates different perceptual features as salient for individual listeners of singing performances. A synthesis of these reportedly significant perceptual features is now in the process of being critically evaluated by individual expert listeners using a novel experimental procedure that embraces the application of new multimedia technology. The new technology is designed to act as a real-time monitoring system along a 'like/dislike' continuum of perceived quality, whilst also collecting real-time pressure data that is outside the listener's conscious awareness. The paper will discuss the overall research methodology, and the implementation and application of this technology, as well as possible implications for the teaching of singing