I was listening to kpop (don’t judge) and I was wondering what specifically made the singer’s voice sound so pleasant, even though they were singing in a language I don’t understand. Is it something you can practice or is it simply something that you are born with?
In: Biology
Maybe I missed it but I’m surprised no one has given a technical answer — what about a sound (not just a voice) — makes it pleasant or unpleasant. I won’t say I’m an expert on acoustics, but much of any pleasant sound comes from the mix of primary and harmonic tones. (The mix of frequencies basically, with certain ratios complementing each other…this is what another commenter referred to as timbre and is also much of what gives an instrument its distinctive sound.)
So that’s one part of a voice. Another part is that our vocal chords make our voice a mix of wind instrument and percussion, but I’m not sure how to describe that succinctly. That doesn’t even get into the role your teeth and tongue play into cleanly, precisely letting air pass over and through them.
Another “why” question is, why do we prefer certain vocal qualities over others? My assumption for all this stuff is evolution. A smooth, resonant voice in a male would be a proxy for health and strength. A smooth, sweet voice in a female would be a proxy for health and ability to comfort a child (though that’s a chicken and egg thing I guess). In contrast, a rough voice would be a proxy for everything from susceptibility to illness to bad oral/dental health, availability of sleep, and genetic disorders.
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