Objective: This study explored how visual input affects vocal intensity (SPL) and fundamental frequency (F0) among trained and untrained speakers. Immersive virtual reality (IVR) was used to create environments varying in room size and/or speaker-to-listener distance (SLD) to assess whether vocal training influences a speaker’s ability to modify their vocal output in response to visual changes.

Methods: Eight vocally healthy female participants were divided into two groups based on vocal training: an "expert" group with university-level vocal performance training (n=4) and a "novel" group with no vocal training (n=4). Both groups performed three speaking tasks—sustained /a/, the CAPE-V phrase "We were away a year ago," and spontaneous connected speech—across eight randomized IVR conditions (small room/no listener, large room/no listener, 3m and 15m SLD/no room, 1m and 3m SLD/small room, and 3m and 15m SLD/large room). Auditory input remained constant to isolate the influence of visual stimuli on vocal behavior. Voice recordings were collected and analyzed acoustically.

Results: A repeated measures ANOVA were conducted to investigate the outcomes. Significant differences were found between groups in mean F0 and SPL in connected speech tasks. The expert group maintained a higher mean F0 across visual conditions than the novel group, with a mean difference of 34.62 Hz. SPL in the novel group was overall higher across study conditions compared to the expert group, with a mean difference of 3.5 dB.

Conclusion: These findings provide preliminary evidence that vocal training may enhance a speaker’s capacity to adapt their vocal output in response to visual cues. This adaptability could have implications for voice training and therapeutic practices. Further research is needed to explore the mechanisms behind these differences and their potential impacts on vocal efficiency and communication.