Background: Singers perform in diverse acoustic environments. Often, the conditions of rehearsal spaces differ significantly from those of actual performance venues. This contrast can make it challenging for singers to adapt effectively. Studies have shown that singers change their vocal production when performing in different environments, but that Virtual Reality (VR) can provide a successful immersion experience, eliciting similar responses as in real venues.

Objectives: Voice production behaviors were evaluated to explore the effects of VR training on three voice parameters: vibrato rate, vibrato extent, and quality ratio, an estimation of the singer's formant power. Self-reported experience of performance anxiety was also measured via surveys given pre-intervention and post-performance to measure changes in expected vs. actual anxiety experienced between the experimental and control groups.

Methods: The participants were ten non-voice major university students enrolled in voice lessons (seven females and three males) and were randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group. Participants prepared a song of their choice and performed it in a studio recital in a room designed for chamber music recitals. All singers received equal preparation time, but participants in the experimental group practiced their song in an audio-visual replication of the performance venue during three consecutive voice lessons while those in the control group practiced only in the typical voice studio with no intervention.

Results: Singers in the VR group demonstrated a notable adaptation to the recital venue's acoustics, showing signs of enhanced vocal control and performance confidence compared to the control group. These preliminary findings suggest that VR-based rehearsal may facilitate improved adjustment to new acoustic environments, potentially leading to better overall performance outcomes.

Conclusions: Virtual Reality, by providing an accessible audio-visual immersion experience, could be a useful tool in the voice studio or practice room to help singers prepare for performances in venues to which they do not have regular access.