Harmonicity

One of the types of objects in Praat.

A Harmonicity object represents the degree of acoustic periodicity, also called Harmonics-to-Noise Ratio (HNR). Harmonicity is expressed in dB: if 99% of the energy of the signal is in the periodic part, and 1% is noise, the HNR is 10*log10(99/1) = 20 dB. A HNR of 0 dB means that there is equal energy in the harmonics and in the noise.

Harmonicity can be used as a measure for:

  • The signal-to-noise ratio of anything that generates a periodic signal.
  • Voice quality. For instance, a healthy speaker can produce a sustained [a] or [i] with a harmonicity of around 20 dB, and an [u] at around 40 dB; the difference comes from the high frequencies in [a] and [i], versus low frequencies in [u], resulting in a much higher sensitivity of HNR to jitter in [a] and [i] than in [u]. Hoarse speakers will have an [a] with a harmonicity much lower than 20 dB. We know of a pathological case where a speaker had an HNR of 40 dB for [i], because his voice let down above 2000 Hz.

## Harmonicity commands

Creation:

  • Sound: To Harmonicity (cc)...: cross-correlation method (preferred).
  • Sound: To Harmonicity (ac)...: autocorrelation method.

### Links to this page

- Formulas 1.7. Formulas for modification
- Formulas 8. Attributes of objects
- Get frame number from time...
- Get number of frames
- Get time from frame number...
- Get time step
- Harmonicity: Formula...
- Harmonicity: Get maximum...
- Harmonicity: Get mean...
- Harmonicity: Get minimum...
- Harmonicity: Get standard deviation...
- Harmonicity: Get time of maximum...
- Harmonicity: Get time of minimum...
- Harmonicity: Get value at time...
- Harmonicity: Get value in frame...
- time domain
- Voice 4. Additive noise
- What was new in 3.7?