Acoustic analysis of resonance strategies in the singing of Azerbaijani tenor Bulbul across three vocal genres

Abstract

The article examines the vocal rendition of Murtuza Mammadov (Bulbul) in three genres—mugham, opera, and classical romance—using Praat, VoceVista, and Sopran. It shows that he amplified sound not through the classical singer’s formant (2.5–3.5 kHz), but by tuning lower formants, creating peaks at 1.3–1.5 kHz. His unique “double tuning” (aligning F1 and F2 with harmonics) is documented for the first time, bringing his approach closer to L.Pavarotti and elements of belting. The study highlights Bulbul’s synthesis of national tradition and academic technique, and suggests pedagogical value for modern vocal training.