Energy expenditure vs. interval preference in singing

Characterize the quantitative relationship between vocal energy expenditure and preferred melodic interval sizes to develop a mechanistic Motor Constraint model linking physiology to interval selection.

Background

The Motor Constraint theory posits that larger intervals are more energetically costly to produce with the vocal apparatus, biasing scale evolution toward smaller steps. However, the precise functional relationship between energy cost and interval preference has not been established.

A mechanistic model would enable prediction of interval distributions from physiological parameters and inform how production constraints shape scales across cultures and contexts.