What do wideband spectrograms indicate more clearly compared to narrowband spectrograms?

Wideband spectrograms are particularly effective in displaying formant frequencies because they provide a clearer representation of the resonant frequencies of the vocal tract. This is due to their use of shorter analysis windows which capture rapid changes in the spectrum of speech sounds. As a result, wideband spectrograms can highlight the formants—these are the resonant frequencies that characterize different vowel sounds and are crucial for understanding speech.

The ability to clearly visualize formants in wideband spectrograms allows for detailed analysis of vowel quality and articulation. The vertical streaks on these spectrograms correspond to the formants, making it easier to identify differences in vowel production and to distinguish between different speech sounds.

In contrast, narrowband spectrograms use longer analysis windows, which provide better frequency resolution but poor temporal resolution. This makes them more suitable for harmonic analysis and identifying pitch but less effective for displaying the rapid changes in speech that are essential for visualizing formants.