| Resumo: | Folklore in Portugal represents a relevant traditional performance activity. Folk groups make important efforts to maintain the authenticity of their performances. However, folk expressions evolved together with social and cultural changes, resulting in a progressive distancing between the agents representing the style, and the musical/cultural traditions which they claim to represent. Time marks may be found in every element of performance, which (de)characterize folk style. Singing is no exception, and several questions may be raised. Are there differences between singing today and in the past? What are the most representative voice features of this region? What has changed over the years? This study aims to describe perceptions about vocal practices of female folk singers from the Alto Minho region. Several folk group members from the Viana do Castelo district were interviewed. Their reports revealed that the most typical characteristics of Minho singing include: high pitched voice tessitura, chest voice register with non-excessive effort level, “thin voice” timbre, good word intelligibility, and regional accent. Results point to the existence of pronounced modifications in learning methods and social behaviours related with singing practices over the last decades.
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