Lloyd Wrote:
>The Garcia falsetto technique might have some value as a
> demonstration device to make the singer aware of normal verses the
> abnormal functioning of the chest voice but as a training device I
> have not found it useful.
Lloyd, we must agree to disagree here. I have worked with the
Garcia falsetto in my own voice, used is a great deal with my
students, and have seen it put in to use by Cornelius Reid in many
lessons. Nearly all of Reid's students can perform a beautiful messa
di voce on a high C....that's HIGH C.
Lloyd wrote:
> And, without a doubt, Garcia's definition of falsetto provides a
> major confusion when compared to the modern definition of falsetto
> (the high male voice that resembles a female voice).
Yes, it does provide a major confusion. However, IMHO Garcia's
definition of falsetto has been polluted and for the most part
completely disregarded by contemporary pedagogical circles. This is
not at all a shock to me considering that much of contemporary
pedagogy has little connection to historical vocal practices. As I
have stated in many posts, reviewing the historical literature is
time consuming and sometimes even extremely boring! But, our field
will be laden with confusion and disagreement until we're all on the
"same page." Certainly we all agree that the chances of this
actually happening are about as slim as Jussi Bjoeling returning from
the grave to teach me voice lesson! Also, all of us would not even
be on vocalist if we didn't want to LEARN more about what we do as
teachers of the "art" of singing. When Reid, Miller, and Oren Brown
leave this earth, I hope our field does not simply fall apart.
That's why it makes sense to learn all we can- now.
Lloyd, even in your excellent review of falsetto (from the
Journal) I don't remember you mentioning Garcia's definition of
falsetto, or describing it...perhaps I'm wrong here Lloyd...I don't
have your manuscript with me.
I have put this "breathy falsetto" to work in all of my students
and have gotten excellent results. Furthermore, the Garcia falsetto
is a great way to work on laryngeal position and vowel- without a
firm adduction of the folds. Once the laryngeal position and vowel
are created by the Garcia falsetto, the student is then much more
likely to produce the same type of freedom when executing the same
tone in full voice. For students who are heavy TA users (drive the
chest), the breathy falsetto is a marvelous pedagogical tool....not
merely an ancient practice- to be forgotten.
Take Care All,
Taylor L. Ferranti
DMA Candidate in Voice Science/Performance
Louisiana State University
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