Mike:
First, may I ask that you get rid of the term "model". It is a term developed by voice scientists to describe the average speaking voice range and has little to do with the singing voice because, in singing, the voice is used with greater intensity than in normal speech, with greater time extension of the vowels, and with a pitch range that is significantly larger. Some singing voice scientists used the term model when it was first introduced (Vennard , for one) but the trend has been to avoid its use when speaking of the singing voice.
The fact that a well trained classical singer is able to give the impression that his head voice is merely an extension of his chest voice is just that, an impression. It is the purpose of all classically trained singers to strengthen the head voice, once it is established, such that it resembles the chest voice enough to create this effect.
But the head voice displays a different vocal function than is displayed in chest voice. Falsetto displays yet another vocal function. These vocal functions have been well documented for many years.
What you refer to as a "resonance scheme" implies that chest, head and falsetto singing do not display unique and different vocal fold functions but are merely examples of different resonance effects. Although resonance has a most pronounced effect on the vocal folds it does not negate the individual vocal fold function that is represented in chest, head and falsetto. Vocal fold function in head voice is most definitely unique and different from vocal fold function in chest voice. Falsetto is yet again different.
Head voice is not merely a stretching of the vocal folds as compared to their length in chest voice. Stretching the vocal folds as found in chest voice will raise the pitch of the chest voice but a limit to such stretching is quickly reached and the vocal folds must make some major and often difficult changes as the pitch raises above this limit. The thickness of the folds must change but most importantly the muscles that make up the vocal folds (vocalis muscle) must began to relax and allow the vocal ligament and mucosal covering of the ligament to become the primary source of oscillation. This transfer of longitudinal tension within the vocal fold from the vocalis muscle to the vocal ligament is the deciding factor in the difference between chest voice and head voice and is, most definitely, a change of vocal function. Although some singers display this skill rather early, for most low voice singers it is a later development and often acquired only after a lot of concentrated practice withthe guidance of a good teacher.
I do think it is accurate to say that head voice is not required for a majority of non-classical singing and consequently it is a skill that few non-classical singers display nor seek to learn. If one considers also that non-classical singing does not require the extension of vocal range that is common in classical singing it is logical that head voice would not be as necessary. -- Lloyd W. Hanson
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