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From:  Greypins@a...
Date:  Thu Apr 4, 2002  11:13 am
Subject:  Re: [vocalist] Re: Re: how do you define 'head voice'?

In a message dated 4/3/2002 10:56:41 PM Eastern Standard Time,
lloyd.hanson@n... writes:

> This head/neck posture encourages a raised
> larynx, lowered palate and other features of the "call" voice.
> Stevie Wonder is a prime example of this lifted chin/head kind of
> high singing. His high voice might be a form of head voice but I
> could only consider it so if I did not see him perform.

lloyd,

my larynx goes down when i tilt my head in such a way. even so, if
the larynx goes up, why would that preclude head voice? didn't titze say
that the elevation of the larynx accomodates crico-thyroid activity more than
a lowered or even stable larynx (though it might create other problems
relating to timbre)? and didn't taylor report titze's preference for
singing with an elevated larynx?

i have to agree with randy about stevie wonder. i don't ever recall
hearing him sing in falsetto. i have always marveled at his easy high
range. steve perry has always impressed me with his high range and there
are places where he produces a sound that is occasionally a sound that could
work into classical vocalism. while michael bolton's opera disc might be
frightening from a stylistic point, including the timbre he sings with, there
is no denying the quality of his high notes (underneath all that other
stuff). (a sample of the last two is on file at the groups home of
vocalist.)

in your article at chanteur.net, you stated the difference between
falsetto and head voice is the introduction of ta activity. in our present
discussion, you seem to have identified head voice as being more specific.
i'm guessing you would require more ta activity, a stable or slightly lowered
larynx and certain particular acoustics (i think wim ritzerfeld said on the
'ah' vowel, the second formant had to be greater in decibals than the first,
for example). i'm thinking also that a certain amount of 'ring' is
required?

while i would agree that introduction of ta activity changes falsetto
into something else, i would say there is a limit to how far one can go with
that. for me, it is far better to try to add crico-thyroid activity to ta
activity (and, if one doesn't try to 'get louder' to 'get higher', there will
be a gradual reduction of ta activity or, at least, no increase). however,
for women and tenors, the former approach might actually be easier than it is
for us lower voiced males.

and, what if one were to 'call' with a lowered larynx (cornell macneil
expressing surpise in 'il tabarro', for example)? would that be
physiologically closer to 'calling' or 'singing'?

mike






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