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From:  "Lloyd W. Hanson" <lloyd.hanson@n...>
Date:  Fri Aug 25, 2000  11:46 pm
Subject:  Re: [vocalist-temporary] Different uses of the term "Head Voice"


John and Fellow Vocalisters:

I have not yet read the other responses to your post on the terms
"falsetto", "head voice" and "chest voice".

The most common use of the term "head voice" by singers and teachers
of singing for the past 300 years is quite clear. It is that voice
found at the top of the male voice and female voice. It is very rich
in partials and has more resemblance to "chest voice" in males and
middle voice in females than to any other kind of vocal sound. It is
defined at its lower limits by an "in between" vocal passage of
either 6-7 semitones (male passaggio) or about an octave (female
middle voice). The basic function of the vocal folds in chest,
middle and head voice is more similar than different. The folds thin
and become longer as the pitch rises but the closure of the folds is
much the same in all of these registers.

The goal of the classical singer is to have this "passaggio" area and
the head voice appear to be an integral part of the whole voice from
the lowest to the highest tones. This is accomplished by exercises
which develop the skill of gradually releasing tension in the
thyroarytenoids (chest voice) while increasing tension in the
cricothyroids (head voice) as one ascends the scale. This process
lengthens and thins the vocal folds while increasing the longitudinal
tension of the folds without significantly changing closure time. It
is the necessary, learned procedure to move from chest voice to head
voice.

This is not possible with falsetto because falsetto uses a
significantly different configuration of the vocal folds. In
falsetto the folds are lengthened with little tension longitudinally
along the folds and with an opening between the folds in many cases.

The source of the confusion between the meaning of the terms "head
voice" and "falsetto" can be traced to the use of these terms by
speech therapists and researchers. In speech work, any voice use
that is above the normal speaking range is labeled 'falsetto'. As
speech voice research moved into singing voice research the same
terms were used and with this use, a major confusion. The result has
been a generation or two of voice teachers and singers who no longer
are aware of the traditional meaning of the terms and even tend to
consider true head voice as if it were falsetto.

For example, Pavarotti uses only head voice above about G5. The fact
that his high notes have such "ring" is proof of this use. His vocal
folds are no longer thick and short as in chest voice but instead
they are thin, long, and sustain substantial longitudinal tension
with a full closure of the folds in every oscillation cycle. The same
is true for every operatic tenor who has a ringing high voice. The
fact that some tenors are brighter sounding than others has more to
do with the amount of resonance adjustment they choose to use and not
with the function of their vocal folds (phonation). The very same is
true for baritones and basses.

Women may more easily extend their middle voice into the area that
should be sung with their high voice. This overlapping of the middle
and head voice allows women's voices a greater palette of colors when
singing in the C5 to A5 range. But women are not singing in falsetto
even if they choose to produce a more breathy tone in this range and
above. Because of their shorter vocal folds they are not as able to
prevent the vocal folds from closing on each oscillation cycle. The
much longer vocal folds of a bass allows a vocal production in which
the folds seldom close or touch each other. It is for this reason
that basses and baritones usually can more easily produce a falsetto
tone, while not all tenors are able to achieve this vocal function.

These are not my ideas but a restatement of what I have learned and
are consistent with the research and most common scientific writings
on vocal production and teaching. There are many vocal technique
books which are primarily empirical in nature, that is, they are the
visualizations and opinions of the writers based on years of personal
teaching. They are of value, but they often contradict each other
because they more closely reflect personal experience rather than a
concern for a commonality of experience. Research can avoid this
trap if it is conducted with as little preconceived personal
solutions as possible. Of greatest interest to me is the fact that
most research corroborates the teachings of the early master of the
Italian school of singing, that school which Miller chooses to call
the International School of Singing.

--
Lloyd W. Hanson, DMA
Professor of Voice, Pedagogy
School of Performing Arts
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ 86011


  Replies Name/Email Yahoo! ID Date Size
3738 Re: Different uses of the term "Head Voice" John Alexander Blyth   Mon  8/28/2000   2 KB

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