Kevin:
On 29 Aug 2000, you wrote "So as not to lose direction of the discussion, the point is that trying to equate the sound produced with the mode of vibration in the chords, may be mistaken. Saying 'because the sound is rich it can't be falsetto' may be erroneous if the 'richness' comes from shaping of the cavities, even for a simple vibrational mode in the chords."
The 'richness' does comes from the vocal fold oscillation. If the vocal folds do not produce a tone that is rich in partials the resultant tone is also not rich in partials regardless of how the vocal tract might be tuned. This is the case with falsetto. The vocal folds are thin and closed for only a small duration of the oscillating cycle. The rarefaction of air caused by this rather simple and mild oscillation produces a tone that is not rich in partials. The resultant vocal tone is also not rich in partials. Thus the typical falsetto sound
If the folds are longitudinally aligned such that they make complete closure and for at least 50% of the oscillating cycle they will produce a more complex oscillating pattern that results in a tone that is more rich in partials. The resultant vocal tone is also more rich in partials. Thus the recognizable head voice tone. Even if the singer purposefully dampens many of the partials in the head voice to give the tone a more intimate, personal quality, it is still head voice if the vocal folds are functioning as described at the beginning of this paragraph. A knowing teacher or singer can tell the difference from the sound alone. Fischer-Diskau used this technique a lot. Many tenors do. It is not falsetto.
-- Lloyd W. Hanson, DMA Professor of Voice, Pedagogy School of Performing Arts Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ 86011
|