The Head Voice or Falsetto Register




         Thanks for joining our little tour of the Vocal Registers.  This is post/stop number THREE, so if you haven’t read the first two, be sure to catch up so that you’ll have all the information you need to understand everything about all your possible Vocal Registers.  Enjoy!
         The Head Voice and/or Falsetto Register is the range of notes directly above the Modal or Chest Register.  In the male voice, this takes the form of the Falsetto Register.  In females, this vocal area is the Head voice.  These registers share characteristics but there are also very distinct traits as well.  Both of these registers have ranges that are about an octave, occasionally more.  Below, I go into a little more detail about the specifics of each of these two areas.
         So, the Falsetto Register was actually named from the Italian word for “false”, which suggests that the timbre (the tone color or tone quality) of the voice in this area is different from a true, authentic vocal timbre; it tends to be breathier, more limited in relation to controlling dynamics and even tone quality.  The Falsetto voice comes from the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the Vocal Folds, where the main body of the Fold is really relaxed. The modal voice, by contrast, uses every layer of the Vocal Folds with the Glottis opening first at the bottom and then, to the top.  Singing in Falsetto utilizes different muscles than singing in the Head voice, though some males may have a legitimate Head voice above their Modal or Chest voice, which is then followed by a Falsetto.  For producing Falsetto, the Vocalis Muscle is not used at all but the Crico-thyroid Muscles are stretched essentially to their maximum.  The characteristic Falsetto sound is created as air is blown over the thin edges of the Thyroarytenoid Muscles with the pitch being controlled by the breath.  Obviously, the greater the breath control, the stronger the chances of a robust and substantial Falsetto Register.  It is possible to strengthen and reinforce Falsetto tone so that it is less breathy and more substantial but the timbre nor the function of the sound will ever match those of a full, natural Head voice.  Where possible, it is always best to attempt to discipline and develop the natural Head voice, even in males, rather than rely completely on Falsetto unless other limitations exist. 
         During Falsetto production the Vocal Folds are slightly separated when phonation takes place, though the Folds are still elongated.  As the pitch rises and air pressure is increased, the separation of the Folds also increases.  There is, however, actually a phenomenon in some singers called “Damping” where the Glottal Opening decreases as the pitch rises, so that there is only a tiny slit on the highest pitches.  Females do not really have a “Falsetto” Register because when their Vocal Folds are separated, the tone is simply breathy.  The tone produced by females above their Chest or Modal Register is a true Head voice; it has energy, support, and tone, unlike the characteristics of the male Falsetto Register, which lacks them all.
         The Head Voice, for females and some males, is the register above the Modal or Chest Register, and it has this name because the resonance is mostly “felt” in the head.  This Head Voice or Voce de Testa is usually somewhat lighter in timbre with “ringing” clarity.  The Vocal Folds become more and more elongated the higher the singer goes.  It is possible, however, to descend from the Head Voice down into the Modal or Chest Register, though volume and control may be lost at lower pitches.
         Those who have significant range above their Modal or Chest Register often have a Head Voice or Falsetto, as well as a Whistle Register.  Information on the Whistle Register follows on the next blog post.  Thank you for reading.  Thank you so much for your questions, comments, and/or suggestions for future blog post topics!  I really appreciate each of you and hope you are benefiting from the information you learn here.  If you have any questions about my lessons or me, please check out my website at www.SingitForward.net.  Thanks again!  Sing it Forward!

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