Falsetto

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Falsetto is a singing technique that produces sounds that are pitched higher than the singer's normal range, in the treble range.[1]

It is a slightly artificially-raised sounding pitch that often occurs momentarily, if repeatedly, in boys during puberty as their voice changes.

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[edit] Technical Description

Falsetto is produced whereby the vocal folds vibrate in a length shorter than usual, where part of them do not make contact with each other. Part of the vocal folds or cords remain stationary. It was discovered via stroboscope that during ordinary phonation, or speaking in a man the vocal folds contact with each other completely during each vibration closing the gap between them fully, if just for a small length of time. This closure cuts off the escaping air. When the air pressure in the trachea rises as a result of this closure, the folds are blown apart, while the vocal processes of the arytenoid cartilages remain in apposition. This creates an oval shaped gap between the folds and some air escapes, lowering the pressure inside the trachea. Rhythmic repetition of this movement a certain number of times a second creates a pitched note. This is how the chest voice is created.[1]

In falsetto, the vocal folds, or cords when viewed with a stroboscope are seen to be blown apart and a permanent oval orifice is left in the middle between the edges of the two folds through which a certain volume of air escapes continuously as long as the register is engaged (the singer is singing using the voice). The arytenoid cartilages are held in firm apposition in this voice register also. The length or size of the oval orifice or separation between the folds can vary, but it is known to get bigger in size as the pressure of air pushed out is increased.[1]

The folds are made up of elastic and fatty tissue. The folds are covered on the surface by laryngeal mucous membrane which is supported deeper down underneath it by the innermost fibres of the thyro-arytenoid muscle. In falsetto the extreme membranous edges, ie the edges furthest away from the middle of gap between the folds appear to be the only parts vibrating. The mass corresponding to the innermost part of the thyro-arytenoid muscle remains still and motionless.[1]

Some singers feel a sense of muscular relief when they change from chest voice to falsetto.[1]

[edit] History

Use of falsetto voice in western music is very old. Its origins are difficult to trace because of ambiguities in terminology. In a book by GB Mancini, called Penseri e riflessioni written in 1774, falsetto is equated with 'voce di testa' (translated as 'head voice'). Possibly when 13th century writers distinguished between chest, throat and head registers (pectoris, guttoris, capitis) they meant capitis to refer to what would be later called falsetto.[1]

By the 16th century the term falsetto was common in Italy. The physician Giovanni Camillo Maffei in his book Discorso della voce e del modo d'apparare di cantar di garganta in 1562 explained that when a bass singer sang in the soprano range, the voice was 'called falsetto'.[1]

The falsetto register is used by male countertenors to sing in the alto and occasionally the soprano range, and was before women sang in choirs. Falsetto is occasionally used by early music specialists today.

In Opera it is believed that the falsetto register does not actually occur in women. It is believed instead that the chest voice, middle voice and head voice occur in women.[2] Falsetto is not generally counted by classical purists as a part of the vocal range of anyone except countertenors. Though there are exceptions, such as the Bariton-Martin which uses falsetto (see fach article).

There is a difference between the modern usage of the "head voice" term and its previous meaning in the rennaisance as a type of falsetto, according to many singing professionals. The falsetto can be coloured or changed to sound different. It can be given classical styling to sound as male classical countertenors make it sound, or more contemporary as is the case in modern R&B music (Justin Timberlake[3], for example). It can be made in different tonalities as is often the case of its use in Hard Rock and Heavy Metal (like Axl Rose[4], for example).

Falsetto is also sometimes used by male cross-dressers to simulate a female voice. Some famous film examples of the use of falsetto include Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon in Some Like It Hot, Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie, and Robin Williams in Mrs. Doubtfire. Falsetto is also utilized by puppeteer Kevin Clash when voicing the popular Sesame Street muppet, Elmo. Most of the song Emotional Rescue by The Rolling Stones was sung in falsetto by lead singer Mick Jagger. The Bee Gees were experts at falsetto, and sang most of their songs (especially from the mid- to late-1970s) in this voice.


[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g THE NEW GROVE Dictionary of MUSIC & MUSICIANS. Edited by Stanley Sadie, Volume 6. Edmund to Fryklund. ISBN 1-56159-174-2, Copyright Macmillan 1980.
  2. ^ The OXFORD DICTIONARY OF OPERA. JOHN WARRACK AND EWAN WEST, ISBN 0-19-869164-5
  3. ^ Justin Timberlake: 'FutureSex/LoveSounds' by Christy Lemire - Associated Press - Sept. 11, 2006 - Timberlake's falsetto layering on top of one other as the songs build to their crescendo's. link
  4. ^ Review/Rock; Guns 'n' Roses and Personal Thorns By PETER WATROUS. Published: June 19, 1991 - "when he moved up toward the falsetto range, he sounded like a small rabbit about to lose a fight with a big dog" link

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[edit] See also

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