Vocalist.org archive


From:  "Wim Ritzerfeld" <w.ritzerfeld@c...>
"Wim Ritzerfeld" <w.ritzerfeld@c...>
Date:  Fri Aug 3, 2001  9:51 pm
Subject:  Re: Seth Riggs' Recent SF Master Class (Wim's question)


Tina and others,

Wow, now I've really dunnit, didn't I ;)

Since this subject is so close to my heart, I'll try once more
to clarify the difference in technique between classical and pop
(women) singers, based on what I have read in the (recent) scientific
literature.

Strictly speaking there is no such thing as a mix between chest
(the heavy vibration mode) and head/falsetto (the light vibration
mode) of the vocal cords. However, if a woman singer chooses the
point of transition to be low in the range (around E4, depending
on voice type) it is possible to make the transition virtually
inaudible, both by means of adding weight to the lower head voice
(known as middle voice) and also by resonance adjustments.
This is what most well trained classical women singers do.
Traditionally this is referred to by both singers and teachers
as 'adding chest'. However, this is not what is actually happening.
What happens is that the cords are adducting better (achieve better
closure), which diminishes breathiness and adds more 'edge' to the
voice (to 'cut through the orchestra' as you said).

Now, the average female pop singer will choose to make the transition
much higher, sometimes even an octave higher. The effect of this
is that the voice sounds more 'masculine'. The disadvantage is that
the transition into head voice becomes much more obvious since
around D5/E5 the difference in timbre between heavy and light
mode is unmistakable. If the volume is kept at a moderate level
this transition can still sound passable, but if one sings forte
in this way, a very conspicuous break can be heard.

Apart from this essential difference in handling the light and heavy
vibration patterns in the cords, there is also a difference in
resonance adjustment between classical and pop singers (as you
already mentioned).

All these differences have much to do with vocal efficiency and
carrying power, which are essential for classical singing (it being
unamplified), while in pop singing one can afford to be
less 'efficient', yet strive for a more 'individual' sound.

To call these two approaches to singing similar to me is the same
as calling a horse a fish since evolutionally, horses stem from
fish :o).

Wim




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