Dear Mike:
Much as I dislike including the whole of a message/response in my
response to that message/response, I am doing so in this case
because it will tend to reduce confusion.
Your questions and the clear statement of your understandings are
excellent. They point out the difference in meanings between "loft"
register as used by specialists in speech correction and "head"
registers as used by voice teachers and singers.
When "modal" and "loft" terms were first introduced by speech
scientists it was assumed by both the speech researchers and those
doing research in the singing voice that "loft" and "head' voice were
synonymous. However, as each group began a more active and
consistent interaction it became obvious that "loft" was a term used
to describe a speech mode, not a singing mode.
The term "loft" was developed to replace the term "falsetto" which
was the term speech researchers had been using for any speech
configuration that was not within the normal chest voice
configuration. They had borrowed the "falsetto" term from its use in
singing teaching and practice. However, to the singer and voice
teacher "falsetto" was the male voice that imitated the female voice
and found only in the upper male range, a voice that could seldom be
connected into the basic singing voice quality or range (Garcia being
the only exception). To the speech scientist and speech practioner
"falsetto" was a lighter, usually higher use of the speech voice,
different in quality from the "chest" or "modal" voice but still very
much a part of the speech mode or use of the voice.
Clearly, the speech specialists use of the term "falsetto" meant
something very different from the singing specialists use of the
term. A recognition of this discrepancy by the speech specialists
required that a new term be developed that described, somewhat, the
quality of the speech usage they needed to define. Appropriately
they chose "loft".
But I do not believe that "loft" voice and "head" voice are one and
the same. I know of no speech specialists who would use the term
"loft" to describe the ringing high C of the operatic tenor (or the
ringing high A of the operatic baritone) yet "head" voice is the term
most commonly used by the singer and singing teacher for these tones.
Singing teachers might use the concept of "lofting" the voice to
achieve a mezzo voce quality in the upper ranges but the quality so
achieved is not what one would normally consider within the speech
mode.
In my opinion, "loft" voice IS used commonly by singers who are
amplified as a means of reducing the "singers formant" and providing
the desired "speech" quality of their performances.
Michael's suggestions to Reg about the need to "stretch the
traumatized muscles" through the use of bringing loft register to the
lowest notes possible makes good sense to me and I have used this
approach successfully with singers without knowing quite why it
works. His explanation made more clear what is being achieved in the
process.
I admit that I am being a bit fussy about terminology here, but
unclear terminology leads to great confusion. In a symposium of
speech and singing specialists I attended, the speech group was
shocked that the singing group thought the speech group considered
"loft" and the operatic high voice (head voice) as one and the same.
As one of the national recognized speech specialists said; "We have
no knowledge of this use of the human voice because it is completely
outside the realm of normal speech voice usage."
So, terminology is in an ongoing stage of "being" defined. It is a
worthy venture.
>In a message dated 4/26/2002 10:14:10 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
>michael.chesebro@w... writes:
>
>
>> This is the term used to denote what singers refer to as "head voice" in a
>> speech mode. When in loft register, the entire length of the vocal fold is
>> used rather than the anterior 2/3 as is noted in "chest voice" or modal
> > register.
>>
>
>michael,
>
> are you saying that head voice can be used in a speech mode, implying
>that such usage would be in the same pitch area as 'normal' speaking? if
>so, are you saying that this use of head voice refers to vocal fold behavior
>and not just to resonance sensations? if so, how do you know?
>
> it's not that i don't believe this is possible, in fact, i do. with
>the recent discussion of whether or not male pop singers use head voice,
>there was the suggestion that head voice use in a male singer is exclusive to
>those who have reached a certain level of skill. while i agree that head
>voice usage, as exhibited by franco corelli, pavarotti and even bocelli, is a
>special skill, i also believe that head voice, as used by paul mccartney,
>stevie wonder and maurice white is also a special skill, though these last
>three may have, more or less, stumbled upon their use of it.
>
> if the use of the head voice configuration of the vocal folds is
>common in speech, that fact would certainly defeat the notion that such a
>usage is exclusive.
>
>mike
>
>
>
>
>
--
Lloyd W. Hanson
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