Dear Peggy and List:
Someone with yahoo name "direpurple" rather rudely requested help,
was told to find a teacher, and then equally rudely asked for help
again.
I digress for a moment, but the internet and email is no excuse for
bad manners. Again, new posters to the list should briefly introduce
themselves including perhaps an approximate age and country. While
knowing a poster's precise age is not important, there are issues
that are age related, so it is helpful to have a rough idea of age,
especially if the poster is very young. For all I know "direpurple"
is a 14 year old whose voice just changed. Guess what? A 14 year old
may not be able to "find" head voice - it can be a matter of physical
maturation.
Peggy was very kind and wrote,
> Please hang in there, share your experiences, and let some of us
can help you find someone who can help you meet your goals for your
singing.
I think if "direpurple" had a little better sense of etiquette, and
asked in a different manner, more help would be forthcoming.
Since the question of "finding" head voice comes up frequently, here
are my suggestions:
1) Getting a teacher is of course the best suggestion. As mentioned,
after an in-person consult, it might be possible to get advice by
sending tapes or phoning. I believe the original poster said he
had "no time" for a teacher. I can think of no better way to waste
time than to practice incorrectly - I wasted years this way!
2) There are some books on singing that contain lots of exercises.
The problem is that the exercises are not inherently valuable - the
exercises have to be performed properly.
3) Some of the books on singing may come with companion cds or
cassettes - that may be helpful.
4) "Finding" head-voice is really just a start. Once you have found
it - then what? I "found" my head-voice a long time ago - so what.
Does that mean all my vocal problems were solved? No.
5) Just as a quick answer on the falsetto/head-voice: one point of
view, which I follow, is that "falsetto" - meaning a truly breathy
sound, is a kind of strained production - take away the strain and
you can find a light head-voice type sound that can eventually be
strengthened and developed further.
For me, the following was helpful, your mileage may vary ;).
Try a descending slide say on "weee" starting somewhere up in
your "falsetto" - for me maybe the A (a5) a fifth above middle C.
When I sing "falsetto" my larynx is raised, and I can feel my adam's
apple move up. As I descend, I do not try to remain in the high
voice, but I want to go to my lower "chest" voice. If I have started
in falsetto, there will be a "break" or discontinuity as my voice
adjusts down into the lower register.
Now repeat the above, but without the tension of raising the larynx.
Start with a high soft sound (and there are exercises like imitating
a squeaking door etc. to get into that sound). Try to be able to
slide down smoothly into the lower voice. If it's not smooth, try to
figure out what is happening.
Most likely, simply reading the above will not be that helpful -
that's why one needs a teacher.
Cheers,
Michael
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