Mixing chest voice with head voice in some arrangement or other is
often spoken of on this list. but the reality is that the voice is
merely in transition from thicker vocal folds to thinner folds. One
cannot be in a thick folds conformation and, at the same time, be in
a thinner vocal fold configuration. In that sense it is not possible
to mix chest voice and head voice. But it is possible to be singing
a given pitch, say in the upper middle of the vocal range, in a
choice of conformations such as with slightly thicker vocal folds
(chest voice sounding) or slightly thinner vocal folds (head voice
sounding). But each configuration of the vocal folds in this example
is unique and they are not mixtures of each other.
--
Lloyd,
Thank you for clearing all of this up. This is both precise and correct.
Ultimately, this is what we seek to achieve as singers. I have worked with Reid
and his most capable colleague, Dr. Don Maxwell. I can't speak for any other
teachers, but when either of them uses the terms "blending chest with falsetto"
or any sort of derivative of the two registers, it means exactly what you've
said--merely an efficient adduction with thinner or thicker configurations, or
using both sets of major muscles involved in phonation work at their optimum.
You are correct in stating that the easiest way to coax this action into onset
is the pre-phonatory tuning, since simply slowly adducting the cords from the
falsetto/open-folds state would simply mean the ability to perform messa di voce
perfectly from the very beginning, which itself denotes a functionally ideal and
even perfect singer. Reid's methods of training a strengthening the registers
separately [if necessary] is simply that--a method. One that operates on very
simple principles. I have heard of a couple singers that have been trained this
way and then left with registration which is functionally separated. In both
cases, the singers came to Reid/Maxwell with severely distorted and habitually
constricted voices. Both left without getting very far into the training, since
they were faced with giving up enormous parts of themselves, their voices, their
concepts...which for many people is terrifying. These are not hopeless cases,
just unlucky ones. This sort of person/voice can be corrected, but often it
takes years of undoing and forgetting and releasing. It's an arduous process
which can result in some really ugly sounds for the sake of regaining purity.
Wait. I'm tired of writing this. I'll stop. Maybe more later.
Nick
http://www.opacodex.com
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