Dear Les and Vocalisters:
You wrote: "I would love to know how you teach a singer to use their head voice. Would you care to offer some vocalises, exercises, or other suggestions?"
I do not favor giving voice lessons on the Web. I think it is too easy for their use to be badly distorted and dangerous to the singer because I, or another teacher, is not there to monitor progress. No exercise can be created that cannot be done improperly without supervision.
But, in spite of this I will suggest a few that I have found helpful with male voices.
Onsets. Once skill is established with onsets in the middle range of the male voice, it is possible for many men to do single onset exercises in the range just above the beginning point of their passaggio (first passaggio point) or just above the ending point of their passaggio (second passaggio point). Tenor are often able to establish onset higher than this. These onsets are not in falsetto voice but, instead, resemble a sob or a primitive whine.
Descending Sol to Do scale beginning anywhere within the passaggio or even above it, depending on the singer, singing "Fo, Fo, Fo, Fo, Fo" or "Fu, Fu, Fu, Fu, Fu". The /o/ and /u/ vowels in this exercise are "smiled" forms of the vowels, not strongly puckered forms of the vowels, with the corners of the lips slightly pulled back as one would say "OH" as a response to a bit of gossip from a friend but a bit of gossip you already knew. (So difficult to explain without showing the student). The "F" consonant should be very percussive with a strong puff of air and lower lip action as it is released from its position between the teeth at the beginning of the "F" consonant preparation.
Octave glides beginning on "Ah", gliding on "ee" and returning to "Ah" on the octave above with the high note above the passaggio range or within the passaggio range. Reverse the vowels (beginning on "ee", gliding on "Ah", returning to "ee" on the octave above) to discover which vowel arrangement works best. Usually men prefer the "ee" vowel on the high octave if they are using head voice.
Male head voice will not be strong at its beginning. It will definitely not feel like singing in the chest voice and may not for a few years. It will be clear and will have a ring or "ping" in its quality albeit rather weak. It will not at all resemble the feeling of singing in falsetto and having the singer do a falsetto well above the passaggio on "uu-ah" is a good way to make the singer aware of the difference of feeling between falsetto and the tone achieved with the descending "Fu, Fu, etc." or Fo, Fo, etc." exercise.
I hope these might help. -- Lloyd W. Hanson
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