Vocalist.org archive


From:  "Lloyd W. Hanson" <lloyd.hanson@n...>
Date:  Wed Aug 30, 2000  5:47 pm
Subject:  Re: [vocalist-temporary] Source of frequencies was:Falsetto Recognition


Kevin:


On 29 Aug 2000, you wrote
"So as not to lose direction of the discussion, the point is that trying to
equate the sound produced with the mode of vibration in the chords,
may be mistaken. Saying 'because the sound is rich it can't be
falsetto' may be erroneous if the 'richness' comes from shaping of
the cavities, even for a simple vibrational mode in the chords."

The 'richness' does comes from the vocal fold oscillation. If the
vocal folds do not produce a tone that is rich in partials the
resultant tone is also not rich in partials regardless of how the
vocal tract might be tuned. This is the case with falsetto. The
vocal folds are thin and closed for only a small duration of the
oscillating cycle. The rarefaction of air caused by this rather
simple and mild oscillation produces a tone that is not rich in
partials. The resultant vocal tone is also not rich in partials.
Thus the typical falsetto sound

If the folds are longitudinally aligned such that they make complete
closure and for at least 50% of the oscillating cycle they will
produce a more complex oscillating pattern that results in a tone
that is more rich in partials. The resultant vocal tone is also more
rich in partials. Thus the recognizable head voice tone. Even if
the singer purposefully dampens many of the partials in the head
voice to give the tone a more intimate, personal quality, it is still
head voice if the vocal folds are functioning as described at the
beginning of this paragraph. A knowing teacher or singer can tell
the difference from the sound alone. Fischer-Diskau used this
technique a lot. Many tenors do. It is not falsetto.

--
Lloyd W. Hanson, DMA
Professor of Voice, Pedagogy
School of Performing Arts
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ 86011


  Replies Name/Email Yahoo! ID Date Size
3778 Re: Source of frequencies was:Falsetto Recognitio Tako Oda   Wed  8/30/2000   2 KB
3796 Re: Source of frequencies was:Falsetto Recognitio Lloyd W. Hanson   Thu  8/31/2000   3 KB
3798 Re: Source of frequencies was:Falsetto Recognitio Tako Oda   Thu  8/31/2000   3 KB

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