Vocalist.org archive


From:  Tako Oda <toda@m...>
Date:  Thu Sep 7, 2000  5:25 pm
Subject:  Re: [vocalist-temporary] Re: Source of frequencies was:Falsetto Recognition


On Wed, 6 Sep 2000, Patricia M Smith wrote:
> Then what about countertenors who either switch voice parts after a
> significant number of years of training as a 2nd tenor or baritione or
> men who switch between baritone/bass & countertenor (ie some of the
> singers in Chanticleer)?

It doesn't have to be one or the other, it can be both. For instance,
Mehta was a famous boy soprano who studied baritone after his voice
changed, but realized his "real" voice was his countertenor. Scholl has
used his baritone on occasion, but he maintains that his countertenor is
his better voice, the one he's had since childhood.

Speaking for myself, I came back to singing in my upper voice after 5
years training my "normal" voice. The whole time, I still had the soprano
extension (easy D6), and used it occasionally singing "extended voice"
rep. I remember having the distinct sense that is was exactly the same
register I had used as a boy.

Oddly, I had to develop a whole new register to bridge my "speaking
register" and "soprano extension". Something Peter Giles calls the
pharyngeal voice developed. A misleading term, to be sure, but distinct
from my boy voice. Most CTs use it in the D4-B4 range. The boy soprano
voice just doesn't have enough body in that range.

Tako


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