Vocalist.org archive


From:  Takeshi Oda <toda@m...>
Takeshi Oda <toda@m...>
Date:  Fri Dec 8, 2000  6:21 am
Subject:  Re: why do women sing in head voice?


On Thu, 7 Dec 2000, Lloyd W. Hanson wrote:
> However, if the at-rest length and mass of the vocal folds of the male is
> greater than the at-rest length and mass of the vocal folds of the female
> singer, it would seem unlikely that matching functional use could be
> achieved. Clearly the male vocal folds would have to have substantially
> more longitudinal tension than the female because their longer vocal folds
> would have a naturally lower at-rest frequency. Another possibility is
> that the male vocal folds would have some operating procedure to reduce
> their length to match those of the female. If this latter condition is
> possible, and I do not have any information that such is the case in full
> singing, it would still not be a match for the vocal function of the female
> voice in the same range.

I get what you're saying here, but if a man's folds were "zipped" up so
the effective vibrating length were the same as a woman's when "zipped"
(isn't that something that happens in head voice?), then the only physical
difference would be the thickness of the folds themselves.

Another issue to consider is that some contraltos have deeper speaking
voices that some high tenors. They may have longer and thicker cords, yet
they have the ability to use this upper register and sing up A5 and
sometimes higher. If the high tenor had the neurological wherewithal to
use his cords in the same way, doesn't it stand to reason he could singer
just as high in a manner as legitimate as the alto's?

Tako


emusic.com