Vocalist.org archive


From:  Mike & Vicki Bryant <mbryant@f...>
Mike & Vicki Bryant <mbryant@f...>
Date:  Tue Dec 12, 2000  8:19 pm
Subject:  Re: Why do women sing in head voice?


Chris wrote:
vtec> << If I were to try to push that much chest/speaking voice up
vtec> there, I would hurt myself. I cannot go above F above middle C without
vtec> switching. >>

I've been catching up on this thread while I've been snowed in
(blizzard in Chicagoland). I think that when the voice is working
right, most women will experience a similar experience but may
describe that experience very differently because of imprecise
terminology. (Like everything else in singing).

Here is how I describe the changes in my voice as pitch rises:

D4 and below: comfortable stage speech voice (chest voice)
Eb4 to about Ab4: "compressed" stage speech or chest voice (this feels
very different from ordinary chest voice; some people might call
it a mix)
A4 to C5: comfortable mixed voice. Very easy to sing these notes.
Db5 to E5: "compressed" mixed voice
F5 to Ab5: comfortable head voice
A5 to C6: "compressed" head voice

Occasionally C6 comes out in another, higher register, but I'm not up
there enough to make it consistent.

Each of the "compressed" areas are what people might refer to as
passagio. To me, they feel exactly like the registration below them,
only compressed.

I do not use this terminology with my students unless the student
suggests it. I don't want people trying to physically compress
anything! It's just the best word I can come up with for the
sensation for me.

Anyway, I do feel I sing in a form of "chest" voice or "speech" voice
up to about A4. It just mutates on the way.

Vicki Bryant
Mezzo-soprano in snowy Naperville,IL



emusic.com