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Forced/Belted Falsetto vs Head Voice

I hope this is the right category! It’s curiosity but might be helpful to me in the long run.
I don’t know quite how to word this. I sent two YouTube videos to a music teacher friend of mine, really just to figure out what I was hearing, and why this guy has such an incredible singing range. Her response was he was “singing in a belted or forced falsetto,” and that people like this will hurt their voices. I’ve never even heard of that concept. I don’t hear that with him. I’ll post a great example where you can briefly hear it —just one but there are more. https://youtu.be/LhWZGWhjElw Especially at around 2:58. Since Steve A is singing most of it. Yes, I think Deen is a great singer—I know Ken agrees. (I see Deen as a lyric tenor. If you were to ask him, he would tell you he can’t sing falsetto.) Ken thought it would be a good topic to discuss here, and I think even talk about technique.

Comments

  • WigsWigs Moderator, 2.0 PRO, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 5,042
    This is part of what KTVA is all about. To create a powerful voice that can match tonal quality within your range, the one long note that Ken always talks about.
    Ken tends to describe falsetto as a head voice with alot of air. Think of this as a technique or texture we can use in a song. Head voice itself can be thought of as a bright timbral tone that doesn't sound airy, there is good cord closure, support and air management.
    With this in mind, a belted falsetto would indeed likely damage your voice over time because you are 1. using alot of air and 2. forcing even more air over the cords to achieve the belting sound. However if you belt in your head voice (more likely this will be some sort of mix voice) using KTVA technique, your tone will be much more pure and because you aren't using so much air, your voice doesnt dry out and get damaged. You only want to do this within your abilities though.
  • Peachwnk13Peachwnk13 Member Posts: 5
    edited December 2021
    So good to know. I know I struggle with power in my head voice. (Clearly, Deen seems to have it down, and my music teacher friend wasn’t quite hearing it correctly? 😁) So, sometimes, it sounds like “falsetto” can be used in a mixed voice approach, and it depends on the additional “airiness” used. To me, it seems nearly impossible. I think of true falsetto singers like Philip Bailey and Russell Thompkins (The Stylistics) and their falsetto seems light and easy, with just the right amount of air. It’s a really complicated thing, that voice. :) I’m so worried I would fail at the course. I want so much to get better. I think I’m a good singer, and I always start a song in the right key—a cappella without a reference point. Good tonal memory. :) It’s just that my technique sucks. Lol
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