Loss of Falsetto
ChrisChaplin
Member Posts: 2
Greetings from the UK.
Not sure whether this has been covered yet(had a quick look) but apologies if it has.
I have recently 'lost' certain parts of my falsetto...the 'o's' and 'ahh's'...it comes out very breathy. I think I may have done this after doing 3 different gigs on New Year's Eve.
I regularly perform 5/6 nights per week(as this is my only source of income) and have never encountered this problem before so I'm at a loss.
Does anyone have any advice on how to get this back? I have been since my Doctor here but I have to wait a couple of months before seeing a proper ENT specilaist and obviously I still have to perform. I'm worried about damaging my vocal chords further.
The rest of my singing voice is perfectly ok and that's one of the things I don't understand. I haven't been subjected to any cold or illness recently either.
Many thanks, in anticipation
Chris
Not sure whether this has been covered yet(had a quick look) but apologies if it has.
I have recently 'lost' certain parts of my falsetto...the 'o's' and 'ahh's'...it comes out very breathy. I think I may have done this after doing 3 different gigs on New Year's Eve.
I regularly perform 5/6 nights per week(as this is my only source of income) and have never encountered this problem before so I'm at a loss.
Does anyone have any advice on how to get this back? I have been since my Doctor here but I have to wait a couple of months before seeing a proper ENT specilaist and obviously I still have to perform. I'm worried about damaging my vocal chords further.
The rest of my singing voice is perfectly ok and that's one of the things I don't understand. I haven't been subjected to any cold or illness recently either.
Many thanks, in anticipation
Chris
Comments
You have most likely "blown" that part of your voice out.
It comes from over-blowing the cords. Too much air and too much pressure. Different notes are formed at different parts of the cords. The parts that you rely upon for those falsetto notes are most likely swollen.
First of all, you need to make sure you don't do it any more. I presume you may have "pushed it" a little bit at one or more of your New Year's Eve gigs... or pushed it at one gig, and continued Pushing at the next one?
You need to learn to cut back the air, and use tons of support when you sing, especially on tough notes.
To get back your notes that you have lost, you will need to sing through those notes at a very low volume, and work very carefully to try to get good cord closure on those notes at a very soft level.
You can't force the notes. If you have swelling on your cords, so that they don't meet properly at the parts of your cords where those notes need them to meet, you will have a few notes that just won't sound.
About all you can do is gently sing and try to get cord closure without very much air at all. The cords will try to heal if you gently start to use them again in this range. You have to take your time and go very easy with it. It may be frustrating, but be patient. The swelling will go down and the cords will start to work like they used to as long as you don't aggravate them again and you learn to get closure there again.
Excessive Air is the enemy of your vocal cords. Cord Closure is the way to use less air. Forcing air across swollen cords to make them phonate will only aggravate them. You have to gently coax them, not force them. The reason you have to actually go ahead and gently try to get them healing again, is that that portion of your voice will simply atrophy if you don't gently try to use it again while at the same time being careful to not over-blow again.
Be patient. See your ENT as soon as you are able to get in. If what I suggested to you hurts, then STOP and don't do it anymore. Wait to see the ENT. Be safe, not sorry.
All the Best.
Bob
Thanks so much for your detailed response. I am booked in to a voice specialist on Wednesday so hopefully he will be able to diagnose it fully.
Will keep this post updated in case anyone else suffers fom this.
regards
Chris