What’s the Difference Between Falsetto Singing and Head Voice ?
Taking your singing voice higher is sometimes easier said than done. What range do you try for? Which do you leave alone? To reach the high notes you can either choose falsetto or head voice. There is a difference.
Learn why with this free singing lesson.
Click Here to Learn How to Sing Like a Pro
Falsetto VS Head Voice – How to Sing Each
Q: Are falsetto and head voice the same thing?
Do you ever feel like you know just enough about falsetto vs head voice to be dangerous?
Let’s see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from falsetto vs head voice experts.
Think about what you’ve read so far on these pages about music and singing. Does it reinforce what you already know about falsetto vs head voice? Or was there something completely new?
A: No. Falsetto is the lightest vocal production made by the human voice.
It is limited in strength, dynamics and tonal variation. Usually, there is a considerable ‘jump,’ ‘break’ or ‘disconnect’ between your chest (speaking) voice and your falsetto.
Noted vocal coach and voice therapist Randy Buescher of Chicago defines Falsetto as …
“a coordination where the outer layer of the vocal cord (mucosa, i.e. internal skin or muscular covering) is vibrating, creating sound, but without engaging the actual musculature of the cord.
Also, there exists no medial compression. In other words, during the vibratory cycle, the cords never fully approximate.
In head voice, the cords approximate, but the vibration of the cord moves away from the full depth of the vocal cord (chest voice) to a pattern that involves less and less depth of vocal cord as you ascend toward the top of your range. ..
More Clarity on These Types of Vocal Genres
One of the biggest points of confusion in the world of singing technique is the erroneous belief that the terms “Falsetto” and “Head Voice” mean the same thing.
Sadly, far too many voice teachers also refer to the head voice as “Falsetto” and in doing so, are contributing to the confusion for their students.
What is Falsetto?
Falsetto is a vocal mode, head voice is a ubiquitous and popular metaphor that is used often to describe the higher register for singing.
As Robert Lunte explains in this very popular video, the problem is, if students of singing think that Falsetto vocal mode is the ONLY kind of sound they can make in the head voice, then they will never do the training required to develop vocal twang in the head voice which is required to sing with ‘connectivity’ in the head voice.
Develop Your Vocal Twang
That is to say, if you want to stop sounding weak and windy in the head voice, the solution is not to avoid the head voice register, but learn how to train vocal twang in the head voice.
Because Falsetto is the vocal mode the body intuitively wants to produce in the head voice, people erroneously draw the conclusion that this is the only kind of sound they can make in the head voice and thus, avoid the head voice strength and coordination work that needs to be done.
Learn more about vocal modes and how to make your head voice sound huge and ‘boomy’ by checking this page.
And, Randy Buescher Goes on to Say ..
“The highest notes of your range involve only the vocal ligament. However, there is no consensus among experts on the official definition of vocal registers.”
Take time to consider the points presented above. What you learn may help you overcome your hesitation to take action.
I hope this gave you some clarity about the differences between falsetto and head voice singing so that you can practice and use higher range without worry. Be sure and come again soon for more vocal lessons online like these. Have a great day!
I really like your voice.Could you tell me how to twang when singing like
you hit A4 note in 6s05.Thank you
You know, I can’t really “tell you how to twang for an A4” in a 500 word YT
post to be honest. I guess the answer would be that you have to first just
learn to twang. Forget about the note, the first thing you have to do is
train twang vocal mode. Understand what it is, how to train it, how to do
it. Once you have it down, you can then work it in throughout your range.
Twang is King… as I point out in my vocal training system, “The Four
Pillars of Singing”. Its all explained in my book & dvds.
In my experience of what head voice is, I am 100% correct as “that” is my
experience with it. Now you can use all sorts of terminology that youve
gleaned from Greys Anatomy to describe muscle functions all you like, but
how thats helpful to anyone is beyond me. If i sting falsetto and zip up or
tighten my vocal chords so that its not breathy, to me, thats head voice.
If i seing EEEEEEE it sounds like head voice but if I change it to AHHHHHH
its falsetto again until i tighten it up.
As I said thats my experience with it. “Proper” head voice then is a
talent. Youve got it or you dont. Some can develop this falsetto/head voice
some not. Ive been singing professionally for over 30 years and I have two
registers, chest voice and falsetto. My falsetto/head voice sounds like
Neil Youngs cat doing AC/DC. Its good for parodies but thats it. I get by
with chest voice. This is a “talent” that some have and some dont. I make
do with what I do have.
Robert, you are absolutely correct. I honestly can’t even figure out his
logic behind anything he said. It doesn’t take years of study, practice,
and experience to know what he is saying is absolutely ridiculous. At least
you tried…
Spenser, YouTube is the worst of humanity in terms of people arguing with
you that know nothing. Im not saying that Alex is completely ignorant, but
something about YouTube makes SOME people be really rude and insulting,
or… determined to argue with you just because they think they know what
they are talking about. There is actually science and techniques behind the
work that I do. I am an expert at this, its not really up for debate,
especially with those that have no professional experience.
Of course Falsetto has an application, its just not as popular I suppose.
Most students of singing technique are worried more about how to avoid it,
then how to use it for singing. Regarding distortion for screamo, take a
look at my vocal distortion videos… there are actually three that
demonstrate different kinds of distortion. The general answer is, the
screamo techniques, when done properly by creating noise in the vocal tract
and not grinding tissue, are placed in more heady positions.
You are a great teacher and u know what you are talking about and i
appreciate the videos. Especially the “mixed voice is dead” i agree and
thank you for explaining that. I cant tell you how many times ive heard
this phrase and no one could explain it or simplify it to my understanding.
You are awesome!
this is informative indeed.. =) when I sing I use my falsetto voice and I
was able to master it technically for a decade…
Great! Im excited to hear that this video has helped you to sing in your
head voice better. But remember, its not really your “normal” voice that is
singing the high notes, if you are referring to “normal” to mean “chest”.
Your in your head voice engaging vocal twang. Yes, it has a connected sound
that is similar to chest, but its not the same thing. Its only an illusion
that its chest, but that is the point of the training. Hopefully you will
become a client and learn more about it.
Not yet… we are working on it now… it will be available in 2014… as
well as German, French, Dutch and Chinese.
glad to know it!
Great explanations.
Thanks, glad it was helpful.
THANK YOUU?
Best explanation I’ve heard. I sing. I get this. ?
Thanks :)?
great stuff….. m’ kay?
Great video. I sing in head voice all the time when I am teaching children
and this caused my voice to change a lot up there (for the better). I can
sing in a much lower range than I used to be able to in head voice, and
still retain power. But for me the twang seems like it is not exactly
healthy for the voice.?
Rob, are there any specials available on Four Pillars program now or any
coming up in the near future, im saving up to get your program a.s.a.p. ?
reminded me of jack black in the end?
Hi I was just wondering how is the technique used to fortify your head
voice used at 4:11?