Hey guys, without getting into the dreadful debate about head voice vs. falsetto, there's something about the falsetto slides I'm not completely understanding:

Basically, are all these tiny sounds supposed to be able to connect to chest?
Because I have a rather hard time getting much range in my "connected head voice", even though it connects to chest, as opposed to my "falsetto" in which I can go fairly high yet it does not actually connect to chest (it gets really breathy at the bottom as I descend from a high note and then cuts off), nor do I believe that it can be swelled into full voice.

Hope that made sense... thoughts much appreciated.

Hey Nick, let go of the head voice/falsetto thinking. I repeat this often. Head voice is a PLACE in your range. You can be in your head voice while in falsetto or full voice. Chest voice is a place in your range. You can be in chest voice in your falsetto or your full voice. This thinking is what is limiting singers who focus on terminology. It is quite typical and I understand why it happens. Here is all you need to know:

Do the sounds as tiny as possible in volume. Keep them clean, as in no breathy sounds as is common with falsetto. Slide slow. Yes, you will hit a break down low because there is a point where the falsetto cannot go lower and needs to switch to full voice. Does that mean that is the point where chest voice kicks in? NO. The Chest/Head terms were created to stipulate the difference between the point below and above the break, but somehow, some coaches turned it into meaning a flutey sound or falsetto sound up high as the "head voice". Typically a guy may break at an E above middle C. However, on a falsetto slide, you may slide much lower than that E. I can slide down to around an F below that E, so that means since my break really was at E that I am not doing falsetto in my chest voice on D#,D,C#,C,B,A#,A,G#,G,F#, and F before my falsetto to full voice break occurs. At that point I slide even slower to easily go through that break and eventually, over time, the break becomes so smooth that you do not even notice or hear it.

Much thanks for the reply Jaime, but just to be clear:

You're right in that it can be easiest to ditch the terminology, but I'm just trying to use "head voice/falsetto" to distinguish between two different sensations in the upper register.

Because essentially, it seems my head voice (which has taken more time to develop) CAN connect to chest, yet my falsetto alone (airer, less color/tone) when sung in the upper register CANNOT actually connect to chest. Are you saying I can transition from this falsetto to a coordinated head voice (which can potentially swell to full voice) which then connects to chest?

Thanks a ton, hope that made sense again.

You can do pretty much anything you mentioned. When descending (whatever sound you're making) at some point you have to shift to a more "chest-dominant" sound. It can't be avoided unless you want to sound like Patrick from Spongebob Squarepants. :)

The problem is the bridges and your vocal fach.

With full voice you can sing with power and volume in headvoice, but good look having the 'full' tonal quality of a soprano or tenor if you're not.

That's where grit and effects can help.

Even most tenors sound goofy singing without an effect when they sing high soprano stuff--and then with whistle range EVERYONE sounds goofy no matter what.

Really you need to record how you sound and think about HOW you want to sound. Genetically some songs are going to be easier, its just the way it is.

But you can have lots of power and sing C6+ if you're a bass.

The easy way to think of it is with a keyboard, you have different instruments (and though they dont usually match actual key-wise) you can go up and down to find a corresponding matching note for most instruments.

Still, a rock organ C6 doesn't sound like a piano or a string C6.

Your voice is its own instrument and has its own tonal qualities.

Thanks to both TheForce and Christopher for the help... good points made, but one more question if I may:

Under the assumption that all falsetto slides start in a tiny connected head voice (as an airy falsetto wouldn't connect to chest if I understand correctly?), I can do the slides on a closed "oo" vowel but when I try to do them with an open mouth on an "ah" vowel I find that much more air leaks and the sound is harder to produce/breaks up more.

Any ideas with this?

'Ah' should be easier because you're opening your mouth wide as you do when you hit high notes.

Sooooo... I don't know if you're doing it right or what.



Don't use too much breath, just keep it light and headvoice-like.

You will break where your bridge is (unless your mix is coordinated) and if you go too high in headvoice it should be like straining and choking yourself and you should stop.

Nice insight. I also noticed this feeling of pressure/dizziness around my eyes when doing falsetto at around B5-C6. Is this the cathedral in my head, or something that could potentially be damaging?

Whenever I hear about people becoming dizzy and having all these sensations I think it's weak cardiovascular and breathing (O2 to the brain?).

When it comes to 'mask' or getting skull resonance, I think the number one sign is hearing and feeling your voice come out of your ears.

I can feel vibrations all over my face and head without using proper placement or trying to do mask, so really who can verify all these other descriptors of quality resonance (especially from the internet)?

I'm now getting that feeling constantly at those notes. I'll go dig up a falsetto slide recording or two from Wednesday and then record some tomorrow (forgot to record today) and see if that helps us verify.