Falsetto
Falsetto (
IPA:
Italian ,
General American ,
RP ) is a
singing technique that produces sounds that are
pitched higher than the
singer's normal range.
An artificially-raised speaking pitch can also be called falsetto. This often occurs momentarily, if repeatedly, in boys during
puberty as their voice changes. The break between
voice registers, audible or not, is called the
passaggio.
Falsetto is produced via expansion and separation of
vocal cords where only the edges of the vocal cord vibrate, not the entire vocal cord. Not to be confused with head voice, falsetto is produced differently from head voice, in which 1/4th of the chord vibrates as in chest voice in addition to the falsetto edge vibrating.
The falsetto register was used by male
countertenors to sing in the
alto and occasionally the
soprano range, before women sang in
choirs. Falsetto is occasionally used by
early music specialists today. It is common in modern music due to its ability to give singers a higher range. Although it is not often counted by classical purists as a part of the vocal range in anyone, bar countertenors.
Falsetto is also sometimes used by male
cross-dressers to simulate a female voice. Some famous film examples include
Tony Curtis and
Jack Lemmon in
Some Like It Hot,
Dustin Hoffman in
Tootsie, and
Robin Williams in
Mrs. Doubtfire. Actress and singer
Megan Mullally famously used falsetto when playing
Karen Walker on
Will & Grace. Falsetto is also utilized by puppeteer
Kevin Clash when voicing the popular
Sesame Street muppet,
Elmo. Most of the song
Emotional Rescue by
The Rolling Stones was sung in falsetto by lead singer
Mick Jagger.
*
List of falsetto singers*
Creaky voice*
Glottal fry*
human voice*
Yodeling*
Glossary definition of falsetto at Dave Stroud Vocal Studio Web site
