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I can't find any head voice, flipping to falsetto or cracks.. (audio)

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The Scientist

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Hi,

I started using Singing Success program these days, and I have a problem that I just can't go to head voice without cracking to falsetto whatever I try.

As you can see in example whenever I have to go to head voice it usually flips to falsetto or totally cracks if I try to do it with a bit more volume (not yelling). If I push a little more I can sometimes hit those notes but then my throat hurts so I guess I shouldn't be pushing any more.

I'm totally doing something wrong, and I tried relaxing throat, dropping jaw but things like that didn't make much change.

Here is the example where I try to do scale:

http://www.box.net/shared/pdkj47spm9

The thing is I was used to 'push chest voice' for long time, and I just recently learned about 'head voice' and it's possibilities, but as you can see I'm having trouble getting there.

Am I doing something crucially wrong, or it should be better with time?

Any suggestions or tips for my mistakes?

Thanks...

Nikola

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Hi,

I started using Singing Success program these days, and I have a problem that I just can't go to head voice without cracking to falsetto whatever I try.

As you can see in example whenever I have to go to head voice it usually flips to falsetto or totally cracks if I try to do it with a bit more volume (not yelling). If I push a little more I can sometimes hit those notes but then my throat hurts so I guess I shouldn't be pushing any more.

I'm totally doing something wrong, and I tried relaxing throat, dropping jaw but things like that didn't make much change.

Here is the example where I try to do scale:

http://www.box.net/shared/pdkj47spm9

The thing is I was used to 'push chest voice' for long time, and I just recently learned about 'head voice' and it's possibilities, but as you can see I'm having trouble getting there.

Am I doing something crucially wrong, or it should be better with time?

Any suggestions or tips for my mistakes?

Thanks...

Nikola

what vowel (vowel sound) are you using...? perhaps you can try it again using an "ah" as in cat?

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Hi,

I started using Singing Success program these days, and I have a problem that I just can't go to head voice without cracking to falsetto whatever I try.

As you can see in example whenever I have to go to head voice it usually flips to falsetto or totally cracks if I try to do it with a bit more volume (not yelling). If I push a little more I can sometimes hit those notes but then my throat hurts so I guess I shouldn't be pushing any more.

I'm totally doing something wrong, and I tried relaxing throat, dropping jaw but things like that didn't make much change.

Here is the example where I try to do scale:

http://www.box.net/shared/pdkj47spm9

The thing is I was used to 'push chest voice' for long time, and I just recently learned about 'head voice' and it's possibilities, but as you can see I'm having trouble getting there.

Am I doing something crucially wrong, or it should be better with time?

Any suggestions or tips for my mistakes?

Thanks...

Nikola

Hi Nikola,

This is one of the reasons I'm not a huge fan of Brett Manning's definitions of "head voice" and "falsetto". Falsetto IS a type of head voice, just a weak, less adducted form of it. So if you are singing in falsetto, you ARE already singing in head voice. The question becomes, how do I make a falsetto-sounding head voice into a strong-sounding head voice? The answer comes with "twang", proper vowels ("eh" as in egg is good for training head tones) and the way you shape your mouth.

Your problem with a vocal break might be that you are simply waiting too long to lighten up into head voice. If you're singing an ascending scale from chest to head voice, the sooner you get into head voice the better. You should already be in head voice BEFORE you reach your "break". If you do this, viola! No more break. For example, my break hovers around G below high C, but I make sure that I'm in head voice by the time I'm at D# below that and I don't have any problems.

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Hi,

As you can see in example whenever I have to go to head voice it usually flips to falsetto or totally cracks if I try to do it with a bit more volume (not yelling). If I push a little more I can sometimes hit those notes but then my throat hurts so I guess I shouldn't be pushing any more.

Here is the example where I try to do scale:

http://www.box.net/shared/pdkj47spm9

The thing is I was used to 'push chest voice' for long time, and I just recently learned about 'head voice' and it's possibilities, but as you can see I'm having trouble getting there.

Am I doing something crucially wrong, or it should be better with time?

Any suggestions or tips for my mistakes?

Nikola: Short-term, its ok to use falsetto, and then continue up with it fairly high. Rather than crack into it in an upward scale, start the notes at middle C in falsetto directly.

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Thanks everyone,

so basically I should go easy on it, and if it flips to falsetto then it's ok - I will be able to do it easier in time when my voice goes stronger... I guess that is the right way.

About adding twang, I'm really not sure abot HOW SHOULD I DO THAT, I'm familiar with the term (I have CVT disc too besides Singing Success), but I tried working on it and I have no clue how to add twang, and I couldn't understand it better from book or cds of CVT unfortunatelly, so I guess that is something I will work more on in future...

If someone has any more tips, please go on, I'm looking for every advice :)

Thanks ;)

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yeah, youre in headvoice (probably) when youre using falsetto, its just that your vocal folds arent connecting so loads of air wooshes through them making a weak, woofy falsetto. One method I personally think is beneficial is (if you're already getting a connected very quite headvoice) instead of trying to get loud on that sound, practicing holding out on that quiet note for a while rather than try to get it louder. If you hold on to that note quietly say for 5-10 secs, you'll probably notice it switches between falsetto and non-falsetto intermittently (sort of like tarzans cry). The better you get at holding it steady without flipping in and out a la Tarzan (still without trying to be loud) without the vocal folds flipping apart, the better you are at getting closure correctly and thus training them to be able to be loud, soft, whatever.

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I don't understand why you call falsetto is a type of headvoice . Falsetto in Brett Manning's term is higher , airy and don't use vocal cords to make it . However , Head voice is higher than falsetto . I don't think I can make a real falsetto (don't use vocal cords) into any strong voice . But headvoice can . So , in your terminology , there are two(or more?) type of headvoice that one use vocal cords and other don't , right ?

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I don't understand why you call falsetto is a type of headvoice . Falsetto in Brett Manning's term is higher , airy and don't use vocal cords to make it . However , Head voice is higher than falsetto . I don't think I can make a real falsetto (don't use vocal cords) into any strong voice . But headvoice can . So , in your terminology , there are two(or more?) type of headvoice that one use vocal cords and other don't , right ?

kengperapol: I think there is a misunderstanding here. Falsetto uses the vocal cords. If you are interested to see a video of male vocal bands making this sound, that can be arranged.

As to the 'falsetto' alluded to by the original poster, into which his voice cracks, it is not airy, its just light. If he adds a better registration and adduction coordination, plus some twang, it will firm right up into a much firmer, clearer and more useful tone.

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Head voice is higher than falsetto . I don't think I can make a real falsetto (don't use vocal cords) into any strong voice .

head voice is not "higher" than falsetto. when you say "higher", if you mean pitch, there's no corrolation whatsoever.

and you most definitely can take a falsetto tone and strengthen it to a full sound.

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Thanks everyone,

so basically I should go easy on it, and if it flips to falsetto then it's ok - I will be able to do it easier in time when my voice goes stronger... I guess that is the right way.

To be clear, you should gradually lighten up into head voice BEFORE you reach your break, so that there is no sudden "flip".

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To be clear, you should gradually lighten up into head voice BEFORE you reach your break, so that there is no sudden "flip".

i agree.

you need to train your mind (this is a mental thing, for me anyway) to almost trick yourself into transitioning sooner than you think you need to.

try "goog" and "gug" exercises...these helped me big time to learn to transition out of chest, through middle, and in to head. be sure to pronounce those words exactly as they are spelt.

"goog" "oo" as in "look"....."gug" as in "plug"

let me know if this helped.

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Interesting, for me its a very physical sensation, where I move pressure higher up and further back in the palate. The top down as opposed to bottom up exercise helped me experience that feeling.

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Interesting, for me its a very physical sensation, where I move pressure higher up and further back in the palate. The top down as opposed to bottom up exercise helped me experience that feeling.

you're right too matt.....it's the letting go part that was tough for me.

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For someone who hasnt experienced what I mean by pressure and how the hell do I feel where in the throat thats happening, its like coughing or grunting gently where youre singing now and then trying the same grunt maybe 2 cm (so it feels) higher up in the throat at about nostril level. Sing from there instead of singing from where the initial grunt was.

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i agree.

you need to train your mind (this is a mental thing, for me anyway) to almost trick yourself into transitioning sooner than you think you need to.

try "goog" and "gug" exercises...these helped me big time to learn to transition out of chest, through middle, and in to head. be sure to pronounce those words exactly as they are spelt.

"goog" "oo" as in "look"....."gug" as in "plug"

let me know if this helped.

Thanks for pointing out this vid Videohere, I've found it to be invaluable. It does and will take me time to "bridge" correctly, but I can understand what he's is doing and can relate.

Thanks a lot.

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Thanks for pointing out this vid Videohere, I've found it to be invaluable. It does and will take me time to "bridge" correctly, but I can understand what he's is doing and can relate.

Thanks a lot.

glad to help..be sure to keep the pronunciation of "goog" and "gug."

"goog" "oo" as in "look"....."gug" as in "plug"

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glad to help..be sure to keep the pronunciation of "goog" and "gug."

"goog" "oo" as in "look"....."gug" as in "plug"

I hadn't heard my pure head voice unstrained and without breaks since I'd lost it completely last year due to a bad cold and reflux thanks to this exercise.

I can actually feel my cords adducting naturally, it sort of guides the voice not to break - I'm not using any force or additional volume - it's given me hope. Thanks a bunch Videohere.

The Scientist, if you do try this exercise I am very curious to know if it helps your break too.

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Sheepdog: How is it possible to go to head voice at D4? It´s impossible for me to feel i am into head voice before G4 with any vowel, but maybe i am without even knowing it.

Olem: One of the things you can do is to spend some time with oo and ee vowels. Those have the lowest transitions.

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