Issue with a "flapping" or "machine gun" sound while singing falsetto

[PabloDiablo]

Hey everyone, just joined the site today. I have been singing at home for two years or so, learning about vocal technique on my own, about chest middle head, body posture, how to breathe, vocal techniques, etc, and have come a long way from where I started, however, about 6 months ago something strange happened while singing in falsetto..... When I switch over to falsetto and sing a note, I can feel something in my throat, I assume it's my vocal cords, "flapping" and my voice cuts in in out in a rapid fire machine-gun like state.....Its very odd.

It happens about half the time I go to hit a falsetto note, and there's no warning, one time I'll hit it fine, the next time it will be an awful "flapping" sound. I hae to eliminate singing falsetto completely because of it.

I will try to make a recording to show what I mean, but I was wondering if anyone has heard of this? I've scoured the internet but can't find anything about it online so far.

Thanks for your time!

[Joanna]

Hi Pablo:

This is the kind of problem that is VERY hard to figure out just by listening.

Are you able to get a medical (visual) exam of your throat?

If you've been experimenting with your voice and starting to have trouble like this, you may have gotten yourself into some kind of damage. Please avoid the temptation to "muscle through" the problem area, or in any other way add tension or pressure to get rid of the distorted / inconsistent sound. Instead, rest your voice for a few days, sing more lightly and for shorter periods for 2-3 weeks, and see if there is a voice clinic where you can get a good exam.

best regards,

Joanna

[Carol M]

Joanne this sounds a bit like the dipliphonia I complained about here several months ago. I have managed to "cure" it for the most part by lots of training on the thin ends of cords. In fact when I do my workout in the morning I also do a lot of exercises to CD tracks using lip trills and vocalises mostly all in my head voice or "falsetto." Pablo you need to start very lightly, definitely don't overblow.

It rarely acts up now though I feel like I have to practice nearly every day to keep it in control.

I got the idea at this site

http://www.voiceteacher.com/diplophonia.html

It's worth the effort and certainly doesn't hurt your voice to work out in the upper register like that.

[henriettamckeecarter]

If you can, I recommend that you consult a voice therapist or teacher in person. Sometimes behavior needs to be seen as well as heard.