Falsetto - what is it? Quite often we hear: "He sings with falsetto." And for some reason, many immediately think that something bad lies behind it: unprofessional, false, far from art. In everyday life, it has long been believed that those who sing falsetto are people who have no voice. Some people believe that this is an insulting word that must necessarily hurt the singer. In fact, this is not so. In the music world, the word falsetto has almost nothing in common with falsity.
The concept of "falsetto" and its history
This word comes from the Italian falso, which really translates as falsified, fake, unfaithful. In olden times, falsetto was called the voice, which, with choral singing, performed the part above tenor. He was assigned the main tune. Over time, the concept has somewhat transformed, and today by falsetto we mean upper notes that make breathing slide along the vocal cords, barely touching them.
And today falsetto - what is it? He gained wide popularity in the middle of the twentieth century, “rising” to the pop scene from choral singing, which the people called “do wop”. It was very popular in the USA. And the Mexican Miguel Asevez Meia is still considered an unsurpassed master of falsetto.
Falsetto - what is it?
Speaking in the language of musicians, this is the uppermost voice register (male), which is located above the usual range. It sounds very soft and not rich in overtones.
The falsetto voice is contrasted with the pectoral voice, which is characterized by fullness and chest sound. It is created due to the participation in the process of the bronchi and lungs, performing the function of a resonator. And the glottis during thoracic execution is minimally narrow. With falsetto, the ligaments are far removed from each other, the gap is wide, the exhalation requires a lot of effort. The bronchi and lungs in this case are resting.
It is incredibly difficult to get a very high note in a chest voice - it is subject only to opera singers with great practice. Everyone else has to switch to falsetto. It seems to falsify a natural voice, while maintaining the purity of intonation. Falsetto is commonly used by male singers. Their voice at the same time becomes like a female.
How to learn to sing falsetto?
To master this skill, you need to train hard and know some tricks. The following points will help you understand how to sing falsetto correctly:
- High notes require the ability to breathe deeply. And it, in turn, is impossible without well-developed lungs.
- Go to high notes should be gradual.
- Air with falsetto is pushed up through the stomach up to the head. And vibrates there.
- The throat muscles do not tighten.
- The chest does not vibrate (you can verify this by putting your hand to it).
- Only the edges of the vocal cords are involved.
Now the reader knows the answer to the question: falsetto - what is it? This is an upper voice register. Falsetto is difficult to sing. Learn this skill better under the guidance of an experienced teacher. And if there is none, then at least stock up on special benefits.