Ep.57: Singing Tips: Flip-Falsetto - What’s Out of Balance?
This video will provide singing tips that explain what’s happening with your vocal
cords, vowels and air blow when your vocal type is Flip-Falsetto and how to fix it!
Get ready to improve your voice now!
Hi I’m Chuck Gilmore with Power To Sing.
You sing great when the physical function of the vocal cords, vowels and air blow are
balanced. Then if you connect emotionally with the audience and give yourself fully
to your song, the singing is “WOW”.
What if your vocal type is Flip-Falsetto? What’s out of balance? What’s the physical
cause? What’s the effect on the sound of your voice? How do you fix it?
Here are some:
Singing Tips for Flip-Falsetto - What’s Out of Balance? What Does it Sound Like?
First, let’s talk about “Flip”.
Vocal Cords Out of Balance: The vocal cords may eliminate mass as you sing higher but
lack strength and coordination to remain connected. This causes the cords to suddenly separate.
If they don’t reconnect you stay in the condition of falsetto.
Another way the cords may be out of balance is they start firmly connected but then relax
too much as you sing higher. While not a complete disconnection, this creates a noticeable release
of more air, either gradually or suddenly. [Demo]
Vowels Out of Balance: Vowels may or may not be spreading or wide.
Air Blow is Out of Balance: Air blow might be too strong or forceful. Or air blow may
be too weak. Often air blow is inconsistent or uneven.
If one or more of these are out of balance, it’s likely the external muscles squeeze
and the Larynx is pulled up.
The Resulting Sound May Be: A sudden break in the tone; [Demo] Or from a firm, full tone
to suddenly breathy. [Demo] If the cords reconnect, it sounds like a momentary crack or bump,
[Demo] in an otherwise consistent tone. Or rather than suddenly, gradually the voice
gets softer or breathier as you sing higher. [Demo] Usually this is to avoid flipping or
cracking. Here’s an example of a sudden break. [“Angel” Sarah McLachlan]
Let’s talk about Falsetto
Vocal Cords Out of Balance: Just the upper edges of the vocal cords come together usually
with an oval opening or a slit between them which allows more air to escape. Usually this
is on middle to higher pitches but can be throughout the entire vocal range.
Vowels Out of Balance: The vowels may be distorted because of the imbalance in the vocal cords
and air blow.
Air Blow is Out of Balance: An overabundance of air blow and flow.
When These Things are Out of Balance it Sounds Like: Tone is Light or breathy; words are
muddied and can’t be understood; forceful on high notes but barely heard on the low
notes. Overtones are missing making the tone feel weaker, hollow or incomplete.
Singing Tips: How to Fix the Flip-Falsetto
Vocal Cords In Balance: Here’s a vocal exercise to help balance the vocal cords. You use the
word “gee”. You may need to add a dopey or hootie sound at first. [demo] Do this on
a 5-tone scale. [Demo]
Vowels in Balance: The balance for vowels is greatly assisted by balanced cords and
air blow, and by pronouncing the words like you speak them. Vowel narrowing as you sing
higher will prevent possible spreading. For example, in the chorus of “This Used to
Be My Playground”, Madonna sings “and why do they always say”. It’s easy to
break on “why”. Narrow “why” to “wuh” to keep it from breaking. [Demo]
Air Blow in Balance: A great exercise to balance air blow is the word “Go”, The “g”
helps slow the amount of air being sent to the vocal cords. Also, reducing the volume
will help reduce the force of the air blow. [Demo]
The Resulting Sound May Be: Strong, consistent and connected tone from bottom to top. There’s
a full compliment of vocal overtones throughout your range. Words are understandable. Compare
these two singers. One sings in a very breathy or falsetto connection, the other with the
cords connected and consistent [Jackie Evancho and Haley Westinra, “Over the Rainbow]
There are some similarities between the vocal types Flip-Falsetto and Pulled Chest-High
Larynx. Both vocal types may flip, crack or break
into falsetto. A major difference is our psychology. With Pulled Chest-High Larynx we intend to
be big and powerful and so we force the voice higher which causes the larynx to rise and
the cords to disconnect.
The Flip-Falsetto vocal type might approach singing higher without any noticeable strain
but flips or cracks anyway. This isn’t the result of forcing the voice higher but rather
a muscular habit. The larynx pops up and the voice cracks. Or from the onset of the singing,
the vocal cords start out in falsetto.
Flip-Falsetto is just one of the several vocal types. Do you know your vocal type? I’m
not referring to whether you’re soprano, alto, tenor or bass. Your vocal type uncovers
imbalance in your vocal cords, vowels and air blow. It reveals what you tend to do when
you sing.
Visit PowerToSing.com and take the vocal test, which I call the PowerTest. Take the quiz
and discover your vocal type. Then go to the Knowledge Center and watch the videos about
your vocal type.
The exercises to download are designed to help you balance your voice so you can improve
immediately.
I’m Chuck Gilmore with Power to Sing. You can sing higher with beauty, confidence and
power.
I’ll see you inside the next video.
Subtitles by the Amara.org community