Developed Falsetto

Developed Falsetto is a falsetto voice that has been exercised to the point that it has singable qualities such as:

1. the ability to sustain a pitch,
2. the ability to swell and diminish in volume,
3. the ability to move up and down the scale over a pitch range of at least an octave,
4. the ability to have a recognizable vowel, and
5. the ability to have a clear tone with breath moving but not necessarily breathy.  

The falsetto voice is developed as the muscle system responsible for producing this texture of sound (crico-thyroid) begins to have involvement with the muscle system responsible for producing the chest voice (arytenoid). Development happens as we utilize exercises with an increase in volume.  Development happens as we progress from usage of [i] and [oo] vowels to [e] and [o], then finally [ah], [ae], and [eh].

This process is like going to the gym and focusing on a specific muscle system in a workout, and then adding a bit more reps and weight as one becomes stronger.  This falsetto voice does utilize the arytenoid muscle system to a certain extent as it must for development, but it is worked more in isolation.

Problems can arise:

1. when this developed falsetto is kept in total isolation from the chest voice, or
2. when the falsetto is developed in coordination with the chest voice but is overdeveloped.

In number one, complete closure of the cords can never be attained. At some point the “back” of the cords opens allowing excessive breath expenditure. Ever increasing use of volume is needed to attempt approximation. Finally, due to forcing, the cords dilate and bow out.  The singer loses the voice.

In number two, there is too much weight added as overdevelopment takes place. Again, breath and volume blasting becomes the norm with the cords dilating, and the voice disappearing.