How To Improve Head Voice – Explanation and Tutorial
What is head voice singing?
A basic definition is Head Voice is the voice register is where your voice switches from the middle register or (zona di passagio) into the head register beyond the secondo passaggio or often referred to as your (register break).
When used correctly and in tandem with your chest register, your power and range will increase significantly.
The terms Head Voice and Falsetto are often interchanged as if to imply they are the same thing however: True Head Voice and Falsetto are quite different (though they run parallel to each other) they are very different in tone and air usage/compression and use a different part of the vocal folds (cords).
The term “head voice” is generally used to describe the feeling that the resonance (sympathetic resonance) of singing is occurring primarily in the head (as opposed to the soft airy “pillowy” sound of falsetto)
It has a characteristic “ringing” tone and modified acoustics (modified vowel sounds).
When and how to use head voice?
There are (at least) four vocal registers; Chest Register, Mid Voice, Head Voice, and Vocal Fry.
Even though there are (at least) four vocal registers, we don’t always use all of them and many vocalists without proper training don’t even have access to all of them. Moving your tone from your chest register to your head register is a unique experience and will significantly increase your range. You will use your head register to sing higher tones and you will use your mixed voice to “overlap” between your chest and head.
It is important to not be in your head voice exclusively without proper support from your chest register – singing exclusively in head voice without proper support is one of the main causes of vocalists losing their voice and sometimes even causing (permanent) injury.