Questions for the professional singers out there...

[conversationpc]

I'm fascinated about studying the technical details of the human voice, especially as to how it relates to singing. I have a few questions, though...

1 - I've read that men typically sing in head voice and that women rarely do and I've also read the opposite. Which is it? My guess has always been that singers like Geoff Tate, Rob Halford, etc., sing in head voice when they're hitting those glass-shattering high notes instead of falsetto. When I think of falsetto, I picture the Bee Gees, Robert Plant, or some of Freddie Mercury's stuff.

2 - What examples of rock/pop/metal singers would you give as being the best at using these different types of voice registers?

3 - What songs or sections of popular songs are good examples of these?

I can sing using head voice (if I am understanding any of this correctly) just from listening and practicing that style of singing along to my favorite singers but I'm not sure that I sound all that great (I've never recorded myself, so who knows?). I also often have sinus problems and I'm sure that effects the sound of my voice greatly, especially when I try singing in head voice.

If anyone can drop some knowledge on me here, I'd appreciate it.

[TRAGChick]

I'm fascinated about studying the technical details of the human voice, especially as to how it relates to singing. I have a few questions, though...

1 - I've read that men typically sing in head voice and that women rarely do and I've also read the opposite. Which is it? My guess has always been that singers like Geoff Tate, Rob Halford, etc., sing in head voice when they're hitting those glass-shattering high notes instead of falsetto. When I think of falsetto, I picture the Bee Gees, Robert Plant, or some of Freddie Mercury's stuff.

If anyone can drop some knowledge on me here, I'd appreciate it.

The Head-Voice is used for higher-pitched notes. Since a woman's voice is naturally higher than a man's, they would sing "from the gut" or, for a harder-edged performance, use the "belt" technique.

2 - What examples of rock/pop/metal singers would you give as being the best at using these different types of voice registers?

Well, of COURSE, Mr. Perry for the Head Voice, Geoff Tate - who IMO has a GORGEOUS, full voice - for everything else...he can hit low, mid and high....("Silent Lucidity")

3 - What songs or sections of popular songs are good examples of these?

Since my range is First Soprano (the highest range potential for a voice), I use the Head-Voice Technique to hit the Stratospheric notes found in Mendelssohn's, Handel's, and other Classical Works.

A modern example - which just came on WPLJ - is "Bring Me to Life" - Evanescence. - Amy Lee is using MAJOR Classical HeadVoice Technique - esp. in the beginning. Also, TRAG performs this song....and the funny thing is, Mark COULD NOT get the "low voiced-rap" thing in the middle:

"On the inside, I can't believe I couldn't see - kept in the dark, but you were there in front of me..." etc.

So, I had to "switch back and forth" from belt - to - head to sing HIS part, and THEN Amy's part!! Talk about putting your technique to the test... ....but hey - bring it on!!

A good example (off the top of my head) of the female "lower range" is the song "He Had It Comin'" from the movie, "Chicago" - by the end of that, Catherine Zeta-Jones is "bringin' it home" with a HUGE "belting out" of the chorus.

[conversationpc]

Well, of COURSE, Mr. Perry for the Head Voice, Geoff Tate - who IMO has a GORGEOUS, full voice - for everything else...he can hit low, mid and high....("Silent Lucidity")

Geoff Tate's lower register is beautiful and if you only heard him sing that way, you'd never know he could do the glass-shattering stuff he did in the early days, like in "Queen of the Reich" or that scream in "Take Hold of the Flame". I can't think of anyone that sounds quite like him, though I can tell that Rob Halford certainly had some influence on him, especially in his early days.

Since my range is First Soprano (the highest range potential for a voice), I use the Head-Voice Technique to hit the Stratospheric notes found in Mendelssohn's, Handel's, and other Classical Works.

A modern example - which just came on WPLJ - is "Bring Me to Life" - Evanescence. - Amy Lee is using MAJOR Classical HeadVoice Technique - esp. in the beginning. Also, TRAG performs this song....and the funny thing is, Mark COULD NOT get the "low voiced-rap" thing in the middle:

"On the inside, I can't believe I couldn't see - kept in the dark, but you were there in front of me..." etc.

So, I had to "switch back and forth" from belt - to - head to sing HIS part, and THEN Amy's part!! Talk about putting your technique to the test... ....but hey - bring it on!!

A good example (off the top of my head) of the female "lower range" is the song "He Had It Comin'" from the movie, "Chicago" - by the end of that, Catherine Zeta-Jones is "bringin' it home" with a HUGE "belting out" of the chorus.

Got any examples that I am familiar with? Like something from the likes of Lou Gramm, Freddie Mercury, etc. In other words, classic rock/hard rock/metal. I listen to some classical music but mostly only instrumental stuff. Pardon my ignorance on that stuff.

[TRAGChick]

Well, of COURSE, Mr. Perry for the Head Voice, Geoff Tate - who IMO has a GORGEOUS, full voice - for everything else...he can hit low, mid and high....("Silent Lucidity")

Geoff Tate's lower register is beautiful and if you only heard him sing that way, you'd never know he could do the glass-shattering stuff he did in the early days, like in "Queen of the Reich" or that scream in "Take Hold of the Flame". I can't think of anyone that sounds quite like him, though I can tell that Rob Halford certainly had some influence on him, especially in his early days.

Since my range is First Soprano (the highest range potential for a voice), I use the Head-Voice Technique to hit the Stratospheric notes found in Mendelssohn's, Handel's, and other Classical Works.

A modern example - which just came on WPLJ - is "Bring Me to Life" - Evanescence. - Amy Lee is using MAJOR Classical HeadVoice Technique - esp. in the beginning. Also, TRAG performs this song....and the funny thing is, Mark COULD NOT get the "low voiced-rap" thing in the middle:

"On the inside, I can't believe I couldn't see - kept in the dark, but you were there in front of me..." etc.

So, I had to "switch back and forth" from belt - to - head to sing HIS part, and THEN Amy's part!! Talk about putting your technique to the test... ....but hey - bring it on!!

A good example (off the top of my head) of the female "lower range" is the song "He Had It Comin'" from the movie, "Chicago" - by the end of that, Catherine Zeta-Jones is "bringin' it home" with a HUGE "belting out" of the chorus.

Got any examples that I am familiar with? Like something from the likes of Lou Gramm, Freddie Mercury, etc. In other words, classic rock/hard rock/metal. I listen to some classical music but mostly only instrumental stuff. Pardon my ignorance on that stuff.

OK: Lower range belt:

"Fire and Ice" - Pat Benatar

[amaron]

Check out Lacuna Coil for an example of an Amy Lee type singer... but not exactly the same.

[TRAGChick]

OK - here is a one-minute edit of "Yet Doth The Lord" - from Mendelssohn's "Elijah".

"Head Voice 101" now in session!

Soprano & Tenor parts are using this technique to hit the HIGH notes - and there were a LOT of them.

PS.....I gotta tell ya - I absolutely LOOOOOVED to sing this song!! HUGE, Gothic, Furious, "sink your teeth into" kind of stuff.....major adrenaline, too....

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?a ... 86104E5236

[conversationpc]

OK - here is a one-minute edit of "Yet Doth The Lord" - from Mendelssohn's "Elijah".

You must've included more than you thought in the clip. The song does end at 1:00 but if you keep listening there's about three minutes more music on there.

Anyway, thanks for the clip. I can't imagine ever singing anything like that. Of course, I'm a 6'3" male with a fairly deep voice, so there you go... I do remember seeing a Christmas show a few years ago where they had a male teenage singer (can't remember his name). This "dude" was hitting higher notes than anything I've ever heard coming out of a female singer. Perhaps he was a eunuch.

Are you familiar with Jon Anderson of Yes? Years ago, I would've sworn that the guy ALWAYS sings in falsetto. Then I heard him talking in an interview one time and he sounded EXACTLY the same as his singing voice. Kinda threw me for a loop there.

[TRAGChick]

OK - here is a one-minute edit of "Yet Doth The Lord" - from Mendelssohn's "Elijah".

You must've included more than you thought in the clip. The song does end at 1:00 but if you keep listening there's about three minutes more music on there.

HAH?

Really....

hmmm....does it slow down and the words continue like this:

"For He the Lord Our God...
He is a jealous God...." etc?

...um, I guess I chose the wrong one...

[TRAGChick]

Yup...you're right!

There's approx. a 10 second gap!

....gotta brush up on my "GarageBand" Editing technique!! LOL