Elizabeth Tait McCoy Ch. 10

What are the 3 key elements of Manuel Garcia’s definition of register?

1. Composed of contiguous pitches

2. Produced in same physiological manner

3. Same basic timbre 

While classical singers learn to unify the voice into a single register (or at least this is the perception of the listener), what does voice science have to say about this.

It’s not possible to have one register at the laryngeal level, there are at least two. 

What are the components of the physiological events related to register?

Register change means the changes in the manner of vocal fold vibration and glottal opening

Describe Mode 1 glottal source

- thickened by TA contraction

- greater mass per unit length

- square glottis

- significant vertical phase difference

- range of movement is high

Describe Mode 2 glottal source

- relies on CT, which elongates and thins the folds

- triangular shape

- almost no vertical phase difference

- the glottis might never close completely on some pitches

Discuss the difference in closed quotient in Mode 1 vs Mode 2. In mode 1, the closed quotient is high (40%-85%).  In mode 2, the closed quotient stays lower than 40%.

How do the ranges of Mode 1 and Mode 2 differ for men and women? Mode 1 comprises the majority of the male range, and transitions to Mode 2 are only for special situations.  Women are required to switch between the modes much more often because it occurs right in the middle of their range. 

What are the 2 main transitional areas where changes must occur in source or resonance modes for women? Primo passagio (C4-A4) and Secondo passagio (E5-A5)

What strategies do we use to negotiate the primo passaggio for women?

- a top down approach in training, which means bringing Mode 2 lower in the range at first

- closed vowels are used in this passagio, taking advantage of formant tuning with low first formants

- breath pressure must be carefully modulated (taking a foot off the gas when transitioning up)

What strategies do we use to negotiate the secondo passaggio for women?

- breath support must be carefully modulated to avoid excess subglottal pressure

- modify vowels towards high 1^st formants, like [a]

What is vowel exchange?  How is this different than vowel modification?  Vowel modification implies that only a slight adjustment is required in the high pitches for women, but according to formant theory, an entirely new vowel needs to be used.  [a] is the only vowel that exists above a certain pitch level, so we might as well exchange any other vowels for [a] when we get up there.                                                     

What are the 2 main transitional areas where changes must occur in source or resonance modes for men?  Which glottal source mode is used below, within, and above these transitional areas?

Men have a primo passagio (F3-C4), but it’s not a souce change, it’s all Mode 1.  The secondo passagio (C4-A4) is where the voice must switch to Mode 2, but not till the upper edge of the transition. 

What strategies do we use to negotiate the transition into the upper extension in male voices?

Formant tuning is particularly helpful, for this is a resonance transition. 

What does Ken Bozeman’s research say about the primo and secondo passaggi events for men? The primo and secondo might be just one big event, not two separate events.  This single event is the point in the scale where 2F₀ sweeps above F₁ of the vowel that is being sung.

How does he suggest men negotiate this transition? The journey through the passagio is facilitated by subtly closing the vowel or by slightly lowering the larynx.

What do developing singers do instead?  What kind of sound do these strategies result in? They do another formant tuning strategy that involves raising the larynx, tightening the pharynx, or spreading the lips.  This leads to a voice quality that more closely resembles yelling than singing.

Some male singers use an alternate strategy for negotiating the passaggio and entering the upper extension?  What is this strategy and what is the downside of this approach? Adding nasality.  It will feel good the singer, but the audience may not love it.

What is reinforced falsetto? There is little consensus on what that means, but this author decides it might just mean a softly produced Mode 1. 

Which glottal source mode is used in female belt? Mode 1, all the way baby!

How does the spectral envelope for female belting differ from male head voice? Female is all chiaro, all bright, while the male head voice is a mix, chiaroscuro. 

What does formant tuning in belting differ than in classical singing?  At the point where a classical singer would start closing the vowels, a belter chooses to open vowels to create a brigher and brassier sound.

What are the 3 physiological strategies used for belt resonance?

1. lifting the larynx

2. narrowing the pharynx

3. increasing the horizontal opening of the mouth