Falsetto is a type of voice that occurs just above the normal voice range and overlaps with it by about one octave. It is created when the edges of the vocal cords vibrate, either fully or partially. Falsetto is often used in singing and is a feature of both male and female voices. It is also one of four main voice types identified by speech experts.

The term "falsetto" is most commonly used in singing to describe a way of producing sound that allows singers to reach notes beyond their usual range. The sound of falsetto is often described as breathy and flute-like, with fewer overtones compared to the normal voice. This makes it less flexible in terms of loudness and tone quality. However, some people can produce a stronger, clearer falsetto sound, even though most people find it harder to do.

Anatomical process

The modal voice, or modal register, and the falsetto register differ mainly in how the vocal cords move. In the modal voice, the entire vocal cord vibrates. The glottis, the space between the vocal cords, opens first at the bottom and then at the top. In falsetto, only the thin, ligamentous edges of the vocal cords vibrate, while the main body of each vocal cord stays relaxed. The shift from modal voice to falsetto happens when the main part of the vocal cord, called the vocalis muscle, relaxes. This allows the cricothyroid muscles to stretch the vocal ligaments. William Vennard explains this process as follows:

In the modal register, when viewed with a stroboscope, the vocal folds touch completely during each vibration, closing the gap between them briefly. This closure stops air from escaping. As air pressure builds up in the trachea, the folds are pushed apart, while the arytenoid cartilages stay close together. This creates an oval gap between the folds, allowing some air to escape and lowering the pressure inside the trachea. Repeating this movement creates sound.

In falsetto, the vocal folds are pushed apart. In untrained falsetto singers, a permanent oval gap remains between the edges of the folds, letting air escape continuously while singing. Skilled countertenors, however, make the mucous membrane of the vocal folds touch completely during each vibration. The arytenoid cartilages stay close in this register too. The size of the gap between the folds can change, but it usually increases as air pressure rises.

The vocal folds are made of elastic and fatty tissue. They are covered by laryngeal mucous membrane, which is supported by the innermost fibers of the thyroarytenoid muscle. In falsetto, only the outer edges of the vocal folds vibrate. The inner part of the thyroarytenoid muscle remains still.

Some singers feel less muscle tension when switching from the modal register to the falsetto register.

Research shows that not all speakers or singers produce falsetto the same way. Some leave the cartilaginous part of the glottis open, allowing only the front two-thirds of the vocal ligaments to vibrate. This type of sound, common in adolescents, is often soft and weak. Others let the entire glottis open and close with each vibration. In some cases, the amount of glottal opening decreases as pitch rises, leaving only a small slit at the highest pitches. The mutational chink type of falsetto is considered weak, but there is limited information about the strengths and weaknesses of the other types.

Female falsetto

Both males and females can produce sound in the falsetto register. Before scientists studied this in the 1950s and 1960s, many people believed only men could produce falsetto. One reason for this misunderstanding may be that when men sing in the falsetto register, there is a more noticeable change in sound quality and volume compared to when women sing in this register. This difference is partly because of variations in the size and weight of vocal folds and the range of frequencies each sex can produce. However, motion pictures and videos showing how the vocal cords move prove that women can and do produce falsetto. Additional studies using electromyography, conducted by speech pathologists and vocal teachers, also support this finding.

Although scientific research has shown that women can produce falsetto, some singing teachers have debated whether female falsetto exists. This debate does not occur in scientific fields, as evidence from physiology supports the existence of female falsetto. In the 1950s, some vocal pedagogy experts, such as Margaret Green and William Vennard, used scientific findings to film and study how women produce falsetto. They included these discoveries in their teaching methods for female singers. Others did not accept the idea, and some singing teachers continued to reject the concept of female falsetto even after scientific proof was available. In his 1997 book National Schools of Singing, Richard Miller noted that the German school of singing had accepted female falsetto in their teaching practices, but the French and English schools had disagreements, and the Italian school completely rejected the idea. In his 2004 book Solutions for Singers, Miller wrote, "It is illogical to speak of a female falsetto, because the female is incapable of producing a timbre in the upper range that is radically different from its mezza voce or voce piena in testa qualities."

Other writers have warned about the risks of not recognizing that women can produce falsetto. McKinney expressed concern that many books on singing either ignore or briefly mention the topic of female falsetto or claim women cannot produce it. He argued that some young female singers use falsetto instead of the upper part of their regular voice. He believes this lack of understanding has caused some young contraltos and mezzo-sopranos to be incorrectly identified as sopranos, as these lower voice types can sing in the soprano range using their falsetto register.

Musical history

The use of falsetto voice in Western music is very old. It is hard to find its exact beginning because some old terms are unclear. In the 13th century, writers described three types of vocal registers: chest, throat, and head (called pectoris, guttoris, capitis). They may have used "capitis" to refer to what was later called falsetto. By the 16th century, the word "falsetto" was widely used in Italy. In 1562, a doctor named Giovanni Camillo Maffei wrote in his book Discorso della voce e del modo d'apparare di cantar di garganta that when a bass singer sang in the soprano range, the voice was called "falsetto." In 1774, a writer named GB Mancini wrote in Pensieri e riflessioni that "falsetto" was the same as "voce di testa," which means "head voice" in English.

Falsetto is used by male countertenors to sing in the alto range and sometimes the soprano range. Before women began singing in choirs, falsetto was the standard way for men to sing these higher parts. Today, falsetto is sometimes used by early music specialists and regularly used by men in British cathedral choirs who sing the alto line.

There is a difference between how "head voice" is used today and how it was used during the Renaissance. Many singing teachers say that "head voice" now refers to a mix of chest and head voice, creating a stronger sound than falsetto. Falsetto can be changed to sound different. It can be styled in a classical way, like how male countertenors sing, or used in more modern musical styles.

In opera, it is believed that women use chest voice, middle voice, and head voice. According to David A. Clippinger, a man’s head voice is similar to a woman’s middle voice. This might mean that a woman’s head voice is like a man’s falsetto. However, some modern teachers no longer use the term "middle voice" and instead call it "head voice" for both men and women. Classical music experts usually do not consider falsetto part of a singer’s vocal range unless they are countertenors. There are exceptions, such as the baryton-Martin, which uses falsetto (see the baritone article for more details).

Use in singing

Falsetto has fewer changes in loudness and sound quality compared to modal voice. Falsetto does not smoothly connect to modal voice except at very soft volumes, which can cause breaks in the voice when switching between the two. Without modern vocal training to control the loudness of modal voice, the same pitch sung in modal voice will be louder than the same pitch sung in falsetto. The way the vocal cords vibrate to create falsetto limits loud singing, except for the highest notes in that range. It also limits the variety of sounds because the waveform is simpler. Modal voice can create more complex waveforms and a wide range of sound qualities. However, falsetto requires less physical effort from the singer and, when used correctly, can produce some useful musical effects.

Use in speech

The ability to use the falsetto voice is possible for most men and women. Falsetto is not commonly used in everyday speech in Western cultures and is often used for humorous purposes. However, how people use falsetto can differ based on their culture. Studies have looked at its use among African Americans and gay men in certain situations. Falsetto is also more common in the U.S. South. In British English, changes in pitch that reach the falsetto voice are a typical feature.

Some people who speak mostly or only in the falsetto voice may be identified by speech experts as having a voice disorder called functional dysphonia. Falsetto can also describe short, repeated changes in pitch that occur in both boys and girls during puberty when their voices are changing. These changes are more noticeable and happen more often in boys than in girls. When a person does not complete the normal voice change during puberty, it is called puberphonia.