head voice
Singing above chest
Head voice is a singing technique where sound resonates primarily in the head and nasal cavities rather than the chest, producing lighter, higher tones.
Singers shift into head voice for notes above their comfortable chest range: She transitioned smoothly into her head voice for the high passage.
The term contrasts with chest voice and is distinct from falsetto, which is breathier and less connected.
Highest female voice range
- tenorEssential meaning or import
- countertenorHigh-voiced male singer
- mezzo-sopranoMedium female singing voice
- altoLower female voice
high notes · top notes · octave · pitch · tessitura · extension · high C · stratosphere
Artificially elevated singing register
- passaggioVocal register transition zone
- bridgeStructure spanning an obstacle
- placementPutting somewhere specific
- resonanceAmplified oscillation at natural frequency
soft palate · lift · release · lightening · thinning · connection
Degree of light emitted
- clarityState of being understandable
- purityUncontaminated quality
- ringClosed curve shape
- shimmerTremulous, wavering light
brilliance · sweetness · airiness · lightness · ethereal · floaty · delicate · crystalline
Activities for fitness
- scalesPlates or weighing devices
- arpeggiosChord notes played individually
- vocaliseSing wordlessly
- warm-upPre-activity preparation routine
practice · pedagogy · breath control · support · coordination · strengthening · blending · smoothing
soprano
Highest female voice range
- tenorEssential meaning or import
- countertenorHigh-voiced male singer
- mezzo-sopranoMedium female singing voice
alto · high notes · top notes · octave · pitch · tessitura · extension · high C · stratosphere
falsetto
Artificially elevated singing register
- passaggioVocal register transition zone
- bridgeStructure spanning an obstacle
- placementPutting somewhere specific
resonance · soft palate · lift · release · lightening · thinning · connection
brightness
Degree of light emitted
shimmer · brilliance · sweetness · airiness · lightness · ethereal · floaty · delicate · crystalline · bell-like
exercises
Activities for fitness
warm-up · practice · pedagogy · breath control · support · coordination · strengthening · blending · smoothing · registration
bel canto
Elegant Italian vocal style
- ariaOperatic solo piece
- coloraturaElaborate vocal ornamentation
- liederArchaic word for songs
art song · operatic · recital · oratorio · choral · cantata · soubrette
- singingsoprano, lead vocals, alto, backing vocals, tenor
- choir termssoprano, alto, tenor, bass, baritone
- high-pitched soundssqueak, squeal, shriek, screech, shrill
- singer'sfalsetto, vibrato, breath control, diaphragm, resonance
- singing termsduet, aria, hum, alto, soprano
- vocal musicsong, vocals, soprano, tenor, alto
head voicechest voice
Singing from the ribcage
full voice · low register · belting · belt · mixed voice
head voicewhisper
Speech without full voice
vocal fry · murmur · sotto voce · undertone
head, voice, voices, vocal, voiced, vocalist, voicing, vocally, unvoiced