Tim Brown said:
Nope.
In Falsetto, you have no control over the dynamics.
Tim
I'm sorry I'd have to disagree with that one - it is possible to swell notes & alter dynamics in falsetto (although not to as great an extent as when using modal registers).
Vocal fry? Interesting term, never heard that one!
The way I was trained (& subsequently teach my own students to great results) also tells of the 5 registers (bottom, middle, top, alto mechanism & flasetto), although female voices tend to predominantly have 3 (bottom middle & top), although in some extreme cases the "falsetto equivalent" whistle register occurs.
The bottom register tends to resonate primarily (there is some overspill to other resonating centres) in the chest cavity.
The middle register resonates primarily in the mouth (using the rear palette or uvula, the dome of the mouth & the front palette - depending on the vowel or desired tonal quality).
The top register resonates primarily in the frontal & maxiliary sinuses, although overspill at the rear palette is quite usual (note that placing the resonance at the rear palette gives that "covered" sound that opera singers tend to have - but Tom Jones has it also when he sings in top)
The alto mechanism (now this is a tricky one to produce) - it is a 3/4 resonant modal register that sits between the top register & falsetto - it still has a full-voice sound but is more suited to rock (a lot of singers who use the alto mechanism have a raspy sound - this is caused by a clash in harmonics due to the resonance being placed at the rear palette but not being allowed to spread to the sinuses as in the top register but rather being "bounced" forward to produce a bright noise). It is a register I tend to avoid with students until their 3 main modal registers are stabilised (treating the voice as a whole rather than using just one part of it all the time - this can cause damage in the long-term), otherwise it can cause problems.
Falsetto - this is a "false fundamental" which is produced using only the very edges of the vocal folds - predominantly a male mechanism as male folds are longer & also the configuration of the folds and the Adam's apple faciliate this kind of voice production. Prolonged use of this mechanism can cause problems, especially if the full (modal) voice is not used - ie/ Jimmy Somerville, a famous falsettist has had 3 throat operations to remove nodules & now can only sing in his bottom register (the tone of which is also damaged).
The trick is above all, never to resonate in the throat - if you resonate in the throat this interferes with the waveform being produced by your vocal folds & can cause them to bang together, strain & eventually scarring. If singing a high note & you feel that it is resonating in the throat, try taking the resonance up & placing it in the mouth (if rock try the rear palette) or if it's a low note that feels throaty, dropping the back of the tongue (you'll find your whole larynx will drop about an inch) will direct the resonance into the chest.
