What is Falsetto?
A '''falsetto''' [[voice]] is a special way of [[speech|speaking]] or [[singing]] where you speak in a higher pitched voice than normal. Imagine [[Mickey Mouse]]'s talking style but with a fancy name. [[Actor]]s do this sometimes, e.g. [[Robin Williams]] in the film ''[[Mrs Doubtfire]]'' or [[Kevin Clash]] when voicing the character Elmo in ''[[Sesame Street]]'' and [[Barry Gibb]] of the [[Bee Gees]], with his R&B falsetto. Also, Kellin Quinn from the band sleeping With Sirens uses falsetto sometimes. It is like stretching the mouth out into a wide smile and saying 'ee', except it is sung. == Processes and uses of falsetto == When people speak or sing, their [[vocal cords]] [[vibration|vibrate]]. When a man sings falsetto only the edges of his vocal cords vibrate. These produce [[harmonics]]. It is similar to playing harmonics on a [[string instrument]] by lightly touching the string at a certain point so that only part of the string vibrates. When a man sings falsetto his [[:Category: vocal ranges|vocal range]] is usually one [[octave]] higher than his normal singing voice. When people sing in falsetto, their voice can be breathy sometimes. Falsetto singing was used in the days when women were not allowed to sing in churches. Instead, men sang [[countertenor]]. Later the popularity of the countertenor disappeared, but in the mid [[20th century]] it became popular again for performing [[Renaissance]] and [[Baroque music]]. Today the tradition of men singing alto (with countertenor voices) still exists in [[Britain]] in [[cathedral]] choirs and some church choirs which are all-male choirs. It is not a big, operatic voice, and it blends in well with boys’ treble voices in the acoustic of churches and cathedrals. Occasionally falsetto can be used for comic effect, as in the roasted swan in the ''[[Carmina Burana]]'' by [[Carl Orff]]. == Other websites == * [http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/textf/Falsetto.html Definition of falsetto] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130401125309/ht