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How to Make a Falsetto Sound Powerful in the Recording Studio

You can expand your vocal range with practice, but the physiology of your vocal chords imposes natural limits on how high or low you can comfortably go. The falsetto technique lets male singers reach high notes that are outside their natural register. When using falsetto, as Roger Taylor did in the famous "Galileo" line in Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," only the edges of the vocal chord vibrate. This creates a distinctly thin sound, as you can never fully project singing falsetto. You can make the falsetto voice sound more powerful in the studio by manipulating the tonal characteristics of the recording.

Things You'll Need

  • Tube preamp
  • Audio recording software
  • Microphone
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Instructions

    • 1

      Use a tube preamp. Connect the microphone to a tube preamp. The preamp is the signal processor that converts the audio signal to an electronic signal for recording. There are two main types of preamp: tube and transistor. Tube amps have a characteristically warm tonal quality that adds depth to the audio. Set the gain dial toward the high end to boost the strength of the signal. Before recording, do an audition take and observe the meter section of the preamp. If the red LED illuminates, the signal is too strong. Turn the gain down a little to fix this.

    • 2

      Boost the volume. Because only part of the vocal chord vibrates when singing falsetto, the volume of the vocal is slightly lower than when you sing in a comfortable range. When mixing, move the gain slider dial for the vocal channel upward to increase the level of the signal.

    • 3

      Compress the vocal recording. Compression is an audio effect that limits the dynamic range of a sound. This creates a smaller dynamic spectrum and makes a vocal recording sound more "punchy." Open the "Tools" menu on your recording interface and select "Compressor." Adjust the "Threshold" setting to approximately 60 percent to create a compact, powerful vocal sound.

    • 4

      Equalize the vocal recording. Click "Tools" and select "Equalizer" from the menu. Use your cursor to move the virtual slider dials up. The sliders on the left of the interface control the various bass frequencies. Adjust each to about 70 percent. Equalization involves boosting and cutting various frequencies of a sound. By enhancing the bass sounds of a falsetto vocal, you add presence and weight to the audio.

    • 5

      Add reverb. Click "Effects" and select "Reverb." Typically the reverb effect is pre-set when you engage it. You can leave the pre-set parameters as they are or adjust them to your preference. Reverb approximates the acoustic properties of a large space, such as a church. Adding reverb creates the illusion of space and softens the harsh edges of high-pitched sounds, such as falsetto vocals.

Recording Music

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