July 2026
Passaggio -- The Great Nothing!
One of the most common problems I hear with singers is the attempt to “feel” something in the areas between the three main voice registers (Female/Male: chest/chest to head/mixed or from head/mixed to whistle/falsetto). When we sing in our chest registers, the vibrations from the folds are slow enough that our ribs can respond sympathetically and vibrate as well. Put your hand on your chest and sing a very low note.
When we sing in our head/mixed registers, the bones in our noses will vibrate in sympathy with the faster vibrations of the folds.
When we sing in our whistle/falsetto registers, quite high, the vibrations are too fast for the nasal bones and we are more likely to feel as if the sound is coming out our ears or the top of our heads.
The passagios are the short passageways between these registers, one around Middle C and the other an octave and a third above that. Think of the registers as separate rooms with very short hallways in between. When we are in the rooms, we are comfortable with the sensations caused by our vibrations, but in the hallways, we suddenly don’t feel anything, and we don’t TRUST that “nothing”.
As a consequence, we tend to squeeze the throat and either pull up the sensation of the lower register, or force down the upper register.
Don’t. Just…DON’T. The folds and muscles must make myriad adjustments for each pitch, and any interference at all can create problems that can escalate into hoarseness, nodules, polyps, or worse. And the sound isn’t very good whenever we squeeze, either! It is strained and a bit harsh.
Trust the Great Nothing! Let the sound keep flowing and don’t worry if you don’t feel the sensation inside!