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The head register is a vocal technique used in singing to describe the resonance of singing something feeling to the singer as if it is occurring in their head. It's mentioned in the Speech Level Singing method used in some singing. According to an early 20th century book written by David Clippinger, all voices have a head register, whether bass or soprano.^[1]

In Clippinger's 1917 book, it is stated that male and females switch registers at the same absolute pitches. Clippinger also states that at about E flat or E above middle C the tenor passes from what is usually called open to covered tone, but which might better be called from chest to head voice. At the same absolute pitches the alto or soprano passes from the chest to the middle register. According to Clippinger there is every reason to believe that the change in the mechanism for male voices into head register is the same as that which occurs in the female voice as it goes into the middle register at the same pitches.^[2]

The contemporary vocal pedagogy instructor Bill Martin seconds the view that the change from chest voice to head voice occurs at around E4 in all voices, including the bass, but Martin states in the coloratura soprano it is more likely to occur at F4. ^[3] A recent book by a former teacher at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and a vocal pedagogy teacher, Richard Miller; states that in the "tenore lyrico" the higher part of the singing voice above the secondo passaggio at G4 extending upwards is referred to as "full voice in head," or voce piena in testa, effectively stating the head register begins at G4 in the "tenore lyrico," not at E4.^[4]According to Singing For Dummies, the bass changes from chest voice into middle voice around A3 or Ab3 below Middle C and changes into his head voice around D4 or C#4 above Middle C. ^[5]

According to Martin, in the head register that is above the the chest register some of the bottom end leaves the voice, but it's still a voice capable of much power.^[6]

According to Clippinger, often explanations for the physiological mechanisms behind the head voice alter from voice teacher to voice teacher. This is because, according to Clippinger: "In discussing the head voice it is the purpose to avoid as much as possible the mechanical construction of the instrument".^[7]

1. ^ Clippinger, David A. (1917). The Head Voice and Other Problems: Practical Talks on Singing. Oliver Ditson Company, Page 12. at Project Gutenberg
2. ^ Clippinger, David A. (1917). The Head Voice and Other Problems: Practical Talks on Singing. Oliver Ditson Company, Page 24. 
3. ^ Martin, Bill (2002). Pro Secrets Of Heavy Rock Singing. Sanctuary Publishing, Page 10. ISBN 1-86074-437-0. 
4. ^ Miller, Richard (1993). Training Tenor Voices. Schirmer, Pages 3, 4 & 6. ISBN 978-0028713977. 
5. ^ Pamelia S. Phillips. Identifying the Fab Four of Singing Voices (English). Wiley Publishing. Retrieved on 18th February 2007. “Bass is the lowest of the voice types...”
6. ^ Martin, Bill (2002). Pro Secrets Of Heavy Rock Singing. Sanctuary Publishing, Page 11. ISBN 1-86074-437-0. 
7. ^ Clippinger, David A. (1917). The Head Voice and Other Problems: Practical Talks on Singing. Oliver Ditson Company, Page 14. 

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