Though its name sounds derogatory, falsetto is not some kind of trickery but a technique used by humans for as long as they have been singing.
It has its histories in indigenous, folk, and classical music. Yet modern ears probably associate it most with pop music of all kinds-from the harmonious vocal blends of Doo Wop to the operatic harmonies of Queen to... well, virtually every song from a male singer today.
Falsetto is different from what's called "head voice," as many a vocal coach will point out. "Usually found in the upper registers of male and female singers," writes one such coach, "the breathy quality of falsetto" is often "used for effect to sound otherworldly and beautiful or young."
Falsetto has had phases when women adopted it to majorly prominent effect. It has of late become a very clear trend among male pop stars, Caswell theorizes: "Justin Bieber, The Weeknd, Bruno Mars, Drake, Charlie Puth, Shawn Mendes, Adam Levine, Sam Smith... the list goes on and on and on."
What's all this about?
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Think of John Lennon's guitars and most likely his Epiphone Casino, or maybe his Rickenbacker 325 or Gibson J-160E acoustic-electric. You almost certainly don't think of the Sardonyx 800 D II. But Lennon used the Sardonyx during the making of his last album, 1980's Double Fantasy. The Sardonyx is something of a mystery guitar. Its builder, Jeff Levin, built his Sardonyx guitars at home and sold them through Umanov's, which is most likely where Lennon acquired his.
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IN THE BASSMENT
The Guitar Summit in Mannheim took place at the end of last month and showcased loads of new instruments from luthiers around the world. Paul Belgrado was on hand with a trio of basses including his new model called the NaNo, which fuses several classic styles and has a shortened 30.29-inch scale.
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is filled with practical and highly musical techniques and information that will benefit bass players of any style and ability level, especially those who have passed beyond the 'beginner' stage. This is a great addition to the library of every bass player. I am very impressed! " - Dr. Robert Cutietta, Dean of the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California.
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WATCH THIS
John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery was an American jazz guitarist. He is widely considered one of the major jazz guitarists, emerging after such seminal figures as Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian and influencing countless others. Montgomery was known for an unusual technique of plucking the strings with the side of his thumb which granted him a distinctive sound. Watch him rehearse the band!
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LEARN HERE
5 Things To Know About Pickups
This unassuming coil of wire is the thing that makes your tone electric. Without this, you are just playing a quiet acoustic guitar made out of solid wood. This little factory creates an electrical current that represents the sound of your precious playing all the way until it hits the airwaves again through a speaker. So the way in which that current is created is the cornerstone of your tone.
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GREAT GEAR
The original attack decay from the 1980s was dubbed a "tape reverse simulator" for its ability to produce backward tape sounds as well as reverse volume swells, bowed-instrument textures, synth sounds and tremolo effects. This modernized version also provides synthesizer-like control over the attack and decay of the notes played into it, and it adds such features as Poly mode, three user presets, gain, tone and volume controls for the Harmonix fuzz, an effects loop and an expression input that allows for pedal or CV control over every knob.
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ARTIST AWARENESS
Chuck Rainey is a bassist whose locked-in style has given him a five-decade career. Rainey had dalliances with various instruments in school, moving on to rhythm guitar and finally bass. His affinity with the low end began when, as part of the King Curtis All-Stars, he supported the Beatles on their second US stint in 1965. He is one of the most sought-after sessionists; having worked with a vast number of top names, from Quincy Jones to Steely Dan, Minnie Riperton, Ry Cooder, Marvin Gaye and Dusty Springfield. His work can also be found across numerous TV shows, ads and movie soundtracks.
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