Question:
Why is it most male worship leaders (or all the ones I've known ) tend to use bad vocal technique and not use falsetto and strain? Is falsetto considered unholy or unworshipful or something? Did Satan invent falsetto? I'm the only worship leader at my church that uses falsetto when necessary. Whenever I do, the other singers are like "Full voice it, dude!" and I'm like, "Take voice lessons, dude! ". So yeah. I was just wondering why this was and if you guys strain or how many worship leaders you know strain.
Answer:
1. If you're doing songs in a key that is so high that you're having to either go into falsetto or strain then you're doing the songs in a key that is too high. For good reason most people feel really uncomfortable singing so high that they're straining or going falsetto. Further girls don't have a falsetto so they probably won't enjoy being forced to squick.
2. Singing along with someone who is going in and out of falsetoo isn't the easiest to singing along with.
3. Though falsetto may be good form to your voice teacher, your average Joe generally doesnt appreciate your falsetto. Most guys falsetto doesn't sound very good. If you don't have a really good falsetto, it sounds goofy and it will become a distraction. And even if you have a really good falsetto it can still be distracting. The people in the congregation aren't voice teachers. You need to sing in way that best facilitates corporate worship.
Answer:
Yeah, I agree with what Sean said, although girls do have falsetto it just doesn't expand their range in such a way as a male's falsetto does.
Answer:
Falsetto is fine to do, if not in a worship situation. If a girl or guy has to go into falsetto, chances are, the congregation is going to find it really difficult to follow your singing. It's far better to sing in a key that is reasonable for both men and women to sing okay in.

As for the guys who are singing in full voice, are the songs in a higher key?

Again, it's far better to change the key of the song so it's comfortable for the congregation to sing.
Answer:
Okay so your feel really proud of your Fake voice hmmm... and you want others to sound like you. because of the fullness in your voice.
Give others around you the chance to be who they are. If you are singing to loud you are not blending with those around you. and that's not okay.
Maybe you should focus on spending more time with your fellow worshipers in other things than singing and you won't feel so out of place.
I teach a vocal course every monday to regular people in the congration who just want to sing better. They have a hard enough time trying to sing in their speaking voice or chest voice let alone trying to follow someone who is using head voice or falcetto.
Not to harp on you, I believe you have a genuine desire to worship God but I just feel something creepy about your current attitude.
Ask your vocal teacher to help you with your passagio and then you could get a healthy mix of your falcetto and your head voice. singing in your register bridges is difficult and could give you that challenge that your looking for without making yourself painfully out of place.
Answer:
I'm just talking about the lower part of my falsetto (about the first half of an octave from where I have to switch from chest voice), and the first half octave sounds exactly like chest voice, because I have been using it constantly for like 2 years and it has enough trebble and fullness that people usually can't even tell when I switch. And it is not hard for people to follow when I switch because it is just as on key as my chest voice and almost as full. Actually, once we did a three part, in which our worship leader was singing melody, a female singer was singing the first harmony, and they asked me to sing the second harmony. The first time, by default, I sang it higher than the girl. I'm like "Oops I'll go down an octave" and they all said it sounded really good so they had me just sing it like that That worked fine, people followed alright, and no one was distracted.
So I guess my question was answered. They don't use falsetto because they think it will be a distraction and hard to follow because their falsettos are not developed. Makes sense. Thanks guys
Answer:
I know little or nothing (well, actually I know a bit) about proper voice technique (especially in the upper ranges), but it seems as though most guys wouldn't have to falsetto until they got above about a high E or so. If you're singing higher than that, you need to drop the key anyway, 'cause there's no way that your congregation is going to be able to do that. The highest note I've ever sung in a song we've played is a high F# (in the song "Give Me Jesus," done in the key of D)... and we didn't sing that one congregationally on account of that note.
Seriously... drop the key instead of looking down on others who haven't learned classical vocal techniques.
In His love,
Nate
Answer:
The only time I will falsetto is if I am in the choir and myself and the other tenors decide to really disgrace the music by freestyling (we can't read music, so we just do whatever and spontaneously end up coordinating), in which case myself and one tenor will falsetto while the other one will keep it at a more mellow level and be less fragile about it.
Congregationally... falsetto and strain are not good ideas. Outside of that area, I love it. But a congregation has a hard time following it.
A better question to ask, perhaps, is why so many male worship leaders have such horrible voices.
Answer:
Jesse, if you are a backing vocalist singing with others, then it's fine, but if you are the main worship leader "voice", then it's not a good idea!
Answer:
My 2 cents
I think It's a gift from God that alot of male worship leaders don't demonstrate the best vocal prowess. It really helped to bread a worship culture that says anyone could do what they were doing. All you need is an accoustic guitar and the right heart. What has resulted is alot of small groups with really fresh music and more hearts turned to God than you could possibly imagine. The vineyard label demolished the hosana integrity group because of the popular appeal of those "crummy singers".
I could talk forever on this subject so I'll just leave it at this. Thank you Jesus for all the crummy singers who've inspired me to step out and do what I do today.
Answer:
Originally Posted by Nate I know little or nothing (well, actually I know a bit) about proper voice technique (especially in the upper ranges), but it seems as though most guys wouldn't have to falsetto until they got above about a high E or so. If you're singing higher than that, you need to drop the key anyway, 'cause there's no way that your congregation is going to be able to do that. The highest note I've ever sung in a song we've played is a high F# (in the song "Give Me Jesus," done in the key of D)... and we didn't sing that one congregationally on account of that note.
Seriously... drop the key instead of looking down on others who haven't learned classical vocal techniques.
In His love,
Nate Yeah my chest voice ends at about high E if I don't strain.
Congregationally... falsetto and strain are not good ideas. Outside of that area, I love it. But a congregation has a hard time following it. I'm okay with falsetto anywhere, but I've trained myself not to strain.
A better question to ask, perhaps, is why so many male worship leaders have such horrible voices. age No kidding
Originally Posted by Nix Jesse, if you are a backing vocalist singing with others, then it's fine, but if you are the main worship leader "voice", then it's not a good idea! Yeah I'd have to agree with that
Originally Posted by Jason The only time I will falsetto is if I am in the choir and myself and the other tenors decide to really disgrace the music by freestyling (we can't read music, so we just do whatever and spontaneously end up coordinating), in which case myself and one tenor will falsetto while the other one will keep it at a more mellow level and be less fragile about it. Not many tenors use falsetto, but most worship leaders are like, baritones who don't use falsetto anyways
Originally Posted by Jumpinjoegraham My 2 cents
I think It's a gift from God that alot of male worship leaders don't demonstrate the best vocal prowess. It really helped to bread a worship culture that says anyone could do what they were doing. All you need is an accoustic guitar and the right heart. What has resulted is alot of small groups with really fresh music and more hearts turned to God than you could possibly imagine. The vineyard label demolished the hosana integrity group because of the popular appeal of those "crummy singers".
I could talk forever on this subject so I'll just leave it at this. Thank you Jesus for all the crummy singers who've inspired me to step out and do what I do today. I see where you're coming from and agree with you
Answer:
Dude, I'd like to slap your voice teacher for turning you into such a snob. Proper singing is when it communicates with people, not when it's opera and choir techniques. By those standards you can find fault with Steven Curtis Chapman, Micheal Tait, Mack Powell or any of the greats and what good would that do you?
I'll tell you bad singing technique - the music minister at my church trying to sing Matt Redmon and United songs in his well-trained choir voice. Rock songs sung with a choir voice does not communicate the songs properly. That's bad technique.
I don't think you understand the singing registers. I know I have three that I refer to a chest, head and falsetto. The range of each depends on my posture and volume. But that's just me. If you hear me sing, try to focus on the sound of my voice, not on the veins in my neck.
p.s. I've probably spent a lot more money on voice lessons than you have.
Answer:
Joe High fives Thud...
Not trying to pick on you but that's what I wanted to say.
Don't give occasion to the enemy, learn from this and grow from it.
It's a gift from God to worhsip him it's not your gift that matters.
Answer:
Oh. Um... sorry. Just wondering. Ask a possibly offensive question if taken the wrong way to an easily offended audience and get ganged up on. Good thing you guys don't know where I live, or you might get so into worshiping God that you'd gang beat me and leave me in a dumpster to die. Question answered, thread clopsed
Answer:
Dude, I'd like to slap your voice teacher for turning you into such a snob. Proper singing is when it communicates with people, not when it's opera and choir techniques. By those standards you can find fault with Steven Curtis Chapman, Micheal Tait, Mack Powell or any of the greats and what good would that do you?
I'll tell you bad singing technique - the music minister at my church trying to sing Matt Redmon and United songs in his well-trained choir voice. Rock songs sung with a choir voice does not communicate the songs properly. That's bad technique.
I don't think you understand the singing registers. I know I have three that I refer to a chest, head and falsetto. The range of each depends on my posture and volume. But that's just me. If you hear me sing, try to focus on the sound of my voice, not on the veins in my neck.
p.s. I've probably spent a lot more money on voice lessons than you have.
Treat others on the boards with respect. Do not make personal attacks on others, "flame" other users (or post flame-bait posts), or generally treat other users in a disrespectful or demeaning manner. Posts of this nature, depending on severity, will have their authors warned and/or posts edited or deleted.

That was straight from the rules of conduct of this site. I'm sure fallingupwraks got the idea way in the beginning of this thread. To make personal attack on him and how he has been taught was not Christ like at all, especially the demeaning manner you took upon him.

Your post was totally uncalled for and an apology is called for.