Question about head voice and high notes

Question

Isn't the head voice where you feel the vibrations of singing in your head, whereas the chest voice is where you feel them in your upper chest? I am confident I have sung in chest voice several times, but I don't think I have ever sung in head voice! However, most times I do not notice any vibrating at all.

I notice that when I try to sing high notes, I have to sing louder to get them! In contrast, when I sing in lower notes, a normal to low volume is sufficient. Could me unwittingly staying in chest voice have anything to do with this when I try to sing high notes? Or do higher notes in general require more volume than low notes to be sung?

Also, I feel my singing a lot in my throat. While there is no pain or hoarseness in my voice, there is a slight tension there, especially when trying high notes or sustaining any note for too long. Some websites have said this is wrong. Is that correct? It may be my breathing is wrong. I am a novice singer, so there is a lot I don't know. Does transitioning into head voice require more volume or air?

Thank you!

Answer 1

The terms "head" and "chest" voice don't actually make a whole lot of sense since classical singing pretty much invariably tries to sing with an "open" throat and the feeling of singing on an air column starting on the diaphragm and reaching to the "mask" which feels like more of the source of sound than the throat should: if you ask a megaphone which part of it feels "the loudest", it will probably misidentify the actual sound of vibration as well.

I think you'll find a lot of useful information in the questions How do I know if I am using mixed voice? and What is the difference between male head voice and falsetto?.