TWENTY-ONE YEARS AS A PROFESSOR OF OPERATIVE DENTISTRY AND ORAL SURGERY AT
HARVARD UNIVERSITY; MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION,
THE ACADEMY OF DENTAL SCIENCE, THE NEW ENGLAND OTOLOGICAL
AND LARYNGOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, ETC.; LECTURER
ON VOICE DEVELOPMENT.

BOSTON
OLIVER DITSON COMPANY

NEW YORK
CHAS. H. DITSON & CO.

CHICAGO
LYON & HEALY

Copyright, 1911
By Oliver Ditson Company

Copyright secured internationally

[Pg vii]

Efforts to develop my own voice, as well as the voices of my patients after surgeries for cleft palate, supported by anatomical study, led to a strategy for focusing and enhancing the human voice that is quite different from anything else published or, as far as I know, proposed before. This strategy has been so effective in my later years that I feel confident offering it for the consideration of speakers and singers.

While twenty-five years ago, few of the principles described here were acknowledged or even recognized, in the past decade, almost all of them have been promoted separately by various teachers or writers. Currently, originality lies in organizing these principles into a systematic, cohesive framework and developing a simpler and more practical method for applying them, making it much easier to achieve the desired results quickly.

It is the goal of this volume to explain the value of each element in creating the perfect tone and to show the principles that, if applied correctly and sincerely, will bring out the best possible qualities in each individual voice and prepare the student to pursue the more advanced skills of speaking and singing.

In 1903, I wrote a series of articles on The Art of Vocalism, which were published in The Étude during May, June, and July of that year. These articles are included in this work. Along with various instruments and conditions, key principles are stated and reiterated. This repetition is considered helpful so that the basics remain clear and firmly in focus.

I believe that a thorough study of this book will be really helpful for teachers and advanced students of singing[Pg viii] and speaking, especially for new teachers just starting their careers. Its approach will be suitable for teaching students at all levels, from kindergarten to music conservatories and speech schools.

I will be pleased if this result of years of experience, ongoing study, and proven methods helps those who want to master the art of beautiful speaking and singing.

[Pg ix]

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Footnotes

[Pg 1]

When I was young, I was surrounded by examples of poor vocal techniques common in a small town and faced the popular mistakes of that time, with little chance to learn the principles, which were not even effectively taught. By middle age, I had given up on singing entirely and struggled to speak loudly enough to be heard at any distance or for long periods. However, my professional responsibilities to my patients later forced me to explore vocal physiology. I approached this by following the ideas that were popular at the time.

About 1880, I realized that many of the ideas at the time were wrong, and I decided to start fresh and carefully observe how each organ involved in vocalization and articulation worked. To achieve this, I looked for vocal training and guidance, which, combined with my own observations, led to very satisfying results.

Up until then, it was believed that the nasal cavities needed to be blocked off from the mouth by the soft palate closing against the back of the throat; that any sound escaping above the palate would create a nasal twang, and that sound was only amplified and developed in the throat and mouth. My experience in Oral[Pg 2] Surgery, alongside my vocal studies, exposed this misconception and showed me the real importance of nasal resonance.

The late Mrs. Rudersdorff had started to understand the impact of nasal resonance, but she didn’t leave behind any published notes on her findings. It seems that neither she nor her peers fully recognized the actual importance of the nasal and head cavities as factors in producing tone, nor did they appreciate how much these areas affected its quality and strength.

There are probably few topics with a wider range of opinions than voice culture, and even fewer that have had so many books written about them. Few aspects are agreed upon, and completely contradictory statements are expressed about each one.

In the past, a lot of emphasis was placed on the difference between "head tones" and "chest tones," "closed tones" and "open tones." The entire music community was trapped by "voice registers," and the main challenge for both singers and vocal teachers was to "blend the registers," a task that still puzzles many instructors today.

Many teachers and singers now believe that vocal registers are not a natural part of the voice. However, many still cling to the idea of "register," relying on the unreliable information provided by the laryngoscope, not understanding that the small lens can show as many different conditions as there are observers. Garcia, the inventor of the laryngoscope, quickly changed his initial claims about its usefulness in vocal training.

On this point, we have the account of his biographer, M.S. McKinley:

"As far as Garcia was concerned, the laryngoscope lost its usefulness as soon as he finished his initial investigations. By examining the glottis, he was satisfied to confirm that all his theories about how the voice is produced were completely accurate. After that[Pg 3], he didn't believe anything more could be gained, except to satisfy the curiosity of those interested in witnessing the shapes and changes that occur inside the larynx while singing and speaking."

Of similar meaning is the statement from the renowned baritone, Sir Charles Santley, who, in his Art of Singing, says:

"Manuel Garcia is recognized as the pioneer of the scientific approach to teaching singing. He was—but he taught singing, not surgery! I was one of his students in 1858 and a friend of his while he was alive; [1] and throughout all the conversations I had with him, I never heard him mention the larynx or pharynx, glottis, or any other organ involved in voice production and emission. He was well aware of their functions, but he used that knowledge for his own guidance, not to show off in front of his students."

The well-known London surgeon and voice expert, Dr. Morell Mackenzie, states about the laryngoscope, "It can hardly be said to have shed any new light on how the voice works"; and Dr. Lennox Browne admits that, "While the laryngoscope has been valuable in a physiological sense, and certainly in a medical sense, it has made all theories of voice production overly reliant on the vocal cords, causing the significance of other parts of the vocal system to be ignored."

Not just when it comes to "registers," but also in terms of resonance, focus, articulation, and the functions and uses of different vocal organs, there are conflicting viewpoints. From this confusion, a clear system must eventually emerge.

A generation ago, the art of breathing was starting to be studied more, but the real benefits of proper lateral abdominal breathing weren't widely recognized or valued. It was still taught that the larynx (voice box) should bounce up and down like a jack-in-the-box with every change in pitch, and that "female breathing" needed to be done[Pg 4] with a pumping motion of the chest and the raising and lowering of the collarbone.

Fortunately, teachers and singers recognized good tone when they heard it, and many taught much better than they realized, so the public didn’t have to wait for a deep understanding of the subject to enjoy excellent singing and speaking. Yet many singers had their voices damaged during training, hindering their success as vocalists, while others, a bit less unfortunate, still dealt with the consequences of injuries caused by incorrect methods in their early years. Jenny Lind's perfect vocal cords were severely affected at the age of twelve due to wrong techniques, and they only recovered after a long period of rest. As a result, her beautiful voice started to decline long before her strong physique and well before her age required it. Singers trained naturally should be able to sing as long as their strength lasts, and like Adelaide Phillips, Carl Formes, and Sims Reeves, perform their sweetest songs in their later years. Martel, at seventy years old, had a full, rich voice. He focused all his notes evenly and used deep abdominal breathing.

The whole issue of voice training has become clouded by controversy. The loud supporters of different systems, each claiming to be "the only true method," have turned the discussion complicated with a lot of irrelevant points, making its fundamental simplicity harder to see.

The "scientific" teachers, at one end, have focused too much on the mechanics of the voice. The "empiricists" have swung to the other end by ignoring basic facts in acoustics, physiology, and psychology.

The truth is that no purely human ability, especially one as delicate as singing, can be developed mechanically; nor, on the other hand, can the simple ipse dixit of any teacher meet the expectations of today's spirit.[Pg 5]

The positions being suggested here, because they appear both logical and straightforward, are:

1. The singing and speaking tones are the same, created by the same organs in the same manner, and enhanced through the same training.

2. For the singer, breathing is simply an enhancement of a healthy daily routine.

3. That "registers" are just a myth.

4. The distinctions like "head tones, chest tones, closed tones, open tones," etc., which are limited to specific parts of the voice range, are distracting classifications that come from misguided training.

5. That resonance shapes the quality and strength of every tone, making it the most crucial aspect of studying and training the voice.

6. The challenges to effective speaking and singing are more psychological than physical.

7. In general, the right way is always the easy way.

[Pg 6]

Since the human voice has been studied systematically, there's been ongoing debate about whether it should be classified as a string instrument, a reed instrument, or a whistle. This discussion seems pointless because, in reality, it's all of these and even more. The human vocal organs create a unique instrument, sui generis, that can't be compared to anything else. It's not only far more complex than any other instrument—able to imitate nearly every instrument in existence and almost every sound found in nature—but it's also incredibly more beautiful, an instrument that is so universally superior to anything made by humans that comparisons and definitions fall short.

The human voice has three components that all musical instruments share—an engine, a vibrating part, and a resonator; plus it has something that no other instruments do—a way to articulate sounds.

1. The breathing muscles and lungs for a motor.

2. The vocal cords for a vibrator.

3. The throat, mouth, and the nasal and head cavities for a resonator.

4. The tongue, lips, teeth, and roof of the mouth for an articulator.

These elements come in a wide range of sizes and shapes, just like the diversity found in people, and each element can also change based on an individual's mood or intent. This ability to change creates a unique power that allows for a variety of tones that no other instrument can match, making it something we admire and[Pg 7] marvel at. The way these different parts are adjusted and interact, driven by the emotions of the singer or speaker, produces tones that express a range of feelings, such as pain or pleasure, sorrow or joy, bravery or fear.

The slight variations in physical traits, along with the more subtle differences in the mental aspects of personality, explain the unique sound of the voice known as timbre, which is simply another term for individuality[Pg 8] as shown by each person. The same basic elements are present in all voices, from the deep bass to the high soprano.

That the reader may better understand the size and relationships of the different parts of the vocal system, a cross-sectional drawing of the head is provided, showing the natural position of the vocal organs when at rest. Since the drawing represents only a vertical section of the head, the reader should note that the sinuses, like the eyes and nostrils, are paired on the right and left sides of the face. The position of the maxillary sinuses within the maxillary or cheekbones cannot be depicted in this drawing.

The dark shading shows the spaces in the throat, nose, and head. The relationships between the parts are represented more accurately than any diagram could display. You'll notice that vibrations from the larynx would travel directly behind the soft palate into the nasal chamber and directly into the mouth. The nasal roof is made up of two bones located between the eyes: the sphenoid, also known as the wedge-bone, which connects with all the other bones in the head, and the ethmoid, or sieve-like bone. The structure of these two bones, especially the ethmoid, is made up of very thin plates or layers that create a network of air cavities, which connect through small openings to the nasal cavity below. As a result, the vibrations in the nose are transmitted to the air spaces above, enhancing the effective qualities of the head vibrations and contributing to the tone.

The larynx, or voice box, contains the vocal cords. Just above the vocal cords on each side is a large, deep cavity called the ventricle. These cavities amplify the primary vibrations created by the cords and help increase their intensity as they project from the larynx. The larynx is the organ that vibrates to produce sound. It’s located at the base of the tongue and is so closely connected to it through attachment to the hyoid[Pg 9] bone, which is also attached to the tongue, that it can only move slightly on its own. Therefore, it has to move with the tongue when forming words. The internal muscles of the larynx adjust the position of its walls, regulating the closeness and tension of the vocal cords. The male larynx is larger and features the Adam's apple. In both genders, the larynx for lower voices, like alto or bass, is bigger than those for higher voices, like soprano or tenor. The larynx and tongue shouldn’t rise with the pitch of the voice but should drop naturally as the lower jaw drops when the mouth opens while ascending the scale. Keeping the tongue in the proper position will help ensure that the larynx is also in the right position. The less focus the larynx gets, the better it performs.

The vocal cords aren't actually cords or bands; they're thick sections of membrane that stretch across the inside of the larynx. However, for familiarity, we’ll still refer to them as vocal cords. They can be compared to the lips of a cornet player when they’re on the mouthpiece. The pitch of the tone is determined by how tight the vocal cords are and the width and length of the gap between them. Their tension and positioning adjust automatically to produce the right pitch without any conscious effort from the singer. They don’t require special training; they just need to be left alone. When functioning naturally, the vocal cords are essential but don't cause strain or fatigue. If the larynx and its supporting muscles are relaxed, as they are during deep, easy breathing, the vocal cords will naturally tighten enough to vocalize the air and create the correct pitch. Normal use of the cords won’t lead to hoarseness or discomfort. The sound should seem to come from the resonance chambers, not from the throat, which involves the vocal cords.[Pg 10]

The epiglottis is the flap that covers the top opening of the larynx. It not only seals the larynx when you swallow food but also plays a significant role in turning the vibrations created by the vocal cords into sound.

The pharynx runs from the larynx to the nasal cavity. The size of the opening into the nasal chamber is controlled by the soft palate and can often be completely closed. The size of the pharynx changes with the contraction and relaxation of the circular muscles in its tissue; when swallowing, its walls touch each other. The pharynx functions similarly to the expanding tube of brass instruments. It enhances the strength and richness of the sound waves. The wider the pharynx opens, without restriction, the fuller the resonance and the better the tone.

The lower jaw provides attachment for the muscles of the tongue and the hyoid bone. It also regulates, due to the connections between the larynx and the hyoid bone, the muscles that hold the larynx in place.

The pterygoid muscles, which move the lower jaw forward and backward, don’t connect with the larynx, so they won’t compress that organ or interfere with the vocal apparatus. A relaxed lower jaw allows the vocal cords to move more freely and creates better resonance. The lower jaw should gradually drop as the voice ascends the scale, slightly opening the mouth wider with each increase in pitch. As you go higher in your range, it helps to open your throat a bit more. This will make your delivery easier, and the tone will sound much better. At the highest pitch, the mouth should open fully. At the same time, be careful not to pull the corners of your mouth back, like when you smile, because this reduces the resonance of the tone and makes it sound flat.[Pg 11]

The lower jaw needs to have a good range of movement when speaking, but definitely avoid mumbling and cutting off words by closing your jaw instead of completing them with the right speech organs, which are the tongue and lips.

Writers on the voice have almost universally claimed that the main function of the soft palate is to block off the nasal and head cavities from the throat and to direct the vibrations out through the mouth, allowing little to none to escape into the nasal passages.

This argument suggests that the vibrations reach the upper cavities, if they do at all, through the walls of the palate itself, not through an opening behind the palate. This completely contradicts what I and other expert specialists have observed. The real role of the soft palate is to adjust the opening into the nose, tuning the resonant cavities to match the pitch and timbre of the notes produced by the vocal cords and throat. To develop vowel sounds, the soft palate should be pushed forward, allowing air to pass freely into the nose; it should only be closed to create consonants that require a strong burst of breath from the mouth.

The uvula, the dangling tip of the soft palate, acts as a valve to better adjust the opening behind the soft palate according to the pitch of the voice. When producing a low tone, the soft palate relaxes and hangs low and forward. As the voice goes higher, the soft palate becomes tense, elevates, and the uvula shortens, which reduces the opening behind the palate, but it never completely closes. In fact, the larger the opening that can be maintained, the richer and better the tone. The author didn’t fully understand this until he learned to feel the position of the soft palate while vocalizing.[Pg 12]

The hard palate and upper teeth partly make up the walls of the mouth. Since they are solid structures, they can't be trained or changed. They provide a point of contact in speech and contribute to sympathetic resonance.

The bones that make up the roof of the mouth also form the floor of the nasal cavity.

The lower teeth also act as barriers to help support the tongue while it carries out its functions.

The nasal and head cavities are resonating chambers that can’t be specially trained, but their shape, size, and how they are used have a great impact on the voice's resonance. If the vibrations are strong in this area, all other parts will vibrate in harmony.

When reacting to the perfectly focused tone, the thin walls of the cavities and the air inside vibrate with surprising strength, often temporarily blinding the singer when hitting a note intensely.

Having demonstrated in my surgical work the existence of a previously unrecognized connection or canal between the air cavities of the face and those of the forehead,[2] the way resonance plays out in the cavities above the nostrils is now easier to understand. The function of the cavities called the frontal sinuses (see Fig. 1) has been a mystery for a long time, but now that their direct connection with the lower cavities has been proven, and the important role of resonance is starting to be recognized, the mystery fades away. The same can be said for the other sinuses—ethmoidal, sphenoidal, and maxillary—and their interconnections.

[Pg 13]

In musical instruments, changes in the size and shape of the resonance chambers impact both the pitch and the quality of the sound. This is seen in instruments like the trombone, French horn, and other wind instruments. When the trombone's tube is lengthened, the pitch of the note goes down, while cupping the hand inside the bell of the French horn raises the pitch. If the changes in length or shape are minor, the sound can become sharp or flat, causing the instrument to go out of tune. In the human body, all the organs work together as a whole; therefore, the fact that just the cavities might affect pitch isn’t really that important.

The tongue and lips are the speech organs, and the tongue plays a key role in changing the shape of the mouth cavity through its movements.

The tip of the tongue should usually rest against the front bottom teeth. However, the tip of the tongue should often touch the roof of the mouth near the upper front teeth, especially when pronouncing the consonants c, d, g, j, l, n, s, and t. The back part of the tongue needs to lift slightly to close against the soft palate when pronouncing hard g, k, along with hard c, q, and x. The soft palate lowers enough to meet the tongue, so the elevation of the tongue only needs to be very slight.

When speaking, the demand isn’t as urgent, but when singing, the tongue should lay as flat as possible to open up the mouth more, especially when producing vowel sounds.

If the tongue can sometimes act up, it’s usually because the surrounding muscles are tense or working too hard. This issue will only get worse with any kind of artificial restriction. The best approach is to stop being so aware of your tongue, let go, and you’ll find a natural flexibility will come through easily.[Pg 14]

The lips, just like the tongue, are important for speech. The upper lip is the main player of the two; the lower lip tends to follow the upper's lead. The lips require a lot of training, which can be easily done. When practicing to train your lips, both should be pushed forward and upward while saying the word "too." Try to lift the edge of the upper lip as high towards the nose as you can during practice. This will pull the corners of the mouth forward and lift the lips away from the teeth, creating an additional resonance space. This lip position also allows for easier pronunciation. "The upper lip plays the most active role in shaping the vowels. It should never be pressed against the teeth when making vowel sounds; in fact, there should often be a small gap between the upper lip and the teeth, so that the sound waves can vibrate freely."

The nostrils should be opened as much as possible, as a relaxed, wide nose produces a clear, rich sound, while a pinched nostril creates the nasal tone that is often undesirable. Proper training of the facial muscles makes this opening achievable. Lifting the upper lip and pushing it forward greatly helps with this action.

There is a strong tendency for the nostrils, lips, and soft palate to work together. The soft palate moves down and forward when the upper lip sticks out and the nostrils open, and it moves back and up when the nostrils close and the upper lip is resting on the teeth.

As a rule, the best singers have full, round, wide, open nostrils, either natural or developed through practice.[Pg 15]

Not only do the lips and nose need to be trained, but the muscles in the face do too. These muscles can be really useful if they are properly conditioned.

The artist on stage or the speaker at the podium, without any facial expression created by muscle movement, can cut his influence over an audience by half. Training the facial muscles is a complex task. To do this, stand in front of a mirror and make all the silly faces a schoolboy would invent to entertain his friends. Lift each corner of your lips, scrunch your nose, furrow your brow, grin, and laugh. These expressions won’t be part of the performance, but they will have a significantly positive impact on it.

[Pg 16]

A generation ago, people understood the speaking voice even less than the singing voice. The close relationship between the two was only partially recognized. Only a few individuals realized what is now widely accepted: that one effective way to enhance the speaking voice is to develop the singing voice.

In 1887, I published a paper in the Independent Practitioner defining the singing voice and the speaking voice as the same. I argued that the training for both should be the same when it comes to tone formation, a conclusion I reached several years earlier. My experiences since then have only reinforced this belief.

The past has had many great speakers, including Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, Edwin Booth, Wm. Charles Macready, and Edward Everett. About Everett, Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote: "It is with delight that one who remembers Edward Everett in his robes of rhetorical splendor, recalls his fully developed, vividly colored, richly detailed speech; the deep, resonant, serious, far-reaching music of his words, with just enough nasal quality to give the vocal soundboard its proper value in the harmonies of speech." However, these examples of proper vocalization were the exception rather than the rule; they happened to speak well, but the physiological mechanisms of the vocal organs that produced such results in those individual cases were not understood. Because of this, a student eager to emulate them and unlock the full potential of their voice had no guidelines to follow. Few could speak comfortably, even fewer could be heard by a large audience, and sore throats appeared to be the norm.[Pg 17]

In singing, the flow of sound is smooth between the words, but in speaking, it gets interrupted. In singing, notes are held and shift from one pitch to another with specific intervals across a broad range that includes notes not used in speech. In speaking, sound is not held, lacks defined pitch, is restricted to a limited range, and the duration of the sounds isn't dictated by musical measures.

Notwithstanding these differences, singing and speaking tones are produced by the vocal organs in the same way, are focused exactly the same, have the same resonance, and are delivered in the same manner. It has been said that speech differs from song like walking differs from dancing. Speech can be seen as the prose, and song as the poetry of vocalization.

Over the last ten years, our understanding of the speaking voice has expanded significantly, and the techniques for developing tone have improved. We're increasingly recognizing the connection between singing and speaking voices, and we're using similar methods to train each. As Dr. Morell Mackenzie puts it: "Singing is beneficial for good speaking, since the greater includes the lesser."

The acknowledgment of this truth will greatly benefit the advancement of singing in public schools, as expanding activities shared by both speaking and singing fosters unity and teamwork in teaching and learning.

An accurate sense of pitch, melody, harmony, and rhythm is essential for a singer, but a speaker can, through practice, develop a speaking voice with musical quality without being able to tell Old Hundred apart from The Last Rose of Summer.

It’s commonly seen that American singers, even if they work hard on their French and German, often disregard, or are even careless about, the clear and[Pg 18] polished enunciation of their own language. Mr. W.J. Henderson, in his recent book, The Art of the Singer, states: "The typical American singer can’t sing in his own language so that an audience can understand him; most of the songs we hear are songs without words." Fortunately, this situation is slowly improving, partly because of the influence of visiting singers and actors. In storytelling songs and oratorios, poor delivery is unacceptable, but when the lyrics of a song are the poetic expressions of a true artist, careless delivery becomes unacceptable.

Beauty of tone isn't everything; just singing beautiful sounds is only a way to please the ear. The main issue with the Italian school of singing—and composition—has been its too much focus on beautiful sound as the only goal. A singer must always remember that their job is to bring text to life with tone. The songs of Schubert, Schumann, Franz, Brahms, Grieg, Strauss, and Wolf, along with Wagner's operas, are important for the way they combine text and music. Therefore, a singer is an interpreter, not just of music, but of text that becomes powerful through music.

Pronunciation also matters not just for the listener, but for the singer and speaker as well, because pure tone and clear pronunciation are interconnected; one cannot exist without the other. In his intriguing book, The Singing of the Future, Mr. Ffrangcon-Davies argues that, "the quickest way to achieve fine tone is through clear pronunciation."

We can’t think without words or express our thoughts without speaking. Vocal expression is thought made clear. So, rather than focusing solely on tone, training should prioritize the spoken word. The student should aim “to sing a word rather than a tone.” Proper pronunciation and beautiful tone are so closely linked that they can’t be separated.

The singer and speaker need all sounds to be clear and pure. Trying to develop the voice by focusing too much on any single vowel or syllable, like the syllable ah, is harmful. Not only is this vowel sound, as Lilli Lehmann points out, "the most difficult," but it also hinders the correct pronunciation of all words throughout the entire range of the voice. Therefore, diction and tone work should go together. "The way vowels blend into each other and consonants fit into their places significantly affects the character of the tone itself." Without precise pronunciation, emotionally powerful speech and song are impossible. The composer Gounod states, "Pronunciation creates eloquence." Mr. Forbes-Robertson, the English expert on dramatic diction, says on behalf of his profession: "The issue with modern stage delivery comes from the actor's strong desire to perform well. In trying to be natural, he slurs his words like many people do in everyday life. Much of this can be improved by constantly remembering the true importance of vowels, the sharp impact of consonants, and the need to project the voice until the last word is delivered. There needs to be, so to speak, plenty of wind in the bellows. The key is to project the sound from the front of the mouth.... The actor must learn to breathe deeply from the diaphragm and time his breaths correctly. All too often, the last word is not emphasized, and that word is often the most crucial.... Acting schools are valuable,... but ultimately, actors, like everyone else, must be taught how to speak as children at home, in school, and in society."

In pronunciation, the words should feel like they are shaped by the upper lip and come out through it. With this approach, you’ll find it easy to pronounce clearly. The words will be formed outside the mouth and can be easily heard, like when someone is speaking in front of a screen instead of behind it. Just one smart try will be enough to prove this point. Thinking of the upper lip as the creator of the words makes speaking easy and singing enjoyable.

Smiling while talking makes the words sound flat and silly, so the corners of the mouth should be kept pushed forward.[Pg 20]

It might be helpful to keep in mind that at one end of the vowel scale is—me, and at the other—you.

The teeth and lips are mostly closed at the ends of this scale, and they gradually open toward ah, where they are the farthest apart.

In the series 1-8, the tongue is positioned high in the center for ee and gradually lowers until it lies flat in the mouth for ah.

The upper pharynx is mostly closed in 1, mostly open in 8, and gets more and more closed in the descending series 7'-1'.

The lower pharynx gradually opens in the descending series 7'-1'.

The studies by Helmholtz, Koenig, Willis, Wheatstone, Appunn, Bell, and others have demonstrated that each vowel sound has its own unique pitch. The Scale of Vowel Sounds provided above closely aligns with the order of resonance pitch, from the highest ee to the lowest oo. In the natural resonance of the vowels, ee is highest in the head, ah is in the middle of the scale, and oo has the lowest resonance.

Figure 2 shows the ideal position of the lips to produce the sound of ee. Keep your lower jaw relaxed and as far from the upper teeth as needed to produce the clear sound of this vowel.

Figure 2.

Figure 3 shows the ideal lip position to pronounce the vowel oo.

Figure 3.

Figure 4 shows the position of the lips for the vowel sound of long o. The opening of the lips should be as round as the letter o. When getting ready to make the sound of o, there's a strong tendency to drop the lower jaw; in practice, to develop lip movement, it's better to keep the lower jaw [Pg 21] completely still. You'll find it's possible to produce all the vowel sounds without changing anything other than the shape of the lip opening. The vowel sound of i is an exception; since it's a combination of ah and ee, the two extremes of the vowel scale, it needs two distinct positions to produce and a transition movement between them; therefore, it's not a good vowel for initial practice.

Fig. 4.

Figure 5 shows that the sound aw is made from o by lifting the edge of the upper lip outward and upward, and flattening the raised part side to side.[Pg 22]

Figure 5.

Figure 6 shows how to make the sound ah. It differs from the position for aw because the lips are opened wider, the upper lip is raised more, the flat part is broader, and the lower lip is slightly relaxed. The shape of the mouth for producing aw is oval, while the shape for ah is closer to square.

Figure 6.

Figure 7 shows the jaw relaxed, as it should be in practice, to widen the throat and add fullness and depth to the tone. The use of the word hung will achieve this result.

Fig. 7.

The vowel sounds shown above are included in a set of vocal exercises found in Chapter VIII on Placing the Voice.

[Pg 23]

It is often said that "breathing is singing." This saying also applies to speech. While the phrase isn't literally true, it is a fact that without properly controlled breathing, you can't produce the best singing or speaking tone, since tone is essentially breath that is voiced. Therefore, when developing the voice, breathing should be the first focus.

For a singer or speaker, how well they use their breathing system decides their success or failure; without control over this essential power, everything else falls flat. So, for someone who uses their voice, the most important thing is to have a strong chest, and the second is to have complete control over it.

It shouldn't be assumed that a singer's breathing is something unusual or complicated, because it's simply an enhancement of normal, healthy breathing. However, unlike the casual, untrained breathing of most people, the singer is a professional breather.

There are two groups of respiratory muscles, one for inhaling and another for exhaling—totaling twenty-two or more. The main muscles for inhalation are the diaphragm and the intercostal muscles that lift the ribs. The primary muscles for exhalation are the four groups of abdominal muscles and the intercostal muscles that lower the ribs. The diaphragm is not a muscle of exhalation.

The diaphragm is shaped like an upside-down bowl (Fig. 8). It forms the bottom of the thorax (chest) and the top of the[Pg 24] abdomen. It's attached by a strong tendon to the spine in the back and to the walls of the thorax at its lowest point, which is below the ribs. In front, it connects to the cartilage at the bottom of the ribcage. It also links with the transverse abdominal muscle. When the diaphragm is convex, its fibers contract during inhalation, flattening it downward and pushing down the organs in the abdomen, which increases the depth of the thorax. Exhalation relies completely on other muscles.

Figure 8.

The muscles mentioned so far are the only ones that require "conscious training"; the others will work with them naturally and automatically. The abdominal muscles relax when you inhale, and the diaphragm relaxes when you exhale, making the forces almost equal, although the strength leans towards the muscles used for exhaling. This is important because when speaking or singing, you need to exhale with much more tension than what’s needed for inhaling. Inhaling should be as free as possible from any blockage while singing or speaking. Exhaling should be done with controlled pressure.[Pg 25]

The lungs are soft, spongy organs that don’t function on their own apart from a bit of elasticity. They are driven by the muscles used for breathing.

Figure 8 shows the body's organs in their natural positions. The diaphragm is relaxed and curved upward, like during exhalation. During inhalation, the diaphragm is pulled down until it's almost flat.

The intercostal muscles lift the ribs. The diaphragm contracts and moves down, which further expands the chest by increasing its depth. The abdominal muscles relax, allowing the stomach, liver, and other abdominal organs to shift downward to accommodate the lowered diaphragm. This creates a vacuum in the chest. The lungs expand to fill this vacuum, and air rushes in to fill the expanding lungs.

The intercostal and some abdominal muscles lower the ribs and reduce the size of the chest cavity at the front and sides. The abdominal muscles push in on the abdomen and lift the relaxed diaphragm, which decreases the depth of the thorax. This pressure pushes air out of the lungs, making room for the next breath.

That lateral-abdominal—more accurately chest-abdominal—breathing is recognized as correct and natural for both males and females, and that the shoulders should stay as still as Demosthenes' did under the swords hanging over them, is now widely accepted and doesn’t require further debate. If anyone still has doubts about this, just observe a sleeping baby. They are a perfect example of lateral-abdominal breathing, and no one can see any difference in this function based on sex. Among lower animals, there's no difference in breathing patterns related to sex at any age. The unique aspects of female breathing come from habits developed later in life.

Chest and shoulder movement can be harsh and indicate difficulty in breathing. A singer who relies only on their upper torso and neglects their lower chest will certainly struggle. So, breathe from the lower part of your body, using your entire muscular system together—from below upward. To put it another way, breathe deeply and control deeply, but engage your whole body—breathe from below, not just with your upper chest, or only by expanding sideways, or just by using your abdomen.

Every teacher and student should keep in mind that "singing and speaking require breath and strength," so the ability to breathe should be fully developed. Weak breathing and not properly focusing the voice are the most common reasons for singing off-key. These issues are much more prevalent and problematic than simply having a poor "ear."

Dr. May tested the breathing of 85 people, mostly Indians, and found that 79 out of the 85 used abdominal breathing. The chest breathers came from "civilized" and somewhat "cultured" classes.

Nature has ensured that when we’re resting, we breathe quietly through our noses. However, when someone is exercising and needs more air, they naturally open their mouths to get more oxygen. Similarly, when speaking or singing, air is taken in through the mouth.

Firmness of tone relies on consistent breath pressure. Steadiness of tone depends on controlling the breath, which lets just the right amount of air escape under enough tension to create vocalization.

The tension and rhythm of breathing can slowly ease until the sound disappears, leaving not even a whisper.[Pg 27]

Power and richness of tone rely primarily on the proper use of the resonant cavities, and secondarily on the amount of breath used with proper control.

In producing high notes, you use less air than for low notes, but with more tension. You need complete control of your breath to get the best results from your voice. Full breath control guarantees success for a good voice; without it, even the best voice is bound to fail.

When you fully master muscular action and understand the right way to breathe, the muscles for inhaling and exhaling will work against each other. This means you can pause your breath at any time, whether your lungs are full, partly full, or empty. This is called muscular control of breath. Proper breathing is beneficial for health and gives you strength; it aids in nutrition, reduces body fat, and supports every physical need essential for speaking and singing.

It can't be emphasized enough that the best way to deal with the anxiety that plagues singers and speakers is through deep, controlled breathing, which is a powerful calming tool. When you're nervous, your breath becomes fast, uneven, and shallow. So, take a few slow, intentional, deep, and rhythmic breaths of fresh air through your nose, and the frantic gasping of anxiety will fade away. To help deepen your breath and stop the habit of shallow, chest breathing, breathe in slowly and quietly through your nose, or gently sip the air through your almost closed lips as if you're savoring the very essence of life itself.

To gain control over breathing, the right exercises need to be consistently and thoughtfully practiced. In humans, it seems nature has strayed from its usual path so that[Pg 28] we rarely find someone who breathes properly without being trained in the subject. Our observations about breathing are based on the idea that respiration requires coordinated movement of the body from the collarbone to the bottom of the abdomen; that is, the chest and abdomen should expand and contract together. This is referred to as "lateral-abdominal" breathing; since the chest is the thoracic cavity, "abdomino-thoracic" has been proposed as a shorter and more scientifically accurate term.

Work on any other techniques doesn’t maximize the full power and quality of the voice. Weak breathing is a major cause of a throaty sound. In these situations, people try to boost their tone by tightening their larynx. However, this squeezes the vocal cords, creates more resistance to airflow, and leads to stiffness that hinders proper resonance. The real solution is to increase the airflow, just like an organist does.

The following figures illustrate the outline of proper breathing. The inner abdominal line indicates the endpoint of exhalation; the outer line marks the endpoint of complete inhalation.

Figure 9 shows the limits of full exhalation and inhalation for the male, side view.

Figure 9.

Figure 10 shows the side movement of the ribs during both exhaling and inhaling, front view of the male.

Figure 10.

The expansion can't be significant in this area of the chest, since the side is such a short distance from the backbone where the ribs are connected. The movement of the ribs in the front is much larger, as shown in Fig. 9.

Figure 11 shows the front expansion and contraction in the breathing of the female, side view.

Figure 11.

Figure 12 shows the side expansion of the chest in females, front view.

Figure 12.

These diagrams are based on photographs, making them true to life. You’ll notice that there’s no difference in the breathing patterns between the subjects. The female subject, although a good singer, had not received any training in breathing.[Pg 29] She had previously claimed that she only used chest breathing and didn’t engage her abdominal muscles, but the actual tests showed the condition illustrated in Figure 11 and convinced her that she was wrong.

It’s possible that many other singers who believe they are using only high chest breathing would, if put to the same test, realize they are just as mistaken.

The muscle contraction during forced exhalation is much tighter than the expansion during forced inhalation. When[Pg 30] singing or speaking, we don’t really use forced inhalation. In practice, the change in the body’s size while speaking or singing is generally minimal. Sometimes, long sections in music require that the expelling force of the breathing system be pushed to its maximum.

The amount of air taken in with a single breath, during quiet breathing, is, according to Prof. Mills,[3] between twenty to thirty cubic inches, but this can increase to about one hundred cubic inches during a deep breath. During a forceful exhale, around one hundred cubic inches can be released, but even then, the residual air that remains in the lungs is about one hundred cubic inches.

It’s not the amount of air you breathe in that matters, but how much you can control. So, take in all the air you need and hold it, but do so without unnecessary strain and without stiffness.

To test how much breath is used during prolonged vocalization, a person who is skilled at breathing took a regular breath, closed their lips, blocked their nostrils, and started to vocalize. They discovered that with their cheeks puffed out, their mouth held enough air to maintain a strong tone for twenty-three seconds.

While these experiments show that only a small amount of breath or force is needed to produce effective tones, the performer must feel like there's a smooth flow of breath through the larynx; otherwise, the tone will feel restricted and weak. Holding back the breath too much creates a tension that negatively impacts the singer's performance. Although breath control is important, overly strict "breath control" can make it impossible to deliver the voice freely.[Pg 31]

It’s definitely possible to overcrowd your lungs with air. So, don’t make the mistake of always trying to take the biggest breath. Save that for the high points, and breathe according to what the phrase and its dynamics need. Frequently taking in too much air is a common error, but attempting to sing for too long on one breath is another issue.

The breath force, when used correctly, appears to be spent on initiating vibrations in the larynx; these vibrations are then sent to the air in the resonance chambers, where the refined tone creates movement in the outer air, allowing the tone vibrations to reach the listener's ear.

The properly trained singer or speaker will never let their breath run out. They should take a breath at every appropriate pause between words, based on the punctuation, but never between the syllables of a word; this is proper phrasing. This way, the lungs stay almost full, and breathing is at its best.

The main reason for breath exhaustion is wasted breath. This waste happens when you exhale more breath (more energy) than what the tone needs, and breath that doesn’t turn into tone is wasted. This issue is mostly caused by not adjusting resonance correctly.

The singer should always feel free to hit another note or say another word. Being able to sing or talk for thirty or forty counts in one breath can be good practice, but it’s not great performance. Sometimes, extended vocal runs might justify this. Not having enough air lowers the pitch, reduces resonance, and weakens the voice, making the last note of the song and the last word of the sentence hard to hear. Breathing shouldn’t be forced, but there needs to be enough air to create the right full vibrations.[Pg 32]

What does perfect control of the breath mean?

1. The ability to fully expand the lungs quickly or slowly.

2. Ability to exhale as quickly or slowly as the situation requires.

3. The ability to pause inspiration, with the throat open, regardless of whether the lungs are full or not, and to restart the process at will without having lost any of the air that was already inhaled.

4. Ability to breathe out under the same limitations.

The four points mentioned above apply to both speaking and singing, but singing includes additional aspects:

5. Ability to sing and hold the voice on a regular breath.

6. Ability to breathe quietly as often as the text and phrases allow.

7. Ability to breathe so that the deepest breath doesn't cause any tiredness.

8. Ability to manage breathing in a way that the reserve is never exhausted.

9. The ability to breathe so naturally, so unobtrusively, that neither breath nor lack of breath is ever suggested to the listener—this is the ultimate perfection of the art.

[Pg 33]

Enough has been said in the preceding chapter to make clear the importance of breath control and to explain what this control means for the singer—the professional breather.

If the singer's breathing is just an exaggeration of normal, healthy breathing, why focus on it? Why not just let it develop on its own?

Unfortunately, many teachers have adopted this mindset, ignoring the fact that, while life relies on normal, healthy breathing, such breathing is not the norm but the exception in civilized societies, simply because normal living is uncommon; the artificiality of modern life prevents it. The intense pressure most people face creates mental tension along with resulting nervous and muscular tension. We're so used to this unnatural tension that our automatic breathing becomes shallow and irregular instead of deep and rhythmic.

The goal, then, is to take back a forgotten birthright—natural breathing—to make it a regular practice and enhance it.

1. Breathing exercises meant to be energizing and cleansing require a lot of fresh air.

2. At first, don't practice for more than ten minutes at a time, three times a day.

3. Slowly increase the time without pushing too hard. Stop when you're tired.

4. The best time is before getting dressed in the morning, with the window open. The worst time is right after a meal.

5. Keep a relaxed and flexible posture at all times.

6. Breathe as deeply as you can without your stomach sticking out. You should feel the most expansion at the lower part of your breastbone.[Pg 34]

7. Breathe as widely as you can, expanding the sides without any tension.

8. Breathe as deeply as you can without moving your shoulders or tensing up.

9. Don’t just use the high breath, or the mid-breath, or the low breath, but use the complete breath.

10. Breathe in sync by counting mentally.

11. Breathe mindfully instead of mechanically.

12. Don’t fill your lungs to the max or focus just on how much air you can take in. For a singer, the way you control, use, and apply your breath in a song is what really matters. Your lung capacity will naturally improve over time.

13. When you're not singing, talking, or practicing an exercise that requires it, keep your mouth shut.

Dress the neck and body loosely to allow the throat and torso complete freedom. Put your hands on your hips to lift the weight of your arms off your chest. Stand upright, balanced on the balls of your feet; keep your body straight but relaxed. Slightly raise the back of your head without bending your neck. This will align your spine, push your chest forward, and pull your abdomen back into its correct position.

The vast majority of people are shallow breathers, breathing mainly from their chest, and when asked to take a "deep breath," they don’t really understand what that means. So, it’s essential for them to first learn what a deep breath actually is and then how to take one.

Before getting up in the morning, take your pillow away and lie flat on your back. Place one hand lightly on your abdomen and the other on your lower ribs. Relax your whole body, letting your full weight sink into the bed. Inhale slowly, evenly, and deeply through your nose while mentally counting one, two, three, four, and so on. As you breathe in, pay attention to (a) the gradual expansion of your abdomen, (b) the side expansion of your lower ribs, and (c) the rise and inflation of your chest, without lifting your shoulders. Hold your breath while counting to four (four seconds), then quickly exhale and notice the collapse of your abdomen and lower chest. Remember the inhalation must be slow and deep, the exhalation quick and complete. Practice this exercise for no more than ten minutes each morning for a week. In the second week, hold your breath for six seconds instead of four, and gradually increase the time without overdoing it.

While beginners may start doing the exercises in bed, this is just a first step before practicing them while standing in a relaxed posture as described in the previous section.

Inhale like I do; hold your breath for four counts (seconds) or more; then forcefully exhale all the air in one breath through your wide open mouth. Beginners often find it easier to take a deep breath by slowly sipping in air. So as a variation to Exercise II, practice:

Through the tiniest gap in your lips, while counting in your head, breathe in very slowly and steadily; hold for two to four counts, then release the air all at once through your wide open mouth.

To fully activate the dormant muscles that are essential for breathing, position your hands on your sides with your thumbs positioned toward the back. Take six short catch-breaths through the nostrils or[Pg 36] slightly parted lips, expanding the ribs out to the side with each breath. Hold your breath for two counts, then exhale through your mouth with six short puffs, pulling the ribs in at the side with each puff.

Inhale like I do, while mentally counting one, two, three, four, and so on, until you feel the inhalation is complete. Hold your breath for four or more counts; then exhale through your nose slowly and evenly while counting to the same number as during your inhale. With practice, the number of counts will gradually increase. However, don’t force the increase. The muscles that control inhalation are strong, so don’t make the mistake of trying to control exhalation by tightening your throat. Practice these exercises with an open throat and rely on the breathing muscles to control the airflow out. Remember that singing is controlling your breath as you exhale.

Inhale quickly, deeply, and forcefully through your nose (one count); hold for two counts; exhale evenly, steadily, and as slowly as you can through your nose while mentally counting one, two, three, four, and so on. With practice, gradually increase the count for your exhalation.

The Cavalier, Don Carlo Broschi, better known as Farinelli (1705-1782), the world's greatest singer in bravura and coloratura, was a student of Porpora and Bernacchi. There was no aspect of the art that he didn’t master to the highest degree, and the successes of his youth didn’t stop him from continuing his studies. Even once his name became famous, he dedicated himself to learning another style and developing a superior technique through perseverance. His breath control was considered so incredible in an era filled with great singers that it's said the ability to take and sustain a breath so softly and effortlessly that no one could notice it began and ended with him. It's reported that he spent several hours each day practicing the following exercise:

As in Exercise III, breathe in slowly and steadily through the smallest possible gap between your lips; hold it for a few counts, then exhale very slowly and steadily through the smallest possible gap between your lips.

Farinelli's exercise isn't for novices.

To ventilate and clear your lungs, to quickly refresh yourself after working out, and to use at the end of your exercises, slowly inhale a full breath through your nose; hold for two to four counts, then purse your lips tightly and release a small puff of air through them, holding for two counts, puffing once, holding for two counts, puffing again, and so on until you’ve exhaled completely. A few attempts should show you that this simple exercise is really beneficial.

In both singing and speaking, delivering long phrases or sentences can sometimes put extra pressure on your breath supply. A key rule of good singing is that each phrase should end without completely using up your breath. When the flow of text and music doesn't allow for a full breath, you should quietly take half-breaths at suitable points. Instead of letting your whole source of energy run out and then completely refilling it, we should maintain a reserve by taking these half-breaths. A well-known supporter of using half-breaths in singing is the talented Marcella Sembrich, who mastered sustained and smooth delivery.

[Pg 38]

The topic of registers has always been the bête noire of singers, a source of debate and confusion. The term "register" typically refers to a set of tones with a distinct sound or quality, produced by the same mechanism. The term "break" is usually used to signify the point where a new register suddenly appears.

The supporters of registers emphasize either the changes in throat function or the changes in tone quality. Long before the invention of the laryngoscope, registers were seen merely as different qualities of tone that defined specific parts of the voice's range.

Those who promote the development of register awareness say they do it for the different tone colors they connect with the various "registers." The aim of the following chapters is to demonstrate that the quality or color of a tone is entirely about resonance, and not about laryngeal action.

Moreover, the way the larynx works isn’t voluntary; it’s automatic. Even if a singer understands how the vocal cords are supposed to function, that knowledge wouldn't really help them control their action. The results from laryngoscopic studies of the vocal cords have been disappointing and inconsistent, and researchers haven’t been able to clearly define what proper laryngeal action is. Some even argue that the vocal cords don’t control the pitch of the voice.

In her insightful Philosophy of Singing, Clara Kathleen Rogers, while discussing "registers," states that, from a physiological perspective, "the different registers of the voice should be viewed by the singer as merely modifications in[Pg 39] the quality of tone, which modifications are natural to the voice itself." She then importantly adds: "These modifications do not occur through conscious adjustments of the parts involved, as any interference with these parts will create the obstacle to quality that we refer to as a 'break.'"

One of the greatest modern singers, Mme. Lilli Lehmann, in her fascinating book, How to Sing, says: "Do registers exist by nature? No. They can be seen as being formed over many years of speaking in the vocal range that feels easiest for the individual, or through imitation." She discusses three voice ranges, or rather, three parts of the vocal range, which she calls chest, middle, and head, saying, "All three create registers when exaggerated." After addressing the confusing chaos that arises from sticking to the terms chest, middle, and head register, mixing up voice with register, she concludes:

"As long as the word 'register' is still used, the registers won’t fade away, but the register issue needs to be set aside to make room for a different set of ideas, better perspectives from teachers, and a more accurate understanding from singers and students."

The recent thinking on this topic is further illustrated in Ffrangcon-Davies' important work, The Singing of the Future, where he reflects on "the pointless suffering that thousands of students have endured." He describes "breaks" and "registers" as "baggage given by gullibility to quackery"; and adds: "How many poor students have turned into practical monomaniacs over the issue of that break in my voice between D and D sharp!"

My studies have led me to believe that there is really only one register, or rather, that the concept of register doesn’t exist except in relation to the range of the voice. The terms chest, middle, head, and other registers are just products of misguided teaching. Training based on the idea of multiple registers creates an artificial and unnatural division of the voice.[Pg 40]

The voice has always been viewed as similar to every other instrument, except when it comes to registers. However, research shows that it's also similar in this area. When you compare the voice to instruments like the piano, violin, and organ, the resemblance becomes obvious. Artificial instruments don't change when producing a sound of higher or lower pitch, except for adjusting the tuner to match the desired pitch. All other components stay the same. Similarly, when the voice is properly focused and projected, the only adjustment needed for a different pitch is in the vibrator to create the correct number of vibrations for that pitch. If you sing a scale down, using the same vowel sound throughout, you'll see the comparison; the student won’t notice any change in their vocal apparatus or have any trouble going down the scale. Proponents of the theory of multiple registers say: "Whenever you're unsure about producing a tone, sing down to it from a higher tone, never upward from a lower one," since they observe that singing down "blends the registers." We believe this happens because when singing down, muscle and nerve tension gradually ease, which means there’s no "register" change in the voice.

A study of the church organ will, I believe, clarify this issue. The organ has many so-called registers, like the vox humana, flute, oboe, and others. These differ in the quality of tone produced due to the size and shape of the various sets of pipes and the material they're made from, whether wood or metal. However, each similarly designed set of pipes forms just one register, and the pitch of the set ranges from low to high without any sudden change in quality. All the tones are produced using the same methods and components: the bellows, the vibrator, and the pipe. The length and diameter of the pipe are suited to the tone produced: a short pipe of small diameter for the high tones, and a long, wide pipe for the bass tones.

The brief vibrations of high-pitched sounds are heard by the ear as only affecting the air, while the lowest bass tones shake both the solid foundations and the structure above. The same goes for the human voice. The thicker tissues can’t respond to the quick vibrations of higher tones because they can’t move that fast, but they can and do react to the vibrations of lower tones. This may create some variation in intensity, but not in type. With all tones directed similarly, the lower tones of the human voice can be seen as the higher tones plus the vibrations of the thicker tissues.

It has been said of registers that they are "acoustic illusions that vanish in the perfectly trained voice." Once the singer has learned to use their voice properly, all these faulty changes disappear.

The following incident shows that registers are a made-up concept: A young woman who had been a patient of the author since childhood studied elocution in a big city, and to improve her voice, she took vocal music lessons from a teacher with a great reputation. He struggled to teach her how to "blend the registers," and she completely failed to learn the technique. One summer, she returned for professional help and shared her frustrations. During her few weeks there, she followed the author's suggestions and became fully convinced of their effectiveness. When she went back to her lessons, she followed, without any further explanation, the method that had been previously outlined for her. Her ability to "blend the registers" surprised her teacher, who warmly congratulated her on what she had achieved over the summer.

Another case is that of a young woman who was trained by the author in vocal techniques from a young age. She began focusing her voice in her nose and head at just four years old, using a few exercises and recognizing the head vibrations through a light touch of her finger. By seven, she took ten lessons from a teacher following the same approach, and at fifteen, she completed another brief[Pg 42] course. In the meantime, her only practice came from singing with her classmates at school. Eventually, she started singing more on her own and carefully applied the principles she learned. As a result, her voice spanned nearly two octaves, smooth and even, without any breaks or changes in focus or quality, showing no signs of "register." She also developed a speaking voice that was above average in quality and resonance.

It has also been my experience to help in the development of the voices of many patients after surgery for cleft palate. Success has shown that the principles outlined in these pages are correct and effective.

Most of the more than fifty authors whose works I’ve looked at emphasize the differences between head and chest tones, open and closed tones, and pure and impure tones. They have cautioned against a nasal tone and consistently promoted a natural tone. The idea that there’s no real difference between a head tone and a chest tone has already been discussed and seems to have been conclusively proven. Any tone, whether closed or open, can be pure and musical if it’s properly focused and delivered, and the singer is free to use either on any note of the scale if it helps express the sentiment they want to share with the listener. The soft singing of a love song, the urgent call for help, and the shout of a military charge all require very different vocal qualities to convey the emotions, yet each can be musical and will be if sung correctly.

[Pg 43]

The close connection between voice training and the science of acoustics was not well understood in the past. The teaching of singing as an art relied completely on experience, and the acoustics of singing hadn't been thoroughly explored by scientists.

With the publication of Helmholtz's major work in 1863[4], a new era started, although singers and scientists still view each other with skepticism. Voice teachers, searching for a scientific foundation for their work, were deeply influenced by Helmholtz's insights into vocal resonance—the idea that tones change in quality and gain strength through the resonance of air in the cavities of the pharynx and head.

Writing in 1886, Edmund J. Meyer talks about the importance of studying how different resonance cavities affect the color of the voice, and the tuning between each cavity and all others; however, he adds, "the subject is rarely discussed outside of books."

The essential role of resonance in using the voice is still not widely appreciated, even though it's clearly seen in how musical instruments are built. Except for a few percussion instruments, all musical instruments have three main components: a motor, a vibrator, and a resonator. In a violin, the moving bow acts as the motor, the strings serve as the vibrator, and the hollow body acts as the resonator. In a French horn, the performer’s lungs function as the motor, the lips work as the vibrator, and the progressively widening tube ending in[Pg 44] the flaring bell acts as the resonator. In a piano, the hammer strike, the strings, and the sounding board fulfill these roles. Although advancements in other parts of the piano have significantly boosted sound volume, the key transformation involving the shape, size, and other physical features of the sounding board marks the evolution of the modern piano from the basic clavichord.

In all these instruments, the quality and power of the tone rely on three key elements: the perfection of their construction, their appropriate size and positioning, and the ideal fit of each part. A split sounding board ruins a piano, an indented bell destroys the sweet sound of the French horn, and a cracked violin is synonymous with chaos itself.

The quality and power of resonance is clearly shown by a tuning fork, which, when vibrating, can barely be heard by the person holding it. However, if it's placed on a table, a glass plate, or, even better, the bridge of a violin, its sounds can be clearly heard across a large hall.

The vibrating violin string, when removed from the body of the instrument, even if perfectly tuned, produces no musical sound. Similarly, when a player presses their lips against the mouthpiece of a brass instrument that isn’t connected to the tube and bell, it only makes a sputtering noise. A piano without a soundboard is useless. The air column in the tube of the French horn and the soundboard of the piano transform the vibrations created by the lips and strings into musical notes that are pleasing to listen to. A tuning fork by itself is hardly audible, but the vibrations it generates through proper resonance can be heard from far away.

The vocal cords by themselves can't create music any more than the lips of a trumpet player can without their instrument. The sound made by just the vibrations of the two tiny vocal cords must, naturally, be quite weak.

Ninety-nine people, when asked what creates tone in the human voice, would probably say, "the vibrations[Pg 45] of the vocal cords," and leave it at that, as if that explanation is sufficient; however, that answer is far from complete—not even half of it.

A lot of the unreasonable and harmful "teaching" of singing that exists everywhere, along with the confusion surrounding the topic, comes from the common belief that the small vocal cords are the main source of sound, when in fact they are not very significant as sound producers.

It's the vibrations of the air in the resonance chambers of the human voice, along with the vibrations produced by the voice itself, that give tone its richness, range, nuance, and emotional impact.

That this isn’t just an empirical statement but a scientific fact can be shown through a few simple experiments.

Tone, in music, comes from quick, repetitive vibrations. The pitch of a tone is determined by the number of vibrations in a specific time; the loudness of a tone is based on the amplitude of those vibrations; the quality of a tone is influenced by the form of the vibrations; and the form of the vibrations is affected by the resonator.

The fact that pure white light is made up of all the colors of the rainbow, which can be separated by a prism, is well known. However, the similar idea that a pure musical tone is made up of tones with different vibration rates and pitches isn't as widely known and isn't as obvious.

Analysis shows that a musical tone is made up of a main note and a series of overtones.[5] The ear can easily recognize many of these overtones and can be trained to detect them. The most obvious can be easily distinguished from the main note through a simple experiment.

The overtones line up in a specific order, like this: (1) the fundamental or main tone; (2) an overtone one octave above the fundamental; (3) an overtone a fifth[Pg 46] above No. 2; (4) an overtone a fourth above No. 3 (two octaves above the fundamental); (5) an overtone a major third above No. 4; (6) an overtone a minor third above No. 5. There are more in an even higher range, but those mentioned are easy to show on the piano. For C, they would be as follows:

[Listen]

Approach your piano, quietly press and hold down key number 2, then hit the fundamental key number 1 with force and immediately let it go. As a result, key number 2 will sound clearly, and if your hearing is sharp, you'll also hear key number 6 at the same time. One after the other, hold down the keys 3, 4, 5, and 6 while you strike and release the fundamental key number 1. If your piano is "in tune," you’ll likely hear key number 6 when holding down any other note from the series.

In a musical tone of rich quality, the overtones mentioned are fully present, while a weak and thin tone lacks the fullness of overtones. I've noted that the quality of a tone depends on the form of its vibrations, and that the form of its vibrations is influenced by the type of resonator. We can expand on this by saying that while the relative presence or absence of overtones shapes the sound or color of a tone, their presence or absence is influenced by the character of the resonance.

An English writer recalls being in the garden behind a house while a gentleman was singing in the living room. The quality of the voice was great, and the pitch was so unusually high that he rushed to find out who was singing tenor high C so beautifully. When he entered the room, instead of the tenor he expected, he discovered that the singer was a baritone, and the note being sung was only middle C. The fundamental tone hadn’t[Pg 47] reached him in the garden; instead, he heard the first overtone, which was an octave higher. Concrete examples will make the topic even clearer.

If you hold a regular tuning fork in your hand while it vibrates, its sound is usually too faint to travel very far. But if you rest the handle of the vibrating fork on a bare table or a door panel, the sound becomes much louder. The vibrations from the fork make the table or panel vibrate too, which strengthens the original sound.

Place the handle of the vibrating tuning fork on a small upside-down empty box, or even better, in contact with the body of a violin, and the sound will be louder than in the previous experiment because the vibrations of the wood combine with the vibrations of the air trapped in the box or the violin. The resonance of the wood has been enhanced by the sympathetic resonance of the confined air.

Hold the vibrating fork over the opening of an empty fruit jar, and you’ll likely hear little or no sound reinforcement; but if you slowly pour in water, which shortens the air column inside the jar, the sound of the fork will gradually get louder until it reaches a certain point where it’s quite loud. If you continue to add more water, the sound will gradually weaken. This demonstrates that for every tone, there’s an air column of a specific size that most effectively reinforces that tone.

As a follow-up to the last experiment, take two fruit jars of the same size and, having figured out how full to fill them for the best resonance, fill one jar (after warming it) with hot water to the specified level and fill the other jar with cold water. You will find that the resonance of the heated air, which is expanded, is much less than that of the denser cold air in the other jar. This demonstrates that the density of the air affects its resonance.

To show how the oral cavity resonates, aside from using your voice, hold a vibrating tuning fork in front of your open mouth. Change the shape and size of the cavity until the sound of the fork suddenly gets louder, indicating that you've found the right adjustment for resonance. This increase in sound happens because of the vibration of the air in the mouth cavity, along with the sympathetic vibration of the surrounding walls.

As an example of sympathetic resonance without direct contact, sing loudly a note that’s within your comfortable range while simultaneously keeping the corresponding piano key pressed down silently. Once you stop singing, you’ll hear the note ringing out from the piano. This can also be demonstrated by playing an open string on one violin while another, tuned to the same pitch, remains untouched nearby. Through sympathetic resonance, the matching string of the second violin will start to vibrate and produce its note. The louder you play the first violin, the louder the sympathetic note from the second will be.

The deep bass notes of a church organ often create a resonating effect that can be felt under the listener's feet. One writer, who is a singer, shares his experience of living in the same house with two deaf-mutes. He lived on the first floor, while they were on the third. One day, while having lunch together, one of the deaf-mutes mentioned to the singer that he had started practicing earlier that morning than usual. Curious, the writer asked how he knew. The deaf-mute responded that they always knew when he was singing because they felt the floor of their room vibrate.

If sound vibrations can be passed around so easily throughout[Pg 49] a house, it's easy to see how the vibrations of bones and tissues can travel until the entire structure of the body vibrates noticeably.

It’s said that Pascal, at twelve, wrote a paper on acoustics inspired by his childhood discovery that when a metal dish is struck by a knife, the sound can be silenced by touching the vibrating dish with a finger.

With this in mind, it's easy to see how the restriction of the human body caused by tight clothing on the outside or by unnecessary muscle tension on the inside can disrupt its natural vibration and thus take away some of the perfection from the sound produced.

From these experiments, we can see that while the pitch of the voice starts at the vocal cords, the loudness and quality of the sound rely on resonance—the vibration of air in the different resonance chambers of the body, along with the sympathetic vibrations of the walls of these chambers and the bony structure that supports them.

In terms of resonance, just like in many other areas, the human voice is much better than all other instruments. Other instruments have fixed and unchanging resonators, while the human resonator is flexible. As Helmholtz said, it "allows for a lot of variety in form, so it can produce many more tone qualities than any instrument made by humans."

We are now ready to understand the mistake in the common belief that loudness of sound is solely a result of increased breath pressure on the vocal cords. Simple experiments with a tuning fork have demonstrated that while the volume of sound it produces is partly due to the size of its vibrations, its loudness is mainly determined by the type of resonance it receives.

The bigger the resonance chamber, the more it enhances sound. The largest air chamber in the body is the chest, which acts not just as a wind-chest but also as a resonance chamber. Thus, the need for chest expansion, therefore,[Pg 50] is not just, as is commonly believed, for air, but to enlarge it as a resonance chamber.

In light of the principles of sound, how common is the mistake of referring to the larynx as if it were the only vocal organ, when the main vibrations actually happen above the vocal cords in the resonance chambers!

Since the musical value, the beauty of the tone, and its volume come from the proper use of the resonator, our main focus must be on mastering the vibratory air current above the larynx. Gaining this control means correctly focusing or positioning the tone while using all the vocal organs freely and without tension; power will then follow naturally.

[Pg 51]

Of the four key elements in creating speech and song, the first, the motor, has been discussed in Chapter III, and the second, the vibrator, in Chapter I.

In one respect, there is a clear contrast between these two factors. Until good habits are established to the point where a singer's breathing is automatically managed, conscious effort is needed. In contrast, the action of the vibrator, which refers to the vocal cords, is involuntary and not under conscious control.

The slight tweaks of the sensitive mechanism of the larynx are part of reflex action—an automatic function that, when not obstructed, operates with perfect precision.

The vocal cords need to operate without interference from uncontrolled breathing below them or from misdirected effort above them. Focusing too much on the vocal cords can constrict them and prevent the free vibration and complete relaxation of the throat, which are essential for producing pure tone and accurate pitch.

As a surgeon, I understand the importance of having a solid grasp of anatomy, but from a singer's perspective, I cannot stress enough how unwise it is to focus sensitive students' attention on their vocal mechanism using a laryngoscope. This tool is meant for doctors, not singers.

The importance of the third factor, the resonator, has been considered in Chapter V, on Resonance, but the fourth element in voice production, articulation, is so closely connected to resonance that the significance and priority of the latter are often overlooked.

Placing or "focusing the voice" has mostly been, in my experience[Pg 52], about control and how to use the resonator, which includes the chest, throat, mouth, and the nasal and head cavities.

A tone that lacks resonance is ineffective—it's weak and scattered; while a resonant tone, even if it's soft, has strength and is clear in its vibration.

Now "voice placing" mainly relies on proper vowel placing, which in turn relies on correctly adjusting the resonators, which again primarily depends on the positions and movements of the articulation organs. The connection between tone quality and pronunciation is therefore clear.

Constant emphasis must be placed on the fact that focusing a tone is about resonance, and that perhaps the most important element in this is nasal resonance. In this country, especially, teachers have, in their desire to get rid of the common nasal twang, mistakenly tried to completely exclude the nasal chamber from speech and song.

There are some who, partially understanding the significance of head resonance, would focus on it while neglecting nasal resonance. It’s not possible to achieve head resonance this way, because only through unrestricted nasal resonance can the coordinated resonance in the air sinuses above the nasal cavity, which connects to it, be created.

The fear of nasal twang and the inability to tell it apart from real nasal resonance has been a major obstacle. They are very different—one should be avoided, while the other should be embraced. The first is a clear flaw, while the second is a key part of great singing.

Nasal tones happen due to a raised or tense tongue, a drooping soft palate, a tight jaw, or other stiffness that blocks free sound production and, importantly, inhibits true nasal resonance.

As tone, or vocalized breath, comes from the larynx, it's split into two streams by the soft palate. One stream goes straight into the mouth, creating oral resonance; the other stream travels through[Pg 53] the nasopharynx into the empty spaces of the face and head, resulting in nasal and head resonance.

It’s often believed that a tone that passes through the nasal cavities, either completely or partially, must have a nasal quality. However, a tone with an undesirable nasal quality can be sung just as well with the nostrils either closed or open.

Browne and Behnke explain it this way: "No matter how tightly the soft palate closes, it’s never enough to stop the air in the nasal cavities from vibrating along with the air in the mouth. These vibrations are actually essential for adding brilliance to the voice, and if they're blocked by closing off the back of the nasal passages, the voice will sound dull and muffled. This is, of course, due to a lack of nasal resonance, and should not be referred to as nasal twang. It’s actually the complete opposite of that."

Nasal tone quality and nasal resonance should not be confused. A nasal tone feels tight, while a tone with nasal resonance sounds open. Additionally, a tone can be clear of nasal quality, but if it doesn't have nasal resonance, it lacks vibrancy and carrying power.

Nasal tones are created not because the sound vibrations go through the nasal passage, but because they are blocked while trying to pass through. A nasal tone is always a restricted tone, caused by obstruction, tension, or muscle contraction, especially in the nasopharynx.

The congestion and thickening of the mucous membranes in the nose and head due to a cold make the voice sound muffled and weak, as the areas can't respond to vibrations and contribute to the normal nasal resonance.

The older Booth (Junius Brutus), around 1838, had a broken nose that marred his good looks and ruined his amazing voice. His injury was so serious that he hardly acted afterward. It's clear that the reason for Booth's voice issues was the narrowing and almost total blockage of his nasal passages, which doesn’t need any further explanation.

Many singers have pleasant but flat voices that miss out on the fullness, power, and brightness they could have because they don't take advantage of the amplifying effect of the resonance cavities. The singer needs to learn to regularly use all of the resonance cavities and engage them all at once.

Lilli Lehmann, in How to Sing, says that, "while the nasal sound can be exaggerated—which rarely occurs—it can also be greatly neglected—something that happens quite often." The context makes it clear that what the English translation of the great singer's book refers to as "nasal sound" is exactly what we call nasal resonance.

After criticizing the dullness or lack of color in the voice of a famous opera singer for not having enough nasal resonance, Madame Lehmann discusses the incredible skill of Marcella Sembrich, who "in recent years seems to have focused intensely on nasal resonance, which has allowed her voice, particularly in the middle range, to become much warmer." She adds that nasal resonance "can never be studied enough. It should always be utilized." "How often," she points out, "have I heard young singers say, 'I can no longer meet the demands placed on me,' when the real issue is just the inadequate use of the resonance from the head cavities."

From what we've discussed, it’s clear that head vibrations are not only a crucial aspect, but that nasal resonance plays a significant role in giving tone its richness and volume. Without considering how nasal resonance is created, the singer can still control it through a strong will. The tones, both low and high, should feel like they begin in the nose and head, and the vibrations of the ideal tone can be clearly felt in any part of the nose and head. Without head vibrations, there's no perfect tone, as nothing else can make up for their absence. When vocal organs are used as described here, they will[Pg 55] not experience fatigue from moderate use; hoarseness will be a foreign concept, and "minister's sore throat" will be unheard of. Not only does poor voice production cause significant discomfort, but it can also lead to various illnesses of the chest, throat, and head.

The simple practice of the exercises provided in the chapter following will greatly help to restore a normal condition.

[Pg 56]

What? is known as "placing the voice," "tone production," or "focusing the voice" is, as mentioned in the previous chapter, mainly about resonance—controlling the resonator. Vocalization is largely about vowels, and vocal tones are a combination of sound and resonance. The character of a vowel comes from the shape of the vowel chamber, and the shaping of this chamber relies on the careful adjustment of movable parts—jaw, lips, cheeks, tongue, soft palate, and pharynx. While this adjustment happens through somewhat conscious muscle action, the parts should never be forced into position; attempting to do so will inevitably backfire. The key aspect in all voice movements is a flexible, natural action of all the parts, and all voice movements are so interconnected that if one movement is restricted, the others cannot be free. It's a fortunate reality that the right way is the easiest way, and a fundamental truth that right effort comes from right thought. From these basic principles, we derive the very first rule for singers and speakers—IMAGINE the right tone, visualize it; then focus on the image, not on the mechanics.

There are two solid criteria for judging how correct vocal actions are: first, the ease of the action, its naturalness, and its flexibility. As Mills puts it succinctly: "He sings or speaks best who achieves the goal with the least effort." Second, the beauty of the result. Harsh, unappealing tones are a clear sign of misplaced effort, tension somewhere,[Pg 57] or incorrect action. On the flip side, the closer the tones are to perfection, the closer the organism is to correct action. So, beauty of tone is the best indication of proper vocal action.

Judgment about how beautiful a tone is relies on how well the ear is trained. Students should regularly listen to their own voices because this helps them understand their progress through what they hear and feel. Prof. Mills explains the ear's role in voice production like this: "The nervous impulses that pass from the ear to the brain are the most important guides in determining the necessary movements." Mr. Ffrangcon-Davies notes that, "Training the ear is half of training the voice." Students should take every chance to listen to the best singers and speakers, as we often learn a lot through imitation, both intentionally and unintentionally. Good examples can be our greatest teachers.

Keeping in mind the principles mentioned above, we can now start applying them to work on the voice—that is, to set it free—not by trying to learn some unusual and complicated technique, but by developing normal action.

The following exercises are designed to help develop a correct tone and to test the perfection of every tone at each stage of development. They assume that all tones should be focused and delivered in the same way. These exercises should be included in the daily practice of singers or speakers.

I provide only a few exercises for each point to be learned. Smart teachers and students will come up with countless variations to fit each situation, but the exercises I've included seem to be the best for getting started. It's crucial that each exercise is fully mastered in order before moving on to the next one. This is the only way to make quick progress, because it's not the number of exercises that matters, but the careful application of principles in the fewer ones that leads to real results.[Pg 58]

The sound of hng will always help you focus your voice by enhancing the resonance in your nose and head. The delicate bones in your nose will first respond to the sound, and with practice, you can feel the vibrations throughout your head, particularly more in the low tones than the high ones. To achieve this, repeat the sound hung endlessly, extending the ng sound for at least four counts. To ensure the correct flow of vowel sounds through your nasal passages, follow hung with the vowel ee, as it is easier to focus than any other; then move on to oo, oh, aw, and ah.

Ah is definitely the hardest sound to concentrate on and should never be used for initial practice. A lot of valuable time has been wasted by starting with this sound. It should be tackled last.

The h is chosen to introduce the vowel sound because, in preparing to produce the sound of the letter h, the epiglottis is wide open and the vocal cords are completely relaxed. Additionally, less movement of the tongue is needed when the vowel sound comes after.

Practice this gently on any pitch that's comfortable for your voice.

[Listen]

Begin the tone softly on an easy pitch and keep it gentle until the end. Once you’ve mastered these exercises on one pitch, use every note within the comfortable range of your voice. Leave harsh sounds to the locust. A perfect tone doesn’t include that. It was never in the voices of the greatest singers. Those who used it didn’t last long on stage. You’ll get much better results by practicing without any accompaniment. The sound of the [Pg 59] piano or any other instrument can distract you, making it hard for both you and the teacher to hear your voice and slowing your progress.

The way Exercise I and the others that follow are practiced is extremely important. So, pay close attention and follow these instructions:

1. Fully say the word hung (u as in stung) all at once, and stretch the tone, focusing not on the vowel sound but on the ng sound. This sets up the correct head and nasal resonance right from the start of the exercise.

2. When shifting from ng to ee, make sure to keep the initial focus and maintain the feeling of nasal and head resonance. So, don't move your lips or chin. The only adjustment here is the slight tongue movement needed to pronounce ee, which should be a pure vowel without any trace of the previous g.

3. When transitioning from ee to oo, then from oo to oh, and so on, do it with minimal movement of your lips and chin. The initial feeling of nasal and head resonance must not be lost.

4. Each vowel sound must be clear and distinct in pronunciation and pure in quality. Avoid blending them together. Let each one shine with its own individuality.

5. Just like colorful jewels strung together, this exercise should string vowels together into a continuous flow of sound.

This is an exercise to help focus your voice and develop the vibrations in your nasal and head cavities, which are the key parts of your resonating system. If you keep your nostrils wide open, you won’t hear any nasal twang. The strength of your tone will match the intensity of those vibrations in your nose and head, which you can easily feel by lightly placing your finger on the side of your nose. You may[Pg 60] eventually feel these vibrations clearly at the top and back of your head.

Attack, which means to start the tone, softly and definitely do not force it at all. Pronounce the entire word at once, stretch the ng for four counts as shown, and sing the five vowel sounds on a continuous, unbroken tone. Use only your lips to articulate and avoid moving your lower jaw. In this and the upcoming exercises, keep your lower jaw relaxed and open your mouth enough to separate your teeth as wide as is comfortable while using your lips. Also, check out the illustrations of the correct lip position found at the end of Chapter II.

Practice this exercise on any pitch that's comfortable for your voice.

[Listen]

Repeat this many times until you fully recognize and establish the vibrations in your nose and head. Once you master this exercise, you can repeat any words that end in ng. Singing the word noon softly on each note while extending the final consonant will be helpful.

Once the voice is set on one tone (Exercise I), the speaker can continue practicing reading and reciting, letting the voice adjust its pitch[Pg 61] as it wants, while ensuring that all the tones are consistent in quality.

A useful exercise for speakers is to say any word or syllable that ends with ng, like ming, bing, sing, ring, ting, and then follow it with some well-known lines in a monotone. It's important that the tone stays the same and creates the same vibrations in the nose and head.

In the case of someone who is already a public speaker, this new régime may not show immediate results in their performance, but over time the right principles will take charge, and speaking will become effortless and impactful. Consistent daily practice of exercises should be maintained.

If a speaker has a good ear for music and some musical knowledge, they will gain a lot by practicing the exercises for singers. There’s no better way to improve speaking voice quickly and effectively than through musical training.

As in Exercise I, sing softly, aiming for clear vowel sounds and good tone quality. Pronounce hung fully right away, holding the ng for four counts as directed. Move from one vowel to the next with minimal adjustments to the position of your lips and chin. The flow of sound should remain seamless, the tone focus steady, and the feeling of resonance in the upper chambers constant.

[Pg 62]

[Listen]

Follow the directions for Exercise I. Sing softly in a comfortable pitch for your voice, and adjust up or down by half steps.

[Listen]

The last exercise moved the voice a third; this one moves the voice a fifth. Pay close attention to the instructions from Exercise I. Make sure to pronounce hung immediately, stretching the tone not on the vowel but on the ng. Sing softly. Adjust the pitch to match your voice.[Pg 63]

[Listen]

The last exercise had the voice move a fifth, this one covers a sixth, while Exercise VI has a range of an octave. Carefully follow the Important Directions on page 59.

Sing softly in a tone that’s comfortable for your voice.

[Pg 64]

[Listen]

Pronounce the word hung right away, making sure to open your mouth wide. Extending the ng sound as shown will ensure the right emphasis.

Sing the five vowel sounds through the scale as indicated. At first, practice only on scales that are within an easy range.

[Listen]

[Pg 65]

[Listen]

Produce the hung right away, and add the vowel. Make sure that the vowel sound follows the same path as the "ng" sound that comes before it, and creates the same feeling in the nose.

The vowels are arranged in this order because ee is the easiest to focus on, while ah is by far the hardest to focus, making it the worst sound for initial practice. Think of the tone as being created in the nose and head.

Let there be no break or pause in the tone when moving from the ng sound to the vowel. Just shift the tone into the desired vowel by properly adjusting the speech organs.

Sing the five vowel sounds smoothly, making sure each vowel is correctly positioned before moving on to the next. Using your lips properly will help a lot in shaping the vowels. Begin with a scale that is in a comfortable range.

[Pg 66]

[Listen]

Open your mouth wide and make sure the vowel sounds come out just like in the previous exercises; this will ensure fullness with the right resonance.

When doing this exercise, be careful, just like with the others, to make sure each vowel sound in its order is correctly pronounced before moving on to the next one. Only by doing this can you make quick progress.

The words bing, sing, ting, fling, swing are great for additional practice.

[Pg 67]

[Listen]

The key aspect of this flexible exercise is to maintain the vowel sound, the focus or resonance, consistent throughout the phrase. Start softly, let the ng be free, and the upper resonance will take care of itself. This phrase is longer than in earlier exercises; make sure you still have enough breath left at the end—enough to continue singing. Sing softly. Adjust the pitch of the exercise to fit your voice.

[Listen]

Sing each vowel sound one at a time before moving on to the next. Make sure to begin each vowel sound clearly and keep it steady. Adjust the exercise to match your voice.[Pg 68]

[Listen]

For variations on the above, use initial consonants b, p, m, f, v, d, k, n, t, and l.

When practicing this exercise, push your lips out and lift them toward your nose as much as you can; also try to stretch and expand your nostrils. You can practice this exercise more quickly than the previous one, but never at the cost of clear vowel distinction. Adjust the exercise higher or lower, and in different keys, to match individual voices. With a slight initial emphasis, sing each two-measure section smoothly as a single phrase. Avoid stressing each individual vowel sound. Doing so would create a series of abrupt stops.[Pg 69]

[Listen]

After practicing the above as written, change it to this:

Be careful not to mix up the vowel sounds; each one should be clear and pure, and the transition from one to the next should be done with minimal effort and without losing the tone's focus.[Pg 70]

[Listen]

The divisions (a and b) of each of the four variants mentioned above can be seen as separate exercises or not. For more practice, use any or all of the following as initial consonants: b, p, m, f, v, d, k, n, t, and l.[Pg 71]

As in the previous exercises, practice quietly with consistent focus and aim to finish the phrase with an unexhausted breath. Adjust the exercise to match your voice.

[Listen]

Sing this scale exercise in a medium range, without blurring the vowel sounds or the notes.

[Pg 72]

[Listen]

The exercises provided so far have used the five vowel sounds that are most beneficial for achieving a clear resonance. These should now be accompanied by the use of all the vowel sounds. It's clear that if the singer isn't comfortable with every vowel and at any pitch in their vocal range, perfect pronunciation can’t be achieved. In Chapter II a Scale of Vowel Sounds is given. For convenience, it's repeated here:

Having mastered the previous exercises to develop a free head and nasal resonance, take the Scale of Vowel Sounds and apply it to the now familiar exercises.

Next, as suggested in Exercise X, use the consonants b, p, m, f, v, d, k, n, t, and l as initial consonants in relation to the Vowel Scale.

Keep in mind that it should seem like articulation is done completely with the upper lip; i.e., the idea is that the words are projected through the upper lip.

When you practice the given exercises and your voice has been focused and resonance established without any instrument,[Pg 73] you can start with scale exercises and simple vocal exercises, with or without the piano.

In practicing scales, start each one a semitone higher until you reach the easy limit of your voice, and not beyond that. Progress will be faster by working to produce the tones within the voice's normal range. Then, when you occasionally make an effort, your vocal cords will be prepared to reach the highest pitch your voice can produce.

When enough progress has been made in mastering scales and simple vocal exercises, the student will be ready to start studying songs. If you skip singing songs during the few weeks spent on basic lessons, you’ll see results much faster.

While practicing exercises or songs, the less the piano is used, except to check the pitch, the better. This kind of practice boosts the performer’s confidence. The instrument makes it harder for the singer to hear the tone they’re producing and evaluate its effectiveness.

Students with high or very low voices can keep practicing at higher or lower ranges, whether their voice is soprano, bass, or contralto, but spending too much time on the extremes isn't recommended. If pure tones are produced in the middle range of the voice, the highest or lowest tones will be easily available when needed. So, practice the extremes of your voice just enough to understand its limits and to ensure those tones are accessible.

When the singer can do the previous simple exercises and knows that the tones are all focused, or placed and delivered, exactly the same, he is ready to practice any scale, going down or up, and to perform any musical exercise or song that he is mentally prepared for.

[Pg 74]

What? is the most common barrier to good singing, the challenge that both students and teachers struggle with the most? Throat stiffness. What more than anything else ruins the singing of those we hear in living rooms, churches, and concert halls? Throat stiffness.

This is the flaw that stops real intonation, takes away the voice's expressiveness, restricts its range, reduces its flexibility, decreases its volume, and makes authentic resonance unattainable.

This major issue not only diminishes the beauty of any voice, but also impacts the voice box itself. The muscles of the larynx are small and delicate, and the adjustments they make while singing are very precise. However, when a singer tenses their throat, these delicate muscles have to contract with more force than usual to try to make the right adjustments. Every increase in throat tension requires a corresponding increase in muscle effort, and if this overexertion continues, it can lead to injury to the voice box. Misusing the voice inevitably results in harmful consequences. Every throat specialist is aware of this, and countless individuals who initially show promise end up having to abandon singing as a career, learning this lesson far too late.

Singers are so used to the sound of their own voices that they're often unaware of their own throat tension, even though they can recognize it in others.

Unfortunately, throat stiffness tends to get worse over time, constantly increasing while the voice becomes less and less able to respond to the singer's needs.

There are several causes of throat stiffness, but the main one is throat consciousness and misplaced effort, mainly because of misunderstandings about the voice today. A common belief is that we sing using our throat, when in fact we sing through it. Similar to this mistake is the widespread but incorrect idea that the strength of tone and carrying power comes from the larynx, while the initial sound produced by the vibration of the vocal cords is actually quite weak. As detailed in Chapters VI and VII, the volume of tone, its quality, and carrying power are actually matters of resonance.

Many people sing out of sheer force and ignorance, but their careers are usually short. The all-too-common focus on power instead of beauty or purity of tone leads to unnatural effort and strain that directly and indirectly causes stiffness in the throat.

Unnatural effort in breathing, excessive effort in breath control, and singing without enough breath all create tension that is immediately felt in the sensitive throat.

Impatience for results, the American rush, creates unnatural effort and stress. "Unclasp the fingers of a rigid civilization from around your throat." A student of the violin or piano quickly learns that only through long and patient practice can they be ready to impress even their admiring friends. In contrast, a budding singer often expects to perform in public with much less time and effort invested.

The human voice is a direct expression of the person themselves; it spontaneously reflects their mental and emotional states, even when they want to conceal them. Mental states marked by impatience, fear, or any kind of tension are instantly revealed in the voice, which loses its better qualities and causes stiffness in the throat.

Reduced to its simplest form, voice training today is a fight against tightness in the throat.

The causes point to the solution. First and foremost, you need to forget about your throat—stop thinking about it and drawing attention to it. The larynx should be relaxed and allowed to function naturally, which it will do if it's not interrupted by tension around it or distracting thoughts.[Pg 76]

The flow of thought in singing should focus on the breathing below the throat and the resonance and pronunciation above it. These functions are coordinated with varying levels of awareness until, ultimately, practice makes them automatic.

I want to stress again that freely using all the resonance chambers and understanding the important role of resonance will do more than anything else to free the voice and liberate the singer from any restricting stiffness.

[Pg 77]

Students are always encouraged to sing and speak in a natural way because the "natural" tone is seen as correct. This is really vague. It's natural for a child to mimic the first sounds they hear, regardless of whether those sounds are right or wrong. In either case, the child copies them, and for that child, those sounds become their natural tone. A child raised in the wilderness, away from any human voice, will imitate the calls of the whip-poor-will, the chatter of monkeys, and the hoots of owls, and for them, those sounds are natural.

To be natural is the toughest lesson to learn, and it only comes from imitation or long-term practice. Untrained naturalness is just perfected awkwardness. The automatic functions of our bodies are the only ones that are performed naturally and correctly. We can rely on nature's ways of breathing, circulation, and digestion until they're disrupted by other factors, but if proper vocalization isn’t developed through imitation and practice, this function is likely to be messed up by bad examples.

After a child starts talking, the sooner their vocal education begins, the better. Even at that young age, they can learn the benefits of vocal vibrations and, through simple exercises, be able to produce them. Once learned, they won't forget. Vocalizing, like any other skill, is easiest to pick up through imitation, and we shouldn’t waste the advantage of those early years when that ability is most active. In the past, people understood this importance. Over three hundred years ago, Roger Ascham wrote: "All languages, both[Pg 78] learned and mother tongues, are created and acquired solely by imitation. For just as you used to hear, so you learn to speak. If you hear no one else, you won't speak yourself; and of whom you only hear, from them you only learn." Nineteen centuries ago, Quintilian stated: "Above all else, let the nurses speak correctly. The boy will hear them first and will try to shape his words by imitating them."

If kids are taught how to use their voices correctly from a young age, it will prevent them from developing bad habits that can be really hard to fix later on. It wouldn't make sense to subject a young child to constant training; however, even in preschool, the proper way of using their voices should be taught. Kindergarten and elementary school teachers should know the basics of voice training and be able to guide students on the right path from the start.

The sooner this branch of education is included in the curriculum of our public schools, the sooner we will create a generation of great speakers and singers.

If, during their time in school, students receive proper guidance on these fundamental principles and on correct articulation, most of them will graduate from our public schools ready to improve their skills in speaking or singing without having to first unlearn a lot of mistakes and fix numerous bad habits.

If just a few minutes each day in public schools are dedicated to this subject by a knowledgeable teacher who highlights the proper applications of the principles during lessons, it will be more than enough to foster and strengthen a good speaking and singing voice.

If you want to achieve true artistry, every part of you needs to be individually well-trained. However, during a performance, no single part[Pg 79] should overshadow the others. The voice should reflect the equal development of all your parts. Ongoing practice will help you connect everything together—combining the strengths of all into one.

It’s obvious that no one in singing or speaking should seem like they’re following a strict “method.” In the early stages of learning, students should be open to rules and techniques, but they shouldn’t expect to be good performers until they can forget their lessons and effortlessly utilize all the benefits of their training. Even after their education is complete, and the prima donna has successfully debuted, daily practice of basic exercises is essential to maintain excellence and ensure the progress that every performer wants. Today’s best singers are just as committed to mastering vocal techniques as beginners learning the basics.

Human life is broken down into three stages: first, the stage of working to get an education; second, the stage of working to maintain it; and third, the stage of working to fight against the natural decline that comes with getting older. A singer and speaker needs to practice to develop their voice, needs to practice to keep it in shape, and needs to practice to combat the effects of aging. Constant vigilance is the key to vocal success.

The principles discussed here demonstrate that a musical voice isn't the result of mysterious systems but is based on scientific facts. The key components are proper breathing, focused sound, resonance, and clear articulation. These four aspects are so interconnected that one can't be perfected without the others. Once these are achieved, the intellect, feelings, and emotions of the performer will come together in artistic excellence.[Pg 80]

The nervousness or fear that shows up as tension and stiffness in the muscles, and sometimes as stage fright, is a major barrier to progress. The effective remedy for this uncomfortable state is relaxation.

The art of creating a state of relaxation can be easily learned by anyone who carefully and faithfully follows these steps: Find a comfortable lying or lounging position in a quiet spot with fresh air. Physical relaxation sets the stage for and encourages mental relaxation. Now, let your mind wander freely without trying to control it. Close your eyes and breathe slowly, gently, and deeply, with a steady rhythm. In two or three minutes, you'll start to feel a sense of calm and restful relaxation, which can last for several minutes or even lead to a natural, deep sleep.

This result might not be achieved on the first or second attempt, but with a few repetitions of the exercise, success is almost guaranteed. Once you master this skill in this structured way, you'll quickly develop the ability to achieve the same calmness while sitting upright or standing.

This calm is the right way to prepare for a lesson or a performance and can be used during either to ease any nerves related to the situation. Mastering this simple skill will help voice development progress much faster and achieve a level of control that isn’t possible without it. For beginners, it will effectively prevent stage fright and provide significant relief for those who struggle with it constantly.

The vibrato is a rhythmic pulse in the voice. It often shows up in untrained voices; in others, it develops during training. Some see it as the ideal of a resonant quality, while others consider it a flaw.

The vibrato is caused by a wavering change in pitch or strength, often both. The voice doesn’t stay steady and[Pg 81] strictly on the pitch, and depending on how much it varies, a corresponding vibrato or tremolo is created.

The way stringed instruments work shows this idea well. The violinist's finger moves quickly back and forth on the string, creating the vibrato effect.

The same goes for the human voice. By changing the tension, the vocal system can produce several tones in succession, with slightly different pitches, which together create the overall effect.

Three sources are identified for vibrato: one is a quick, spasmodic movement of the diaphragm that creates changes in breath pressure; another is the alternating tension and relaxation of the larynx and vocal cords; and the third is the common issue of throat stiffness. Any of these causes can happen, leading to variations in pitch or intensity of the tone. There hasn't been enough research to confirm this definitively, but it seems that tremolo, the shaking of the vocal organs, and muscle stiffness or unnatural tension are all related.

It is definitely possible in the early stages of vocal training to learn to control vibrato at will, but if it's not managed early on, it can become a bad habit that takes over. Too much vibrato has ruined many good voices. It's not an essential quality of the voice. A little vibrato can be nice when used properly and skillfully, but too much should be avoided as it's a harmful flaw.

[Pg 82]

Mental Health conception comes before execution. The image must exist in the artist's mind before it can be painted on the canvas. The architect must mentally envision the grand cathedral in all its details before he can create the plans needed to build it. In physical activity, no movement occurs until the mind has led the way and made preparations. A person's capacity to act is largely determined by their determination to do so, but sitting in a rocking chair and thinking will never make someone an athlete. Mental effort is essential, but only through practiced physical action can that mental effort result in a completed performance.

So the mind has to prepare for the movement of the vocal cords, but those cords must learn to express the mental idea until it happens naturally. This action then speeds up the thinking process, making the mental image clearer.

Note that the mental concept comes before the action and controls it. So, instead of creating a tone through local effort or conscious muscular action of any kind, correctly imagine the tone, and accurately shape and color it in your mind. Every vocal tone is a mental concept made audible. Both beginners and those who struggle tend to overlook this crucial aspect—they don't create this mental image of tone before singing it. Related to this is a lack of ability to hear, to distinguish between good tone quality and poor quality. The student must always compare the tone as it is sung with the image in their mind. Training the voice is therefore mostly about training the mind and ear, developing a keen sense of discrimination. Singing is more about mental focus than physical action, more psychological than physiological. So, think about the desired effect rather than the process.[Pg 83]

In analyzing the details of voice production, we often forget that despite his complexity, a person is a unit and functions as one. Behind all of man's diverse activities lies the psychological aspect. In the more advanced stages of speech and singing, this psychological element is extremely important.

The speaker who tries to express his own thoughts must have his ideas clearly defined and passionate so that he can convey them in a way that excites his listeners. The speaker or singer who wants to effectively interpret the thoughts of others must first fully embrace those thoughts as his own. Once this is achieved, the voice, actions, and overall spirit of the performer, in tune with the theme, will create a similar engagement in the audience.

Books and more books have been written on voice training, and they will keep coming. The previous pages focused on the basics of tone production, but now it's important to point out that behind the voice and the song is the singer himself, with all his complexities. Underneath that personality lies the soul, always striving to express itself through its layers. Every true impulse to sing comes from the soul's need for expression. Through expression, the soul grows in awareness and develops a desire for even more self-expression.

Singing is much more than just "wind and muscle," because, as Ffrangcon-Davies puts it, "The entire spiritual system—spirit, mind, senses, soul—along with the entire muscular system from feet to head, will be present in the wise person's singing, and the whole person will be in the tone."

Of all the ways humans express themselves through art, the purest is song. Unlike other art forms that need a physical medium to convey their message, music is unique because it only requires the voice when it comes to singing.[Pg 84]

In singing, the singer is the instrument of free and direct expression. The only thing that limits freedom of expression and complete utterance is the singer themselves. No one else hinders them, they are solely in their own way. The teacher's job is to set free what is hidden. Their important role is to provide wise guidance to help the singer get out of their own way and stop blocking themselves. Technical training isn’t everything. It's even more important to simply recognize our inherent abilities. Freedom comes from recognizing and embracing our natural power; recognition comes first, and then appropriation follows easily. The beginner doesn’t know their natural power, their birthright, and needs to be guided to discover it, primarily by helping themselves through understanding and recognizing it repeatedly.

No student of the most human of all arts—singing—needs to give up if they have a strong song impulse, that deep hunger to sing. This inner drive, by its intensity, shows the ability to sing; that very hunger is both a promise and a prediction.

The obstacles to beautiful singing might look physical, but they're really signs of mental or emotional issues. Normal composure, which represents strength, naturally expresses itself through curves and beautiful tones.

Mental discord leads to awkwardness, rigidity, and harshness.

Impatience creates a restlessness that makes it hard to maintain a steady voice; and impatience leads to the common problem of pushing the tone. Growth is an element that rushed techniques completely ignore.

Too much emotion without balance impacts breathing and the way the voice sounds.

Exertion, trying hard instead of engaging in easy, enjoyable activities leads to frustrating stiffness.

Intensity, over-concentration, or rather false concentra[Pg 85]tion, emotional tension, involves strain, and strain is always wrong.

Being overly meticulous, with its obsession over minor details and focus on unimportant things, holds back those who are more resilient. Excessive focus on the mechanics of voice production is another similar hindrance. Both of these factors block what is essential for true expression—spontaneity.

Anxiety tenses muscles and makes them stiff. Anxiety always overlooks the power within and wrongly tells the desire for song, "You will never be satisfied."

Self-repression is a major barrier that impacts the more sensitive individuals, especially those with puritanical backgrounds. It stifles energy and directly opposes expression, which is essential, is life.

All of these deterrents are negative and can be overcome by a greater understanding of the inner power that, by its very nature, must always strive for positive expression.

In conclusion, the student can always find encouragement in several happy facts.

Man is naturally equipped, except in rare cases, with a perfect vocal system. When abnormal conditions occur, they usually affect the adult voice and are solely caused by misuse. In other words, defects are not inherent but acquired and can be removed.

By its very nature, the human voice is beautiful because nature always leans toward beauty. Anything that isn't pleasing in singing, like in everything else, is unnatural. So, true technique is never artificial; it's straightforward because what is natural is always simple.

Finally, no, not finally, but first and second and third and endlessly, every singing student and every teacher must always remember the wonderful principle:

THE RIGHT WAY IS ALWAYS THE EASY WAY

[Pg 86]

[Pg 89]

Abdominal Breathing, used by Martel, 4, 26;
lateral, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.
(See also Chest-abdominal breathing and Lateral abdominal breathing.)

Sound Science, 43;
experiments in, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__-48;
Pascal enabled, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Actor, enunciation of the, 19;
importance of deep breathing for, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Adam's apple, the male larynx, 9.

Age to begin study of voice, 77.

Ah-sound, narrow limits of, 18;
how it's made, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
Lilli Lehmann on, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
in practice, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Air Gaps (see Sinuses).

Anxiety, a barrier to beautiful singing, 85.

Essentials Application, 79.

Appunn, on pitch of vowel sounds, 20.

Clear speech, differing opinions about, 3;
relation to resonance, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
through upper lip, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.
(See also Pronunciation.)

Articulator, 6.

Creativity, 79.

Ascham, Roger, on voice culture through imitation, 77.

Aw-sound, lip position for, 22;
in workouts, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, etc.


Tone Beauty, a criterion of correct vocal action, 56.

Bell, on pitch of vowel sounds, 20.

Edwin Booth, as a good speaker, 16.

Junius Brutus Booth, impairment of his voice, 53.

Breath Control, 23-32;
importance of, in both speaking and singing, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
respiratory muscles in, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
the diaphragm in, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
muscles engaged, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
the lungs in, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
inspiration, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
expiration, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
correct method of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
a remedy for anxiety, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
importance of exercises, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
economy a factor in, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
over-the-top, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
initial use of __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
exercises for, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__-37;
of Farinelli, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Breath Power, initial use of, 31;
reserve, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
wasted, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Breath Control, meaning of, 32.

Breathing, art of, 3;
a heightened version of the daily habit, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
defined as singing, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
correct, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__;
non-binary, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
toxic habits of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
controlling deeply, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
tests of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
nose vs mouth, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
consistency of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
in gaining power and richness of tone, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
for high notes, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
relation of, to anxiety, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
rhythmic, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
importance of exercises, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
illustrations of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__;
exercises in, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__-37;
economy in, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
tests by Professor Mills, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
overly controlling, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
exhaustion, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
initial force in, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
reserve power in, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
mastery of __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.
(See also Abdominal breathing.)

Broschi, Don Carlo, breath control of, 36.

Dr. Lennox Browne, on the laryngoscope, 3.

Browne and Behnke, on nasal resonance, 53.


Chest, expansion and resonance, 49.

Chest-Abdominal Breathing, 25;
illustrated in sleeping child, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
tests in, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
illustrated, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__.

Chest Sounds, former emphasis given to, 2;
misnamed, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Henry Clay, as a good speaker, 16.

Muted Tones, former emphasis given to, 2;
misnamed, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Dr. W.H. Cryer, on the frontal sinus, 12.

Voice Culture (see Voice culture).


Deep Breathing, importance of, for the actor, 19.
(See also Breathing.)

[Pg 90]Obstacles to Beautiful Singing, 84, 85.

Diaphragm, in breathing, 19;
not a muscle for exhaling, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
described, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__;
for inspiration, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
in expiration, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
illustrated, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__.

Singing vs. Speaking, 17.


Ear, function of, in tone production, 57;
training of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Ee-sound, lip position for, 20;
in workouts, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__, etc.

Effort, Stress, a barrier to beautiful singing, 84.

Feelings, effect on tone quality, 7;
too much of, a barrier to beautiful singing, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Empiricists, where they have failed, 4.

Epiglottis, 10.

Must-haves, application of, 79.

Ethmoid Bone, 8.

Ethmoid Sinuses, illustrated, 7;
function of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Edward Everett, as a good speaker, 16.

Breathing exercises:
necessity of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__;
initial recommendations, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__;
attitude in taking, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
I want to demonstrate what a deep breath is, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
II, breathe in slowly and then exhale suddenly, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
III, taking a breath and quickly exhaling, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
IV, for rib expansion, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
V, breathe in slowly and then breathe out slowly, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
VI, quick inhalation with slow exhalation, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
VII, Farinelli's major workout, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
VIII, the cleansing breath, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
half breath, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Vocal Exercises:
I want to create nasal and head resonance, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__-61;
for speakers, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__;
II, to create head and nasal resonance, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
III, IV, V, high resonance, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__-64;
VI, to widen the throat and therefore enhance the tone, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
VII, for producing the vowel sounds with the right emphasis, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
VIII, to widen the throat and emphasize the vowels, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
IX, quickly changing notes without altering resonance, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
X, for agility, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__;
XI, to enhance the use of the lips and lower jaw, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__;
XII, for easy and quick vowel change, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__;
XIII, ascending and descending scale, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
XIV, the long scale, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
additional, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__;
rest as a preparation for, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Expiration, muscles of, 23, 24;
under controlled pressure, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
described, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
the lungs in, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
illustrated, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__.


Face, training muscles of, 15.

Farinelli, breath control of, 36.

Ffrangcon-Davies, on pronunciation, 18;
on registers, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
on the role of the ear in voice training, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
definition of singing of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Focusing the Voice (see Voice placing).

Forbes-Robertson, on diction, 19.

Carl Formes, voice of, in declining years, 4.

Singing with Freedom, 84.

Frontal sinuses, function of, 12;
illustration of __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.


Manuel Garcia, inventor of laryngoscope, 2;
use of laryngoscope, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
Sir Charles Stanley on, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Gounod, on pronunciation, 19.


Half-Breath, Sembrich and, 37.

Hard Palate, function of, 12.

Toughness, an indication of tension, 56.

Head Space, a resonator for the voice, 6;
effect of resonance, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Headphones, in previous years, 2;
misnamed, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Helmholtz, on pitch of vowel sounds, 20;
on sound, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__.

Henderson, W.J., on pronunciation, 18.

High Tones, breath control necessary for, 27.

Oliver Wendell Holmes, on Edward Everett's voice, 16.

Hyoid Bone, 8, 10.


I-sound, described, 21.

Impatience, a barrier to beautiful singing, 84.

Inspo, muscles of, 23, 24;
process of, described, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
[Pg 91]illustrated, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__.
(See also Breath control and Breathing.)

Musical Instrument, elements of, 43, 44.

Intensity, Involving Stress, a barrier to beautiful singing, 84.


Preschool Teachers, instruction by, 78.

Koenig, on pitch of vowel sounds, 20.


Laryngoscope, and registers, 2;
Garcia, the inventor of __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
usefulness of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
limitations of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
disappointing results of __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
not a tool for the singer, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Larynx, moving, 3;
viewed through the laryngoscope, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
illustrated, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
description of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__;
relationship of size to pitch, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
automatic action of __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
not just the voice, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
reflex action of __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
the impact of tone does not come from __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
must be left spacious, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Lateral Abdominal Breathing, 3, 25, 28.

Madam Lilli Lehmann, on use of Ah, 19;
on registers, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
on nasal resonance, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Stages of Life, 79.

Jenny Lind, effects of wrong methods on, 4.

Lips, in articulation, 14;
position of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__-22;
illustrated, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__.

Lungs, a motor for the voice, 6;
illustrated, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
described, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
overcrowding, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.


Mackenzie, Dr. Morell, on the laryngoscope, 3;
on singing and speaking, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Macready, Wm. Charles, as a good speaker, 16.

Martel, voice of, at seventy, 4.

Maxillary Sinuses, 7, 8, 12.

Dr. May, breathing tests made by, 26.

McKinley, M.S., on Garcia and the laryngoscope, 2.

Mental Conflict, a barrier to beautiful singing, 84.

Meyer, Ed J., on resonance, 43.

Dr. Wesley Mills, on breath measure, 30;
on ease of voice use, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
on how the ear functions in producing tone, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Voice Box Motor, 6.

Mouth, theory of its function, 1;
a voice resonator, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Respiratory Muscles, 23.

Music Instructors, scientific, 4;
empirical, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.


Nasal Passages, as reinforcing agents in tone production, 2;
a voice resonator, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
illustrated, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
formation of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
vibrations in, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
effect on resonance, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
Edward Everett's use of __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
as a resonator, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__;
obstruction in Booth, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Nasal Sound, erroneous theories concerning, 1, 2;
Madame Rudersdorff recognized the effect of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
involved in head resonance, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
versus nasal voice quality, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
Lilli Lehmann on, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
Sembrich's research on, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
importance of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Natural Voice, what is meant by, 77.

Anxiety, a cure for, 27, 80.

Nostrils, relation of, to tone quality, 14.


O-sound, lip position for, 20;
illustrated, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
in workouts, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, etc.

Oo-sound, lip position for, 20, 21;
in workouts, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, etc.

Open Sounds, 2, 5.

Oral Surgery, 2.

Oratorio, faulty diction in, 18.

Overthinking, a barrier to beautiful singing, 84.

Overtones, 45, 46.


Character, effect on the voice, 83.

Pharynx, function of, 10.

Phillips, Adelaide, voice of, in declining years, 4.

Tone Pitch, influence of resonance cavities on, 12, 13.

Setting the voice (see Tone production).

[Pg 92]Tone Matters, dependent on resonant cavities and breath control, 27.

Advocated Principles, 5.

Pronunciation, indifference of American singers to, 17;
W.J. Henderson on, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
change in attitude towards, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
importance to singer, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
relation of, to tone, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
Ffrangcon-Davies on, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
sing lyrics instead of tones, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
Lilli Lehmann on, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
emotional power is impossible without, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
Gounod on, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
Forbes-Robertson on, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
upper lip in, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
effect of smile on, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Vocal Culture Psychology, 82-85.

Pterygoid Muscles, and the under jaw, 10.

Public Schools, voice training in, 78.


Reeves, Sims, voice of, 4.

Registers, 38-42;
blending the, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__;
not a natural characteristic of the voice, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
theory of fallacy, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
a myth, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
the vocalists' nightmare, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
defined, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
Clara Kathleen Rogers on, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
Lilli Lehmann on, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
Ffrangcon-Davies on, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
of the organ, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
of voice and instruments compared, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__;
a man-made creation, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__.

Rest as Preparation for Vocal Exercises, 80;
how to trigger, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Resonance, differing opinions about, 3;
principle of __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
nasal and head cavities in, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
influence of resonance cavities on pitch, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
pitch of vowels in, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
and power, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
and breath power, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
in general, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__-50;
science development of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
quality and power of __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
significance of __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
experiments to demonstrate, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__-50;
induced, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
empathetic, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__;
air density, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
the volume and quality of sounds depend on __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
head and nasal, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__-55;
relation of articulation to, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
focusing tone on a matter, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
effect of its absence, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
exercises to establish, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__-72.

Voice Resonator, 6.

Breathing (see Breath control and Breathing).

Breathing Muscles, a motor for the voice, 6;
described, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__;
action of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
illustrated, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__.

Clara Kathleen Rogers, on registers, 38.

Madame Rudersdorff, and nasal resonance, 2.


Sir Charles Santley, on Garcia and the laryngoscope, 3.

Vowel Sound Scale, 20, 72.

Self-Suppression, a barrier to beautiful singing, 84.

Marcella Sembrich, and the half-breath, 37;
nasal resonance usage, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Belting it out, subtlety of, 4;
obstacles to, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_2__;
versus talk, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__;
mission of artist, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
defined as breathing, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
age to start, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
in public schools, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
by method, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
vibrato in, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
psychology of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__-85;
sublimated communication, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
defined by Ffrangcon-Davies, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
freedom in, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
barriers to __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Sinuses, illustrated, 7;
pairs of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
function of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Smile, Impact of, on pronunciation, 19.

Soft Palate, role of, 11, 52.

Talking, obstacles to, 5;
tones of, the same as singing tones, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
difference from singing, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
expression in, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Speaking Voice, misunderstood, 16;
connection with singing voice, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
how refined, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
identity with singing voice, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
and pronunciation, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__.

Sphenoid Bone, 8.

Sphenoid Sinuses, illustrated, 7;
pairs of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
function of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Public Speaking, criticism of Forbes-Robertson on, 19.


Teeth, function of, in use of voice, 12.

Throat, theory of sound in, 1;
a resonator, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
illustrated, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
relation to voice, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.
[Pg 93](See Larynx and Pharynx.)

Sore throat, most frequent obstacle to good singing, 74;
effect on voice box, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
difficulty in recognizing oneself, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
Throat awareness is a common cause of __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
caused by not controlling your breath, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
American hurry leads to, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
Voice culture is a challenge with __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
remedies for, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__.

Voice Tone, defined and explained, 7, 8.

Tone, defined, 45;
analyzed __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
experiments to find the composition and resonance of __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__-50;
focusing on __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
vocal, a mental concept, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
whole person in, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Tone Production, largely a matter of resonance, 56;
impact of positive thinking on, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
evaluated based on the naturalness and beauty of the result, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
function of the ear in regulating, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
cultivating normalcy, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
exercises to assist with, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__-73;
effect of throat stiffness on, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
natural, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
age to start studying, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Sound Quality, variety in, 6;
effect of emotion on, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_2__;
relation of pronunciation to __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
how to maintain purity of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__;
experiments to determine, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__-50;
and resonance, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_2__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_3__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_4__;
cause of nasal, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__-54;
the beauty or harshness of a standard for judgment, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__;
effect of throat stiffness on, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__-76;
dependent on mind and ear, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
related to singer's personality, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
natural and unnatural, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Tongue, as an articulator, 6;
illustrated, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
connection with voice box, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
position of, in speaking and singing, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
tongue awareness, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.


Under Jaw, 10;
in climbing the scale, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Upper lip, in pronunciation, 19;
in practice, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
in speaking, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Uvula, role of, 11.


Ventricle of the Larynx, 8.

Vibrato, 80, 81.

Vibrator, of the voice, 6;
of instruments, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Energizing Text with Tone, the singer's mission, 18.

Vocal Cords, vibrator for the voice, 6;
in the voice box, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
described, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
not the main cause of tone, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_2__;
necessity of free action of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Vocal Tool, discussion of, 6-15;
beauty and complexity of __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
three elements of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__;
illustrated, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
relation of parts of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
larynx, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__;
vocal cords, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
epiglottis, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
pharynx, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
under jaw, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
soft palate, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
hard palate and teeth, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
nasal and sinus cavities, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
tongue, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
lips, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
nostrils, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
face, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
issues with, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__.

Voice Tone, an audible mental concept, 82.

Voice Culture, opinions about, 2;
incorrect methods from a generation ago, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__;
cannot be developed mechanically, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
principles promoted, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
the right way is the easy way, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
resonance a key factor of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_2__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_3__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_4__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_5__;
should start in childhood, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
learned by imitating, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
Roger Ascham on, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__;
in public schools, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
artistry in, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__;
three periods of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
application of essentials, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
rest as a preparation for, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
the vibrato in, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
psychology of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__-85;
personality in, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
freedom in, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
barriers in, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__.

Voice Placing, 51, 52, 56-73.

Vocal Tone, defined, 7, 8.

Vowel Sounds, 11, 18, 19;
singer's range of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_1__;
each has its own pitch, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
lip position for, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__-22;
placing of, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__;
practice exercises, __A_TAG_PLACEHOLDER_0__-73.


Daniel Webster, as a good speaker, 16.

Wheatstone bridge, on pitch of vowel sounds, 20.

Willis, on pitch of vowel sounds, 20.

Note:—Unless stated otherwise, books are covered in cloth.