Many years of observation and study have convinced me that the voice exerts a powerful effect upon the whole physical system. It either builds up the body, sustains its power and adds to its health, or it devitalizes the body and brings a dangerous strain upon the entire system.
The voice cannot be a reporter of the person, mental and physical, without holding the most delicate relations to mind and body. The exercise of the voice subtly and vitally affects the organs that promote health and give life. I could give many illustrations showing that the wrong use of the voice has injured health, and that its right use has promoted health; but if the principles involved in this chapter are fully understood, I need not relate incidents to prove that the voice is a life-giver or a death-dealer, depending entirely upon how it is used.
The Greeks were taught the right use of the voice as a part of their physical, intellectual, and moral culture. In modern times we have neglected voice culture to a very great extent, and have suffered much ill health in consequence.
Great wisdom is exhibited in the construction of the human lungs. In the arrangement of the air cells, the greatest possible amount of surface is presented in order that the air may freely enter the blood. The lungs are largely made up of blood vessels, bronchial tubes, and air cells. When a person breathes, the oxygen, entering the lungs through the trachea and the bronchial tubes, penetrates the thin walls of these cells and passes at once into the blood. When the blood enters the lungs it is dark in color, but when it leaves the lungs it is of a light vermilion hue. The oxygen which has been taken into the lungs has wrought this change. So wonderful is this element of nature that some have called it life. If there is an elixir of life in the material world surely it is oxygen, for it has to do minutely and intimately with every power of the human body. The more a person breathes this oxygen as it is mixed in the common air, the more life and power he possesses.
It is essential to perfect health that every avenue to the lungs should be kept open and free, and that the air cells should be kept clear, for if the walls of the cells thicken, oxygen cannot penetrate them. If these cells are not properly filled during respiration, the walls thicken, and substances collect in the cells. If any trouble occurs in the air cells, except for traumatic reasons, it will first be found in the apexes of the lungs. In the production of tone, whether on a low, high, or medium pitch, the vocal cords are drawn so closely together that the air cannot immediately escape from the lungs; therefore, unable to get out readily, it is pressed up into the apexes of the lungs by the expiratory muscles, filling the air cells to the utmost, thus keeping them clear and their walls thin and healthy. In correct singing or speaking, the apexes of the lungs are filled with air. Tubercule seeks devitalized tissue for its development. Therefore tuberculosis usually begins in the apexes of the lungs because they are not kept clear and healthy through proper respiration and vocal exercise. Voice was given to man to make him strong and expressive, to give him life and power.
The stomach is the principal organ of digestion. Out of the nutriment taken into it all the tissues of the body are renewed. It lies under the diaphragm, and is held in place by the abdominal muscles. The stomach is moved during respiration, descending with every inspiration, and rising with every expiration.
In addition to this exercise during the production of tone, the stomach is held firmly between the diaphragm and abdominal muscles. At the close of the tone the muscles which thus hold the stomach relax.
A view of the Organs of Digestion, opened in nearly their whole length; a portion of the œsophagus has been removed on account of want of space in the figure; the arrows indicate the course of substances along the canal: 1, the upper lip, turned off the mouth; 2, its frænum; 3, the lower lip, turned down; 4, its frænum; 5, 5, inside of the cheeks, covered by the lining membrane of the mouth; 6, points to the opening of the duct of Steno; 7, roof of the mouth; 8, lateral half-arches; 9, points to the tonsil; 10, velum pendulum palati; 11, surface of the tongue; 12, papillæ near its point; 13, a portion of the trachea; 14, the œsophagus; 15, its internal surface; 16, inside of the stomach; 17, its greater extremity or great cul-de-sac; 18, its lesser extremity or smaller cul-de-sac; 19, its lesser curvature; 20, its greater curvature; 21, the cardiac orifice; 22, the pyloric orifice; 23, upper portion of duodenum; 24, 25, the remainder of the duodenum; 26, its valvulæ conniventes; 27, the gall-bladder; 28, the cystic duct; 29, division of hepatic ducts in the liver; 30, hepatic duct; 31, ductus communis choledochus; 32, its opening into the duodenum; 33, ductus Wirsungii, or pancreatic duct; 34, its opening into the duodenum; 35, upper part of jejunum; 36, the ileum; 37, some of the valvulæ conniventes; 38, lower extremity of the ileum; 39, ileo-colic valve; 40, 41, cœcum, or caput coli; 42, appendicula vermiformis; 43, 44, ascending colon; 45, transverse colon; 46, 47, descending colon; 48, sigmoid flexure of the colon; 49, upper portion of the rectum; 50, its lower extremity; 51, portion of the levator-ani muscle; 52, the anus.
LIVER.
The inferior or concave surface of the liver, showing its subdivisions into
lobes: 1, center of the right lobe; 2, center of the left lobe; 3, its anterior,
inferior, or thin margin; 4, its posterior, thick, or diaphragmatic portion; 5,
the right extremity; 6, the left extremity; 7, the notch in the anterior margin;
8, the umbilical or longitudinal fissure; 9, the round ligament or remains of
the umbilical vein; 10, the portion of the suspensory ligament in connection
with the round ligament; 11, pons hepatis, or band of liver across the umbilical
fissure; 12, posterior end of longitudinal fissure; 13, 14, attachment of the
obliterated ductus venosus to the ascending vena cava; 15, transverse fissure;
16, section of the hepatic duct; 17, hepatic artery; 18, its branches; 19, vena
portarum; 20, its sinus, or division into right and left branches; 21, fibrous
remains of the ductus venosus; 22, gall-bladder; 23, its neck; 24, lobulus
quartus; 25, lobulus Spigelii; 26, lobulus caudatus; 27, inferior vena cava; 28,
curvature of liver to fit the ascending colon; 29, depression to fit the right
kidney; 30, upper portion of its right concave surface over the renal capsule;
31, portion of liver uncovered by the peritoneum; 32, inferior edge of the
coronary ligament in the liver; 33, depression made by the vertebral column.
The liver is a glandular organ, intended for the secretion of bile from the blood. It is situated under the diaphragm and partially over the stomach; therefore the exercises which produce pressure and relief upon the stomach, exert the same effect upon the liver. That the liver may properly perform its function it is necessary for it to be thus exercised. One cannot speak or sing well without moving the diaphragm, and when this is moved it moves nearly all the organs contained in the trunk of the body, and especially promotes the healthy activity of the lungs, stomach, liver, and intestines.
Mucous membrane lines all those passages by which the internal parts communicate with the exterior, and is continuous with the skin at the various orifices of the surface of the body. The mucous membrane, beginning with the lips, lines the mouth, throat, œsophagus, stomach, and in short, the entire alimentary canal. It also lines the nares, larynx, bronchial tubes, and air cells. It is one because unbroken. Its function is to secrete mucous for the purpose of preventing dryness.
Sympathetic relations exist throughout the whole human system, and especially between different parts of the same organ; if one part of the mucous membrane is injured, another part is as liable to suffer as that immediately injured. If congestion takes place in any part of this mucous membrane, it may cause congestion in some remote part of the membrane, without affecting the intervening parts. There is a certain common misuse of the voice which creates in the pharynx an irritation called “clergyman’s sore throat.” By the law of sympathy, this congestion is likely to be communicated from the pharynx to the mucous membrane of the stomach. It may also attack the mucous membrane of the bronchial tubes and through them affect the lungs.
Although this disease caused by the misuse of the voice is called “clergyman’s sore throat,” it is not confined to clergymen; it prevails to a considerable extent among school teachers, lawyers, and auctioneers. It is dangerous for one to enter upon any form of public speaking without having a sufficient knowledge of the voice to use his own correctly. This is true not merely because it gives power to speak more effectively, but because it enables one to preserve his own health, and thereby prolong his usefulness. “Clergyman’s sore throat” is caused by making too close a chamber of resonance in the pharynx while speaking. This is a confirmed habit with a very large number of persons; in fact, it might almost be said to be a prevailing difficulty, but it does not always cause a sore throat until the voice is more constantly used than it ordinarily is in private life.
A clergyman or others may for years have practised this habit without feeling the effect upon the throat; but as soon as they come to speak steadily for a half hour or more, and that, too, for the purpose of being heard in a large room, begin to realize a huskiness which soon develops into an irritation of the throat.
This finally develops into a congestion, and sooner or later into a cough, which results in the breaking down of the powers of the individual, and if it does not receive immediate and proper attention consumption may be the result. No medicine, however good, can give more than a temporary relief. So long as the cause (which is the misuse of the voice), remains, the difficulty must return. Sometimes “clergyman’s sore throat” is not introduced by huskiness; the first symptom observed is that of dryness or irritation. This is especially true if the voice is characterized by a metallic element. All these evils can be cured by proper vocal education, providing the patient does not wait too long.
The vocal organs may be said to be tools, and the nerves the workmen appointed to use them.
Nerves are whitish and elastic bundles of fibers, with their accompanying tissues. They transmit nervous impulses between nerve centers and various parts of the animal body.
“Nerves are composed of one or more (sometimes nearly a hundred) nerve fibers, each fiber forming a means of communication between two parts more or less distant from each other.”—Dutton.
The brain is contained in the cranium, and may be said to be the controller of the entire nervous system. From it proceed twelve pairs of cranial nerves.
I. Olfactory, nerve of smell,—distributed in the mucous membrane of the nose.
II. Optic, nerve of sight,—distributes its branches to the eye ball.
III. Motor oculi,—motor of the eye.
IV. Patheticus,—assists in moving the eye.
V. Trigeminus,—nerve of sensation, motion, and taste.
VI. Abducens,—assists the movements of the eye.
VII. Facial (or nerve of expression),—moves the face, ear, palate, and tongue. By means of this nerve the tongue is directly connected with the brain, and receives its impulse of action therefrom.
VIII. Auditory,—nerve of hearing.
IX. Glosso-pharyngeal, nerve of sensation and taste,—it is distributed to the back of the tongue, middle ear, tonsils, and pharynx.
X. Pneumogastric,—the auriculo-laryngo-pharyngo-œsophago-tracheo-pulmono-cardio-gastro-hepatic nerve. It is a nerve of sensation and motion, probably receiving its motor influence from its spinal accessory.
XI. Spinal accessory furnishes motor power to the pneumogastric.
XII. Hypo-glossal,—motor of the tongue. It communicates with the pneumogastric and sympathetic nerves.
DIAGRAM OF THE FIRST SIX CRANIAL NERVES, WITH THEIR CHIEF BRANCHES OF DISTRIBUTION.
DIAGRAM OF THE LAST SIX CRANIAL NERVES, WITH THEIR CHIEF BRANCHES OF DISTRIBUTION.
My principal object in writing of the relation of the voice to the nervous system is to show anatomical and physiological reasons for denominating the voice the reporter of the states of mind.
We have before us the names of the nerves which connect the organs of speech with the organ of thought. Through some of the cranial nerves the mind immediately discharges its impulses upon certain organs, both consciously and subconsciously. This is illustrated by the motor occuli, patheticus, and abducens, which move the eye sometimes consciously and sometimes subconsciously. This shows that these nerves may, and often do, act upon the eye, without any conscious plan or purpose on the part of the individual.
The mind often manifests, through the cranial nerves, states of mind of which the person is unconscious. While consciousness is the power by which one knows his own states of mind, there is no proof that consciousness takes note of all one’s states of mind. The proof that it does not is found in the fact that people, through involuntary acts, often manifest mental activities of which they are unconscious. Spontaneous expression is truest.
The facial nerve causes the muscles of the face to portray the thoughts and feelings of the soul more truthfully than any artist could delineate them with pencil and brush. Before we can properly teach vocal culture and oratorical expression we must understand the principle of spontaneous manifestation by means of cranial nerves as distinct from purposeful forms of expression. The facial nerve not only acts as a motor of expression through the face, causing it to reveal thought and emotion, but acts in the same manner upon the tongue, causing it to form and modulate tones in song and speech.
Again note the nature of the hypo-glossal cranial nerve, which is not only a motor of the tongue, causing it to act spontaneously, but is distributed also to the muscles of the neck which are concerned in the movements of the larynx. The purpose of this distribution is probably to associate the action of the tongue with that of the larynx which is necessary for articulate speech. All the motions of the tongue are performed through the medium of these nerves.
The drawing exhibits the cerebral connection of all the cerebral nerves except the first. It is from a sketch taken from two dissections of this part. D. Posterior optic tubercle. The generative bodies of the thalamus are just above it. E. Cerebellum. H. Spinal cord. I. Tuber cinereum. K. Optic thalamus divided perpendicularly. W. Corpus restiforme. X. Pons Varolii. b b. Optic nerves: this nerve is traced on the left side back beneath the optic thalamus and round the crus cerebri. It divides into four roots; the first (g g) plunges into the substance of the thalamus, the next runs over the external geniculate body and surface of the thalamus, the third goes to the anterior optic tubercle, the fourth runs to D, the testis or posterior optic tubercle. C. Third pair common oculo-muscular, arising by two roots like the spinal roots of the spinal nerves, the upper from the gray neurine of the locus niger, the lower from the continuation of the pyramidal columns in the crus cerebri and Pons Varolii, p t. d, Fourth pair, apparently arising from the inter-cerebral commissure (I c), but really plunging down to the olivary tract (o t) as it ascends to the optic tubercles. e m. Motor or non-ganglionic root of the fifth pair, arising from the posterior edge of the olivary tract. e. Sensory root of the fifth pair running down between the olivary tract and restiform body to the sensory tract. f. Sixth pair, or abducens, arising from the pyramidal tract. g. Seventh pair, facial nerve, or portio dura, arising by an anterior portion from the olivary tract and by a posterior portion from the cerebellic fibers of the anterior columns as they ascend on the corpus restiforme, W. h. Eighth pair, portio mollis, or auditory nerve, with its two roots embracing the restiform body. i. Ninth pair, or glosso-pharyngeal; and j. Tenth pair, or par vagum, plunging into the restiform ganglion. J J. Fibers of the optic nerve plunging into the thalamus; immediately below these letters is the corpus geniculatum externum. k. Eleventh pair, or lingual nerve; the olivary body has been nearly sliced off and turned out of its natural position; some of the filaments of the lingual nerve are traced into the deeper portion of the ganglion, which is left in its situation; others which are the highest are evidently connected with the pyramidal tract.
The course and distribution of the Hypoglossal or Ninth pair of nerves; the deep-seated nerves of the neck are also seen: 1, the hypoglossal nerve; 2, branches communicating with the gustatory nerve; 3, a branch to the origin of the hyoid muscles; 4, the descendens noni nerve; 5, the loop formed with the branch from the cervical nerves; 6, muscular branches to the depressor muscles of the larynx; 7, a filament from the second cervical nerve, and 8, a filament from the third cervical, uniting to form the communicating branch with the loop from the descendens noni; 9, the auricular nerve; 10, the inferior dental nerve; 11, its mylohyoidean branch; 12, the gustatory nerve; 13, the chorda tympani passing to the gustatory nerve; 14, the chorda tympani leaving the gustatory nerve to join the submaxillary ganglion; 15, the submaxillary ganglion; 16, filaments of communication with the lingual nerve; 17, the glosso-pharyngeal nerve; 18, the pneumogastric or par vagum nerve; 19, the three upper cervical nerves; 20, the four inferior cervical nerves; 21, the first dorsal nerve; 22, 23, the brachial plexus; 24, 25, the phrenic nerve; 26, the carotid artery; 27, the internal jugular vein.
The study of the functions of the cranial nerves convinces me that the state of mind which conceives a tone acts upon the organs of speech through the cranial nerves in a way to give vocal expression. In perfect expression the conception and the expression are absolutely synchronous.
In the production of a good tone there is an exact relation between pitch and resonance. This relation is provided for in nature and a disobedience to it brings an unpleasant quality into the voice. This is true in both speech and song, for the speaking and singing voices rest upon the same fundamental principles. Speech is one application or use of the voice, song is another. The voice of true speech is as melodic as the voice of song. There are, however, many persons who use their voices better when they sing than when they speak, while others use their voices better in speaking than in singing.
There is a difference between tone and noise. Voice is produced by a succession of vibrating waves of air. In a musical tone the waves are regular in their succession; in noise they are irregular.
Resonance, or echo, is produced by the universal law of reflex action which manifests itself in light, sound, etc. How interesting and delightful is the echo! It makes the mountains, like the morning stars, sing together for joy. Listen to a thunder storm among the mountains. There is a sudden explosion, then a silence, as the vibrating waves of mighty amplitude pass over the valley to wake the voice of the mountain beyond, which, standing like a sentinel on guard, speaks in thunder tones to the next, and that repeats the sublime echo until all the mountains join in the chorus, answering back to the heavens. This law of sympathy, undulating from mountain to mountain, so inspired the Greeks that they said the gods spoke to each other from mountain peak to mountain peak.
Every pitch in the human voice has its corresponding chamber of resonance, formed by the nares, by the trachea, by the pharynx, or by the mouth, and sometimes by more than one of these. The transient resonant chambers are formed by the adjustment of the lips, and by the relation of the tongue to the upper gum, the hard palate, the soft palate, and the pharynx. With the exception of the pharynx, these and the nasal forms constitute the resonant chambers which produce the different elements of speech in our language. The tone, though smooth when it leaves the vocal cords, may be made harsh by the transient resonant chambers. The nares resound different intervals of the scale in different portions of their length, never resounding two intervals in the same portion.
The cultivation of the voice is produced, first, through perfecting the forms of the transient chambers of resonance; second, through establishing perfect freedom and regularity in the action of the vocal cords; third, through developing the rhythmic impulses of the tone. No person ever speaks continuously in a perfect monotone; the pitch is constantly changing with the varying thoughts; as the pitch changes, the resonant chambers change the quality. Nature, unhindered, never reports the same quality on two different degrees of pitch. It is not that the individual, while speaking, intends to change the quality; but nature has so arranged the vocal organs and so determined the laws of acoustics, that unless the voice be interfered with by wrong mental determination, she herself changes the quality as the voice rises or falls.
It is a law of acoustics that a low pitch is resounded in a comparatively large resonant chamber; a high pitch in a comparatively small one. A simple and instructive experiment in illustration of this principle is this: Take a large bottle, strike a C tuning fork, hold it over the empty bottle, and no sound will be heard. The bottle does not respond, because the cavity is too large for the pitch of the fork. If water is poured into the bottle, the air column inside thereby being shortened until the proper sized chamber is formed, by then holding the high-pitched tuning fork over it, the sound of the fork will be resounded by the resonant chamber and the tone will burst forth quite loudly. Use any number of tuning forks, each on a different key, and a resonant chamber can thus be made which will resound each fork.
I once tried an experiment with two tuning forks which were fastened to sounding boxes and which had been tuned to exactly the same pitch. I struck one fork and stopping its vibration, the sound of the other, vibrating responsively, was distinctly heard. The same result was achieved when one of the tuning forks was placed in a remote part of the room. I also placed the fork upon the piano, struck it, and the string of the same pitch, in connection with its overtones, responded. In order that any resonant cavity may resound, the pitch that belongs to that cavity must be struck. Every room in a house, in consequence of its size, its form, and the material of which it is constructed, resounds to a certain pitch. Sometimes in the course of conversation the globe of a chandelier in the room resounds. This is because the pitch which is agreeable to its size, form, and substance is struck.
Overtones are tones above in pitch, but harmonic with the fundamental tone. They are caused by the vibration of the aliquot parts of a string as distinct from that of its whole length. These parts being shorter vibrate with greater rapidity, thereby giving a higher pitch than the fundamental note, though in perfect harmony with it. An overtone can be discovered by holding near one of the vibrating aliquot parts a chamber of the right size, form, and substance to reinforce the tone of one of these parts. This resonance would be loud enough to be distinguished from the fundamental tone.
The vocal cords act in like manner with the string described, and produce fundamental tones and overtones. In the vocal mechanism which produces the human voice, the resonant chambers are so graded in size as to correspond exactly with the fundamental note and all its overtones; therefore, an overtone as distinct from the fundamental tone is never heard, but reveals its presence only by enriching the voice.
Freedom of tone is secured by the delicate adjustment and elasticity in the action of those parts which form the transient resonant molds. The hindrances to freedom of voice are produced by holding the vocal organs too rigid and close while forming these molds.
I have spoken of the deleterious effect upon the health caused by the misadjustment of the tongue in its relation to the pharynx, which results in “clergyman’s sore throat.” Another malformation of a resonant chamber is produced by holding a portion of the tongue too near the posterior portion of the roof of the mouth. A third is produced by holding the tongue too near the hard palate; a fourth by holding the tongue too near the front teeth. All these false adjustments are reported in throaty, rasping, and squeezed tones of the voice. The first object in the cultivation of the voice should be to establish habitual openness and freedom throughout the vocal aperture and this, too, by the shortest possible method. This method should consist, not in giving definite attention to first one portion of the vocal tube and then to another, but in securing a unified action of all the parts. By vocal practice, while holding the right mental concept, a clear and open passage from the vocal cords to the anterior portion of the nares can easily be secured.
The tone must be idealized with reference to place and form. The student should imagine the tone outside that resonant chamber of the nares most distant from the vocal cords. This will bring the consciousness outside that part of the nose which is between the eyes. The anterior portion of the nares is, so far as place and consequent resonance are concerned, the dominant center of the voice. My reason for calling this the dominant center of the voice is that when the tone is perfectly directed toward this chamber, all the resonant passages open freely through the entire nares, mouth, and pharynx to the vocal cords; and also the tongue has a tendency to relax its rigidity.
It is important, however, that the mind should not think of this locality as being in the nares, but outside, and think of it, too, as an ever expanding and luminous globe which moves in a forward and downward curve.
Beauty of voice is largely due to the fact that the vocal aperture is in the form of a curve. Unpleasant qualities in the voice are caused by the vocal column being made to move in angles instead of curves. That the voice may be shaped to the vocal aperture, it is necessary to hold in the mind a curve as an object of thought. Voice is in the mind before it is expressed in sound. The mental form precedes, causes and accompanies the physical form.
This curve should become a fixed mental object during all vocal practice, whether in speaking or in singing. Holding this object must become a habit so firmly established that the mind will ultimately act above consciousness in forming it. The vocal organs always react upon ideals held in the mind. Thus, if a flat object is held in the mind while using the voice, the tone tends to flatness; if a round one, it tends to roundness; if a narrow form, it tends to narrowness; if a contracting figure, it tends to contraction; if a free, elastic, expansive one, it tends to freedom, elasticity, and expansiveness. The figure of an expanding globe gives the voice the qualities last described. This figure, moving in the form of a curve, unites to the above qualities that of beauty, for the curve always awakens in the imagination the sense of the beautiful.
Tone is vocalized breath. It is observable that the higher order of animals usually begin their tones in the form of the nares resonance. When the cow lows for her young the tone is resounded in the nares before the mouth opens. The same thing is to be noticed in the mother horse calling to her young. She begins the tone with the nares resonance, and as the impulse increases she opens her mouth to let forth the whinnie so full of feeling. No animal excels the house cat in the correct use of the voice. She begins her tone as a nares resonance, and when her mouth opens, the tone which is moving in the right direction indicates that her vital energies are fully aroused. She acts upon the same principle that a man does in aiming a gun. He aims before he fires. Nature aims the tone before she gives the explosion. The mightiest of all voices is that of the lion. He distinctly guides his tone with the nares resonance. If he did not so direct it, the blast of tone which shakes the very earth would rend his throat.
Many people injure their throats by letting on a power of voice which is not properly guided. The only reason a person’s throat ever suffers from continued use of the voice is because the tone is not properly directed. Some public speakers after using their voices for an hour, or even half an hour, feel an irritation in their throats, but if their tones were properly directed, they could use their voices without injury as long as their general strength would permit. The moment the current of tone is turned from its proper direction, the voice is being injured.
All the muscles of respiration work in a harmonious manner with each other when the tone is properly directed; they work improperly together in a way to produce friction when the tone is not centered.
One prevailing difficulty with voices which are not perfectly educated is that the wrong quality is given for the pitch. Each interval of the scale requires a different resonant quality, and this necessitates a difference in the sizes of the resounding chambers. This difference is provided for in the graded sizes of the different portions of the nares, and in the pharynx and trachea. However, notwithstanding the freedom of the resonant chambers here mentioned, this proper quality of the voice would be interfered with in the speaking and singing words, or even elements of words, the freest of which are vowels, unless the transient chambers of resonance were perfectly formed. If words seem to interrupt and injure a singing tone, it is because the transient resonant chambers in which they are formed are not properly constructed.
The only way to perfect the forms of the transient resonant chambers is by holding the elements of speech in the mind as distinct objects of thought while speaking or singing them. Such is the natural service of the vocal organs to the mental concepts, that these mental objects will, through the cranial nerves which control the organs of speech, externalize themselves by producing exact molds of resonance. It takes time and practice to develop the power of holding the elements as distinct objects of thought; it takes still more time and practice to develop the power of holding these sounds as mental objects while the mind materializes them in the voice. This power, like all powers, grows in the ratio of repetition guided by continued mental concentration.
One should never attempt to locate the tone in any particular resonant chamber by saying, “Now I will practise for head resonance, or now I will practise for chest resonance.” I have known such attempts to result in much injury to the voice. If the direction of the tone is kept steadily toward the globe of light in front of the nares, while at the same time imagining this globe to move in a forward and downward curve, and if, in addition, the transient molds of resonance are perfectly formed, each interval of the scale will be resounded in its proper resonant chamber. The high notes will be resounded in the front part of the nares, then as the voice descends in pitch it will be resounded farther back in the nares, until the note is so low that the posterior part only can resound it; finally, as the pitch continues to grow lower, the nares cannot resound it at all. At this point the pharynx takes it up until the pitch becomes so low that the trachea, being larger than the pharynx, produces the resonance which is heard in the chest only. After the proper direction has been established, viz., toward the globe of light in front of the anterior portion of the nares, it should never be changed, for this direction keeps the nares, pharynx, and trachea open and free, so that each pitch of the voice will be resounded in that portion of the resonant chambers which by its size is suited to its pitch. What I have thus far said of the resonant chambers in the nares, pharynx, and trachea applies to the fundamental tone; but while the fundamental tone is resounding in the trachea, pharynx, or nares posteri, smaller portions of the nares and transient resonant chambers may be resounding the overtones, so that many resonant chambers may be resounding at the same time, thereby giving the richest possible quality to the tones of voice.
Exercise I.—While the lips are closed, give a nares tone represented by the letter m; then opening the mouth, without changing in any degree the character of the tone and not allowing any breath or voice to pass through the mouth, prolong the tone, holding before the mind the ideal concept for direction of tone previously described. The lips should be again closed just before the tone ceases. Repeat this on different intervals of the scale, ranging from a comparatively high pitch to a comparatively low one.
The reason the sound represented by m should be used in securing this freedom and direction of tone is because this letter best represents the tone which proper resonance of the nares produces. In vocal practice, one should begin on a comparatively high pitch and descend to a lower one, because the front of the nares resounds the high notes of the scale, and therefore assists in fixing consciousness of the direction of tone. Then, too, while using the voice, the mind should never hold as an object of thought the idea of going up to a tone, for the reflex action of such an idea upon the vocal organs is to produce a squeezed and strained effect. The mind should develop the consciousness of being higher than the note it would give, so as to feel as if descending upon a note, rather than trying to reach to its height. If this first exercise, which gives direction to the vocalized column of air, is practised on successive intervals of the scale, it will fix this direction as a habit. Hence, it is very important that there should be much repetition in descending and ascending the scale; otherwise, the voice might be open and resonant on some notes, while on others it would be constricted and forced, and consequently bring those false breaks into the voice which have been called registers. Registers are not natural to the voice, but created by its wrong use.
Exercise II.—Sing the sound represented by m-nom on the different intervals of the scale, commencing on a comparatively high pitch, descending and ascending a number of times. Begin the tone with the pure nares resonance as described in the previous exercise. Allow the sound which is represented by m-n to blend with the resonance which constitutes the vowel o, closing the lips before the tone ceases. In this exercise we blend the vowel o with the resonance in the front of the nares, thus directing the mind, which guides the vocal action, as far as possible from the throat, where it would cause constriction.
Exercise III.—To gain greater facility for uniting the free resonant elements of speech in a forward and downward curve, other words may be practised, viz., Most-men-want-poise-and-more-royal-margin.
Each word should first be sung separately on each note of the scale, repeating the word several times on each interval. With each repetition the mind should be concentrated upon the ideal form of the word, thus making the resonant mold more and more perfect.
A few words of explanation in regard to the vocal elements used will make the exercise more clearly understood.
M-O-S-T. The resonance in forming the s being near the teeth, and that forming t being a puff of breath at the point of the tongue, aid in fixing the attention of the mind upon the imagined curve.
M-E-N. The added resonant element in this word is e, which, by being joined to m on the one side and n on the other, will assist in directing the mind to the curve while giving the vowel e.
W-A-N-T. Here we have the aid of the letters n and t together with the position of the lips for w in assisting to join the vowel a, as heard in awe, to the expanding globe moving in the forward and downward curve.
P-O-I-S-E. In this word we are again aided in locating the resonance by the necessity of forming the sounds of p and z at the very front of the mouth.
A-N-D. Here the student has his chief assistance in the resonant element, represented by the letter n, and somewhat by the letter d, for bringing the attention of the mind to the globe in its relation to the curve while forming the resonant element represented by the letter a.
M-O-R-E. Here again the student has the assistance of the frontal nares element, represented by the letter m with the vowel o, which by this time he has joined with it. The new resonant element in this word is r. In forming this element there seems to be a prevailing tendency to constrict the throat, but now, by joining it with elements which have been associated in the mind with the expanding globe, this stricture is removed.
R-O-Y-A-L. The next word to be joined to this chain is r-o-y-a-l. Here we are depending upon previous practice in giving it the luminous curve tendency.
M-A-R-G-I-N. The new elements in this word are the sound of a as heard in far (ä), and the vocal element represented by g. The letter g represents an element, in forming which many people constrict the throat, giving what is called a “throaty” tone. Our object in using a, as heard in far, in this connection, is to introduce the largest and freest transient chamber of resonance which the organs of the mouth are capable of forming. The Italian ä has been much used in vocal practice, and it is a good element, providing it is not introduced too early in a student’s course of study, and if in its introduction it is always joined to the frontal nares mold as in ma. After practising upon the elements of speech described above, the student may practise them in the sentence form. Most men want poise and more royal margin. Repeat this exercise upon various intervals of the scale, beginning upon a comparatively high pitch, and descending to a comparatively low one.
By the practice of these exercises the student develops the ability to make each word and element of speech perfect without breaking the steady, sustained current of the tone.
Exercise IV. Sing ma-za-ska-a, commencing upon a comparatively high pitch, descending and ascending the scale.
After having made the true forms of the above-mentioned elements of speech habitual, the student may concentrate his practice upon the resonant form of a, as heard in far. Thus, this vocal element, being joined with the consonants m and z, is aided in making its most perfect resonant mold, while s, being forward to give the right direction, and k, being strongly projected by the pharynx resonant chamber, the ä is sent forward, like a ball from a gun, thereby developing projection of tone until at last the student may venture to practise upon ä alone.
While expressing these separate elements, each must be held in the mind as a luminous globe moving in the forward and downward curve. Repeat this exercise on different intervals of the scale. It may also be given in the form of arpeggios.
In practising these exercises, the student must be careful never to strain the voice either for the purpose of reaching a high or a low note. He should attempt to reach no pitch until it is perfectly easy for him to do so. He should practise most upon those notes which are easily within the compass of his voice, not continuing to repeat an element on the same interval of the scale, but changing at least one note with each successive repetition, that the voice may develop an evenness and the habit of reaching the resonant chamber which gives the right quality for the pitch.