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A. +Clippinger</h1> +<pre> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: The Head Voice and Other Problems</p> +<p> Practical Talks on Singing</p> +<p>Author: D. A. Clippinger</p> +<p>Release Date: October 7, 2006 [eBook #19493]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HEAD VOICE AND OTHER PROBLEMS***</p> +<p> </p> +<h3 class="pg">E-text prepared by David Newman, Chuck Greif, Barbara Tozier,<br /> + and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> + (http://www.pgdp.net/)</h3> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<table border="0" cellpadding="10" style="background-color: #ccccff;"> + <tr> + <td valign="top"> + Note: + </td> + <td> + The musical illustrations have been transcribed and are available in two + pdf files. The <a href="images/Exercises.pdf" title="Link to Exercises.pdf file">Exercises</a> + follow the Exercises as numbered in the book in <a href="#Ch_II" title="Jump to Chapter 2">Chapter II. The Head Voice</a>. + The remainder of the musical fragments, which are unlabeled in the book, are + labeled Figures A through Q (in the order in which they appear), and can + be found in the <a href="images/Figures.pdf" title="Link to Figures.pdf file">Figures</a> pdf. + </td> + </tr> +</table> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<div id="title_page"> +<p class="book_title">THE HEAD VOICE AND<br /> +OTHER PROBLEMS</p> +<p class="book_subtitle">PRACTICAL TALKS<br /> +ON SINGING</p> +<p class="stopword">BY</p> +<p class="book_author">D. A. CLIPPINGER</p> +<p class="stopword"><i>Author of</i></p> +<p class="special_name">Systematic Voice Training<br /> +The Elements of Voice Culture</p> +<p class="stopword">1.00</p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illo_01.png" title="The Music Student's Library" alt="A logo for The Music Student's Library" + id="illo_01" name="illo_01" width="100" height="102" /> +</div> + +<div id="publisher1"> +<p class="pub_city">BOSTON</p> +<p class="publisher">OLIVER DITSON COMPANY</p> +</div> +<div id="publisher2"> +<p class="pub_city">NEW YORK</p> +<p class="publisher">Chas. H. Ditson & Co.</p> +</div> +<div id="publisher3"> +<p class="pub_city">CHICAGO</p> +<p class="publisher">Lyon & Healy</p> +</div> + +</div><!--Title Page--> +<div id="verso"> +<p>Copyright MCMXVII</p> +<p class="special_name">By Oliver Ditson Company</p> +<p>International Copyright Secured</p> +</div><!--Verso--> +<div id="dedication"> +<p>To</p> +<p class="special_name">My Students</p> +<p>Past, Present and Future</p> +</div><!--Dedication--> +<div id="intro"> +<h2 class="intro_title">INTRODUCTION</h2> +<p>The following chapters are the outgrowth of an enthusiasm +for the work of voice training, together with a deep personal +interest in a large number of conscientious young men and +women who have gone out of my studio into the world to engage +in the responsible work of voice teaching.</p> + +<p>The desire to be of service to them has prompted me to put +in permanent form the principles on which I labored, more or +less patiently, to ground them during a course of three, four, +or five years. The fact that after having stood the “grind” +for that length of time they are still asking, not to say clamoring, +for more, may, in a measure, justify the decision to issue +this book. It is not an arraignment of vocal teachers, although +there are occasional hints, public and private, which lead me +to believe that we are not altogether without sin. But if this +be true we take refuge in the belief that our iniquity is not inborn, +but rather is it the result of the educational methods +of those immediately preceding us. This at least shifts the +responsibility.</p> + +<p>Words are dangerous things, and are liable at any moment to +start a verbal conflagration difficult to control. Nowhere is +this more likely to occur than in a discussion of voice training.</p> + +<p>From a rather wide acquaintance with what has been said +on this subject in the past hundred years, I feel perfectly +safe in submitting the proposition that the human mind can +believe anything and be conscientious in it.</p> + +<p>Things which have the approval of ages emit the odor of +sanctity, and whoever scoffs does so at his peril. Charles +Lamb was once criticised for speaking disrespectfully of the +equator, and a noted divine was severely taken to task for +making unkind remarks about hell. Humanity insists that +these time honored institutions be treated with due respect. +I have an equal respect for those who believe as I do and those +who do not; therefore if anything in this book is not in accord +with popular opinion it is a crack at the head of the idol rather +than that of the worshipper.</p> + +<p>There is no legislative enactment in this great and free +country to prevent us from <em>believing</em> anything we like, but there +<span class="pagenum"><a id="pagev" name="pagev"></a>v</span>should be some crumbs of comfort in the reflection that we +cannot <em>know</em> anything but the truth. One may believe that +eight and three are thirteen if it please him, but he cannot +know it because it is not true. Everything that is true has for +its basis certain facts, principles, laws, and these are eternal +and unchangeable. The instant the law governing any particular +thing becomes definitely known, that moment it becomes +undebatable. All argument is eliminated; but while +we are searching for these laws we are dealing largely in opinions, +and here the offense enters, for as Mr. Epictetus once +said, “Men become offended at their opinion of things, not +at the things themselves.” We can scarcely imagine any one +taking offense at the multiplication table, neither is this interesting +page from the arithmetic any longer considered a fit +subject for debate in polite society, but so far as we know +this is the only thing that is immune.</p> + +<p>Our musical judgments, which are our opinions, are governed +by our experience; and with the growth of experience they +ripen into solid convictions. For many years I have had a conviction +that voice training is much simpler and less involved +than it is generally considered. I am convinced that far too +much is made of the vocal mechanism, which under normal +conditions always responds automatically. Beautiful tone +should be the primary aim of all voice teaching, and more care +should be given to forming the student’s tone concept than to +that of teaching him how to control his throat by direct effort. +The controlling power of a right idea is still much underestimated. +The scientific plan of controlling the voice by means of +mechanical directions leaves untouched the one thing which +prevents its normal, automatic action, namely tension.</p> + +<p>But, someone inquires, “If the student is singing with rigid +throat and tongue would you say nothing about it?” I would +correct it, but not by telling him to hold his tongue down. A +relaxed tongue is always in the right place, therefore all he +needs to learn about the tongue is how to relax it.</p> + +<p>It has been hinted that he who subscribes to Dr. Fillebrown’s +declaration that <span class="fnm">*</span><span class="fn">* <i>Resonance in Singing and Speaking</i>, by Thomas Fillebrown.</span>“The process of singing is psychologic rather +than physiologic” has nothing tangible to work with. Now +tone concept and musical feeling are absolutely essential to +singing, and they are definite entities to one who has them. +All musical temperaments must be vitalized. Imaginations +<span class="pagenum"><a id="pagevi" name="pagevi"></a>vi</span>must be trained until they will burst into flame at the slightest +poetic suggestion. Musical natures are not fixed quantities. +They are all subject to the law of growth. Every vocal student +is an example of the law of evolution. Few people find +it easy in the beginning to assume instantly a state of intense +emotion. These things are habits of mind which must be developed, +and they furnish the teacher with definite problems.</p> + +<p>To repeat, <em>the tone is the thing</em>, and <em>how it sounds</em> is what determines +whether it is right or wrong. And so we come back +again to the ear, which is the taste. Does it please the ear? +If so, is the ear reliable? Not always. If all teachers were +trying for the same tone quality there would be no need of +further writing on the subject, but they are not. On the contrary +no two of them are trying for exactly the same quality. +Each one is trying to make the voice produce his idea of tone +quality, and the astounding thing about the human voice is +that for a time at least, it can approximate almost anything +that is demanded of it. If a voice is ruined, the ear of the +teacher is directly responsible. It is useless to try to place +the blame elsewhere.</p> + +<p>Truth is always simple. If it seems difficult it is due to our +clumsy way of stating it. Thought, like melodies, should run +on the line of the least resistance. In the following pages I +have eschewed all mystifying polysyllabic verbiage, and as +Mark Twain once said, have “confined myself to a categorical +statement of facts unincumbered by an obscuring accumulation +of metaphor and allegory.”</p> + +<p>It is hoped that this book will be useful. It is offered as a +guide rather than as a reformer. It aims to point in the right +direction, and “do its bit” in emphasizing those things which are +fundamental in voice training. Whatever is true in it will +reach and help those who need it. Nothing more could be +asked or desired.</p> + +<div class="figright"> +<img src="images/illo_07.png" title="(signed) D. A. Clippinger" alt="The signature of D. A. Clippinger" id="illo_07" name="illo_07" /> +</div> + + +<p class="sign"><span class="location">Kimball Hall, Chicago.</span><br /> +<span class="date">May, 1917.</span></p> +</div><!--Introduction--> +<div id="contents"> +<h2 class="contents_title">CONTENTS</h2> +<ul id="contents_list"> +<li><a href="#intro" title="Jump to the Introduction">Introduction</a> <span class="contents_page">vi</span></li> +<li><!--placeholder to get the numbers to work properly--> +<ol> +<li><a href="#Ch_I" title="Jump to Chapter 1">Voice Placing</a> <span class="contents_page">1</span></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_II" title="Jump to Chapter 2">The Head Voice</a> <span class="contents_page">9</span></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_III" title="Jump to Chapter 3">A General Survey of the Situation</a> <span class="contents_page">28</span></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_IV" title="Jump to Chapter 4">Hints on Teaching</a> <span class="contents_page">38</span></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_V" title="Jump to Chapter 5">The Nature and Meaning of Art</a> <span class="contents_page">64</span></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_VI" title="Jump to Chapter 6">Singing as an Art</a> <span class="contents_page">70</span></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_VII" title="Jump to Chapter 7">The Construction of a Song</a> <span class="contents_page">80</span></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_VIII" title="Jump to Chapter 8">How to Study a Song</a> <span class="contents_page">86</span></li> +<li><a href="#Ch_IX" title="Jump to Chapter 9">Scientific Voice Production</a> <span class="contents_page">90</span></li> +</ol></li> +<li><a href="#bibliography" title="Jump to the Bibliography">Bibliography</a> <span class="contents_page">101</span></li> +</ul> + +</div> +<h1>THE HEAD VOICE AND OTHER PROBLEMS.</h1> +<div class="chapter" id="Ch_I"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page1" name="page1"></a>1</span></p> + +<p class="chapter_number">I</p> + +<h2 class="chapter_title">VOICE PLACING</h2> + +<div class="epigram"> +<p>“The path of the sound, being formed of elastic and movable parts, varies +its dimensions and forms in endless ways, and every modification—even +the slightest—has a corresponding and definite influence on the voice.”</p> +<p class="citation">Garcia. <i>Hints on Singing</i>.</p> +</div> + + +<p>Vocal teachers are rated primarily on their ability as voice +builders. When students look for a teacher the first thing +they want to know is: “Can he build a voice?” His ability +as an interpreter in most instances is taken for granted. Why +this is so is easily understood. There is a moving appeal in +the pure singing tone of the human voice that cannot even be +approximated by any other instrument. We have all heard +voices that were so beautiful that to hear one of them vocalize +for half an hour would be a musical feast. Such a voice is so +full of feeling, so vibrant with life and emotion that it moves +one to the depths even if no words are used. It is only natural +that all singers should be eager to possess such a voice, for +it covers up a multitude of other musical misdemeanors. +While it does not take the place altogether of the interpretative +instinct, it does make the work of the singer much easier by +putting his audience in sympathy with him from the beginning, +thus to a considerable extent disarming criticism. The old +Italians attached so much importance to beautiful tone that +they were willing to work conscientiously for half a dozen +years to obtain it. To the beautiful tone they added a faultless +technic. Altogether it required from five to eight years to +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page2" name="page2"></a>2</span>prepare and equip a singer for a career, but when he was thus +prepared he could do astounding things in the way of trills, +roulades, and cadenzas.</p> + +<p>The stories of many of these singers have come down to us +through the musical histories, and the singing world has come +to believe that the teachers alone were responsible. Owing +to her geographic location, her climate, language, and racial +characteristics Italy at one time furnished most of the great +singers of the world, and the world with its usual lack of judgment +and discrimination gave Italian teachers all of the credit. +That the best of the Italian teachers were as near right as it is +humanly possible to be, I have no doubt whatever, but along +with the few singers who became famous there were hundreds +who worked equally hard but were never heard of. A great +voice is a gift of the creator, and the greater the gift the less +there is to be done by the teacher. But in addition to what +nature has done there is always much to be done by the teacher, +and the nature of the vocal instrument is such that its training +is a problem unique and peculiar. The voice can do so many +different things, produce so many different kinds of tone, in +such a variety of ways that the ability to determine which is +right and which is wrong becomes a matter of aesthetic judgment +rather than scientific or mechanical.</p> + +<p>If the scale, power, quality, and compass of the human voice +were established as are those of the piano, the great problem +in the training of a singer would be much simplified, possibly +eliminated; but the singer must form the pitch, power, and +quality of each tone as he uses it; therefore in the training of a +singer we are constantly facing what has crystallized into the +term <strong>Voice Placing</strong>.</p> + +<p>This term has been used as a peg upon which to hang every +whim, fancy, formula, and vocal vagary that has floated +through the human mind in the last two centuries. It has furnished +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page3" name="page3"></a>3</span>an excuse for inflicting upon vocal students every possible +product of the imagination, normal and abnormal, disguised +in the word <strong>Method</strong>, and the willingness with which +students submit themselves as subjects for experiment is beyond +belief. The more mysterious and abnormal the process +the more faith they have in its efficacy.</p> + +<p>The nature of the vocal instrument, its wide range of possibilities, +and its intimate relation to the imagination make it a +peculiarly fit subject for experiment. The scientist has tried +to analyze it, the mechanic has tried to make it do a thousand +things nature never intended it to do, the reformer has +tried to reform both, and the psychologist, nearest right of all, +has attempted to remove it from the realm of the material +altogether. There seems to be no way to stop this theorizing, +and it doubtless will continue until the general musical intelligence +reaches such a point that it automatically becomes impossible.</p> + +<p>We are constantly hearing such remarks as “Mr. S knows +how to place the voice.” “Mr. G does not.” “Mr. B places +the voice high.” “Mr. R does not place the voice high enough.” +“Mr. X is great at bringing the tone forward,” etc., etc. This +goes on through a long list of fragments of English difficult to +explain even by those who use them.</p> + +<p>Now voice placing means just one thing, not half a dozen. +It means learning to produce <strong>beautiful tone</strong>. When one +can produce beautiful tone throughout his vocal compass his +voice is placed, and it is not placed until he can. The injunction +to <em>place the voice</em> invariably leaves in the mind of the student +the idea that he must direct the tone to some particular +point, in fact he is often urged to do so, whereas the truth is +that when the tone is properly produced there is no thought +of trying to put it anywhere. It seems to sing itself. There +is a well established belief among students that the tone must +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page4" name="page4"></a>4</span>be consciously directed to the point where it is supposed to +focus. This belief is intimately associated with another equally +erroneous, that the only way to tell whether a tone is good or +bad, right or wrong, is by the way it feels. A tone is something +to hear. It makes its appeal to the ear, and why one +should rely on the sense of feeling to tell whether it sounds +right or wrong is something difficult to understand.</p> + +<p>Further, explicit directions are given for the action and control +of everything involved in making tone except the mind +of the student. The larynx seems to be particularly vulnerable +and is subject to continuous attack. One says it should +be held low throughout the compass. Another says it should +rise as the pitch rises, and still another, that it should drop as +the pitch rises. Instructions of this kind do not enlighten, +they mystify.</p> + +<p>If there be any one thing upon which voice teachers theoretically +agree it is “free throat”. Even those who argue for a +fixed larynx agree to this, notwithstanding it is a physical impossibility +to hold the larynx in a fixed position throughout the +compass without a considerable amount of rigidity. It is like +believing in Infinite Love and eternal punishment at the same +time.</p> + +<p>When the larynx is free it will not and should not be in the +same position at all times. It will be a little lower for somber +tones than for bright tones. It will be a little higher for the +vowel e than for oo or o, but the adjustments will be <em>automatic</em>, +never conscious. It cannot be too often reiterated that every +part of the vocal mechanism must act automatically, and it is +not properly controlled until it does.</p> + +<p>The soft palate also comes in for its share of instruction. I +was once taught to raise it until the uvula disappeared. Later +I was taught to relax it. Both of these movements of the soft +palate were expected to result in a beautiful tone. Now if +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page5" name="page5"></a>5</span>two things which are directly opposed to each other are equal +to the same thing, then there is no use in bothering our heads +further with logic.</p> + +<p>Such directions I believe to be of doubtful value, if not irrelevant. +We must learn that <em>an idea has definite form</em>, and that +when the mechanism is free, that is, plastic, the idea molds it +into a corresponding form and the expression becomes a perfect +picture of the idea. This is what is meant by indirect control, +involuntary, automatic action.</p> + +<p>One could write indefinitely on the peculiarities of voice +training, the unique suggestions made, the mechanical instructions +given, the unbelievable things students are made to do +with lips, tongue and larynx as a necessary preparation to +voice production. In this as in everything else there are extremists. +Some have such an exquisite sense of detail that they +never get beyond it. At the other extreme are those who trust +everything to take care of itself. Both overlook the most important +thing, namely, how the voice sounds.</p> + +<p>It requires much time, study and experience to learn that +voice training is simple. It is a fact that truth is naturally, +inherently simple. Its mastery lies in removing those things +which seem to make it difficult and complex. Training the +voice, this so called “voice placing,” is simple and easy when +one has risen above that overwhelming amount of fiction, +falsity, and fallacy that has accumulated around it, obscuring +the truth and causing many well intentioned teachers to follow +theories and vagaries that have no foundation in fact, and +which lead both teacher and pupil astray. If there is any +truth applicable to voice training it has an underlying principle, +for truth is the operation of principle. If we start wrong we +shall end wrong. If we start right and continue according to +principle we shall reach the desired goal.</p> + +<p><strong>Voice training has its starting point, its basis, its +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page6" name="page6"></a>6</span>foundation, in beautiful tone.</strong> This should be the aim of +both teacher and pupil from the beginning. To produce +something beautiful is the aim of all artistic activity. Beautiful +tone, as Whistler said of all art, has its origin in absolute +truth. That which is not beautiful cannot possibly be true, +for real nature, which is the expression of Infinite Mind, is +always perfect, and no perfect thing can be ugly, discordant, or +inharmonious. The imperfection we see is the result of our +own imperfect understanding of the real universe.</p> + +<p>A <em>tone is something to hear</em>, and <strong>hearing is mental</strong>. An old +French anatomist once said: “The eye sees what it is looking +for, and it is looking only for what it has in mind.” The same +is true of the ear. We hear the tone mentally before we sing +it, and we should hear it as distinctly as if it were sung by another. +A tone first of all is a mental product, and its pitch, +power, and quality are definite mental entities. When we wish +to convey this tone to another we do it through the sound +producing instrument which nature has provided for this purpose.</p> + +<p>That everything exists first as idea has been the teaching of +the philosophers for ages. That the idea is the controlling, +governing force is equally well understood. Therefore, inasmuch +as the aim of all voice building is to produce beautiful +tone we must start with the right idea of tone. This is where +the first and greatest difficulty appears. To most people a +tone is intangible and difficult to define. One will rarely find +a student that can formulate anything approaching a definition +of a musical tone and I fancy many teachers would find it far +from easy. Unless one has a grasp of the psychology of voice, +and a great many have not, he will begin to work with what he +can see. Here enters the long dreary mechanical grind that +eventually ruins the temper of both teacher and student, and +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page7" name="page7"></a>7</span>results in nothing but mechanical singing, instead of a joyous, +inspiring musical performance.</p> + +<p>In studying the pure singing tone we find the following: It +is <em>smooth</em>, <em>steady</em>, <em>firm</em>, <em>rich</em>, <em>resonant</em>, <em>sympathetic</em>. We shall +also find that all of its qualities and attributes are mental. It +must contain the element of freedom (mental), firmness (mental), +security (mental), sympathy (mental), enthusiasm, sentiment, +joy, compassion, pity, love, sorrow (all mental). These +are all qualities of the singing tone. They are not intangible. +On the contrary, to the one who has them they are definite +and are the things he works for from the beginning. They are +basic and fundamental. All are combined in what I call +<em>tone concept</em>, which is another word for musical ear, or musical +taste. This tone concept is by far the most important thing +in voice training. The student will not sing a tone better +than the one he conceives mentally, therefore the mental +concept of tone, or tone concept must be the basis of voice placing.</p> + +<p>This tone concept, or mental picture of tone qualities controls +the vocal instrument by indirection. True tone color +does not come as the result of trying by some physical process +to make the tone light or dark, but <em>from the automatic response +to musical concept or feeling</em>.</p> + +<p>In leaving this subject I wish to pay my respects to that +company of cheerful sinners—the open throat propagandists. +I was taught in my youth that the punishment for a sin committed +ignorantly was none the less pungent and penetrating, +and I trust that in administering justice to these offenders the +powers will be prompt, punctilious and persevering. It is a +worthy activity.</p> + +<p>No mistake of greater magnitude was ever made since voice +training began than that of holding the throat open by direct +effort. It never resulted in a tone a real musician’s ear could +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page8" name="page8"></a>8</span>endure, nevertheless during the latter part of the nineteenth +century and even the early part of the twentieth it was made +such an integral part of voice culture that it seemed to be incorporated +in the law of heredity, and vocal students, even before +they were commanded, would try to make a large cavity in +the back of the throat. I believe however, that there is much +less of this than formerly. Vocal teachers are beginning to see +that the one important thing is a free throat and that when +this is gained the response of the mechanism to the mental demand +is automatic and unerring.</p> + +</div><!--Chapter 1--> +<div class="chapter" id="Ch_II"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page9" name="page9"></a>9</span></p> +<p class="chapter_number">II</p> +<h2 class="chapter_title">THE HEAD VOICE</h2> +<div class="epigram"> +<p>Let him take care, however, that the higher the notes, the more it is necessary +to touch them with softness, to avoid screaming.</p> + +<p class="citation">Tosi. (1647-1727) <i>Observations on Florid Song</i>.</p> +</div> + +<p>That the development of the upper, or head voice, is the +most difficult as well as the most important part of the training +of the singing voice, will be readily admitted by every experienced +singing teacher.</p> + +<p>That the upper voice should be produced with as much +comfort as the middle or lower, is scarcely debatable.</p> + +<p>That a majority of singers produce their upper voice with +more or less difficulty, need not be argued.</p> + +<p>Why is it that after two, three or more years of study so +many upper voices are still thick, harsh and unsteady?</p> + +<p>There is nothing in the tone world so beautiful as the male or +female head voice when properly produced, and there is nothing +so excruciatingly distressing as the same voice when badly +produced.</p> + +<p>The pure head voice is unique in its beauty. It is full of +freedom, elasticity, spiritual exaltation. It seems to float, as +it were, in the upper air without connection with a human +throat. Its charm is irresistible. It is a joy alike to the singer +and the listener. It is the most important part of any singer’s +equipment. Why is it so difficult and why do so few have it? +Various reasons are at hand.</p> + +<p>The spirit of American enterprise has found its way into +voice teaching. It is in the blood of both teacher and pupil. +The slogan is “Put it over.” This calls for big tone and they +do not see why they should not have it at once.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page10" name="page10"></a>10</span>The ability to use the full power of the upper voice when occasion +demands is necessary and right, but merely to be able +to sing high and loud means nothing. All that is required for +that is a strong physique and determination. Such voice +building requires but little time and no musical sense whatever; +but to be able to sing the upper register with full power, emotional +intensity, musical quality and ease, is the result of long +and careful work under the ear of a teacher whose sense of tone +quality is so refined that it will detect instantly the slightest +degree of resistance and not allow it to continue.</p> + +<p>The ambitious young singer who has been told by the village +oracle that she has a great voice and all she needs is a little +“finishing,” balks at the idea of devoting three or four years to +the process, and so she looks for some one who will do it quickly +and she always succeeds in finding him. To do this work correctly +the old Italians insisted on from five to eight years with +an hour lesson each day. To take such a course following the +modern plan of one or two half hours a week, would have the +student treading on the heels of Methuselah before it was completed.</p> + +<p>It is not always easy to make students understand that the +training of the voice means the development of the musical +mentality and at best is never a short process. To most of +them voice culture is a physical process and as they are physically +fit, why wait?</p> + +<p>Now the fact is that there is nothing physical in voice production +save the instrument, and a strong physique has no +more to do with good singing than it has with good piano +playing. Voice production is a mental phenomenon. It is +mentality of the singer impressing itself on the vocal instrument +and expressing itself through it. The idea that the vocal +instrument alone without mental guidance will produce +beautiful tone is as fallacious as that a grand piano will produce +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page11" name="page11"></a>11</span>good music whether the one at the keyboard knows how to play +it or not.</p> + +<p>Let it be understood once for all that <em>it is the mentality of +the individual, not his body, that is musical or unmusical</em>. Both +teacher and student must learn that there is much more to do +mentally and much less to do physically than most people suspect. +They must learn that a musical mentality is no less +definite than a physical body, and is at least equally important; +also that right thinking is as necessary to good voice production +as it is to mathematics.</p> + +<p>At this point there will doubtless be a strenuous objection +from those who assert that tone cannot be produced without +effort, and that a considerable amount of it is necessary, especially +in the upper voice.</p> + +<p>It will be readily admitted that the application of force is +required to produce tone, but how much force? Certainly +not that extreme physical effort that makes the singer red in +the face and causes his upper tones to shriek rather than sing. +Such a display of force discloses an erroneous idea of how to +produce the upper voice. When there is the right relation existing +between the breath and the vocal instrument, when there +is the proper poise and balance of parts, no such effort is necessary. +On the contrary the tone seems to flow and the effort +required is only that of a light and pleasant physical exercise.</p> + +<p>The pianist does not have to strike the upper tones any +harder than the lower ones in order to bring out their full +power. Why should the upper part of the voice require such +prodigious effort?</p> + +<p>Now <em>all voices should have a head register</em>. It is a part of nature’s +equipment, and this calls for a word on the classification +of voices. It ought not to be difficult to determine whether a +voice is soprano, alto, tenor, baritone or bass, but I find each +year a considerable number that have been misled. Why? +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page12" name="page12"></a>12</span>A number of things are responsible. One of the most common +is that of mistaking a soprano who has a chest register for an +alto. This singer finds the low register easier to sing than the +upper, consequently she and her friends decide she is an alto. +Thereafter she sings low songs and takes the alto part in the +choir. The longer she follows this plan the less upper voice she +will have, and when she goes to a teacher, unless he has a discriminating +and analytical ear, he will allow her to remain in the +alto class. There is always something in the fiber of a tone, +even though it be badly produced, that will disclose to the +trained ear what it will be when rightly produced.</p> + +<p>Again, the human voice can produce such a variety of tone +qualities that sometimes a soprano will cultivate a somber +style of singing and a majority of people will call her alto. It +requires a trained ear to detect what she is doing. The baritone +also, because he often sings the bass part in a quartet, tries +to make himself sound like a bass; this he does by singing with +a somber, hollow quality which has little or no carrying power.</p> + +<p>Another mistake is that of classifying a voice according to +its compass. This is the least reliable method of all. The mere +fact of having high tones does not necessarily make one a soprano, +neither is a voice always to be classified as alto by reason +of not being able to sing high. It is <em>quality</em> that decides what +a voice is. Soprano is a quality. Alto is a quality. The +terms tenor, baritone, bass, refer to a quality rather than a +compass. These qualities are determined primarily by the +construction of the organ.</p> + + +<p>But when voices are properly trained there is not so much +difference in the compass as most people suppose. For example: +the female head voice lies approximately within this compass +<img src="images/fig_a.png" title="Figure A" alt="a fragment of music" id="figure_a" name="figure_a" width="184" height="67" /> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page13" name="page13"></a>13</span>and +altos who learn to use the real head voice will have no +difficulty in vocalizing that high.</p> + +<p>At the lower end of the voice sopranos who have a chest +register will often sing as low as most altos. But whether they +sing high or low it is always the quality that determines the +classification of the voice.</p> + +<p>Many lyric sopranos have no chest register, and it would be a +mistake to attempt to develop one. In such voices, which +rarely have anything below middle C, the middle register must +be strengthened and carried down and made to take the place +of the chest voice.</p> + +<p>It must not be understood that there is but one soprano +quality, one alto quality, etc. The voice is so individual that +it cannot be thus limited. There are many soprano qualities +between the coloratura and the dramatic, and the same is +true of alto, tenor, baritone and bass.</p> + +<p>When the voice is rightly produced, its natural quality will +invariably appear, and there it must be allowed to remain. An +attempt to change it always means disaster.</p> + +<p>It will be observed that the piano string diminishes in length +and thickness as the pitch rises, and the voice must do something +which corresponds to this. Otherwise it will be doing +that which approximates stretching the middle C string, for +example, until it will produce its octave.</p> + +<p>In discussing the head voice it is the purpose to avoid as +much as possible the mechanical construction of the instrument. +This may be learned from the numerous books on the +anatomy and physiology of the voice. It is an interesting +subject, but beyond an elementary knowledge it is of little +value to the teacher. A correct knowledge of how to train the +voice must be gained in the studio, not in the laboratory. Its +basis is the musical sense rather than the mechanical or +scientific. All of the scientific or mechanical knowledge that +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page14" name="page14"></a>14</span>the world has to offer is no preparation for voice training. A +knowledge of the art of teaching begins when the teacher +takes his first pupil, not before. Therefore the aim shall be to +present the subject as it appears to the teacher.</p> + +<p>We hear much of the value of vocal physiology as a guide to +good voice production. It is also claimed that a knowledge of +it will prevent the singer from misusing his voice and at the +same time act as a panacea for vocal ills. These statements do +not possess a single element of truth. The only way the singer +can injure the vocal instrument is by forcing it. That is, by +setting up a resistance in the vocal cords that prevents their +normal action. If this is persevered in it soon becomes a habit +which results in chronic congestion. Singing becomes increasingly +difficult, especially in the upper voice, and in course of +time the singer discovers that he has laryngitis. Will a knowledge +of vocal physiology cure laryngitis? Never. Will it +prevent any one from singing “throaty?” There is no instance +of the kind on record. In a majority of cases laryngitis and +other vocal ills are the direct results of bad voice production +and disappear as the singer learns to produce his upper tones +without resistance. These things are effects, not causes, and to +destroy the effect we must remove the cause. This will be +found to be a wrong habit and habits are mental, not physical. +When a mental impulse and its consequent response become +simultaneous and automatic the result is a habit, but it is +the mental impulse that has become automatic.</p> + +<p>The terms, <em>tension</em>, <em>rigidity</em>, <em>interference</em>, <em>resistance</em>, all mean +essentially the same thing. They mean the various forms of +contraction in the vocal instrument which prevents its involuntary +action. If we follow these things back far enough we +shall find that they all have their origin in some degree of fear. +This fear, of which anxiety is a mild form, begins to show itself +whenever the singer attempts tones above the compass of his +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page15" name="page15"></a>15</span>speaking voice. Here is undeveloped territory. The tone +lacks power, quality and freedom, and as power is what the +untrained singer always seeks first, he begins to force it. In a +short time he has a rigid throat, and the longer he sings the +more rigid it becomes. By the time he decides to go to a +teacher his voice is in such a condition that he must take his +upper tones with a thick, throaty quality or with a light falsetto. +Among female voices I have seen many that could sing nothing +but a full tone in the upper register, and that only with an unsteady, +unsympathetic quality.</p> + +<p>Now a point upon which all voice teachers can agree is that +the upper voice is not properly trained until it has a perfect +<i>messa di voce</i> that is, until the singer can swell the tone from +the lightest pianissimo to full voice and return, on any tone in +his compass, without a break and without sacrificing the pure +singing quality. How shall this be accomplished? If the +singer is forcing the upper voice it is safe to say in the beginning +that it never can be done by practicing with full voice. Such +practice will only fasten the habit of resistance more firmly +upon the singer. To argue in the affirmative is equivalent to +saying that the continued practice of a bad tone will eventually +produce a good tone.</p> + +<p>There is but one way to the solution of the problem; the +singer must get rid of resistance. When he has succeeded in +doing that the problem of the head voice is solved. The bugaboo +of voice placing permanently disappears. The difficulty +so many have in placing the upper voice lies in this, that they +try to do it without removing the one thing which prevents +them from doing it. When the voice is free from resistance it +places itself, that is, it produces without effort whatever quality +the singer desires. The term “head voice,” doubtless grew out +of the sensation in the head which accompanies the upper tones, +and this sensation is the result of the vibration of the air in +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page16" name="page16"></a>16</span>the air head cavities. Many have taken this sensation as a +guide to the production of the head voice, and in order to make +sure of it they instruct the student to direct the tone into the +head. This is not only an uncertain and unnecessary procedure, +but is almost sure to develop a resistance which effectually +prevents the tone from reaching the head cavities. When there +is no interference the tone runs naturally into the proper channel. +It is not necessary to use force to put it there.</p> +<div class="section"> +<h3 class="section_title">HEAD RESONANCE</h3> + + +<p>Whether or not the head cavities act as resonators is one of +the many mooted points in voice training. Those who believe +they do are much in the majority, but those in the minority +are equally confident they do not. What are the arguments? +That there is a sensation in the head cavities when singing in +the upper part of the compass no one can deny. Does it +affect tone quality? The minority offers the argument that it +cannot do so because the soft palate automatically rises in +singing a high tone, thus closing the passage through the nose. +On the other side it is argued, and rightly, that the soft palate +can be trained to remain low in singing high tones. But whether +the soft palate is high or low does not settle the matter. It +is not at all necessary that breath should pass through the +nasal cavities in order to make them act as resonators. In fact +it is necessary that it should not. It is the air that is already +in the cavities that vibrates. All who are acquainted with resonating +tubes understand this. Neither is it necessary that +the vibrations should be transmitted to the head cavities by +way of the pharynx and over the soft palate. They may be +transmitted through the bones of the head. John Howard +proved this, to his satisfaction at least, many years ago.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page17" name="page17"></a>17</span>I recall that in working with Emil Behnke he used an exercise +to raise the soft palate and completely close the channel, +yet no one can deny that his pupils had head resonance. +There are certain facts in connection with this that are hard +to side-step. Plunket Greene once told me that at one time +he lost the resonance in the upper part of his voice, and on +consulting a specialist he found a considerable growth on the +septum. He had it removed and at once the resonance returned. +Other equally strong arguments could be offered in +support of the claim that the head cavities do act as resonators. +At any rate the high or low palate is not the deciding factor.</p> + +<p>Too much cannot be said on the subject of interference, or +resistance. So long as there is any of it in evidence it has its +effect on tone quality. It is the result of tension, and tension +is a mental impulse of a certain kind. Its antidote is relaxation, +which is a mental impulse of an opposite nature. It is +necessary for most singers to work at this until long after they +think they have it.</p> + +<p>In preparing the head voice the student must begin with a +tone that is entirely free from resistance and build from that. +In a large majority of voices it means practicing with a light, +soft tone. A voice that cannot sing softly is not rightly produced. +While the student is working for the freedom which +will give him a good half voice he is preparing the conditions +for a good full voice. The conditions are not right for the practice +of full voice until the last vestige of resistance has disappeared. +The light voice is as necessary to artistic success as +the full voice. The singer must have both, but he must never +sacrifice quality for power.</p> + +<p>In the female voice the readjustments of the mechanism +known as changes of register usually occur at about <img class="large_inline_image" src="images/fig_b.png" title="Figure B" alt="a musical fragment" width="348" height="56" id="figure_b" name="figure_b" /></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page18" name="page18"></a>18</span>In many lyric soprano voices I have found the same readjustment +at the B and C above the staff <img src="images/fig_c.png" title="Figure C" alt="a musical fragment" id="figure_c" name="figure_c" width="188" height="61" /></p> + +<p>I have also noted in many bass voices a similar change of adjustment +at the E and F below the bass clef <img src="images/fig_d.png" title="Figure D" alt="a musical fragment" id="figure_d" name="figure_d" width="186" height="44" /></p> + +<p>It would seem therefore, that in a majority of voices until +an even scale has been developed, that these readjustments appear +at about the E and F and B and C throughout the vocal +compass. The exceptions to this rule are so numerous however, +that it can scarcely be called a rule. Some voices will have +but one noticeable readjustment, and it may be any one of the +three.</p> + +<p>In some voices the changes are all imperceptible. In others, +due to wrong usage, they are abrupt breaks. In every instance +the teacher must give the voice what it needs to perfect +an even scale. There should be no more evidence of register +changes in the vocal scale than in the piano scale.</p> + +<p>Leaving the lower two changes for the moment, let us consider +the one at the upper E and F. This one is so common +among sopranos that there are few who have not one, two, or +three weak tones at this point. To avoid these weak tones +many are taught to carry the thicker tones of the middle register +up as far as they can force them in order to get the “big +tone” which seems to be the sole aim of much modern voice +teaching. The victims of this manner of teaching never use +the real head voice, and one thing happens to them all. As +time goes on the upper voice grows more and more difficult, the +high tones disappear one by one, and at the time when they +should be doing their best singing they find themselves vocal +wrecks. Some of them change from soprano to alto and end +by that route.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page19" name="page19"></a>19</span>Now these are not instances that appear at long intervals. +They are in constant evidence and the number is surprisingly +large. The cause is ignorance of how to treat the upper voice, +together with an insane desire for a “big tone” and a lack of +patience to await until it grows. The incredible thing is that +there is a teacher living whose ear will tolerate such a thing.</p> + +<p>Now there is a way to develop the head voice that gives the +singer not only the full power of his upper voice, but makes it +free, flexible and vibrant, a sympathetic quality, a perfect +<i>messa di voce</i>, and enables him to sing indefinitely without +tiring his voice. He must learn that it is possible to produce a +full tone with a light mechanism. This is the natural way of +producing the head voice. Further, the light mechanism must +be carried far below the point where the so called change of +register occurs.</p> + +<p>Every voice should have a head register, and it may be developed +in the following way. With altos and sopranos I +start with this exercise +<img src="images/ex_01.png" class="large_inline_image" title="Exercise No. 1" alt="a musical fragment" id="exercise_1" name="exercise_1" width="377" height="87" /> +</p> + +<p>Altos should begin at A.</p> + +<p>The student should neither feel nor hear the tone in the throat. +Therefore he should begin with a soft <i>oo</i>. The throat should be +free, lips relaxed but slightly forward. There should be no +puckering of the lips for <i>oo</i>. The tone should seem to form +itself around the lips, not in the throat. In the beginning the +exercise must be practiced softly. No attempt must be made +to increase the power, until the tone is well established in the +light mechanism. When the <i>oo</i> can be sung softly and without +resistance as high as E flat use the same exercise with <i>o</i>.</p> + +<p>The next step is to blend this light mechanism with the +heavier mechanism. It may be done in this way, +<img class="large_inline_image" src="images/ex_02.png" title="Exercise No. 2" alt="a musical fragment" id="exercise_2" name="exercise_2" width="370" height="103" /></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page20" name="page20"></a>20</span>Sing this descending scale with a crescendo, always beginning +it <i>pp</i>. It should be practiced very slowly at first, and with +portamento. Carrying the head voice down over the middle +and the middle down over the lower will in a short time blend +all parts of the voice, and lay the foundation of an even scale. +The exercise should be transposed upward by half steps as the +voice becomes more free until it reaches F or F sharp.</p> + +<p>The next step is the building process. Use the following: +<img class="large_inline_image" src="images/ex_03.png" title="Exercise No. 3" alt="a musical fragment" id="exercise_3" name="exercise_3" width="378" height="99" /> +</p> + +<p>Altos should begin at A. In practicing these swells great +care must be taken. Tone quality is the first consideration, +and the tone must be pressed no further than is possible while +retaining the pure singing quality. Where voices have been +forced and are accustomed to sing nothing but thick tones this +building process is sometimes slow. The student finds an almost +irresistible tendency to increase the resistance as he increases +the power of the tone. Therefore the louder he sings +the worse it sounds. This kind of practice will never solve the +problem. When the student is able to swell the tone to full +power without increasing the resistance the problem is solved.</p> + +<p>The progress of the student in this, as in everything in voice +training, depends upon <em>the ear of the teacher</em>. The untrained ear +of the student is an unreliable guide. The sensitive ear of the +teacher must at all times be his guide. The belief that every +one knows a good tone when he hears it has no foundation in +fact. If the student’s concept of tone were perfect he would +not need a teacher. He would have the teacher within himself. +Every one knows what he likes, and what he likes is of +necessity his standard at that particular time, but it is only +the measure of his taste and may be different the next day.</p> + + +<p>All things in voice training find their court of last resort in +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page21" name="page21"></a>21</span>the ear of the teacher. All other knowledge is secondary to +this. He may believe any number of things that are untrue +about the voice, but if he have a thoroughly refined ear it will +prevent him from doing anything wrong. His ear is his taste, +his musical sense, and it is his musical sense, his musical judgment, +that does the teaching.</p> + +<p>So in building the head voice the teacher must see to it that +musical quality is never sacrificed for power. A full tone is +worse than useless, unless the quality is musical and this can +never be accomplished until the vocal instrument is free from +resistance.</p> + +<p>Exercise No. 3 should be transposed upward by half steps, +but never beyond the point at which it can be practiced comfortably.</p> + +<p>As tension shows most in the upper part of the voice the +student should have, as a part of his daily practice, exercises +which release the voice as it rises. Use the following: +<img class="large_inline_image" src="images/ex_04.png" title="Exercise No. 4" alt="a musical fragment" id="exercise_4" name="exercise_4" width="424" height="90" /> +</p> +<p class="continued_paragraph">Begin with medium power and diminish to <i>pp</i> as indicated. +The upper tone must not only be sung softly, but the throat must +be entirely free. There must be no sense of holding the tone.</p> + +<p class="continued_paragraph">Transpose to the top of +the voice. <img class="large_inline_image" src="images/ex_05.png" title="Exercise No. 5" alt="a musical fragment" id="exercise_5" name="exercise_5" width="422" height="86" /> +</p> + +<p class="continued_paragraph">No. 5 is for the same purpose as No. 4 but in an extended form. +Begin with rather full voice and diminish to <i>pp</i> ascending. Increase +to full voice descending. Continue the building of the upper voice using the complete +scale.</p> +<p><img class="large_inline_image" src="images/ex_06.png" title="Exercise No. 6" alt="a musical fragment" id="exercise_6" name="exercise_6" width="422" height="109" /></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page22" name="page22"></a>22</span>Thus far in preparing the head voice we have used the vowels +<i>oo</i> and <i>o</i>. We may proceed to the vowel <i>ah</i> in the following +way. Using Ex. No. 6 first sing <i>o</i> with loose but somewhat +rounded lips. When this tone is well established sing <i>o</i> with the +same quality, the same focus, or placing without rounding the +lips. It amounts to singing <i>o</i> with the <i>ah</i> position. When this can +be done then use short <i>u</i> as in the word <i>hum</i>. This gives approximately +the placing for <i>ah</i> in the upper voice. When +these vowels can all be sung with perfect freedom transpose +upward by half steps. <img class="large_inline_image" src="images/ex_07.png" title="Exercise No. 7" alt="a musical fragment" id="exercise_7" name="exercise_7" width="419" height="110" /> +</p> + + +<p>In No. 7 when the crescendo has been made on the upper +tone carry the full voice to the bottom of the scale.</p> + +<p><img class="large_inline_image" src="images/ex_08.png" title="Exercise No. 8" alt="a musical fragment" id="exercise_8" name="exercise_8" width="336" height="62" /></p> + +<p>This is another way of blending the different parts of the +voice. It should be sung portamento in both directions. +When sung by a female voice it will be Middle, Head, Middle +as indicated by the letters M, H, M. When sung by the male +voice it will be Chest, Head, Chest as indicated by the letters +C, H, C. Transpose upward by half steps.</p> + +<p>When the foregoing exercises are well in hand the head voice +may be approached from the middle and lower registers in +scale form as in the following:</p> + +<p> +<img class="large_inline_image" src="images/ex_09.png" title="Exercise No. 9" alt="a musical fragment" id="exercise_9" name="exercise_9" width="377" height="85" /> +<img class="large_inline_image" src="images/ex_10.png" title="Exercise No. 10" alt="a musical fragment" id="exercise_10" name="exercise_10" width="453" height="84" /> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page23" name="page23"></a>23</span> +<img class="large_inline_image" src="images/ex_11.png" title="Exercise No. 11" alt="a musical fragment" id="exercise_11" name="exercise_11" width="512" height="98" /> +<img class="large_inline_image" src="images/ex_12.png" title="Exercise No. 12" alt="a musical fragment" id="exercise_12" name="exercise_12" width="513" height="108" /> +<img class="large_inline_image" src="images/ex_13.png" title="Exercise No. 13" alt="a musical fragment" id="exercise_13" name="exercise_13" width="513" height="107" /> +</p> + +<p>The fact that male voices are more often throaty in the upper +register then female voices calls for special comment.</p> + +<p>The following diagram showing the relationship of the two +voices will help to elucidate the matter.</p> + +<p> +<img class="large_inline_image" src="images/fig_e.png" title="Figure D" alt="a musical fragment" id="figure_e" name="figure_e" width="523" height="161" /> +</p> + +<p>I have here used three octaves of the vocal compass as sufficient +for the illustration. Remembering that the male voice +is an octave lower than the female voice we shall see that the +female voice is a continuation, as it were, of the male voice; the +lower part of the female compass overlapping the upper part of +the male compass, the two having approximately an octave G +to G in common. Further it will be seen that both male and +female voices do about the same thing at the same absolute +pitches. At about E flat or E above middle C the alto or +soprano passes from the chest to the middle register. It is at +the same absolute pitches that the tenor passes from what is +usually called open to covered tone, but which might better be +called from chest to head voice. There is every reason to believe +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page24" name="page24"></a>24</span>that the change in the mechanism is the same as that +which occurs in the female voice at the same pitches. That +there is oftentimes a noticeable readjustment of the mechanism +in uncultivated voices at these pitches no observing teacher will +deny, and these are the voices which are of special interest to +the teacher, and the ones for which books are made. It will +be observed that this change in the male voice takes place in +the upper part of his compass instead of in the lower, as in the +female voice. This change which is above the compass of the +speaking voice of the tenor or baritone, adds greatly to its +difficulty. For this reason the training of the male head voice +requires more care and clearer judgment than anything else +in voice training.</p> + +<p>In treating this part of the female voice we have learned that +if the heavy, or chest voice, is carried up to G or A above +middle C it weakens the tones of the middle register until they +finally become useless. Then the chest tones become more +difficult and disappear one by one and the voice has no further +value. Identically the same thing happens to the tenor who, +by reason of sufficient physical strength forces his chest voice +up to G, A, or B flat. He may be able to continue this for +awhile, sometimes for a few years, but gradually his upper +tones become more difficult and finally impossible and another +vocal wreck is added to the list.</p> + +<p>In restoring the female voice that has carried the chest voice +too high it is necessary to carry the middle register down, sometimes +as low as middle C until it has regained its power. The +tenor or baritone must do essentially the same thing. He must +carry the head voice, which is a lighter mechanism than the +chest voice, down as low as this c <img src="images/fig_f.png" title="Figure F" alt="a musical fragment" id="figure_f" name="figure_f" width="137" height="64" /> using what is +often called mixed voice. When the pitches <img src="images/fig_g.png" title="Figure G" alt="a musical fragment" id="figure_g" name="figure_g" width="317" height="64" /> +are practiced with a sufficiently relaxed +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page25" name="page25"></a>25</span>throat the tone runs naturally into the head resonator with +a feeling almost the equivalent of that of a nasal tone, but +this tone will be in no sense nasal. It will be head voice.</p> + +</div><!--Head Resonance--> +<div class="section"> +<h3 class="section_title">THE FALSETTO</h3> + + +<p>Does the falsetto have any part in the development of the +head voice? This inoffensive thing is still the subject of a +considerable amount of more of less inflammatory debate both +as to what it is and what it does. Without delay let me assure +every one that it is perfectly harmless. There is no other one +thing involved in singing, immediate or remote, from which +the element of harm is so completely eliminated. It is held +by some that it is produced by the false vocal chords. This +position is untenable for the reason that I have known many +singers who could go from the falsetto to a full ringing tone and +return with no perceptible break. Now since it will hardly be +argued that a ringing, resonant tone could be produced by the +false vocal cords, it is evident that the singer must change from +the false to the true vocal cords somewhere in the process—a +thing which is unthinkable.</p> + +<p>It is held by others that the falsetto is a relic of the boy’s +voice, which has deteriorated from lack of use. This seems +not unreasonable, and a considerable amount of evidence is +offered in support of it. We may safely assume however that +it is produced by the true vocal cords and the lightest register +in the male voice. What is its use? Unless its quality can be +changed it has little or no musical value. There are some +teachers who claim that the falsetto mechanism is the correct +one for the tenor voice and should be used throughout the +entire compass. I am not prepared to subscribe to this. There +are others who believe that the falsetto should be developed, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page26" name="page26"></a>26</span>resonated, +so that it loses its flute quality, and blended with the +head voice. This seems in the light of my experience +to be reasonable. When this can be done it gives the singer +the most perfect mechanism known. But it cannot always be +done. The voice is individual, and the entire sum of individual +experience leaves its impression on it. I have found +many voices where the falsetto was so completely detached +from the head voice that it would be a waste of time to attempt +to blend them.</p> + +<p>But there is one place in voice training where the practice +of the falsetto has a distinct value. I have seen many tenors +and baritones who forced the heavy chest voice up until they +developed an automatic clutch, and could sing the upper +tones only with extreme effort. To allow them to continue in +that way would never solve their problem. In such a condition +half voice is impossible. It must be one thing or the other, +either the thick chest voice or falsetto. The falsetto they can +produce without effort, and herein lies its value. They become +accustomed to hearing their high tones without the association +of effort, and after a time the real head voice appears. +The thing which prevented the head voice from appearing in +the beginning was extreme resistance, and as soon as the resistance +disappeared the head voice made its appearance. This +was accomplished by the practice of the very light register +known as falsetto. When the head voice appears the use of the +falsetto may be discontinued.</p> + +<p>The thing expected of the teacher is results and he should not +be afraid to use anything that will contribute to that end.</p> + +<p>It is in the upper part of the voice that mistakes are most +likely to be made and ninety nine per cent of the mistakes is +forcing the voice, that is, singing with too much resistance. So +long as the resistance continues a good full tone is impossible. +The plan outlined above for eliminating resistance has been +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page27" name="page27"></a>27</span>tested with many hundreds of voices and has never failed. +The idea held by some that such practice can never produce a +large tone shows a complete misunderstanding of the whole +matter. That it produces the full power of the voice without +sacrificing its musical quality is being proved constantly.</p> + +<p>Every day we hear the story of voices ruined by forcing +high tones. Who is responsible? Each one must answer for +himself. With the hope of diminishing it in some degree, this +outline is offered.</p> +</div><!--The Falsetto--> +</div><!--Chapter 2--> +<div class="chapter" id="Ch_III"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page28" name="page28"></a>28</span></p> +<p class="chapter_number">III</p> +<h2 class="chapter_title">A GENERAL SURVEY OF THE SITUATION</h2> +<div class="epigram"> +<p>“I will roar you as gently as any sucking dove: I will roar you an’t were +any nightingale.”</p> + +<p class="citation">Shakespeare. <i>A Midsummer Night’s Dream</i>.</p> +</div> + + +<p>The singing world is confronted with a situation unique in +its humor. On every side we hear the lachrymose lament that +voice training is in a chaotic condition, that <i>bel canto</i> is a lost +art, and that the golden age of song has vanished from the +earth.</p> + +<p>The unanimity of this dolorous admission would seem to be a +sad commentary on the fraternity of voice teachers; but here +enters the element of humor. There is not recorded a single +instance of a voice teacher admitting that his own knowledge +of the voice is chaotic. He will admit cheerfully and oftentimes +with ill concealed enthusiasm that every other teacher’s +knowledge is in a chaotic condition, but his own is a model of +order and intelligence.</p> + +<p>If we accept what voice teachers think of themselves the +future looks rosy. If we accept what they think of each other +the future is ominous and the need for reform is dire and urgent.</p> + +<p>But if a reform be ordered where shall it begin? Obviously +among the teachers themselves. But judging from the estimate +each one puts upon himself how shall we reform a thing +which is already perfect? On the other hand, if we take the +pessimistic attitude that all teachers are wrong will it not be a +case of the blind leading the blind, in which instance their +destination is definitely determined somewhere in the New +Testament. Verily the situation is difficult. Nevertheless +it is not altogether hopeless. The impulse to sing still remains. +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page29" name="page29"></a>29</span>More people are studying singing, and more people sing well +today than at any other time in the history of the world. The +impulse to sing is as old as the human race. When the joy of +life first welled up within man and demanded utterance the +vocal instrument furnished by nature was ready to respond and +the art of singing began, and if we may venture a prophecy it +will never end in this world or the next. It cannot be destroyed +even by the teachers themselves. It is this natural, inborn desire +to sing that is directly responsible for the amazing perseverance +of many vocal students. If after a year or two of +study they find they are wrong they are not greatly disturbed, +but select another teacher, firm in the faith that eventually +they will find the right one and be safely led to the realization +of their one great ambition—to be an artist. It is this that +has kept the art alive through the centuries and will perpetuate +it. This impulse to sing is something no amount of bad teaching +can destroy.</p> +<div class="section"> +<h3 class="section_title">THE REFORM</h3> + +<p>Everything in the universe that has come under the scrutiny +of mortal man has been subjected to a perpetual reformation. +Nothing is too great or too small to engage the attention of the +reformer. Religion, politics, medicine and race suicide are +objects of his special solicitude, but nothing else has been forgotten. +No phase of human activity has been allowed to remain +at rest. So far as we know nothing but the multiplication +table has escaped the reformer. There is a general feeling +that nothing is exactly right. This may be the operation of the +law of progress, doubtless it is, but it occasions a mighty unrest, +and keeps the world wondering what will happen next. +This law of progress is but another name for idealism to which +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page30" name="page30"></a>30</span>the world owes everything. Idealism is that which sees a better +condition than the one which now obtains. The process of +realizing this better condition is in itself reformation.</p> + +<p>As far back as we have any knowledge of the art of singing +the reformers have been at work, and down through the centuries +their energies have been unflagging. We owe to them +whatever advance has been made toward a perfect system of +voice training, but they are also responsible for many things +pernicious in their nature which have been incorporated in +present day methods of teaching, for it must be admitted that +there are false prophets among singing teachers no less than +among the members of other professions. There is one +interesting thing connected with the work of these vocal reformers. +From the beginning they have insisted that the art +of <i>bel canto</i> is lost. Tosi (1647-1727), Porpora (1686-1766), +Mancini (1716-1800), three of the greatest teachers of the old +Italian school, all lamented the decadence of the art of singing. +Others before and since have done the same thing. It +seems that in all times any one who could get the public ear +has filled it with this sort of pessimistic wail. From this we +draw some interesting conclusions: First, that the real art of +singing was lost immediately after it was found. Second, +that the only time it was perfect was when it began. Third, +that ever since it began we have been searching for it without +success. If any of this is true it means that all of the great +singers of the past two hundred years have been fakers, because +they never really learned how to sing. It is surprising that we +did not see through these musical Jeremiahs long ago. In +all ages there have been good teachers and bad ones, and it +would not be surprising if the bad ones outnumbered the good +ones; but the weak link in the chain of argument is in estimating +the profession by its failures. This is a cheap and much +overworked device and discloses the egotism of the one using +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page31" name="page31"></a>31</span>it. There are teachers today who thoroughly understand the +art of <i>bel canto</i>. They have not lost it, and the others never +had it. This condition has obtained for centuries and will +continue indefinitely. An art should be measured by its best +exponents, not by its worst. To measure it by its failures is +illogical and dishonest.</p> + +<p>In recent years the process of reformation has been applied +to all branches of music teaching with the hope of reducing +these failures to a minimum. The profession has suddenly +awakened to the fact that it must give a better reason for its +existence than any heretofore offered. It has become clear to +the professional mind that in order to retain and enlarge its self-respect +music must be recognized as a part of the great human +uplift. To this end it has been knocking at the doors of the +institutions of learning asking to be admitted and recognized +as a part of public education. The reply has been that music +teaching must first develop coherence, system and standards. +This has caused music teachers to look about and realize as +never before that the profession as a whole has no organization +and no fixed educational standards. Every teacher fixes his +own standard and is a law unto himself. The standard is +individual, and if the individual conscience is sufficiently +elastic the standard gives him no serious concern. But as a +result of this awakening there is a concerted action throughout +the country to standardize, to define the general scope of learning +necessary to become a music teacher. The trend of this +is in the right direction, and good may be expected from it, although +at best it can be but a very imperfect method of determining +one’s fitness to teach. The determining factors in +teaching are things which cannot be discovered in any ten +questions. In fact an examination must necessarily confine +itself to general information, but in teaching, the real man reveals +himself. His high sense of order, logic, patience, his love +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page32" name="page32"></a>32</span>and appreciation of the beautiful, his personality, his moral +sense, the mental atmosphere of his studio, these all enter into +his teaching and they are things difficult to discover in an examination. +Unconsciously the teacher gives out himself along +with the music lesson, and it is equally important with his +knowledge of music. Therefore it is as difficult to establish +definite standards of teaching as it is of piano or violin making.</p> + +<p>In attempting to establish standards of voice teaching the +problem becomes positively bewildering. The voice is so completely +and persistently individual, and in the very nature of +things must always remain so, that an attempt to standardize +it or those who train it is dangerous. Yet notwithstanding +this, voice teachers are the most industrious of all in their +efforts to organize and standardize. The insistence with which +this aim is prosecuted is worthy of something better than is +likely to be achieved.</p> + +<p>That there is no standard among voice teachers save that of +the individual will be admitted without argument; and until +there is such a thing as a fixed standard of musical taste this +condition will remain, for the musical taste of the teacher is +by far the most potent factor in the teaching of tone production.</p> + +<p>Of late there have been vigorous efforts to establish a standard +tone for singers. This, according to the apostles of “Harmony +in the ranks,” is the one way of unifying the profession. +As an argument this is nothing short of picturesque, and can +be traced to those unique and professedly scientific mentalities +that solve all vocal problems by a mathematical formula. As +an example of the chimerical, impossible and altogether undesirable, +it commands admiration. If it is impossible to establish +a standard tone for pianos where the problem is mechanical, +what may we expect to do with voice where the +problem is psychological?</p> + +<p>When we have succeeded in making all people look alike, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page33" name="page33"></a>33</span>act alike, think alike; when we have eliminated all racial +characteristics and those resulting from environment; when +people are all of the same size, weight, proportion, structure; +when skulls are all of the same size, thickness and density; +when all vocal organs and vocal cavities are of the same form +and size; when we have succeeded in equalizing all temperaments; +when there is but one climate, one language, one government, +one religion; when there is no longer such a thing as +individuality—then perhaps a standard tone may be considered. +Until that time nothing could be more certain of failure. +The great charm of voices is their individuality, which is the +result not alone of training, but of ages of varied experience, for +man is the sum of all that has preceded him. It is, to say the +least, an extraordinary mentality that would destroy this +most vital element in singing for the sake of working out a +scientific theory.</p> + +<p>But there is no immediate danger. Nature, whose chief +joy is in variety and contrast, is not likely to sacrifice it suddenly +to a mere whim.</p> + +<p>When we speak of a standard tone we enter the domain of +acoustics and must proceed according to the laws of physics. +In this standard tone there must be a fundamental combined +with certain overtones. But who shall say which overtones, +and why the particular combination? The answer must be +“because it sounds best.” A tone being something to hear, +this is a logical and legitimate answer. But if the listener +knows when it sounds right he knows it entirely separate and +apart from any knowledge he may have of its scientific construction; +hence such knowledge is of no value whatever in +determining what is good and what is bad in tone quality. A +tone is not a thing to see and the teacher cannot use a camera +and a manometric flame in teaching tone production. Any +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page34" name="page34"></a>34</span>knowledge he may have gained from the use of such instruments +in the laboratory is valueless in teaching.</p> + +<p>If it were possible to adopt as a standard tone a certain combination +of fundamental and overtones (which it is not), and +if it were possible to make all singers use this particular tone +(which, thank heaven it is not), then all voices would sound +alike and individuality would at once disappear.</p> + +<p>The advocates of this kind of standard tone cannot disengage +themselves from the belief that all vocal organs are alike. +The exact opposite is the truth. Vocal organs are no more +alike than are eyes, noses, hands and dispositions. Each of +these conforms only to a general type. The variation is infinite.</p> + +</div><!--The Reform--> +<div class="section"> +<h3 class="section_title">MENTALITY</h3> + +<p>The mentality of the individual forms the organ through +which it can express itself, and this mentality is the accumulation +of all of the experience which has preceded it. Further, +muscles and cartilages are not all of the same texture. Thyroid +cartilages vary in size and shape. The vocal cavities, pharynx, +mouth and nasal cavities are never exactly the same in any +two people. The contours of the upper and lower jaw and +teeth, and of the palatal arch are never found to be exactly +alike. All of these variations are a part of the vocal instrument +and determine its quality. Every vocal organ when +properly directed will produce the best quality of which that +particular instrument is capable. An attempt to make it +produce something else must necessarily be a failure. The +structure of the instrument determines whether the voice is +bass, tenor, alto or soprano with all of the variations of these +four classes. The individuality of the voice is fixed by nature +no less definitely.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page35" name="page35"></a>35</span>The effort to standardize tone quality discloses a misapprehension +of what it means to train a voice. Its advocates look +upon man as so much matter, and the voice as something which +must be made to operate according to fixed mathematical +rules and ignore completely its psychology.</p> + +<p>But the rich humor of it all appears when the propagandists +of standard tone meet to establish the standard. It is soon +observed that there are as many standards as there are members +present and the only result is a mental fermentation.</p> +</div><!--Mentatlity--> + +<div class="section"> +<h3 class="section_title">GETTING TOGETHER</h3> + +<p>In recent years many attempts have been made by vocal +teachers to “get together.” As nearly as can be ascertained +this getting together means that all shall teach in the same way, +that all shall agree on the disputed points in voice training, or +that certain articles of faith to which all can subscribe, shall be +formulated; but when it comes to deciding whose way it shall +be or whose faith shall be thus exalted, each one is a Gibraltar +and the only perceptible result is an enlargement of the individual +ego. And so it endeth.</p> +</div><!--Getting Together--> + +<div class="section"> +<h3 class="section_title">WHY TEACHERS DISAGREE</h3> +<p>Voice teachers are divided into two general classes—those +who make a knowledge of vocal physiology the basis of teaching +and those who do not. The members of the first class +follow the teachings of some one of the scientific investigators. +Each one will follow the scientist or physiologist whose ideas +most nearly coincide with his own, or which seem most reasonable +to him. In as much as the scientists have not yet +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page36" name="page36"></a>36</span>approached anything resembling an agreement, it follows +that their disciples are far from being of one mind.</p> + +<p>The members of the second class hold that a knowledge of +vocal anatomy and physiology beyond the elements has no +value in teaching, and that the less the student thinks about +mechanism the better. The scientific voice teachers usually +believe in direct control of the vocal organs. The members +of the opposite class believe in indirect control. This establishes +a permanent disagreement between the two general classes, +but the disagreement between those who believe in indirect +control is scarcely less marked. Here it is not so much a +matter of how the tone is produced, but rather the tone itself. +This is due entirely to the difference in taste among teachers. +The diversity of taste regarding tone quality is even greater +than that regarding meat and drink. This fact seems to be +very generally overlooked. It is this that so mystifies students. +After studying with a teacher for one or more years they go to +another to find that he at once tries to get a different tone +quality from that of the first. When they go to the third +teacher he tries for still another quality. If they go to a half +dozen teachers each one will try to make them produce a +tone differing in some degree from all of the others. The +student doubtless thinks this is due to the difference in understanding +of the voice among teachers, but this is not so. It is +due entirely to their differing tastes in tone quality. The +marvelous thing is that the voice will respond in a degree to all of +these different demands made upon it; but it forces the student +to the conclusion that voice training is an indefinite +something without order, system, or principle.</p> + +<p>So, in studying the conditions which obtain in voice teaching +at the present time it must be admitted that the evidence of +unity is slight; and the probability of increasing it by organization +or legislative enactment is not such as to make one enthusiastic. +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page37" name="page37"></a>37</span>What one believes is very real to himself. In fact +it is the only thing that seems right to him, therefore he sees +no valid reason why he should change his belief or why others +should not believe as he does. This positive element in the +human ego is advantageous at times, but it is also responsible +for all conflicts from mild disagreements to war among nations.</p> + +<p>But arguments and battles rarely ever result in anything +more than an armed truce. Difference of opinion will continue +indefinitely, but of this we may be sure, that the solution +of the vocal problem will never come through a study of vocal +mechanism however conscientious and thorough it may be, +but through a purer musical thought, a deeper musical feeling, +a clearer vision of what is cause and what is effect, a firmer conviction +of the sanctity of music, an unerring knowledge of the +relationship existing between the singer and his instrument.</p> +</div><!--Why teachers disagree--> + +</div><!--Chapter 3--> +<div class="chapter" id="Ch_IV"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page38" name="page38"></a>38</span></p> + +<p class="chapter_number">IV</p> + +<h2 class="chapter_title">HINTS ON TEACHING</h2> + +<div class="epigram"> +<p>“We live in a world of unseen realities, the world of thoughts and feelings. +But ‘thoughts are things,’ and frequently they weigh more and obtain +far more in the making of a man than do all the tangible realities which +surround him. Thoughts and feelings are the stuff of which life is made. +They are the language of the soul. By means of them we follow the +development of character, the shaping of the soul which is the one great +purpose of life.”</p> +<p class="citation"><i>Appreciation of Art</i>. Loveridge.</p> +</div> + + + +<p>Every year a large number of young men and women go +in quest of a singing teacher. The impulse to sing, which is +inborn, has become so insistent and irrepressible that it must +be heeded; and the desire to do things well, which is a part of +the mental equipment of every normal human being, makes +outside assistance imperative. Wherever there is a real need +the supply is forthcoming, so there is little difficulty in finding +some one who is ready, willing, in fact rather anxious, to undertake +the pleasant task of transforming these enthusiastic +amateurs into full-fledged professionals.</p> + +<p>The meeting of the teacher and student always takes place +in the studio, and it is there that all vocal problems are solved. +Let no one imagine that any vocal problem can be solved in a +physics laboratory. Why? <em>Because not one of the problems +confronting the vocal student is physical. They are all mental.</em> +The writer has reached this conclusion not from ignoring the +physical, but from making a comprehensive study of the vocal +mechanism and its relation to the singer.</p> + +<p>The anatomy and physiology of the vocal mechanism are +absorbing to one who is interested in knowing how man, +through untold centuries of growth has perfected an instrument +through which he can express himself; but no matter how far +we go in the study of anatomy and physiology all we really +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page39" name="page39"></a>39</span>learn is what mind has done. If man has a more perfect and +highly organized vocal instrument than the lower animals it +is because his higher manifestation of mind has formed an instrument +necessary to its needs.</p> + +<p>When man’s ideas and needs were few and simple his vocabulary +was small, for language is the means by which members +of the species communicate with each other. Whenever +man evolved a new idea he necessarily invented some way of +communicating it, and so language grew. A word is the +symbol of an idea, but invariably the idea originates the word. +The word does not originate the idea. The idea always arrives +first. All we can ever learn from the study of matter is +phenomena, the result of the activity of mind.</p> + +<p>Thus we see that so called “scientific study” of the vocal +mechanism is at best, but a study of phenomena. It +creates nothing. It only discovers what is already taking +place, and what has been going on indefinitely without conscious +direction will, in all probability, continue.</p> + +<p>The value attached by some to the study of vocal physiology +is greatly overestimated. In fact its value is so little as to be +practically negligible. It furnishes the teacher nothing he can +use in giving a singing lesson, unless, perchance he should be +so unwise as to begin the lesson with a talk on vocal mechanism, +which, by the way, would much better come at the last lesson +than the first. All we can learn from the study of vocal +physiology is the construction of the vocal instrument, and this +bears the same relation to singing that piano making bears to +piano playing. The singer and his instrument are two different +things, and a knowledge of the latter exerts very little +beneficial influence on the former.</p> + +<p>To reach a solution of the vocal problem we must understand +the relation existing between the singer and his instrument.</p> + +<p>The singer is a mentality, consequently everything he does +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page40" name="page40"></a>40</span>is an activity of his mentality. Seeing, hearing, knowing, +is this mentality in action. The two senses most intimately +associated with artistic activity are seeing and hearing, and +these are mental. In painting, sculpture, and architecture +we perceive beauty through the eye. In music it reaches us +through the ear; but <em>the only thing that is cognizant is the mind</em>. +To man the universe consists of mental impressions, and that +these impressions differ with each individual is so well understood +that it need not be argued. Two people looking at the +same picture will not see exactly the same things. Two people +listening to a musical composition may hear quite different +things and are affected in different ways, because <em>it is the mind +that hears</em>, and as no two mentalities are precisely the same, it +must be apparent that the impressions they receive will be +different. The things these mentalities have in common they +will see and hear in common, but wherein they differ they will +see and hear differently. Each will see and hear to the limit +of his experience, but no further.</p> + +<p>To be a musician one must become conscious of that particular +thing called music. He must learn to think music. The +elements of music are rhythm, melody, harmony, and form, +and their mastery is no less a mental process than is the study +of pure mathematics.</p> + +<p>The human mind is a composite. It is made up of a large +number of faculties combined in different proportions. The +germs of all knowledge exist in some form and degree in every +mind. When one faculty predominates we say the individual +has talent for that particular thing. If the faculty is abnormally +developed we say he is a genius, but all things exist as +possibilities in every mind. Nature puts no limitations on +man. Whatever his limitations, they are self imposed, nature +is not a party to the act.</p> + +<p>Now this is what confronts the teacher whenever a student +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page41" name="page41"></a>41</span>comes for a lesson. He has before him a mentality that has +been influenced not only by its present environment, but by +everything that has preceded it. “Man is,” as an old philosopher +said, “a bundle of habits,” and habits are mental trends. +His point of view is the product of his experience, and it will be +different from that of every one else. The work of the teacher +is training this mentality. Understanding this it will be seen +how futile would be a fixed formula for all students, and how +necessarily doomed to failure is any method of voice training +which makes anatomy and physiology its basis. Further, +there is much to be done in the studio beside giving the voice +lesson. Whistler said that natural conditions are never right +for a perfect picture. From the picture which nature presents +the artist selects what suits his purpose and rejects the rest. +It is much the same in the training of a singer. In order that +the lesson be effective the conditions must be right. This only +rarely obtains in the beginning. The student’s attitude toward +the subject must be right or the lesson will mean little to +him. The lesson to be effective must be protected by <em>honesty</em>, +<em>industry</em> and <em>perseverance</em>. If these are lacking in various +degrees, as they often are, little progress will be made. If the +student is studying merely for “society purposes,” not much +can be expected until that mental attitude is changed. Students +always want to sing well, but they are not always willing +to make the sacrifice of time and effort; consequently they lack +concentration and slight their practice. Sometimes the thought +uppermost in the student’s mind is the exaltation of the ego, +in other words, fame. Sometimes he measures his efforts +by the amount of money he thinks he may ultimately earn, be +it great or small. Sometimes he overestimates himself, or +what is equally bad, underestimates himself. It is a very common +thing to find him putting limitations on himself and telling +of the few things he will be able to do and the large number he +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page42" name="page42"></a>42</span>never will be able to do, thus effectually barring his progress. +Then there is always the one who is habitually late. She feels +sure that all of the forces of nature are leagued in a conspiracy +to prevent her from ever being on time anywhere. She, +therefore, is guiltless. There is another one who is a riot of +excuses, apologies and reasons why she has not been able to +practice. Her home and neighborhood seem to be the special +object of providential displeasure, which is manifested in an +unbroken series of calamitous visitations ranging from croup +to bubonic plague, each one making vocal practice a physical +and moral impossibility.</p> + +<p>All of these things are habits of mind which must be corrected +by the teacher before satisfactory growth may be expected. +In fact he must devote no inconsiderable part of his time to +setting students right on things which in themselves are no +part of music, but which are elements of character without +which permanent success is impossible.</p> + +<p>A great musical gift is of no value unless it is protected by +those elements of character which are in themselves fundamentally +right. Innumerable instances could be cited of +gifted men and women who have failed utterly because their +gifts were not protected by honesty, industry and perseverance.</p> + +<p>I have spoken at some length of the importance of the right +mental attitude toward study and the necessity of correcting +false conceptions. Continuing, it must be understood that the +work of the teacher is all that of training the mind of his student. +It is developing concepts and habits of mind which +when exercised result in beautiful tone and artistic singing. +It must also be understood that the teacher does not look at +the voice, he listens to it. Here voice teachers automatically +separate themselves from each other. No two things so +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page43" name="page43"></a>43</span>diametrically opposite as physics and metaphysics can abide +peaceably in the same tent.</p> + +<p>Let me emphasize the statement that <em>the teacher does not look +at the voice, he listens to it</em>. The teacher who bases his teaching +on what he can see, that is, on watching the singer and detecting +his mistakes through the eye, is engaged in an activity that is +mechanical, not musical. No one can tell from observation +alone whether a tone is properly produced. A tone is something +to hear, not something to see, and no amount of seeing +will exert any beneficial influence on one’s hearing.</p> + +<p>The process of learning to read vocal music at sight is that of +learning to <em>think tones</em>, to <em>think in the key</em>, and to <em>think all +manner of intervals and rhythmic forms</em>. It is altogether mental, +and it is no less absurd to hold that a knowledge of anatomy is +necessary to this than it is essential to the solution of a mathematical +problem. The formation of tone quality is no less +a mental process than is thinking the pitch. If the student +sings a wrong pitch it is because he has thought a wrong pitch, +and this is true to a large extent at least, if his tone quality +in not good. He may at least be sure of this, that <em>he never will +sing a better tone than the one he thinks</em>.</p> + +<p>A large part of the vocal teacher’s training should be learning +how to listen and what to listen for. This means training +the ear, which is the mind, until it is in the highest degree +sensitive to tone quality as well as to pitch. When there is a +failure in voice training it may be counted upon that the teacher’s +listening faculty is defective. The gist of the whole thing +is what the teacher’s ear will stand for. If a tone does not +offend his ear he will allow it to continue. If it does offend his +ear he will take measures to stop it.</p> + +<p>More is known of vocal mechanism today than at any other +time in the world’s history, and yet who dares to say that voice +teaching has been improved by it? Is voice teaching any more +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page44" name="page44"></a>44</span>accurate now than it was a hundred years ago? Did the invention +of the laryngoscope add anything of value to the voice +teacher’s equipment? No. Even the inventor of it said that +all it did was to confirm what he had always believed. An +enlarged mechanical knowledge has availed nothing in the +studio. The character of the teacher’s work has improved to +the degree in which he has recognized two facts—first, the +necessity of developing his own artistic sense as well as that of +his pupil, second, that the process of learning to sing is psychologic +rather than physiologic.</p> + +<p>When the student takes his first singing lesson what does the +teacher hear? He hears the tone the student sings, but what +is far more important, he hears in his own mind the tone the +student ought to sing. He hears his own tone concept and this +is the standard he sets for the student. He cannot demand of +him anything beyond his own concept either in tone quality +or interpretation.</p> + +<p>Young teachers and some old ones watch the voice rather +than listen to it. At the slightest deviation from their standard +of what the tongue, larynx, and soft palate ought to do they +pounce upon the student and insist that he make the offending +organ assume the position and form which they think is necessary +to produce a good tone. This results in trying to control +the mechanism by direct effort which always induces tension +and produces a hard, unsympathetic tone.</p> + +<p>The blunder here is in mistaking effect for cause. The +tongue which habitually rises and fills the cavity of the mouth +does so in response to a wrong mental concept of cause. The +only way to correct this condition is to change the cause. +The rigid tongue we see is effect, and to tinker with the effect +while the cause remains is unnecessarily stupid. An impulse +of tension has been directed to the tongue so often that the +impulse and response have become simultaneous and automatic. +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page45" name="page45"></a>45</span>The correction lies in directing an impulse of relaxation +to it. When it responds to this impulse it will be found to +be lying in the bottom of the mouth, relaxed, and ready to respond +to any demand that may be made upon it. To try to +make the tongue lie in the bottom of the mouth by direct +effort while it is filled with tension is like trying to sweep back +the tide with a broom. The only way to keep the tide from +flowing is to find out what causes it to flow and remove the +cause. The only way to correct faulty action of any part of +the vocal mechanism is to go back into mentality and remove +the cause. It will always be found there.</p> + +<div class="section"> +<h3 class="section_title">DIRECT AND INDIRECT CONTROL</h3> +<p>In view of the generally understood nature of involuntary +action and the extent to which it obtains in all good singing +it is difficult to understand why any teacher should work from +the basis of direct control. It is a fact, however, that teachers +who have not the psychological vision find it difficult to work +with a thing they cannot see. To such, direct control seems +to be the normal and scientific method of procedure.</p> + +<p>Let me illustrate: A student comes for his first lesson. I +“try his voice.” His tone is harsh, white, throaty and unsympathetic. +It is not the singing tone and I tell him it is “all +wrong.” He does not contradict me but places himself on the +defensive and awaits developments. I question him to find +out what he thinks of his own voice, how it impresses him, etc. +I find it makes no impression on him because he has no standard. +He says he doesn’t know whether he ought to like his voice or +not, but rather supposes he should not. As I watch him I discover +many things that are wrong and I make a mental note +of them. Suppose I say to him as a very celebrated European +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page46" name="page46"></a>46</span>teacher once said to me: “Take a breath, and concentrate +your mind on the nine little muscles in the throat that control +the tone.” This is asking a good deal when he does not know +the name or the exact location of a single one of them, but he +seems impressed, although a little perplexed, and to make it +easier for him I say as another famous teacher once said to me: +“Open your mouth, put two fingers and a thumb between your +teeth, yawn, now sing <em>ah</em>.” He makes a convulsive effort +and the tone is a trifle worse than it was before. I say to him, +“Your larynx is too high, and it jumps up at the beginning of +each tone. You must keep it down. It is impossible to produce +good tone with a high larynx. When the larynx rises, +the throat closes and you must always have your throat open. +Don’t forget, your throat must be <em>open</em> and you can get it +open only by keeping the larynx low.” He tries again with the +same result and awaits further instructions. I take another +tack and say to him, “Your tongue rises every time you sing +and impairs the form of the vocal cavity. Keep it down below +the level of the teeth, otherwise your vowels will be imperfect. +You should practice a half hour each day grooving your +tongue.” I say these things impressively and take the opportunity +to tell him some interesting scientific facts about fundamental +and upper partials, and how different combinations +produce different vowels, also how these combinations are affected +by different forms of the vocal cavities, leading up to the +great scientific truth that he must hold the tongue down and +the throat open in order that these great laws of acoustics may +become operative. He seems very humble in the presence of +such profound erudition and makes several unsuccessful attempts +to do what I tell him, but his tone is no better. I tell +him so, for I do not wish to mislead him. He is beginning to +look helpless and discouraged but waits to see what I will do +next. He vexes me not a little, because I feel that anything +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page47" name="page47"></a>47</span>so simple and yet so scientific as the exercises I am giving him +ought to be grasped and put into practice at once; but I still +have resources, and I say to him, “Bring the tone forward, +direct it against the hard palate just above the upper teeth, send +it up through the head with a vigorous impulse of the diaphragm. +You must always feels the tone in the nasal cavities. +That is the way you can tell whether your tone is right or not.” +He tries to do these things, but of necessity fails.</p> + +<p>This sort of thing goes on with mechanical instructions for +raising the soft palate, making the diaphragm rigid, grooving +the tongue, etc., etc., and at the end of the lesson I tell him to +go home and practice an hour a day on what I have given him. +If he obeys my instructions he will return in worse condition, +for he will be strengthening the bad habits he already has and +forming others equally pernicious.</p> + +<p>This is a sample of teaching by direct control. It is not +overdrawn. It is a chapter from real life, and I was the +victim.</p> + +<p>You will have observed that this lesson was devoted to +teaching the student how to do certain things with the vocal +mechanism. The real thing, the tone, the result at which all +teaching should aim was placed in the background. It was +equivalent to trying to teach him to do something but not letting +him know what. It was training the body, not the mind, +and the result was what invariably happens when this plan is +followed.</p> + +<p>In the lesson given above no attempt was made to give the +student a correct mental picture of a tone, and yet this is the +most important thing for him to learn, for <em>he never will sing a +pure tone until he has a definite mental picture of it</em>. <em>A tone is +something to hear and the singer himself must hear it before he can +sing it.</em></p> + +<p>Not one of the suggestions made to this student could be of +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page48" name="page48"></a>48</span>any possible benefit to him at the time. Not even the sensation +of feeling the tone in the head can be relied upon, for +physical sensations are altogether uncertain and unreliable. +As I have observed in numberless instances, there may be a +sensation in the head when there are disagreeable elements in +the tone. If the ear of the teacher does not tell him when the +tone is good and when it is bad he is hopeless. If his ear is reliable, +why resort to a physical sensation as a means of deciding? +In the properly produced voice there is a feeling of vibration +in the head cavities, especially in the upper part of the voice, +but that alone is not a guaranty of good tone.</p> + +<p>This teaching from the standpoint of sensation and direct +control will never produce a great singer so long as man inhabits +a body. It is working from the wrong end of the proposition. +Control of the mechanism is a very simple matter +when the mental concept is formed. It is then only a question +of learning how to relax, how to free the mechanism of tension, +and the response becomes automatic.</p> + +<p>Is there no way out of this maze of mechanical uncertainties? +There is. Is voice culture a sort of catch-as-catch-can with the +probabilities a hundred to one against success? It is not. Is +singing a lost art? It is not. Let us get away from fad, fancy +and formula and see the thing as it is. The problem is psychologic +rather than physiologic. The fact that one may learn +all that can be known about physiology and still know nothing +whatever about voice training should awaken us to its uselessness.</p> + +<p>Man is a mental entity. When I speak to a student <em>it is his +mind that hears, not his body</em>. It is his mind that acts. It is +his mind that originates and controls action. Therefore it +is his mind that must be trained.</p> + +<p>Action is not in the body. In fact, the body as matter has +no sensation. Remove mind from the body and it does not +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page49" name="page49"></a>49</span>feel. It is the mind that feels. If you believe that the body +feels you must be prepared to explain where in the process of +digestion and assimilation the beefsteak and potato you ate +for dinner become conscious, because to feel they must be conscious. +We know that the fluids and solids composing the +body have no sensation when they are taken into the body, nor +do they ever become sentient. Therefore the body of itself +has no initiative, no action, no control. All of these are the +functions of mind, hence the incongruity of attempting to +solve a problem which is altogether psychological, which demands +qualities of mind, habits of mind, mental concepts of a +particular kind and quality, by a process of manipulation of +the organ through which mind expresses itself, making the +training of the mind a secondary matter; and then absurdly +calling it scientific.</p> + +<p>In every form of activity two things are involved: first, the +idea: second, its expression. It must be apparent then, that +the quality of the thing expressed will be governed by the +quality of the idea. Or, to put it in another way: In the activity +of art two things are involved—subject-matter and technic. +The subject-matter, the substance of art, is mental. +Technic is gaining such control of the medium that the subject-matter, +or idea, may be fully and perfectly expressed. Ideas +are the only substantial things in the universe, and that there +is a difference in the quality of ideas need not be argued. +Two men of the same avoirdupois may be walking side by side +on the street, but one of them may be a genius and the other a +hod carrier.</p> + +<p>I have dwelt at some length on this because I wish to show +where the training of a singer must begin, and that when we +understand the real nature of the problem its solution becomes +simple.</p> +</div><!--Direct and Indirect Control--> +<div class="section"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page50" name="page50"></a>50</span></p> + +<h3 class="section_title">INDIRECT CONTROL</h3> + +<p>What is meant by indirect control? It means, in short, +the automatic response of the mechanism to the idea. By way +of illustration. If I should ask my pupil to make her vocal +cords vibrate at the rate of 435 times per second she could not +do it because she would have no mental concept of how it should +sound: but if I strike the A above middle C and ask her to +sing it her vocal cords respond automatically at that rate of +vibration. It is the concept of pitch which forms the vocal +instrument, gives it the exact amount of tension necessary to +vibrate at the rate of the pitch desired, but the action is automatic, +not the result of direct effort.</p> + +<p>It may be said that in artistic singing everything is working +automatically. There can be no such thing as artistic singing +until everything involved is responding automatically to the +mental demands of the singer.</p> + +<p>Mention has been made of the automatic response of the +vocal cords to the thought of pitch. That part of the mechanism +which is so largely responsible for tone quality, the pharynx +and mouth, must respond in the same way. This it will do +unerringly if it is free from tension. But if the throat is full of +rigidity, as is so often the condition, it cannot respond; +consequently the quality is imperfect and the tone is throaty. +The vocal cavity must vibrate in sympathy with the pitch in +order to create pure resonance. It can do this only when it is +free and is responding automatically to the concept of tone +quality. To form the mouth and throat by direct effort and +expect a good tone to result thereby, is an action not only certain +of failure but exceedingly stupid.</p> +</div><!--Indirect control--> +<div class="section"> + +<h3 class="section_title">VOICE TRAINING IS SIMPLE</h3> + +<p>There is a belief amounting to a solid conviction in the public +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page51" name="page51"></a>51</span>mind that the training of the voice is so difficult that the probabilities +of success are about one in ten. What is responsible +for this? Doubtless the large number of failures. But this +calls for another interrogation. What is the cause of these +failures? Here is one. All students have done more or less +singing before they go to a teacher. During that time they +have, with scarcely an exception, formed bad habits. Now +bad habits of voice production are almost invariably some +form of throat interference, referred to as tension, rigidity, +resistance, etc. Instances without number could be cited +where students have been told to keep right on singing and +eventually they would outgrow these habits. Such a thing +never happened since time began. One may as well tell a +drunkard to keep on drinking and eventually he will outgrow +the habit. No. Something definite and specific must be done. +The antidote for tension is relaxation. A muscle cannot respond +while it is rigid, therefore the student must be taught +how to get rid of tension.</p> +</div><!--Voice training is simple--> +<div class="section"> +<h3 class="section_title">TWO THINGS INVOLVED</h3> +<p>There is nothing in voice training that is necessarily mysterious +and inscrutable. On the contrary, if one will acquaint +himself with its fundamental principles he will find that the +truth about voice training, like all truth, is simple and easily +understood, and when understood the element of uncertainty +is eliminated. These principles are few in number, in fact +they may all be brought under two general heads. The first +is <strong>KNOW WHAT YOU WANT</strong>. The second is <strong>HAVE THE +CONDITIONS RIGHT</strong>. The meaning of these statements +can never be learned from a study of vocal physiology; nevertheless +they contain all of the law and the prophets on this +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page52" name="page52"></a>52</span>subject. Any musician may be a successful teacher of singing +if he will master them. I use the word <em>musician</em> advisedly, +because musical sense is of such vital importance that no +amount of mechanical knowledge can take its place. To undertake +the training of voices with only a mechanical knowledge +of the subject is a handicap which no one can overcome.</p> + +<p>It is universally true that the less one knows of the art of +singing the more he concerns himself with the mechanism; and +it is also true that the more one is filled with the spirit of song +the less he concerns himself with the construction of the vocal +instrument. People with little or no musicianship have been +known to wrangle ceaselessly on whether or not the thyroid +cartilage should tip forward on high tones. It is such crude +mechanics masquerading under the name of science that has +brought voice training into general disrepute. The voice +teacher is primarily concerned with learning to play upon the +vocal instrument rather than upon its mechanical construction, +two things which some find difficulty in separating.</p> + +</div><!--Two things involved--> +<div class="section"> +<h3 class="section_title">KNOW WHAT YOU WANT</h3> + + +<p>This means much. In voice production it means the perfect +tone concept. It means far more than knowing what one likes. +What one likes and what he ought to like are usually quite different +things. What one likes is the measure of his taste at that particular +time and may or may not be an argument in its favor. I +have never seen a beginner whose taste was perfectly formed, but +the great majority of them know what they like, and because +they like a certain kind of tone, or a certain way of singing, +they take it for granted that it is right until they are shown +something better. This error is by no means confined to beginners.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page53" name="page53"></a>53</span>If your pupil does not produce good tone one of two things +is responsible for it. Either he does not know a good tone or +else the conditions are not right. In the beginning it is usually +both. Your pupil must create his tone mentally before he +sings it. He must create its quality no less than its pitch. In +other words <em>he must hear his tone before he sings it and then +sing what he hears</em>. Until he can do this his voice will have no +character. His voice will be as indefinite as his tone concept, +and it will not improve until his concept, which is his taste, +improves. Inasmuch as everything exists first as idea, it +follows that everything which is included in the rightly produced +voice and in interpretation are first matters of concept. +The singer uses a certain tone quality because he mentally +conceives that quality to be right. He delivers a word or +phrase in a certain way because that is his concept of it.</p> + +<p>A word at this point on imitation. One faculty of a musical +mind is that of recording mentally what it hears and of producing +it mentally whenever desired. Most people possess this +in some degree, and some people in a marked degree. Almost +any one can hear mentally the tone of a cornet, violin, or any +instrument with which he is acquainted. In the same way the +vocal student must hear mentally the pure singing tone before +he can sing it. It is the business of the teacher to assist him in +forming a perfect tone concept, and if he can do this by example, +as well as by precept, he has a distinct advantage over the one +who cannot.</p> + +<p>Arguments against imitation are not uncommon, and yet the +teachers who offer them will advise their students to hear the +great singers as often as possible. Such incongruities do not +inspire confidence.</p> + +<p>On this human plane most things are learned by imitation. +What language would the child speak if it were never allowed +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page54" name="page54"></a>54</span>to hear spoken language? It would never be anything but</p> + +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>“An infant crying in the night.</p> +<p>And with no language but a cry.”</p></div> +</div> + + +<p>There are but few original thinkers on earth at any one time. +The rest are imitators and none too perfect at that. We are +imitators in everything from religion to breakfast foods. Few +of us ever have an original idea. We trail along from fifty to +a hundred years behind those we are trying to imitate.</p> + +<p>When there is little else but imitation going on in the world +why deny it to vocal students? The argument against imitation +can come from but two classes of people—those who +cannot produce a good tone and those who are more interested +in how the tone is made than in the tone itself.</p> + +<p>The following are the qualities the teacher undertakes to +develop in the student in preparing him for artistic singing. +They are fundamental and must be a part of the singer’s +equipment no matter what method is employed. They are +what all musicians expect to hear in the trained singer. They +all exist first as concepts.</p> + +<p>An even scale from top to bottom of the voice.</p> + +<p>Every tone full of strength and character.</p> + +<p>A sympathetic quality.</p> + +<p>Ample power.</p> + +<p>A clear, telling resonance in every tone.</p> + +<p>A pure legato and sostenuto.</p> + +<p>Perfect freedom in production throughout the compass.</p> + +<p>A perfect swell, that is, the ability to go from +pianissimo to full voice and return, on any tone in the +compass, without a break, and without sacrificing the +tone quality.</p> + +<p>The ability to pronounce distinctly and with ease to +the top of the compass.</p> + +<p>Equal freedom in the delivery of vowels and consonants.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page55" name="page55"></a>55</span>Sufficient flexibility to meet all technical demands.</p> + +<p>An ear sensitive to the finest shades of intonation.</p> + +<p>An artistic concept or interpretive sense of the highest +possible order.</p> + +<p>The process of acquiring these things is not accretion but +<em>unfoldment</em>. It is the unfoldment of ideas or concepts. The +growth of ideas is similar to that of plants and flowers. The +growth of expression follows the growth of the idea, it never +precedes it. From the formation of the first vowel to the +perfect interpretation of a song the teacher is dealing with +mental concepts.</p> + +<p>At the Gobelin Tapestry works near Paris I was told that +the weavers of those wonderful tapestries use twenty-four +shades of each color, and that their color sense becomes so +acute that they readily recognize all of the different shades. +Now there are about as many shades of each vowel, and the +mental picture of the vowel must be so definite, the mental ear +so sensitive, that it will detect the slightest variation from the +perfect form. Direct control could never accomplish this. +Only the automatic response of the mechanism to the perfect +vowel concept can result in a perfect vowel.</p> + +<p>All of those qualities and elements mentioned above as constituting +the artist come under the heading <strong>KNOW WHAT +YOU WANT</strong>.</p> + +<p>The second step <strong>HAVE THE CONDITIONS RIGHT</strong> means, +in short, to free the mechanism of all interference and +properly manage the breath. This getting rid of interference +could be talked about indefinitely without wasting time. It is +far more important than most people suspect. Few voices are +entirely free from it, and when it is present in a marked degree +it is an effectual bar to progress. So long as it is present in +the slightest degree it affects the tone quality. Most students +think they are through with it long before they are.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page56" name="page56"></a>56</span>This interference, which is referred to as tension, rigidity, +throatiness, etc., is in the nature of resistance to the free emission +of tone. It is not always confined to the vocal cords, +but usually extends to the walls of the pharynx and the body of +the tongue. The vocal cavities, the pharynx and mouth, +exert such a marked influence on tone quality that the least degree +of rigidity produces an effect that is instantly noticeable +to the trained ear. These parts of the vocal mechanism which +are so largely responsible not only for perfect vowels, but for +perfect tone quality as well, must at all times be so free from +tension that they can respond instantly to the tone concept. +If they fail to respond the tone will be imperfect, and these imperfections +are all classed under the general head “throaty.” +Throaty tone means that there is resistance somewhere, and +the conditions will never be right until the last vestige of it is +destroyed. The difficulty in voice placing which so many +have, lies in trying to produce the upper tones without first +getting rid of resistance. This condition is responsible for a +number of shop-worn statements, such as “bring the tone +forward,” “place the tone in the head,” “direct the tone into +the head,” etc. I recall a writer who says that the column of +breath must be directed against the hard palate toward the +front of the mouth in order to get a resonant tone. Consider +this a moment. When the breath is properly vocalized its +power is completely destroyed. Any one may test this by +vocalizing in an atmosphere cold enough to condense the moisture +in his breath. If he is vocalizing perfectly, he will observe +that the breath moves lazily out of the mouth and curls upward +not more than an inch from the face. The idea that this breath, +which has not a particle of force after leaving the vocal cords, can +be directed against the hard palate with an impact sufficient to +affect tone quality is the limit of absurdity. If the writer had +spoken of directing the sound waves to the front of the mouth +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page57" name="page57"></a>57</span>there would have been an element of reasonableness in it, for +sound waves can be reflected as well as light waves; but breath +and sound are quite different things.</p> + +<p>What does the teacher mean when he tells the pupil to place +the tone in the head? He doubtless means that the student +shall call into use the upper resonator. If one holds a vibrating +tuning-fork before a resonating tube, does he direct the vibrations +into that resonating cavity? No. Neither is it necessary +to try to drive the voice into the cavities of the head. +Such instructions are of doubtful value. They are almost +sure to result in a hard unsympathetic tone. They increase +rather than diminish the resistance. The only possible way to +place the tone in the head is to let it go there. This will always +occur when the resistance is destroyed and the channel is free.</p> + +<p>In numerous instances the resistance in the vocal cords is +so great that it is impossible to sing softly, or with half voice. +It requires so much breath pressure to start the vibration, that +is, to overcome the resistance, that when it does start it is +with full voice. In a majority of male voices the upper tone +must be taken either with full chest voice or with falsetto. +There is no <i>mezza voce</i>. This condition is abnormal and is +responsible for the “red in the face” brand of voice production +so often heard.</p> + +<p>Of this we may be sure, that no one can sing a good full tone +unless he can sing a good <i>mezza voce</i>. When the mechanism +is sufficiently free from resistance that a good pianissimo can +be sung then the conditions are right to begin to build toward a +<i>forte</i>.</p> + +<p>Further, when the mechanism is entirely free from resistance +there is no conscious effort required to produce tone. The +singer has the feeling of letting himself sing rather than of +making himself sing.</p> + +<p>The engineer of a great pumping station once told me that +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page58" name="page58"></a>58</span>his mammoth Corliss engine was so perfectly balanced that +he could run it with ten pounds of steam. When the voice is +free, and resting on the breath as it were, it seems to sing itself.</p> + +<p>An illustration of the opposite condition, of extreme resistance +was once told me by the president of a great street railway +system that was operated by a cable. He said it required +eighty-five per cent of the power generated to start the machinery, +that is, to overcome the resistance, leaving but fifteen +per cent for operating cars. It is not at all uncommon to hear +singers who are so filled with resistance that it requires all of +their available energy to make the vocal instrument produce +tone. Such singers soon find themselves exhausted and the +voice tired and husky. It is this type of voice production +rather than climatic conditions, that causes so much chronic +laryngitis among singers. I have seen the truth of this statement +verified in the complete and permanent disappearance +of many cases of laryngitis through learning to produce the +voice correctly.</p> + +<p>The second step in securing right conditions is the proper +management of the breath.</p> +</div><!--Know what you want--> +<div class="section"> +<h3 class="section_title">BREATH CONTROL</h3> + + +<p>An extremist always lacks the sense of proportion. He allows +a single idea to fill his mental horizon. He is fanciful, +and when an idea comes to him he turns his high power imagination +upon it, and it immediately becomes overwhelming in +magnitude and importance. Thereafter all things in his +universe revolve around it.</p> + +<p>The field of voice teaching is well stocked with extremists. +Everything involved in voice production and many things +that are not, have been taken up one at a time and made the +basis of a method.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page59" name="page59"></a>59</span>One builds his reputation on a peculiar way of getting the +tone into the frontal sinuses by way of the infundibulum canal, +and makes all other things secondary.</p> + +<p>Another has discovered a startling effect which a certain +action of the arytenoid cartilages has on registers, and sees a +perfect voice as the result.</p> + +<p>Another has discovered that a particular movement of the +thyroid cartilage is the only proper way to tense the vocal cords +and when every one learns to do this all bad voices will disappear.</p> + +<p>Another has discovered something in breath control so revolutionary +in its nature that it alone will solve all vocal problems.</p> + +<p>Perhaps if all of these discoveries could be combined they +might produce something of value; but who will undertake +it? Not the extremists themselves, for they are barren of the +synthetic idea, and their sense of proportion is rudimentary. +They would be scientists were it not for their abnormal imaginations. +The scientist takes the voice apart and examines it +in detail, but the voice teacher must put all parts of it together +and mold it into a perfect whole. The process is synthetic +rather than analytic, and undue emphasis on any one element +destroys the necessary balance.</p> + +<p>The immediate danger of laying undue emphasis on any +one idea in voice training lies in its tendency toward the +mechanical and away from the spontaneous, automatic response +so vitally necessary. Here the extremists commit a +fatal error. To make breath management the all-in-all of +singing invariably leads to direct control, and soon the student +has become so conscious of the mechanism of breathing that +his mind is never off of it while singing; he finds himself +becoming rigid trying to prevent his breath from escaping, +and the more rigid he becomes the less control he has. A +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page60" name="page60"></a>60</span>large number of examples of this kind of breath management +have come under my observation. They all show the evil +results of over working an idea.</p> + +<p>But the followers of “the-breath-is-the-whole-thing” idea +say “You can’t sing without breath control.” Solomon never +said a truer thing, but the plan just mentioned is the worst +possible way to secure it.</p> + +<p>Every one should know that not a single one of the processes +of voice production is right until it is working automatically, +and automatic action is the result of indirect, never of direct +control.</p> + +<p>The profession has become pretty thoroughly imbued with +the idea that deep breathing, known as abdominal, or diaphragmatic +is the best for purposes of singing. But how deep? +The answer is, the deeper the better. Here again it is easy to +overstep the bounds. I have in mind numerous instances +where the singer, under the impression that he was practicing +deep breathing tried to control the breath with the lower +abdominal muscles, but no matter how great the effort made +there was little tonal response, for the reason that the pressure +exerted was not against the lungs but against the contents of +the abdomen. The diaphragm is the point of control. The +lungs lie above it, not below it. To concentrate the thought +on the lower abdominal muscles means to lose control of the +diaphragm, the most important thing involved in breath +management.</p> + +<p>The process of breathing is simple. The lungs are enclosed +in an air tight box of which the diaphragm is the bottom. It +rests under the lungs like an inverted saucer. In the act of +contracting it flattens toward a plane and in so doing it moves +downward and forward, away from the lungs. The ribs move +outward, forward and upward. The lungs which occupy this +box like a half compressed sponge follow the receding walls, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page61" name="page61"></a>61</span>and a vacuum is created which air rushes in to fill. In exhalation +the action is reversed. The ribs press against the +lungs and the diaphragm slowly returns to its original position +and the breath is forced out like squeezing water out of a +sponge.</p> + +<p>The one important thing in breath management is the diaphragm. +If the student has the right action of the diaphragm +he will have no further trouble with breath control. In my +Systematic Voice Training will be found a list of exercises +which thoroughly cover the subject of breath control and if +properly used will correct all errors. Let this be understood, +that there is nothing in correct breathing that should make one +tired. On the contrary the practice of breathing should leave +one refreshed. Above all, the student should never make himself +rigid when trying to control the flow of breath. This is not +only of no advantage, but will effectually defeat the end for +which he is striving.</p> +</div><!--Breath Control--> +<div class="section"> +<h3 class="section_title">REGISTERS</h3> + +<p>In securing right conditions the teacher is often confronted +with the problem of registers. The literature on this subject +is voluminous and varied. Opinions are offered without stint +and the number of registers which have been discovered in the +human voice ranges from none to an indefinite number. How +one scientist can see two, and another one five registers in the +same voice might be difficult to explain were it not a well +known fact that some people are better at “seeing things” +than others.</p> + +<p>But here again the teacher soon learns that laboratory work +is of little value. His view point is so different from that of +the physicist that they can hardly be said to be working at the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page62" name="page62"></a>62</span>same problem. The physicist tries to discover the action of +the mechanism, in other words, how the tone is made. The +voice teacher is concerned primarily with how it sounds. One +is looking at the voice, the other is listening to it, which things, +be it known, are essentially and fundamentally different; so +different that their relationship is scarcely traceable. The +ability to train the voice comes through working with voices +where the musical sense, rather than the scientific sense, is the +guide. It is a specific knowledge which can be gained in no +other way. It begins when one takes an untrained voice and +attempts to make it produce a musical tone.</p> + +<p>The problem of registers is, in short, how to make an even +scale out of an uneven one. It must be solved in the studio. +Anatomical knowledge is of no avail. The teacher who has +learned how to produce an even scale possesses knowledge which +is of more value to the student than all of the books ever written +on vocal mechanism.</p> + +<p>The depressions in the voice known as “changes of register” +result from tension. With one adjustment of the vocal cords +the singer can, by adding tension, make a series of four or five +tones, then by a change of adjustment he can produce another +similar series, and so on to the top of his compass. These +changes occur when there is such an accumulation of tension +that no more can be added to that adjustment without discomfort. +The solution of this problem lies in gaining such +freedom from tension in the vocal instrument that it automatically +readjusts itself for each tone. The tension is then +evenly distributed throughout the scale and the sudden changes +disappear. This is precisely what happens when the singer +has learned to produce an even scale throughout his compass; +his voice production is not right until he can do this.</p> + +<p>The statement is frequently made in public print that there +are no registers in the trained voice. This order of wisdom is +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page63" name="page63"></a>63</span>equally scintillating with that profound intellectual effort which +avers that a bald headed man has no hair on the top of his head, +or that hot weather is due to a rise in the temperature. These +statements may be heavy-laden with truth, but to the voice +teacher they are irrelevant. His work is at least seven-eighths +with untrained voices. By the time he has worked out +an even scale with all of the other problems that go hand in +hand with it, for a great deal of the art of singing will naturally +accompany it, a large majority of his pupils are ready to move +on. Only a small per cent prepare for a musical career. +Most of his work is with voices that still need to be perfected. +It is for voices of this kind that the teacher lives. It is for +such voices that vocal methods are evolved and books written.</p> + +<p>A lighthearted, easy going assurance is not sufficient alone +to compass the problems that present themselves in the studio. +If the teacher is conscientious there will be times when he will +feel deeply the need of something more than human wisdom. +The work in the studio has more to do with the future than +with the immediate present. The singing lesson is a small +part of what the student carries with him. The atmosphere +of the studio, which is the real personality of the teacher, his +ideals, aims, the depth of his sincerity, in short, his concept +of the meaning of life, goes with the student and will be remembered +when the lesson is forgotten.</p> +</div><!--Registers--> +</div><!--Chapter 4--> +<div class="chapter" id="Ch_V"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page64" name="page64"></a>64</span></p> + +<p class="chapter_number">V</p> + +<h2 class="chapter_title">THE NATURE AND MEANING OF ART</h2> + +<div class="epigram"> +<p>One function, then, of art is to feed and mature the imagination and the +spirit, and thereby enhance and invigorate the whole of human life.</p> + +<p class="citation"><i>Ancient Art and Ritual</i>. Jane Ellen Harrison.</p> +</div> + + + +<p>A large percentage of the population of the civilized world +has more or less to do with what is called art. In its various +forms art touches in some degree practically the entire human +race. Its various activities have developed great industries, +and for the entertainment it affords fabulous sums of money +are spent.</p> + +<p>What is this thing called art which takes such a hold upon +the human race? If it has no social or economic value then a +vast amount of time and money are wasted each year in its +study and practice. A brief inquiry into the nature and meaning +of art may well be associated with a discussion of the art of +singing.</p> + +<p>Art as a whole comes under the head of Aesthetics, which +may be defined as the philosophy of taste, the science of the +beautiful.</p> + +<p>It will doubtless be admitted without argument that ever +since the dawn of consciousness the visible world has produced +sense impressions differing from each other—some pleasant, +some unpleasant. From these different sense impressions +there gradually evolved what is known as beauty and ugliness. +An attempt to discover the principles underlying beauty and +ugliness resulted in Aesthetics, the founder of which was +Baumgarten (1714-1762).</p> + +<p>It will be interesting to hear what he and the later aestheticians +have to say about art. Most of them connect it in +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page65" name="page65"></a>65</span>some way with that which is beautiful, that is, pleasing, but +they do not all agree in their definition of beauty.</p> + +<p>Baumgarten defined beauty as the perfect, the absolute, +recognized through the senses. He held that the highest embodiment +of beauty is seen by us in nature, therefore the highest +aim of art is to copy nature.</p> + +<p>Winkelmann (1717-1768) held the law and aim of art to be +beauty independent of goodness. Hutcheson (1694-1747) was +of essentially the same opinion.</p> + +<p>According to Kant (1724-1804) beauty is that which pleases +without the reasoning process.</p> + +<p>Schiller (1758-1805) held that the aim of art is beauty, the +source of which is pleasure without practical advantage.</p> + +<p>These definitions do not wholly satisfy. They do not accord +to art the dignified position it should hold in social development. +But there are others who have a clearer vision. +Fichte (1762-1814) said that beauty exists not in the visible +world but in the beautiful soul, and that art is the manifestation +of this beautiful soul, and that its aim is the education of +the whole man.</p> + +<p>In this we begin to see the real nature and activity of art. +There are other aestheticians who define art in much the same +way.</p> + +<p>Shaftesbury (1670-1713) said that beauty is recognized by +the mind only. God is fundamental beauty.</p> + +<p>Hegel (1770-1831) said: “Art is God manifesting himself in +the form of beauty. Beauty is the idea shining through matter. +Art is a means of bringing to consciousness and expressing +the deepest problems of humanity and the highest truths.” +According to Hegel beauty and truth are one and the same +thing.</p> + +<p>Thus we see that the great thinkers of the world make art +of supreme importance in the perfecting of the human race. +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page66" name="page66"></a>66</span>They all agree that art is not in material objects, but is a +condition and activity of spirit. They agree in the main +that beauty and truth emanate from the same source. Said +Keats: </p> + +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>“Beauty is truth and truth beauty,</p> +<p>That is all ye know on earth and all ye need know.”</p></div> +</div> + +<p>Said Schelling: “Beauty is the perception of the Infinite in +the finite.”</p> + +<p>But perhaps the highest concept of art is from the great artist +Whistler. He said: “Art is an expression of eternal absolute +truth, and starting from the Infinite it cannot progress, +<strong>IT IS</strong>.”</p> + +<p>Art in some form and in some degree finds a response in every +one. Why? Because every one consciously or unconsciously +is looking toward and striving for perfection. This is the law +of being. Every one is seeking to improve his condition, and +this means that in some degree every one is an idealist. Ever +since time began idealism has been at work, and to it we owe +every improved condition—social, political and religious.</p> + +<p>Hegel believed that the aim of art is to portray nature in +perfect form, not with the imperfections seen around us; and +Herbert Spencer defined art as the attempt to realize the ideal +in the present. The artist tries to make his picture more perfect +than what he sees around him. The poet, the sculptor, +the musician, the craftsman, the mechanic, are all striving for +a more perfect expression, because perfection is the fundamental, +eternal law of being.</p> + +<p>Wagner said: “The world will be redeemed through art,” +and if Whistler’s definition be accepted he is not far from the +truth.</p> + +<p>The important thing to remember is that art is not a mere +pastime, but a great world force operating to lift mortals out +of mortality. It is the striving of the finite to reach the Infinite.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page67" name="page67"></a>67</span>In human history art, no less than languages, has conformed +to the theory of evolution. Language in the beginning was +monosyllabic. Far back in the early dawn of the race, before +the development of the community spirit, when feelings, +emotions, ideas, were simple and few the medium of expression +was simple, and it grew with the demand for a larger expression.</p> + +<p>This same process of evolution is seen in the growth of each +individual. The child, seeing grimalkin stalk stealthily into +the room, points the finger and says “cat.” This is the complete +expression of itself on that subject. It is the sum total +of its knowledge of zoology at that particular moment; and a +long process of development must follow before it will refer to +the same animal as a “Felis Domestica.”</p> + +<p>In a similar way musical expression keeps step with musical +ideas. In the beginning musical ideas were short, simple, +fragmentary, monosyllabic, mere germs of melody (adherents +of the germ theory will make a note of this). The Arab with +his rudimentary fiddle will repeat this fragment of melody +<img src="images/fig_h.png" title="Figure H" alt="a musical fragment" id="figure_h" name="figure_h" width="200" height="58" /> by the hour, while a company of his unlaundered +brethren dance, until exhausted, in dust to their ankles, +with the temperature near the boiling point. This musical +monosyllable is ample to satisfy his artistic craving. In other +words it is the complete musical expression of himself.</p> + +<p>The following is a complete program of dance music for the +aborigines of Australia. <img src="images/fig_i.png" title="Figure I" alt="a musical fragment" id="figure_i" name="figure_i" width="300" height="56" /> The repetition +of this figure may continue for hours. If it were +inflicted on a metropolitan audience it would result in justifiable +homicide, but to the Australian it furnishes just the +emotional stimulus he desires.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page68" name="page68"></a>68</span> <img src="images/fig_j.png" title="Figure J" alt="a musical fragment" id="figure_j" name="figure_j" width="367" height="56" /> This one from Tongtoboo, +played Allegro, would set the heels of any company, ancient +or modern, in motion.</p> + +<p>These people may be said to be in the rhythmic stage of +music, that is, a stage of development in which a rhythmic +movement which serves to incite the dance furnishes complete +artistic satisfaction.</p> + +<p>As it is a long distance from the monosyllabic expression of +the child to the point where he can think consecutively in +polysyllabic dissertation, so it is an equally long distance from +the inarticulate musical utterances of the barbarous tribes to +the endless melodies of Wagner, which begin at 8 P. M. +and continue until 12.15 A. M. without repetition.</p> + +<p>Following the course of music from the beginning we shall +see that it has kept pace with civilization. As the race has +grown mentally it has expressed itself in a larger and more +perfect way in its literature, its painting and music. Physically +the race has not grown perceptibly in the last five thousand +years, but mentally its growth can scarcely be measured. If +we follow each nation through the past thousand years we shall +see that its art product has not only kept pace with its development, +but that in its art we may see all of its racial characteristics, +those habits of mind which are peculiarly its own. A +nation left to itself will develop a certain trend of thought +which will differentiate it from all other nations. A trend of +thought which will affect its art, literature, politics, religion, +and in course of time will produce marked physical characteristics. +This is noticeable in all nations which have lived +long unto themselves.</p> + +<p>But modern methods of communication are destroying this. +As nations are brought into closer contact with each other they +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page69" name="page69"></a>69</span>begin to lose their peculiarities. The truth of this statement +may be seen in the fact that in the past fifty years composers +all over the world have been affected by the modern German +school of composition. Not one has escaped. While a nation +lived unto itself it could preserve its national life in its art, +but more and more the life of each nation is becoming a composite +of the life of all nations. The musical output of the +world shows this unmistakably.</p> + +<p>What will be the music of the future? We know the music +of yesterday and today, but the music of the future can be +foretold only by the prophet whose vision is clear enough to +see unmistakably what the trend of civilization will be during +the coming years. There are mighty forces operating in the +world today. If they succeed in bringing humanity to a saner, +more normal state of mind, to a clearer realization of what is +worth while and what is worthless, then all art will become purer +and more wholesome, more helpful and necessary, and music +speaking a language common to all will be supreme among the +arts.</p> +</div><!--Chapter 5--> +<div class="chapter" id="Ch_VI"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page70" name="page70"></a>70</span></p> +<p class="chapter_number">VI</p> +<h2 class="chapter_title">SINGING AS AN ART</h2> +<div class="epigram"> +<p>No artist can be graceful, imaginative, or original, unless he be truthful.</p> +<p class="citation">Ruskin. <i>Modern Painters</i>.</p> +</div> + +<p>“Art is a transfer of feeling” said Tolstoy. While this applies +to art in general it has a particular application to the art +of singing. The material of the singer’s art is feeling. By +means of the imagination he evokes within himself feelings he +has experienced and through the medium of his voice he transfers +these feelings to others. By his ability to reconstruct +moods, feelings and emotions within himself and express them +through his voice, the singer sways multitudes, plays upon them, +carries them whithersoever he will from the depths of sorrow +to the heights of exaltation. His direct and constant aim is +to make his hearers <em>feel</em>, and feel deeply. As a medium for +the transfer of feeling the human voice far transcends all +others. Since the beginning of the human race the voice has +been the means by which it has most completely revealed itself, +but the art is not in the voice, but in the feeling transferred. +It is the same whether the medium be the voice, painting, +sculpture, poetry or a musical instrument. We speak of a +painting as being a great work of art, but the art is not in the +painting, the art is the feeling of beauty which the painting +awakes in the observer. When we listen to an orchestra the +music is what we feel. Said Walt Whitman: “Music is what +awakes within us when we are reminded by the instruments.”</p> + +<p>Nothing exists separate from cognition. Real art therefore +consists of pure feeling rather than of material objects. <em>If +the singer succeeds in transferring his feelings to others he is an +artist</em>, this regardless of whether his voice is great or small. +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page71" name="page71"></a>71</span>Voice alone does not constitute an artist. One must have something +to give. Schumann said: “The reason the nightingale +sings love songs and the lap dog barks is because the soul of +the nightingale is filled with love and that of the lap dog with +bark.” It will be apparent therefore, that the study of the +art of singing should devote itself to developing in the singer +the best elements of his nature—all that is good, pure and +elevating. We have no right to transfer to others any feeling +that is impure or unwholesome. The technic of an art is of +small moment compared with its subject matter. <em>An unworthy +poem cannot be purified by setting it to music no matter how beautiful +the music may be.</em></p> + +<div class="section"> +<h3 class="section_title">THE PRINCIPLES OF INTERPRETATION</h3> + + +<p>I fancy there is nothing more intangible to most people than +the term “<em>phrasing</em>.” I have asked a great many students to +give me the principles of phrasing, but as yet I have seen none +who could do it, and yet all singers, from the youngest to the +oldest must make some use of these principles every time they +sing. Now a thing in such general use should be, and is, +subject to analysis.</p> + +<p><em>All of the rules of phrasing, like the rules of composition, grow +out of what sounds well.</em> Beauty and ugliness are matters of +mental correspondence. In music a thing to be beautiful +must satisfy a mental demand, and this demand is one’s <em>taste</em>. +The sense of fitness must obtain. When the singer interprets +a song the demand of the listener is that he shall do well what +he undertakes to do: that he shall portray whatever phase of +life the song contains, accurately, definitely, that he shall have +a <em>definite intent and purpose</em>, that he shall be in the mood of +the song. The singer must not portray one mood with his +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page72" name="page72"></a>72</span>face, another with his voice, while the poem suggests still a +third. He must avoid incongruity. All things must work +together. There must be therefore, the evidence of intelligent +design in every word and phrase.</p> + +<p>The song is a unit and each phrase contains a definite idea, +therefore it must not be detached or fragmentary, but must +have the element of continuity and each and every part must +be made to contribute to the central idea.</p> + +<p>The element of insecurity must not be allowed to enter. +If it does, the listener feels that the singer is not sure of himself, +that he cannot do what he set out to do: therefore he is a +failure.</p> + +<p>Another demand is that the singer shall be intelligent. A +poem does not lose its meaning or its strength by being associated +with music, and to this end the singer must deliver the text +with the same understanding and appreciation of its meaning +as would a public reader.</p> + +<p>Now from the above we infer certain principles. The demand +for continuity means that the singer must have a pure +<i>legato</i>. That is, he must be able to connect words smoothly, to +pass from one word to another without interrupting the tone, +that the tone may be continuous throughout each phrase.</p> + +<p>The feeling of security lies in what is known as <i>sostenuto</i>, the +ability to sustain the tone throughout the phrase with no sense +of diminishing power. It means in short the organ time.</p> + +<p>From the demand for design in each word and phrase comes +<em>contrast</em>. This may be made in the power of the tone by means +of cres. dim. sfz. It may be made in the tempo by means of +the retard, accelerando, the hold, etc. It may also be made in +the quality of the tone by using the various shades from bright +to somber.</p> + +<p>The basis of phrasing then, may be found in legato, sostenuto +and contrast. All of the other things involved in +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page73" name="page73"></a>73</span>interpretation cannot make a good performance if these fundamental +principles be lacking. A more complete outline of +interpretation follows:</p> + +<h4 class="subsection_title">AN OUTLINE OF INTERPRETATION</h4> +<table id="interpretation" summary="Outline of interpretation"> +<tr><td rowspan="3">READING</td> <td rowspan="3" class="brace3">{</td> <td>Pitches</td></tr> +<tr> <td>Note Lengths</td></tr> +<tr> <td>Rhythm</td></tr> + + +<tr><td rowspan="4">DICTION</td><td rowspan="4" class="brace4">{</td><td class="toprow">Enunciation</td><td class="brace2">{</td> <td class="leaf">Vowels<br />Consonants</td></tr> +<tr> <td>Pronunciation</td></tr> +<tr> <td>Accent</td></tr> +<tr> <td>Emphasis</td></tr> + +<tr><td rowspan="4">VOICE</td> <td rowspan="4" class="brace4">{</td> <td class="toprow">Even Scale</td></tr> +<tr> <td>Quality</td></tr> +<tr> <td>Freedom</td></tr> +<tr> <td>Breath Control</td></tr> + +<tr><td rowspan="3">TECHNIC</td> <td rowspan="3" class="brace3">{</td> <td class="toprow">Attack</td></tr> +<tr> <td>Flexibility</td></tr> +<tr> <td>Execution</td></tr> + +<tr><td rowspan="4">PHRASING</td> <td rowspan="4" class="brace4">{</td> <td class="toprow">Legato</td></tr> +<tr> <td>Sostenuto</td></tr> +<tr> <td>Contrast</td><td class="brace2">{</td><td class="leaf">Power<br />Tempo<br />Color</td></tr> +<tr> <td>Proportion</td></tr> + +<tr><td rowspan="3">MOOD</td> <td rowspan="3" class="brace3">{</td> <td class="toprow">Emotional Concept</td></tr> +<tr> <td>Facial Expression</td></tr> +<tr> <td>Stage Presence</td></tr> +</table> + +<p>Most of the things mentioned in this outline of interpretation +have been discussed elsewhere, but the subject of diction +requires further explanation.</p> + + +</div><!--Interpretation--> +<div class="section"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page74" name="page74"></a>74</span></p> +<h3 class="section_title">DICTION</h3> +<p>The mechanism of speech might be discussed at any length, +but to reduce it to its simplest form it consists of the sound +producing instrument,—the vocal cords, the organs of enunciation—lips, +tongue, teeth and soft palate, and the channel +leading to the outer air. When the vocal cords are producing +pitch and the channel is free the result is a vowel. If an obstruction +is thrown into the channel the result is a consonant. +Vowels and consonants, then, constitute the elements of speech. +The vowels are the emotional elements and the consonants are +the intellectual elements. By means of vowel sounds alone +emotions may be awakened, but when definite ideas are expressed, +words which are a combination of vowels and consonants +must be used. It is nothing short of amazing that with +this simple mechanism, by using the various combinations of +open and obstructed channel in connection with pitch, the entire +English language or any other language for that matter +can be produced.</p> + +<p>Vowels are produced with an open channel from the vocal +cords to the outer air. Consonants are produced by partial +or complete closing of the channel by interference of the lips, +tongue, teeth and soft palate.</p> + +<p>If language consisted entirely of vowels learning to sing would +be much simpler than it is. It is the consonants that cause +trouble. It is not uncommon to find students who can vocalize +with comparative ease, but the moment they attempt to +sing words the mechanism becomes rigid. The tendency toward +rigidity is much greater in enunciating consonants than +it is in enunciating vowels, and yet they should be equally +easy. Here is where the student finds his greatest difficulty +in mastering English diction.</p> + +<p>The most frequent criticism of American singers is their +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page75" name="page75"></a>75</span>deficiency in diction. Whether it please us or no, it must be +admitted that on the whole the criticism is not without foundation.</p> + +<p>The importance of effective speech is much underestimated +by students of singing, and yet it requires but a moment’s +consideration to see that the impression created by speech is +the result of forceful diction no less than of subject matter. +Words mean the same thing whether spoken or sung, and the +singer no less than the speaker should deliver them with a full +understanding of their meaning.</p> + +<p>The proposition confronting the singer is a difficult one. +When he attempts the dramatic he finds that it destroys his +legato. He loses the sustained quality of the organ tone, which +is the true singing tone, and <i>bel canto</i> is out of the question.</p> + +<p>This is what is urged against the operas of Wagner and practically +everything of the German school since his day. The +dramatic element is so intense and the demand so strenuous +that singers find it almost, if not quite impossible, to keep the +singing tone and reach the dramatic heights required. They +soon find themselves shouting in a way that not only destroys +the singing tone but also the organ that produces it. The +truth of this cannot be gainsaid. There is a considerable +amount of vocal wreckage strewn along the way, the result of +wrestling with Wagnerian recitative. Wagnerian singers are, +as a rule, vocally shorter lived than those that confine themselves +to French and Italian opera.</p> + +<p>But it will be argued by some that these people have not +learned how to sing, that if they had a perfect vocal method +they could sing Wagner as easily as Massenet. That they +have not learned to sing Wagner is evident, and this brings us +to the question—Shall the singer adjust himself to the composer +or the composer to the singer? A discussion of this would +probably lead nowhere, but I submit the observation, that +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page76" name="page76"></a>76</span>many modern composers show a disregard for the possibilities +and limitations of the human voice that amounts to stupidity. +Because a composer can write great symphonies the public +is inclined to think that everything he writes is great. Let it +be understood once for all that bad voice writing is bad +whether it is done by a symphonic writer or a popular songwriter. +In the present stage of human development there are +certain things the voice can do and other things it cannot do, +and these things can be known only by those who understand +the voice, and are accustomed to working with it. To ignore +them completely when writing for voices is no evidence of +genius. Composers seem to forget that the singer must create +the pitch of his instrument as well as its quality at the moment +he uses it. They also forget that his most important aid in this +is the feeling of tonality. When this is destroyed and the singer +is forced to measure intervals abstractedly he is called upon to +do something immeasurably more difficult than anything that +is asked of the instrumentalist. Many modern composers have +lost their heads and run amuck on the modern idiom, and their +writing for voices is so complex that it would require a greater +musician to sing their music than it did to write it.</p> + +<p>But to return, I do not say that it is impossible to apply the +principles of <i>bel canto</i> to Wagner’s dramatic style of utterance. +On the contrary I believe it is possible to gain such a mastery +of voice production and enunciation that the Wagnerian roles +may be sung, not shouted, and still not be lacking in dramatic +intensity, but it requires a more careful study of diction and its +relation to voice production than most singers are willing to +make.</p> + +<p>A majority of singers never succeed in establishing the right +relation between the vocal organ and the organs of enunciation. +Years of experience have verified this beyond peradventure.</p> + +<p>It is a very common thing for singers to vocalize for an indefinite +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page77" name="page77"></a>77</span>period with no ill effect, but become hoarse with ten +minutes of singing. The reason is apparent. They have learned +how to produce vowels with a free throat but not consonants. +The moment they attempt to form a consonant, tension appears, +not only in those parts of the mechanism which form +the consonant, but in the vocal organ as well. Under such +treatment the voice soon begins to show wear, and this is exactly +what happens to those singers who find it difficult to +sing the Wagner operas.</p> + +<p>The solution of this problem lies in the proper study of +diction. The intellectual elements of speech consonants are +formed almost entirely in the front of the mouth with various +combinations of lips, tongue and teeth. Three things are +necessary to their complete mastery.</p> + +<p><strong>First,</strong>—consonants must be produced without tension. It +will be well to remember in this connection that consonants +are not to be sung. They are points of interference and must +be distinct but short. The principle of freedom applies to +consonants no less than to vowels.</p> + +<p><strong>Second,</strong>—consonants must not be allowed to interrupt the +continuity of the pitch produced by the vocal cords. This is +necessary to preserve legato. Some consonants close the channel +completely, others only partially. It is a great achievement +to be able to sing all consonant combinations and still +preserve a legato.</p> + +<p><strong>Third,</strong>—consonants must in no way interfere with the freedom +of the vocal organ. If the student attempts to sing the +consonants, that is, to prolong them he is sure to make his +throat rigid and the pure singing tone at once disappears. He +must therefore learn dramatic utterance without throwing +the weight of it on the throat. To do this he must begin with a +consonant which offers the least resistance and practice it +until the three points mentioned have been mastered. The +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page78" name="page78"></a>78</span>one which will give the least trouble is l. At the pitch G sing +ah-lah-lah-lah-lah, until it can be done with relaxed tongue, +with perfect continuity of tone, and with perfect freedom in +the vocal instrument. In the same way practice n, d, v, th, m, +and the sub vocals, b, d, g. Always begin with a vowel.</p> + +<p>If the singer has the patience to work the problem out in +this way he can apply the principles of <i>bel canto</i> to dramatic +singing. The road to this achievement is long, longer than +most people suspect, but if one is industrious and persevering +it may be accomplished.</p> + +<p>But there remains yet to be mentioned the most important +element of artistic singing. To the pure tone and perfect diction +must be added the imagination. The <em>imagination</em> is the +image making power of the mind, the power to create or reproduce +ideally that which has been previously perceived: the +power to call up mental images. By means of the imagination +we take the materials of experience and mold them into idealized +forms. The aim of creative art is to idealize, that is, to +portray nature and experience in perfect forms not with the +imperfections of visible nature. “In this” says Hegel, “art +is superior to nature.”</p> + +<p>The activity of the imagination is directly responsible for +that most essential thing—emotional tone. Taking intelligence +for granted, the imagination is the most important factor +involved in interpretation. If the imagination be quick +and responsive it will carry the singer away from himself and +temporarily he will live the song.</p> + +<p>Every song has an atmosphere, a metaphysical something +which differentiates it from every other song. The singer +must discover it and find the mood which will perfectly express +it. If his imagination constructs the image, creates the +picture, recalls the feeling, the emotion, the result will be artistic +singing. The song is that which comes from the soul +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page79" name="page79"></a>79</span>of the singer. It is not on the printed page. If I study a +Schubert song until I have mastered it, I have done nothing +to Schubert. It is I who have grown. Through the activity +of the imagination, guided by the intelligence, I have built +up in my consciousness as nearly as possible what I conceive to +have been Schubert’s feeling when he wrote the song, but the +work has all been done on myself.</p> + +<p>A chapter might be written on the artistic personality. It +reveals itself in light, shade, nuance, inflection, accent, color, +always with a perfect sense of proportion, harmony and +unity, and free from all that is earthy. It is the expression of +individuality. It cannot be imitated. If you ask me for its +source I repeat again Whistler’s immortal saying: “Art is an +expression of eternal, absolute truth, and starting from the +Infinite it cannot progress, <strong>IT IS</strong>.”</p> +</div><!--Diction--> +</div><!--Chapter 6--> +<div class="chapter" id="Ch_VII"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page80" name="page80"></a>80</span></p> +<p class="chapter_number">VII</p> +<h2 class="chapter_title">THE CONSTRUCTION OF A SONG.</h2> +<div class="epigram"> +<p>Has he put the emphasis on his work in the place where it is most important? +Has he so completely expressed himself that the onlooker cannot +fail to find his meaning?</p> +<p class="citation"><i>Appreciation of Art</i>. Loveridge.</p> +</div> + +<p>When you listen to a song and at its close say, “That is +beautiful,” do you ever stop and try to discover why it is +beautiful? The quest may lead you far into the field of Aesthetics, +and unless you are accustomed to psychological processes +you may find yourself in a maze from which escape is difficult. +Let us remember that in studying the construction of a song we +are dealing with states of mind. A song is the product of a +certain mood and its direct aim is to awaken a similar mood +in others.</p> + +<p>It is a well established fact that sound is the most common +and the most effective way of expressing and communicating +the emotions, not only for man but for the lower animals as +well. This method of communication doubtless began far +back in the history of the race and was used to express bodily +pain or pleasure.</p> + +<p>The lower animals convey their feelings to each other by +sounds, not by words, and these sounds awaken in others the +same feeling as that which produced them.</p> + +<p>We see, then, that emotion may be expressed by sound +and be awakened by sound, and this obtains among human +beings no less than among the lower animals. In the long +process of ages sound qualities have become indissolubly associated +with emotional states, and have become the most exciting, +the most powerful sense stimulus in producing emotional +reactions. The cry of one human being in pain will excite +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page81" name="page81"></a>81</span>painful emotions in another. An exclamation of joy will excite +a similar emotion in others, and so on through the whole +range of human emotions.</p> + +<p>Herbert Spencer holds that the beginning of music may be +traced back to the cry of animals, which evidently has an emotional +origin and purpose. It is a far cry from the beginning +of music as described by Spencer to the modern art song, but +from that time to this the principle has remained the same. +The emotional range of the lower animals is small, doubtless +limited to the expression of bodily conditions, but the human +race through long ages of growth has developed an almost unlimited +emotional range, hence the vehicle for its expression has +of necessity increased in complexity.</p> + +<p>To meet this demand music as a science has evolved a tone +system. That is, from the infinite number of tones it has selected +something over a hundred having definite mathematical +relationships, fixed vibrational ratios. The art of music takes +this system of tones and by means of combinations, progressions +and movements which constitute what is called musical +composition, it undertakes to excite a wide variety of emotions.</p> + +<p>The aim and office of music is to create moods. It does not +arrive at definite expression. There is no musical progression +which is universally understood as an invitation to one’s +neighbor to pass the bread. The pianist cannot by any particular +tone combination make his audience understand that +his left shoe pinches, but he can make them smile or look serious. +He can fill them with courage or bring them to tears without +saying a word. In listening to the Bach <i>B Minor Mass</i> one +can tell the <i>Sanctus</i> from the <i>Gloria in Excelsis</i> without knowing +a word of Latin. The music conveys the mood unmistakably.</p> + +<p>A song is a union of music and poetry, a wedding if you please +and as in all matrimonial alliances the two contracting parties +should be in harmony. The poem creates a mood not alone by +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page82" name="page82"></a>82</span>what it expresses directly but by what it implies, what it +suggests. Its office is to stimulate the imagination rather than +to inform by direct statement of facts. The office of music is +to strengthen, accentuate, and supplement the mood of the +poem, to translate the poem into music. The best song then, +will be one in which both words and music most perfectly +create the same mood.</p> + +<p>Arnold Bennett’s definition of literature applies equally well +to the song. He says: “That evening when you went for a +walk with your faithful friend, the friend from whom you hid +nothing—or almost nothing—you were, in truth, somewhat +inclined to hide from him the particular matter which monopolized +your mind that evening, but somehow you contrived to +get on to it, drawn by an overpowering fascination. And as +your faithful friend was sympathetic and discreet, and flattered +you by a respectful curiosity, you proceeded further and +further into the said matter, growing more and more confidential, +until at last you cried out in a terrific whisper: ‘My +boy she is simply miraculous:’ At that moment you were in +the domain of literature.” Now when such impassioned, +spontaneous utterance is brought under the operation of musical +law we have a perfect song. The composer furnished the +words and music, but the thing which makes it a song comes +from the singer, from the earnestness and conviction with which +he delivers the message.</p> + +<p>Songs are divided into two general classes: those expressing +the relationships of human beings, such as love, joy, sorrow, +chivalry, patriotism, etc., and those expressing the relationship +of man to his creator; veneration, devotion, praise, etc. +The two great sources of inspiration to song writers have always +been love and religion.</p> + +<p>What are the principles of song construction? They are all +comprised in the law of fitness. The composer must do what +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page83" name="page83"></a>83</span>he sets out to do. The materials with which he has to work are +rhythm, melody and harmony. The most important thing +in a song is the melody. This determines to a very great extent +the health and longevity of the song. Most of the songs +that have passed the century mark and still live do so by reason +of their melody. There must be a sense of fitness between the +poem and the melody. A poem which expresses a simple +sentiment requires a simple melody. A simple story should be +told simply. If the poem is sad, joyous, or tragic the melody +must correspond. Otherwise the family discords begin at once. +Poetry cannot adapt itself to music, because its mood is +already established. It is the business of the composer to +create music which will supplement the poem. A lullaby +should not have a martial melody, neither should an exhortation +to lofty patriotism be given a melody which induces somnolence.</p> + +<p>The same sense of fitness must obtain in the accompaniment. +The office of the accompaniment is not merely to keep the +singer on the pitch. It must help to tell the story by strengthening +the mood of the poem. It must not be trivial or insincere, +neither must it overwhelm and thus draw the attention of the +listeners to itself and away from the singer.</p> + +<p>The accompaniment is the clothing, or dress, of the melody. +Melodies, like people, should be well dressed but not over +dressed. Some melodies, like some people, look better in +plain clothes than in a fancy costume. Other melodies appear +to advantage in a rich costume. Modern songwriters are much +inclined to overdress their melodies to the extent that the accompaniment +forces itself upon the attention to the exclusion +of the melody. Such writing is as incongruous as putting on +a dress suit to go to a fire.</p> + +<p>The significance of the theme should indicate the nature of +the accompaniment. To take a simple sentiment and overload +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page84" name="page84"></a>84</span>it with a modern complex harmonic accompaniment is like +going after sparrows with a sixteen inch siege gun.</p> + +<p>Comedy in the song should not be associated with tragedy +in the accompaniment. A lively poem should not have a lazy +accompaniment. The great songwriters were models in this +respect. This accounts for their greatness. Take for example +Schubert’s <i>Wohin</i> and <i>Der Wanderer</i>, Schumann’s <i>Der +Nussbaum</i>, Brahms’ <i>Feldeinsamkeit</i>. These accompaniments +are as full of mood as either poem or melody.</p> + +<p>The element of proportion enters into songwriting no less +than into architecture. A house fifteen by twenty feet with a +tower sixty feet high and a veranda thirty feet wide would be out +of proportion. A song with sixty-four measures of introduction +and sixteen measures for the voice would be out of proportion. +Making a song is similar to painting a landscape. In the painting +the grass, flowers, shrubbery etc., are in the foreground, +then come the hills and if there be a mountain range it is in the +background. If the mountain range were in the foreground +it would obscure everything else. So in making a song. If it +tells a story and reaches a climax the climax should come near +the end of the song. When the singer has carried his audience +with him up to a great emotional height then all it needs is to +be brought back safely and quickly to earth and left there.</p> + +<div class="section"> +<h3 class="section_title">ASSOCIATION</h3> + +<p>I have mentioned the principles of song construction, but +there are other things which have to do with making a song +effective. One of the most important of these is association. +Let us remember that the effect and consequent value of music +depends upon the class of emotions it awakens rather than upon +the technical skill of the composer, and that these emotions are +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page85" name="page85"></a>85</span>dependent to a considerable extent upon association. We all +remember the time honored expedient of tying a string around +a finger when a certain thing is to be remembered. The perception +of the digital decoration recalls the reason for it and +thus the incident is carried to a successful conclusion. In like +manner feelings become associated with ideas. Church bells +arouse feelings of reverence and devotion. To many of us a +brass band awakens pleasant memories of circus day. <i>Scots +Wha Hae</i> fills the Scotchman with love for his native heather. +The odor of certain flowers is offensive because we associate it +with a sad occasion. The beauty of a waltz is due not only +to its composition but also to our having danced to it under +particularly pleasant circumstances.</p> + +<p>At the opera there are many things that combine to make it a +pleasant occasion—the distant tuning of the orchestra, the +low hum of voices, the faint odor of violets, and the recollection +of having been there before with that miracle of a girl,—all +combine to fill us with pleasurable anticipation. In this +way we give as much to the performance as it gives to us. According +to some Aestheticians the indefinable emotions we +sometimes feel when listening to music are the reverberations +of feelings experienced countless ages ago. This may have +some foundation in fact, but it is somewhat like seeing in a +museum a mummy of ourselves in a previous incarnation.</p> + +<p>Songs which have the strongest hold upon us are those which +have been in some way associated with our experience. The intensity +with which such songs as <i>Annie Laurie</i>, <i>Dixie</i>, <i>The +Vacant Chair</i>, <i>Tramp, Tramp, Tramp</i> grip us is due almost entirely +to association.</p> + +<p>Therefore the value of a song consists not alone in what it +awakens in the present, but in what it recalls from the past. +Man is the sum of his experience; and to make past experience +contribute to the joy of the present is to add abundance to riches.</p> +</div> +</div><!--Chapter 7--> +<div class="chapter" id="Ch_VIII"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page86" name="page86"></a>86</span></p> +<p class="chapter_number">VIII</p> +<h2 class="chapter_title">HOW TO STUDY A SONG</h2> +<div class="epigram"> +<p>The accent of truth apparent in the voice when speaking naturally is the +basis of expression in singing.</p> +<p class="citation">Garcia. <i>Hints on Singing</i>.</p> +</div> + +<p>First determine the general character of the song. A careful +study of the words will enable the student to find its general +classification. It may be dramatic, narrative, reminiscent, +introspective, contemplative, florid, sentimental.</p> + +<p>The following are examples:</p> + +<p>Dramatic, <i>The Erl King</i>, Schubert.</p> + +<p>Narrative, <i>The Two Grenadiers</i>, Schumann.</p> + +<p>Reminiscent, <i>Der Doppelgänger</i>, Schubert.</p> + +<p>Florid, <i>Indian Bell Song</i>, from Lakme, Delibes.</p> + +<p>Introspective, <i>In der Frühe</i>, Hugo Wolf.</p> + +<p>Contemplative, <i>Feldeinsamkeit</i>, Brahms.</p> + +<p>Songs of sentiment. This includes all songs involving the +affections and the homely virtues.</p> + +<p>To these might be added songs of exaltation, such as Beethoven’s +“Nature’s Adoration.” Character songs, in which the +singer assumes a character and expresses its sentiments. A +good example of this is “The Poet’s Love” cycle by Schumann. +Classifying the song in this way is the first step toward discovering +its atmosphere. There is always one tempo at which +a song sounds best and this tempo must grow out of a thorough +understanding of its character. Metronome marks should be +unnecessary. Intelligent study of a song will unerringly suggest +the proper tempo.</p> + +<p>Next, study the poem until it creates the mood. Read it, +not once, but many times. Imbibe not only its intellectual +but its emotional content. It is the office of poetry to stimulate +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page87" name="page87"></a>87</span>the imagination. It is under the influence of this stimulus +that songs are written, and under its influence they must be +sung. Hugo Wolf said that he always studied the poem until +it composed the music. This means that he studied the poem +until he was so filled with its mood that the proper music came +of itself. Fix in mind the principal points in the poem and the +order in which they occur. There usually is development of +some kind in a poem. Learn what it is. Notice which part of +the poem contains the great or central idea. Read it aloud. +Determine its natural accent. The singing phrase grows out +of the spoken phrase. Singing is elongated, or sustained, +speech, but it should be none the less intelligent by reason of +this.</p> + +<p>Now adapt the words to the music. If the music has grown +out of the words as it should, it will follow the development of +the poem and give it additional strength.</p> + +<p>By this time one should be in the mood of the song, and he +should not emerge from it until the song is finished. If one is +filled with the spirit of the song, is sincere and earnest, and +is filled with a desire to express what is beautiful and good he +will not sing badly even if his voice be ordinary.</p> + +<p>The composer may do much toward creating the mood for +both singer and listener by means of his introduction. The introduction +to a song is not merely to give the singer the pitch. +It is for the purpose of creating the mood. It may be reminiscent +of the principal theme of the song, it may consist of some +fragment of the accompaniment, or any other materials which +will tend to create the desired mood.</p> + +<p>In the introduction to <i>Rhein-gold</i> where Wagner wishes to +portray a certain elemental condition he uses 136 measures of +the chord of E flat major.</p> + +<p>In <i>Feldeinsamkeit</i> (The Quiet of the Fields) where the mood +is such as would come to one lying in the deep grass in the field +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page88" name="page88"></a>88</span>watching “the fair white clouds ride slowly overhead,” in a +state of complete inaction, Brahms establishes the mood by +this treatment of the major chord.</p> + +<p><img class="large_inline_image" src="images/fig_k.png" title="Figure K" alt="a musical fragment" width="430" height="142" id="figure_k" name="figure_k" /></p> + +<p>In <i>Der Wanderer</i> (The Wanderer) Schubert uses this musical +figure to indicate the ceaseless motion of one condemned +to endless wandering.</p> + +<p><img class="large_inline_image" src="images/fig_l.png" title="Figure L" alt="a musical fragment" width="350" height="142" id="figure_l" name="figure_l" /></p> + +<p>In <i>The Maid of the Mill</i> cycle where the young miller discovers +the brook Schubert uses this figure, which gives a clear +picture of a chattering brooklet. This figure continues +throughout the song.</p> + +<p><img class="large_inline_image" src="images/fig_m.png" title="Figure M" alt="a musical fragment" width="319" height="132" id="figure_m" name="figure_m" /></p> + +<p>In the song <i>On the Journey Home</i>, which describes the feelings +of one who, after a long absence returns to view the “vales +and mountains” of his youth, Grieg, with two measures of +introduction grips us with a mood from which we cannot escape.</p> +<p><img class="large_inline_image" src="images/fig_n.png" title="Figure N" alt="a musical fragment" width="413" height="150" id="figure_n" name="figure_n" /></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page89" name="page89"></a>89</span>But one of the most striking examples of the operation of +genius is Schubert’s introduction to <i>Am Meer</i> (By the Sea). +Here with two chords he tells us the story of the lonely seashore, +the deserted hut, the tears, the dull sound of breakers +dying on a distant shore, and all around the unfathomable +mystery of the mighty deep.</p> +<p><img class="large_inline_image" src="images/fig_o.png" title="Figure O" alt="a musical fragment" width="369" height="143" id="figure_o" name="figure_o" /></p> + + +<p>Classic song literature is full of interesting examples of this +kind. If we learn how to study the works of these great ones +of the earth we shall see how unerring is the touch of genius, +and some day we shall awaken to see that these kings and +prophets are our friends, and that they possess the supreme +virtue of constancy.</p> +</div><!--Chapter 8--> +<div class="chapter" id="Ch_IX"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page90" name="page90"></a>90</span></p> +<p class="chapter_number">IX</p> +<h2 class="chapter_title">SCIENTIFIC VOICE PRODUCTION</h2> +<div class="epigram"> +<p>The immediate effect of the laryngoscope was to throw the whole subject +into almost hopeless confusion by the introduction of all sorts of errors +of observation, each claiming to be founded on ocular proof, and believed +in with corresponding obstinacy.</p> +<p class="citation">Sir Morell Mackenzie. <i>Hygiene of the Vocal Organs</i>.</p> +</div> + +<p>He who studies the voice in a physics laboratory naturally +considers himself a scientific man, and those teachers who make +his discoveries the basis of their teaching believe they are teaching +the science of voice production. The scientist says: +“Have I not studied the voice in action? I have seen, therefore +I know.” But the element of uncertainty in what he has +seen makes his knowledge little more than speculative. But +suppose he is sure of what he has seen. Of what importance +is it? He has seen a vocal organ in the act of producing tone +under trying conditions, for one under the conditions necessary +to the use of the laryngoscope is not at all likely to reach his +own standard of tone production.</p> + +<p>Scientists would have us believe that the action of the vocal +mechanism is the same in all voices. This claim must necessarily +be made or there would be no such thing as scientific +production. But of all the vocal vagaries advanced this has +the least foundation in fact.</p> + +<p>Scientifically and artistically speaking there is no such thing +at present as perfect voice, and there will be no such thing +until man manifests a perfect mind. The best examples of +voice production are not altogether perfect, and most of them +are still a considerable distance from perfection. It is with +these imperfect models that the scientific man in dealing and +on which he bases his deductions.</p> + +<p>Be it right or wrong singers do not all use the vocal mechanism +in the same way. I have in mind two well known contraltos +one of whom carried her chest register up to A, and even +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page91" name="page91"></a>91</span>to B flat occasionally. The other carried her middle register +down to the bottom of the voice. Can the tenor who carries +his chest voice up to <img src="images/fig_p.png" title="Figure P" alt="a fragment of music" id="figure_p" name="figure_p" width="72" height="64" /> be said to use his voice in +the same way as one who begins his head voice at <img src="images/fig_q.png" title="Figure Q" alt="a fragment of music" id="figure_q" name="figure_q" width="71" height="64" />?</p> + +<p>In the examination of a hundred voices selected at random all +manner of different things would be observed. Perhaps this +is responsible for the great diversity of opinion among scientists, +for it must be said that so far there is little upon which +they agree. Before absolute laws governing any organ or instrument +can be formulated the nature of the instrument must +be known. The scientists have never come anywhere near an +agreement as to what kind of an instrument man has in his +throat. They have not decided whether it is a stringed instrument, +a brass, a single or double reed, and these things are +vital in establishing a scientific basis of procedure. Not knowing +what the instrument is, it is not strange that we are not of +one mind as to how it should be played upon.</p> + +<p>If we are to know the science of voice production we must +first know the mechanism and action of the vocal organ. This +instrument, perhaps an inch and a half in length, produces +tones covering a compass, in rare instances, of three octaves. +How does it do it? According to the books, in a variety of ways.</p> + +<p>A majority of those voice teachers who believe in registers +recognize three adjustments, chest middle, and upper, or chest +medium, and head, but Dr. MacKenzie claims that in four +hundred female voices which he examined he found in most +cases the chest mechanism was used throughout. Mancini +(1774) says there are instances in which there is but one register +used throughout.</p> + +<p>Garcia says there are three mechanisms—chest, falsetto, +and head, and makes them common to both sexes.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page92" name="page92"></a>92</span>Behnke divides the voice into five registers—lower and +upper thick, lower and upper thin, and small.</p> + +<p>Dr. Guilmette says that to hold that all of the tones of the +voice depend on one mechanism or register is an acknowledgment +of ignorance of vocal anatomy. He further declares +that the vocal cords have nothing to do with tone—that +it is produced by vibration of the mucous membrane of +the trachea, larynx, pharynx, mouth; in fact, all of the mucous +membrane of the upper half of the body.</p> + +<p>When it comes to the falsetto voice, that scarehead to so +many people who have no idea what it is, but are morally sure +it is wicked and ungodly, the scientists give their imaginations +carte blanche. Dr. Mackenzie, who says there are but two +mechanisms, the long and short reed, says the falsetto is produced +by the short reed.</p> + +<p>Lehfeldt and Muller hold that falsetto is produced by the +vibrations of the inner edges or mucous covering of the vocal +cords, the body of the cords being relaxed.</p> + +<p>Mr. Lunn feels sure that the true vocal cords are not involved +in falsetto, that voice being produced by the false vocal +cords.</p> + +<p>Mantels says that in the falsetto voice the vocal cords do not +produce pitch, that the quality and mechanism are both that +of the flute, that the cords set the air in vibration and the different +tones are made by alterations in the length of the tube.</p> + +<p>Davidson Palmer says that the falsetto is the remnant of the +boy’s voice which has deteriorated through lack of use, but +which is the correct mechanism to be used throughout the tenor +voice.</p> + +<p>Mr. Chater argues along the same lines as Mr. Mantels +except that he makes the instrument belong to the clarinet or +oboe class. Others believe the vocal cords act as the lips do +in playing a brass instrument.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page93" name="page93"></a>93</span>But the action of the vocal cords is but the first part of the +unscientific controversy. What takes place above the vocal +cords is equally mystifying. The offices of the pharynx, the +mouth, the nasal cavities, the entire structure of the head in +fact, are rich in uncertainties.</p> + +<p>Some think the cavities of the pharynx and head are involved +acoustically and in some way enlarge, refine and purify +the tone, but one famous man says the head has nothing whatever +to do with it. Another gentleman of international reputation +says the nose is the most important factor in singing. +If your nasal cavities are right you can sing, otherwise you +cannot.</p> + +<p>And so this verbal rambling continues; so the search for +mind in matter goes on, with a seriousness scarcely equalled +in any other line of strife. There is nothing more certain to +permanently bewilder a vocal student than to deluge him with +pseudo-scientific twaddle about the voice. And this for the +simple reason that he comes to learn to sing, not for a course in +anatomy.</p> + +<p>What is scientific voice production? Books without number +have been written with the openly expressed intention to +give a clear exposition of the subject, but the seeker for a +scientific method soon finds himself in a maze of conflicting +human opinions from which he cannot extricate himself.</p> + +<p>We are told with much unction and warmth that science +means to know. That it is a knowledge of principles or causes, +ascertained truths or facts. A scientific voice teacher then +must know something. What must he know? Books on +scientific voice production usually begin with a picture of the +larynx, each part of which is labeled with a Greek word sometimes +longer than the thing itself. It then proceeds to tell the +unction of each muscle and cartilage and the part it plays in +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page94" name="page94"></a>94</span>tone production. Now if this is scientific, and if science is +exact knowledge, and this exact knowledge is the basis of +scientific voice teaching, then every one who has a perfect +knowledge of these facts about the voice, must in the eternal +and invariable nature of facts be a perfect voice teacher, and +every one of these perfect voice teachers must teach in exactly +the same way and produce exactly the same results. Does +history support this argument? Quite the reverse.</p> + +<p>There is a science of acoustics, and in this science one may +learn all about tones, vibrating bodies, vibrating strings, +vibrating cavities, simple, compound and complex vibrations. +Will this knowledge make him a scientific voice teacher? +When he has learned all of this he has not yet begun to prepare +for voice teaching. There is no record of a great voice teacher +having been trained in a physics laboratory.</p> + +<p>It is possible to analyze a tone and learn how fundamental +and upper partials are combined and how these combinations +affect quality. Does this constitute scientific voice production? +This knowledge may all be gained from the various +hand books on acoustics. Has any one the hardihood to assert +that such knowledge prepares one for the responsible work +of training voices? One may know all of this and still be as +ignorant of voice training as a Hottentot is of Calvinism.</p> + +<p>Further, who shall decide which particular combination of +fundamental and upper partials constitutes the perfect singing +tone? If a tone is produced and we say, there is the perfect +tone, all it proves is that it corresponds to our mental concept of +tone. It satisfies our ear, which is another term for our taste.</p> + +<p>Can a tone be disagreeable and still be scientifically produced? +One combination of fundamental and overtones is, strictly +speaking, just as scientific as another combination. The flute +tone with its two overtones is just as scientific as the string +tone with its six or eight. A tone is pleasant or disagreeable +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page95" name="page95"></a>95</span>according as it corresponds to a mental demand. Even the +most hardened scientist would not call a tone which offends his +ear scientific. Therefore he must first produce, or have produced +the tone that satisfies his ear. The question then naturally +arises—when he has secured the tone that satisfies +his ear of what value beyond satisfying his curiosity is a +physical analysis? A tone is something to hear, and when it +satisfies the ear that knows, that in itself is unmistakable +evidence that it is rightly produced.</p> + +<p>If this scientific knowledge of tone is necessary then every +great artist in the world is unscientific, because not one of +them makes any use whatsoever of such knowledge in his +singing.</p> + +<p>No. All of the scientific knowledge one may acquire is no +guaranty of success as a teacher, but is rather in the nature of a +hindrance, because it is likely to lead him into mechanical ways +of doing things. Further, the possession of such knowledge +is no indication that one will use it in his teaching. How much +of such knowledge can one use in teaching? How can he tell, +save from the tone itself whether the pupil is producing it +scientifically? It is a well established fact that the more the +teacher tries to use his scientific information in teaching the less +of an artist he becomes.</p> + +<p>Could it be possible that a beautiful tone could be produced +contrary to the laws of science? It would be an extraordinary +mind that would argue in the affirmative.</p> + +<p><strong>The most beautiful tone is the most perfectly produced, +whether the singer knows anything of vocal +mechanism or not.</strong> In such a tone there is no consciousness +of mechanics or scientific laws. The vocal mechanism is +responding automatically to the highest law in the universe—the +law of beauty. The most scientific thing possible is a +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page96" name="page96"></a>96</span>beautiful idea perfectly expressed, because a thing inherently +beautiful is eternally true, hence it is pure science.</p> + +<p>Every tone of the human voice is the expression of life, of an +idea, a feeling, an emotion, and unless interfered with the vocal +mechanism responds automatically.</p> + +<p>He who by experiment or reading has learned the action of +the vocal mechanism, and attempts to make his pupil control +every part of it by direct effort may imagine that he is teaching +scientific voice production, but he is not, he is only doing a +mechanical thing in a clumsy way.</p> + +<p>Is it a scientific act to tell a pupil to hold his tongue down, +as one writer argued recently? Is a teacher calling into action +the eternal laws of science when he tells his pupil to drive the +tone through the head, hoist the soft palate, groove the tongue, +and make the diaphragm rigid? No. He is simply doing a +mechanical thing badly for want of a better way. It is no +more scientific than kicking the cat out of the way if she gets +under your feet.</p> + +<p>Any one who has learned the elements of psychology or +philosophy knows that everything exists first as idea. The +real universe is the one that exists in the mind of the creator. +The real man is the part of him that thinks. To hold that the +body thinks or acts is equivalent to saying that Gray’s “Elegy” +was in the pen with which the poet wrote.</p> + +<p>To a natural scientist the only real thing is what he can see, +therefore he bases his faith on what he conceives to be matter; +but if we study the great ones—Oswald, Huxley, Grant, +Allen, and the like, we find that they have long ago reached the +conclusion that there is no such thing as matter. According +to Schopenhauer the world is idea, and this so called material +environment is thought objectifying itself.</p> + +<p>Vocal teachers, like the members of other professions, are +not altogether immune to an attack of intellect, and at such +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page97" name="page97"></a>97</span>times the thought that they are doing something scientific is +particularly agreeable.</p> + +<p>The only study of science that can benefit any one is the +study of causation, and causation cannot be cognized by the +physical senses. We never see, hear, feel, taste, or smell cause. +What we see or hear is effect. Causation is mental. Natural +science is dealing with phenomena, with effect not cause. A +regular recurrence of phenomena may establish a so called +natural law, but the law is that which caused the phenomena, +“Law is force” says Hegel, and it is therefore mental. We are +told that the law of the earth is its path around the sun. This +is not true, the law of the earth is the mind which makes it +revolve around the sun. If we would learn the nature, activity, +and cause of anything we must look for it in <em>mind</em> not +in matter. For this reason the process of voice production is +<em>psychologic</em> not physiologic. When a pupil sings, what we +hear is <em>effect</em> not cause. If he is doing all manner of unnecessary +things with his lips, tongue, larynx, etc. what we see is +effect and the cause is in wrong <em>mental</em> concepts. The thing +which caused the tone is <em>mental</em>, the force which produced it is +<em>mental</em>, and the means by which we know whether it is good, +or bad is <em>mental</em>.</p> + +<p>Of this we may be sure, that the tone the pupil sings will not +be better than the one he has in mind. <em>A tone exists first as a +mental concept, and the quality of the mental concept determines +the quality of the tone.</em></p> + +<p>If there be such a thing as scientific voice production it will +be found in the sense of what is inherently beautiful, and the +scientific tone is one which will perfectly express a right idea +or emotion, and in the nature of things there is an appropriate +tone for everything that may be legitimately expressed, for +they are correlated ideas.</p> + +<p>Whence originated this so called scientific voice teaching? +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page98" name="page98"></a>98</span>That the old Italian knew nothing of it is well understood. +They considered the process artistic rather than scientific. +<em>How does it sound</em>, was their slogan. The thing uppermost in +their minds was beautiful tone, and they were wise enough to +know that when one has a definite concept of the pure singing +tone he has a more valuable asset than all the mechanical +knowledge he can acquire. They had but one end in view, +namely, a finished artist, and everything they did was made to +contribute to it. The artist always has in mind the <em>finished +product</em>. The scientist tries to find out <em>how it is done</em>. The +artist begins with the idea and works forward to its complete +expression. The scientist begins with the physical mechanism +and works backward toward the idea.</p> + +<p>What is responsible for the change from the methods of the +the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries? It is safe to say +that it did not come through the voice teachers.</p> + +<p>In the early part of the nineteenth century an interesting thing +happened. How it happened or why it happened at that +particular time is not known nor does it matter. The human +mind became all at once aggressively inquisitive. The desire +to get at the ultimate of everything took possession of humanity +and still holds it. The result was an era of scientific analysis +and invention, the aim of which was to control the forces of +nature. Previous to that time methods of living, production, +transportation, agriculture, etc. were little different from that of +biblical times. People and nations lived much to themselves. +They looked within for their inspiration and developed their +own national characteristics. But with the invention of the +steamship, railway, and telegraph a change came. These improved +methods of transportation and communication brought +all of the mentalities of the world together, and soon all habitable +parts of the globe were in daily and hourly contact. The +result was a mental fermentation which increased the complexity +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page99" name="page99"></a>99</span>of civilization immeasurably and the present exaggerated +and unnatural condition of society is the outgrowth.</p> + +<p>Between 1809 and 1813 were born Mendelssohn, Chopin, +Schumann, Liszt, and Wagner. These men are known as the +founders of the modern romantic school of music. They grew +up with the new civilization and could not do otherwise than +reflect its complexity in their music. That the new civilization +was responsible for the new art there is no doubt whatever. +All old types have passed away. All branches of art have suffered +radical changes in conforming to new ideals.</p> + +<p>Since the wave of scientific investigation started around the +world nothing has been able to escape it. The hand of the +scientist has been upon everything, and to him rather than to +the voice teachers must be given the credit for originating +scientific voice teaching.</p> + +<p>When the scientists began publishing the results of their investigations +voice teachers at once became interested. The +plan looked promising. It offered them a method shorn of +uncertainties. A method that brought everything under the +operation of physical laws; a method that dealt only with +finalities, and would operate in spite of a lack of musical intelligence +on the part of the student, and at the same time +enable them to lay to their souls the flattering unction of science. +True it ignored altogether the psychology of the matter. It +said “do it this way and a beautiful tone will come whether +you are thinking it or not, because scientific laws eternally +operating in the same way eternally produce the same results.”</p> + +<p>The scientific method gave voice teachers an opportunity to +work with something tangible, something they could see; +whereas the development of tone concept, the artistic instinct, +musical feeling, and musicianship had to do with things which +to most of them were intangible and elusive. No one doubts +the honesty of the teachers who became obsessed with the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page100" name="page100"></a>100</span>scientific idea. To them it meant increased efficiency and +accuracy, quicker results with less effort, and so they broke +with the old Italians, the basis of whose teaching was beautiful +tone and beautiful singing. In spite of the honesty of purpose +of all those who followed the new way, the results were calamitous. +The art of singing received a serious setback. +Voices without number were ruined. From the middle to the end +of the nineteenth century the scientific idea was rampant, +and during that period it is probable that the worst voice +teaching in the history of the world was done. Large numbers +of people with neither musicianship nor musical instincts acquired +a smattering of anatomy and a few mechanical rules +and advertised themselves as teachers of scientific voice +production. The great body of vocal students, anxious to +learn to sing in the shortest possible time, having no way of +telling the genuine from the spurious except by trying it, fell +an easy prey, and the amount of vocal damage and disaster +visited upon singers in the name of science is beyond calculation.</p> + +<p>Fortunately the reaction has begun. Slowly but surely we +are returning to a saner condition of mind. Every year adds +to the number of those who recognize singing as an art, whose +vision is clear enough to see that the work of the scientific investigator +should be confined to the laboratory and that it has +no place in the studio. We are beginning to see that the basic +principle of singing is <em>freedom in the expression of the beautiful</em>, +and that the less there is of the mechanical in the +process the better.</p> +</div><!--Chapter 9--> +<div id="bibliography"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="page101" name="page101"></a>101</span></p> +<h2 class="biblio_title">BIBLIOGRAPHY</h2> +<ul id="biblio_list"> + <li>The Italian School of Florid Song. Pier Franceso Tosi. London, 1743.</li> + <li>Practical Reflections on the Figurative Art of Singing. Mancini (1716-1800) English Edition. Boston, 1912.</li> + <li>The Psychology of Singing. David Taylor. New York, 1908.</li> + <li>The Philosophy of Singing. Clara Kathleen Rogers. New York, 1898.</li> + <li>My Voice and I. Clara Kathleen Rogers. Chicago, 1910.</li> + <li>The Rightly Produced Voice. Davidson Palmer. London, 1897.</li> + <li>Expression in Singing. H. S. Kirkland. Boston, 1916.</li> + <li>The Art of the Singer. W. J. Henderson. New York, 1906.</li> + <li>English Diction for Singers and Speakers. Louis Arthur Russell. Boston, 1905.</li> + <li>Resonance in Speaking and Singing. Thomas Fillebrown. Boston, 1911.</li> + <li>Hints of Singing. Garcia. London, 1894.</li> + <li>The Singing of the Future. D. Ffrangcon-Davies. London, 1908.</li> + <li>Voice, Song, and Speech. Brown and Behnke. London, 1884.</li> + <li>Voice Building and Tone Placing. H. Holbrook Curtis, M. D. New York, 1896.</li> + <li>Vocal Physiology. Alex. Guilmette, M. D. Boston, 1878.</li> + <li>The Philosophy of Art. Edward Howard Griggs. New York, 1913.</li> + <li>Ancient Art and Ritual. Jane Ellen Harrison. New York, 1913.</li> + <li>The Musical Amateur. Robert Schauffler. New York, 1913.</li> + <li>Art for Art’s Sake. John C. Van Dyke. New York, 1914.</li> + <li>What is Art. Count Leo Tolstoi. New York.</li> + <li>The Life of Reason. George Santayana. New York, 1913.</li> + <li>The Creative Imagination. Ribot. Chicago, 1906.</li> + <li>Esthetics. Kate Gordon. New York, 1913.</li> + <li>The New Laocoon. Irving Babbit. Boston, 1910.</li> + <li><span class="pagenum"><a id="page102" name="page102"></a>102</span>A New Esthetic. Ferrucio Busoni. New York, 1911.</li> + <li>The Scientific Use of the Imagination. Fragments of Science. John Tyndall. London.</li> + <li>The Philosophy of Style. Herbert Spencer.</li> + <li>The Evolution of the Art of Music. Hubert Parry. New York, 1908.</li> + <li>Studies in Modern Music. W. H. Hadow. London, 1904.</li> + <li>Appreciation of Art. Blanche Loveridge. Granville, O., 1912.</li> + <li>Music and Nationalism. Cecil Forsyth. London, 1911.</li> + <li>The Sensations of Tone. H. L. F. Helmholtz. London, 1885.</li> +</ul> +</div><!--Bibliography--> +<div id="transcriber_note"> +<p>Transcriber’s Note</p> +<p>The musical illustrations have been transcribed and are available in two +pdfs. The <a href="images/Exercises.pdf" title="Link to Exercises.pdf file">Exercises</a> +follow the Exercises as numbered in the book in <a href="#Ch_II" title="Jump to Chapter 2">II. The Head Voice</a>. +The remainder of the musical fragments, which are unlabeled in the book, are +labeled Figures A through Q (in the order in which they appear), and can +be found in the <a href="images/Figures.pdf" title="Link to Figures.pdf file">Figures</a> pdf.</p> + +<p>In four instances, the original used a C clef centered on the third +<em>space</em> to notate a vocal tenor clef. These have been transcribed +using a modern vocal tenor clef.</p> + +<p>Figure M: In the original, the eighth rest was written as a quarter +rest.</p> + +<p>Exercise 13: In the third measure, the rest was originally written as a +dotted half rest. While no meter was specified, this was adjusted here +to a quarter rest to fit the meter of the preceding measures.</p> +</div><!--Transcriber's note--> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> + +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HEAD VOICE AND OTHER PROBLEMS***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 19493-h.txt or 19493-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/9/4/9/19493">http://www.gutenberg.org/1/9/4/9/19493</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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