The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1875-10-20
MISCELLANY.
For THE RECORD.
VOICE CULTURE-NO. III.
BY CLARA Rooms.

There are several faults which are quite COM
mon in singing, and one is wrong manner
of breathing. Only sufficient air should be
used to make the vocal cords vibrate, if there
is any air in ercess of what is necessary for
the production of tone, it will be noticeable in
the quality of the voice, destroying its force
and beauty. This is one of the soorst faults,
and can only be cured by practicins eery
sofyly and keeping the heart back, so that IL
the hand were placed before the mouth while
singing, no breath could be felt. Until this
Is cured, no loud tones should be sung, but
by constant practice the voice will become
stronger through this gentle practice, and
when control of the muscular action of the
diaphragm has been gained the singer may
press the tone out to their fullest extent, and
they will be pure and resonant.
Another fault is allowing the larynx to
sink while singing, producing heavy full
tone, devoid of the proper resonance, and if
continued in will wear out the voice prema-
turely and injure the health. 1t may be
cured by the singer placing the finger just be-
low the larynx when in repose, and produc-
ing the tones without allowing the larynx to
sink below the finger. 1t may at first cause a
checking sensation, and involuntarily the
larynx may sink, but if persevered in, can
,on be cured
Nasal tone may be noticed by pressing the
nostrils with the thumb and finger while tone
is being produced, the singer should practice
until there is no modification of tone during
this operation. Throaty tones may be often
remedied by compelling the tongue to lie flat
and to touch the lower teeth when caused by
the larynx being forced too high, of course 1t
must be lowered.
A soprano may irreparably injure her voice
by carrying the chest TOTES too high, they
should seldom be carried higher than Z fiat
to should not carry the full, open chest tones
higher than E, but may combine the chest
and medium qualities, and carry that mixed
voice to G.
soprano is distinguished from mezzo-
soprano, and the latter from contralto, not
quality of tie tome In the throat of the
mezzo-soprano, the space between the walls
of the larynx is larger than in the throat of
the soprano and in the coritralto larger still,
and the cartridges are larger, consequently the
tones are heavier and fuller. In the same
way we distinguish between n tenor and a
baritone, and between baritone and lass.
We have thus far given few of the promi-
nent outlines of the peculiarities Of the voice,
much more might be said, for the subject is
almost limittess, with its thousand of changes
and shades. Indeed two hundred and forty
different states of tension of the vocal cords
must be produced, to account tor all the tones
and intermediate tones of a perfect human
voice of ordinary compass The famous
Madame Mara could produce as many as two
thousand changes. (She was born at Cassel
in 1749, aud sung from low G to high f, or
4 in alt.).
The organs Of the voice are among the most
delicate of the body, and he or she who would
make successful singer, must give the
strictcst attention to all that will promote per-
feet health, for let it be remembered, that
whatever affects the mind or body, affects the
voice. Indeed "we are fearfully and won
derfully made