Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-04-19
TIE BREATH IN SINGING.
importance ~ Jts Proper Controi-some
kayice TO beginners.

Advice to Beginners.
To properly control the escape OF
breath in singing is an indispensable
adjunct to good tone. i say escape I
breath is the more important as con-
trasted with the act OF drawing IN the
breath commonly called inspiration.
Ii is true that the method OF an mspi-
ration influences to a greater or less
extent the character of the expiration,
dependent largely, however. on the
singers culture and ability. The abdo-
minal muscles and diaphragm are the
great explanatory muscles. That Is
they both hold back and force out the
breath, when properly used. The Or
binary expiration occupies two or
three seconds of time. The expiration
in singing consumes from ten to twen-
ty seconds. and even longer. In the
breathing out for purposes of life the
sensation is Of breath going from us.
In breathing out while singing one
| should have the sensation of breath
coming toward one, drunk in" as it
were. The proper s OF breathing
muscles will cure a husky tone, a gut
tural or throaty tone, a tired throat
after singing, wrong information, sing
ing out of tune, and is of great help
in the treatment of nasal tones.
Advice TO beginners land many adj
vanced pupiisl in singing; When
breathing in a perfectly natural and
easy manner, and no restrictions
from clothing or otherwise, shoulders
relaxed and reposing. notice the slight
expansion Of the walls of the abdomen
as YOU breathe in. This movement Is
caused by the descent Of the dia-
phragm as it pushes out the abdominal
%viscera beforeiL You will notice that
after taking in a moderate breath IN
this manner the tendency will be for
the abdomen to Immediately recover
its position of rest and the breath TO es-
cape. Now, instead of allowing this
TO take place in two or three seconds,
prolong II by preserving the expansion
of the abdomen and holding back the
breath SO that the expiration occupies
| five or six seconds Of time. II you are
wholly unused 10 exercises Of this kind,
you will notice that after a few inspi,
rations and ~expirations the muscles
will appear slightly fatigued, and you
will feel like taking q long breath.
You have been giving them a little
extra labor to perform; this Will In
crease the flow of blood TO them,
which means increased nourishmen'
and strength.
After ~practicing in this manner ono,
| or twice a day for a week, you vii
notice that your fatigue diminishes al
your strength and power of contro
increases, and this is the first step IL
learning 10 sing. | do not say thai
you may not develop the control in
any other way, as for instance in ex.
ercise coupled with tone, but in one
way or another il must be done.
Do not begin your practice with In
haling more than q moderate amount
of air, as this will be much more ditfi
cult for you to control, and will tenC
to remove your efforts from the prop
er muscles to the interfering muscles
Avoid raising the shoulders, as thi
affects alphabetically throat muscle
that should be relaxed. After con
tinuing this practice for a few days
and the muscles become in a mamie
used 10 holding back the breath, ton
may be employed with the syllable al
or Ia, r~eserving the breath in the sam,
manner as in the breathing exercise
taking care to sing with a moderate
amount of tone, as being easier thar
one that is too soft or too loud.-Al
bany Evening Journal.