The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-04-12
-HE BREATH IN SINGING.
Importance of Its Proper Control-Som'
Advica IN, Re0iuuers

Importance of Its Proper Control-Some
Advice to beginners.
To properly control the escape OF
breath in singing is an Indispensable
adjunct to good tone. say escape OF
breath is the more important as con-
trasted with the act of drawing in the
breath commonly called inspiration.
1t is true that the method OF an inspi-
ration influences to u 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 exploratory 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 u.s.
In breathing out while singing one
should have the sensation of breath
coming toward one, drunk in" as it
were. The proper use of breathing
muscles will cure husky tone, gut
tural or throaty tone, 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 pupils) 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 beforeit. 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,
prolohg it by preserving the expansion
of the abdomen and holding back the
breath so that the expiration occupies
five or six seconds of time. If you are
wholly unused to exercises of this kind,
you will notice that after few inspi-
rations and expirations the muscles
will appear slightly fatigued, and you
will feel like taking long breath.
You have been giving them little
extra labor to perform; this will in
crease the flow of blood u them,
which means increased nourishment
and strength.
After practicing in this manner once
or twice day for week, you will
notice that your fatigue diminishes as
your strength and power of control
increases, and this is the first step in
learning to sing. do not say that
you may not develop the control in
any other way, as for instance in eX-
ercise coupled with tone, but i'll one
way or another it must be done.
Do not begin your practice with in
haling more than q moderate amount
of air, as this will be much more diff.
cult for you to control, and will tend
to remove your efforts from the prop
er muscles to the interfering muscles.
Avoid raising the shoulders, as this
affects sympathetically throat muscles
that should be relaxed. After con.
tinuing this practice for a few days,
and the muscles become in a manner
used to holding back the breath, tone
may be employed with the syllable ah
or la, reserving the breath in the same
manner as in the breathing exercise,
taking care to sing with a moderate
amount of tone, as being easier than
one that is too soft or too loud.-Al
bany Evening Journal.