Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-12
THE SINGING VOICE.
Some of It's characteristics and How
II Should be Developed.
PRINCIPLES OF VOCAL CULTURE.
ImpsrfectiOns and Bad habits Which Have
10 be Overcome.
EXERCISES TO STRENGTHEN TIE VOICE
rwn1rrEx ron THE p1srArcu.1 !

for the purpose of alleviating pain or cor
recting any unnatural action of the human
organism, through habit or accident, if he
be skillful and experienced physician he
will OF course make diagnosis OF the case
he has in charge, thus discovering the
cause, previous to the application of the
remedies or the performance of surgical op-
Grafton, to effect the cure. As in the medi-
cal profession, so should it be in other pro-
fessions in which the work is carried on OF
correcting habits which have been formed
whereby civilized beings are kept from en-
joying, to the full degree Of satisfaction,
their latent talents. Persons who thus pro-
fess should be in possession of the requisite
knowledge and experience to enable them
also to make diagnosis, so to speak, of the
cases in their charge. And, as simple rem
edies are usually the best in effecting cures,
will, in addition to pointing out some of
the impedimenrs to the correct use of the
vocal organs, suggest few easy and simple
exercises bearing upon the different charac-
teristics of the singing voice, the use Of
whiOA will be equally beneficial to the
speaker or singer.
We must, however, take eognizance OF
the fact that 1t is by the daily, systematic
and judieious exercising with gymnastic
appliances that we develop muscular
strength physical culture), and not by the
mere knowledge of principles; 50 with vocal
culture, the charm in acquiring artistic
control, and the development of the vocal
organs is in the continuity of systematic
and judicious practice.
The musical physician" whose business
is to ''tune up" the slackened cords and
regulate the action of the instrument of in
struments, viii remember that the tone,
which is the product Of the vocal organs,
possesses three characteristics, viz: pitch,
quality and power, and when these char
Rcteristics are produced and developed ac-
cording to the natural laws, which were
established by the Creator, and the artistic
principles recognized and adopted by
aesthetics, such sounds are adjudged as pure
tones. These qualities all combined, how
ever, seldom exist in their purity in the So
called natural voice." which, like the
precious gold-bearing quartz, must be sub
jected to refining process, whereby the
pure resonant metal is separated from its
tone-destroying dross.
THE PITCH Or INToNATIoN.
The first characteristic of tone is pitch,
which Is defined as property of highness or
lowness, without some degree of which, no
tone can exist. If the pitch or intonation
desired falls short Of the exact number of vi
brations per second the tuneful ear immedi-
ately recognizes the falsity, and it is termed
"fat while, on the contrary, if greater
number of vibrations per second is produced
than is absolutely necessary. the intonation
will also be false ana termed SHARP"
1, F,1r a. - i
by too much lsxity of the vocal ligaments:
and the ialse sharp intOnation, by too much
tension of the vocal ligaments.
A cure Of this imperection, if not the d.
rect cause of reformation In the organism
of the ear, must be obtained in the mental
control Of the vocal ligaments, whereby
their tension can be so altered at will as to
establish the exactness of pitch require
ments.
The formation of absolute or relative
pitch also depends upon correct ideas as to
that characteristic OF tone. For instance:
Almost all persons can tell that there is a
vast difference in the appearance of the car
6inal colors, but not nearly so many can
name all the colors; and vet a much smaller
number can distinguish the numerous
shades of the different colors and name them,
That this is lack Of education in the direc-
ton Of the beauty and harmony of visions
art among civilized people has been abund-
antly proved; and en- passant, will say
that even in this progressive age, the study
Of color is not given the public attention it
deserves. So with tone. Anybody, so to
speak, can tell whether tone is high or
low in pitch without possessing cultivated
ear, but the slight shades of difference from
the standard of true intonation, require a
mi =
trated daily by the number of pianos which
are wretchedly out of tune and yet afford
satisfaction and delight to the performers as
well as auditors.
PERSISTENT EFFORT NEEDED
As the student in painting acquires the
ability to properly mix and manage the diff
ferent cardinal colors and their shades
through continued and persistent study and
practice, so the student in vocal culture will
acquire the ability to produce the desired
pure intOnstion by continued and persistent
efforts in the right direction. But first seek
to thoroughly convince the pupil of the ex-
istenee OF such fault, for without knowl-
edge on the pupils part of the false intona-
tion no cure can be effected. An excellent
exercise In intonation is to practice at tuning
stringed instruments, such as the violin,
harp, guitar, mandolin, etc. The acuteness
and correctness of hearing required to putin
perfect tune such instruments is also an ex-
cellent test for musical ears
The second characteristic of tone is quality
of timbre.
This characteristic, when produced in its
purity, is the result of a correct deyelop-
ment Of tone, through the resonant cavities
OF the vocal organs etc. In this character
istic lies the charm OF the singing voice as
well as the different colors of tone in the
variety OF musical instruments. By the
operation of the resonator the fundamental
tone, which is the result of the vibration of
air by the larynx, is perfectly developed
only by the combination Of overtones
with it.
The sound of a tuning fork, when its
fundamental is reinforced by suitable reso-
ance-caVlty, is very nearly simple tone.
BY sounding simultaneously several forks
OF different but appropriate pitch. with the
requisite relative intensities. Helmholtz
succeeded in reproducing sounds peculiar
to various musical instruments. and even in
initiating most of the vowel sounds of the
human voice. By this and other experi-
ments II appears that he has been able to
determine, both analytieallY and svnthet-
ically, that the quality OF a given sound
depends upon what oEertones combine With
its fundamental, and on their relative in
tensities.
Some of the impediments to the develon-
meut of the timbre or quality of tone in the
human voice, are, first, the improper action
of the epiglottis (root of the tongue) or
cover Of the glottis, which obStructs the free
delivery of tone. This action of the epiglot-
tbs. although improper in the act of singing,
is of course the proper and natural action in
the act of swallowing food or liquids, for its
Office is to prevent the food from entering
the wind-pipe. But If this movement of the
''unruly member" is allowed to take place,
even partially in the act of singing, the
quality Of tone will be much impaired. This
obstacle to the development of tone has been
called the
GREAT MOVABLE PLUG
and in its untamed condition, is one of the
most difficult, trying and perpleKing i'm
pedimegts to overcome in the entire realm
of voice culture. But with patience aud
perseverance the almost insurmountable
difficulty can be made to depart The aim
OF the student must be to make his re-
beilious tongue "back down" Let him
carry out this operation before a mirror,