The San Francisco call., 1904-02-12
INSTRUCTIVE JTUDHnC
BY BYNOIEDAflE!sIIN AND
ukS)F1EN


without great effort. One of the most
beautiful voices have ever heard
started with only three tones.
The use of single sustained tones.
while censured occasionally, is never
theless the best means for the student
TO study his own voice. since the dura-
ton of tones gives him time to make
a note of sensation. TO hear clearly
and TO control the outlay of breath.
Should his throat grow rigid in the
effort to sustain the tone let him fol-
low it, running n short scale of five
tones in a soft hum, taking care that
the vibratio are felt on his lips.
Another wav to loosen the throat
is TO come back 10 the breath exercise
Of painting" singing softly "ha" with
each outgoing breath, taking care that
the jaw and throat are thoroughly re-
laxed. Then let the student make the
effort 30 produce a tone, as If he were
signing. first allowing the tone to be
breathy and uncontrolled: then take
the sam tone, using more tone and
less breath. and still keeping the jaw,
tongue and throat in the relaxed con-
dition they occupied while painting"
Although this exercise appears to be
very simple, il is one of the most inn
portant Of all vocal practices.
Strictly speaking, the two mechani-
cal things with which the student of
voice is occupied should be a correct
attack and the equalization of vocal
registers. The above exercises all
have their bearing upon vocal attack,
in so far as their object is to free the
voice from muscular pressure and to
bring it front. Attack in its proper
use refers to the beginning of the tone.
The Germans have better name for
il. "Ansatz," which conveys the idea
to set on" Attack for the singer is
what the managemnt of the bow is
10 the Yiolinist. A tone should be COM
menced firmly. held steadily and end
ed smoothly without a tremor, with
cut a scratch and without the sense
Of force. Even the smallest pianis-
simO should have all these qualities.
At the same time it is not desirable
for young singer to attack his tones
too softly, since by this the tone is
liable TO stick in the throat. Nothing
is more pernicious and productive of
bad habits than singing too loud. 1t
should be the young singers ambition
TO have the mouth full of tone and
the muscles concerned so free that the
tone seems to float"
Although the singer may gain proper
breath support and have a free throat
and focus the tones forward, he will
find at certain places in his voice the
occurrence Of a break. when some new
nechanis or use OF the voice seems to
take place. This brings us to the much
discussed question of vocal registers
Strictly speaking. the female voice has
a chest register, a medium register and
a head register, while the male voice,
with the exception Of the tenor, has
only two registers, the medium and the
head. Just what causes the break in
registers is a mooted subject and one
which is not yet settled. Certain it is
that for the singer there should at least
mentally not exist the conception of
the registers, although physically ne
must be intelligent enough to overcome
those breaks which occur.
In the equalization of registers the
upper should be brought down and
Tapped over, as it were, the register
below, but the most pernicious of all
habits is to force a lower register up
into a higher register. This is the cause
usually of all breaks. A bad break
between the chest and the middle voice
is OF frequent occurrence among wo-
men Here the constant practice Of
bringing the medium voice down into
the chest register will gradually smooth
over the difficulty.
A splendid exercise to keep the voice
free from breaks is to sing softly the
tone "Aw' with a slight nasal tinge.
increasing the nasaiity as one sings
high. A student may sing a whole
scale Of an octave. or even ten notes
thus. ana by emitting the tones very
carefully and softly Will be able 20
avoid the breaks and different qualities
which occur frequently when using the
voice more powerfully. The use of
quick scales is also excellent, provided
care is taken not TO smear the tones
into each other. If the singer has ac-
quired d perfectly free hum he win be
able TO accomplish much in the way OF
practice, because nothing so saves vocal
IOIce anu Al lle same TIME GDHueISt5
the voice into its proper channels.
The study of a sustained swelling and
diminishing Of the tone should be the
singers daily practice. Joachim, the
greatest viOlinist of our times, has all
his life devoted some time every day to
practicing long, sustained tones on the
violin in order to maintain sure and
steady bow. SO with the singer, study
Of the swell and the diminuendo has
the same purpose vocally. In this way
the breath supply is regulated and,
above all. the quality of tone from it's
commencement to its finish must be
kept the same.
The practice for high notes should
be a matter of the greatest care and
consideration. 1t is right here that the
majority of young singers are most
reckless in the expenditure of voice
The high tones should be taken with
the same ease as are rhe low tones
There should be no strain on the throat
and there should be the utmost care
TO see that they ring in the proper
resonance cavity. 1t is a bad habit of