The San Francisco call., 1904-03-09

New York;
Copyright. 1904 by Joseph 2. BoTles)
Before taking up anything new the
exercise in triDlets given in the former
lesson must be practiced in other keys.
The pupil may occasionally start this
exercise as low as A (the A below mid
die G. unless by so doing his tones
lose quality We do not wish to have
anything to do with so-called chest
tones" at present, for when the head
tones" are thoroughly placed the chest
tones viii come naturally, and the
abrupt change from head to chest be
avoided.
1 do not advise starting other exer-
cises as low as A. but the one in ques-
tion runs so high that the low notes
are an advantage rather than disad-
vantage.
After the student has Lecome familiar
with the tri9let exercise in all keys
within his easy reach he must take an
other exercise, which 1 will now ex-
plain. It is in groups of four notes, the
first note Of which is to be accented
The pupil should begin singing on
middle c, taking next d, Z and again,
making the first group of four. Next
come y, z. F. D. then L. F. G. Z, then
F. @. A. F. and so on gradually up the
scale until c Con the third space) is
reached. After this the exercise begins
10 descend, but in a different way 1t
starts on Z Fourth space), followed by
d, c, then z once more. After this d,
{, p, D. thea c, 3. a, c, and so on
until the pupil at last finds his way
back TO middle c
fr-1I nj
lowed in this exercise, as on this liter
ally hangs the success Of the whole ex-
ercise I say hangs" because each
group Of four notes swings in the air
from the force Of the accent given the
first note.
This is the longest exercise we have
yet given the pupil, and for that reason
he must be Very careful about the
breath He must be careful to take
just as much breath as he really needs,
and no more. for the exercise must go
on With no appreciabie pause to the
end. and with no difference whatever
in tone. He must try to breathe as un-
ostentatiously as possible, and it will
help him do this if he remembers for
moment that he is breathing every mo-
ment Of his life, and that when not
breathing as labor or as anything ne
cessitating time. The breath comes and
goes Of itself. and there is always
enough provided for our ordinary needs.
II viii be so, too, in singing as soon as
brain and body become used to the new
form Of exercise. The pupil should re-
aIize this. and remember that overexer-
tion is just as bad as underexertion,
he
breath OF anything else.
Our next exercise is TO be a regular
scale form. The pupil must start on
c Cmiddle @ and continue straight
up the scale until he has compassed
an octave. Then. striking d. he sings
the descending scale. coming back TO
middle c as the final note. The accent
is most important in this exercise. as
il is in all forms of the scale. The first
note of each group of four is to be ac-
cented, and the final note, A, is to be
held.
The pupil must sing the whole exer-
&c with one breath, being careful TO
make each note round and perfect in
itself. yet letting the tones run
smoothly e. freely, relying on the ac-
cent.
As soon as the student has succeed
ed in singing the exercise as it should
be. according to the instructions al
ready given, he must accent only
on the first and eighth notes OF
the group-in other words, on middle
c and on d Cabove third space). The
impetus given him from the accent on
G must be enough TO swing him up the
scale 20 the upper D, and the accent
on d must be strong enough TO send
him easily down to c again.
As soon as the boy has mastered
the exercise in the key of G he must
take it a half tone higher, and as he
succeeds on each key in turn let him
raise the exercise. until the limit of
his voice is reached-that, is. until he
has carried the exercise as high as his
voice can easily go. Remember that
the voice must never be st lined. The
child will not be expected to do any
pyrotechnics for years, and our aim
is TO preserve the voice, not to MAIN
ii for life. These exercises are de-
signed simply TO teach the boy how
10 manage his voice when singing
unpretentious little songs and to di-
rect the growth of mis- voice along the
right channel, that is all.
I have chosen the above form of the
scale rirst ins preference 20 those that
come after because it is the easiest
TO sing. The scale seems to run Of
itself IN this exercise. and If the pu-
d keeps his mind upon what he is
doing there is little chance of his go
ing wrong in any way
The inverted phrase" idea Omen
toned in a former lesson) can be car
ried out to good. advantage in this ex-
ercise. particularly in descending the
scale. for the pupils impulse will be
10 let the notes run away from him
when they once begin the descent. The
''fmaginary inversion" however. Civ
ing the idea that each note is leading
inward. while in reality it is leading
down. will act as an excellent steadier.
In practicing the pupil should go
right from one key TO another, only
stopping long enough to take breath at
each change OF key. In descending
the same rule should be observed. At