Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-01-21
TO IMPROVE THE AMERICAN VOICE

(By Richard Wood Cone the Transcript
E HAVE a nation unenviable reputa-
M ton for the dssagreeable tones of voice.
w Thissreputation however it may be deplored,
is surely in part deserved observer fail
to notice the discordant sounds which common
among Our spoken language is manged and dis
torted continually by the careless harsh or screaming
tones in which thought is communicated; in short the
American VOICE is sadly out of Let it be under
stood that when speak sing play upon the
vocal instrument; not with hands feet, but with
lips, tongue and jaw, and unless play with the
action of these muscles the result will be jang
ling discord. When consider the vast amount of
work demanded of this instrument aelplessness
without it, its immense for rendering service to
mankind it seems amazing that little thought or
attention has been given to its culture. We are to-
day largely ignorance the proper training of the
organ upon which much of the success failure
in life depends.
multitude vocal faults prominent among which
are nasality, muscuarity, shrillness
perfect articulation. These be all classed under
one head-a misuse or abuse of the voice Such bad
habits, pertaining in greater less degree
of u.s. permitted fasten themselves upon
cause training correct use of the
lips, tongue jaw, throat and respiratory organs.
Nature demands a proper OF all gifts
when the vocal instrument is used she intended
there is abuse hence discord. 1t to
charge nature harsh, vulgar. dssonana sounds
to make her responsible for STOPPING shoulders,
fiat chest, a stumbling unganly walk. The individ-
ual habit of speaking should not be mistaken
natural voice. Your habit may be good, it may ap-
proximate the true voice it may be far from
rect but most to consider their habit
the natural thing regard voice culture as
something extraneous which grated. to
their present mode of speaking; idea which has
led to much artifciality f. ...% ...
A first and favorite excuse for all our vocal
abilities the climate, with it's extreme and frequent
changes. my part L consider this without
foundation for people of still more trying climates
speak with far sweetness of tone and suffer less
from difficulties of the vocal mechanism than we;
thus proving the fallacy of the EXCUSE On the
trary, many conditions attributed to climate and
easily proved be due to abuse of the vocal organs
Again, the nervous temperament and supersensi-
tiveness of people imputed for the
high pitch which is often heard, especially
woman; also the hurry, and IRISH of business, the
crowding and pushing noticeable III all felds-pro-
fessional. commercial and industrial--are mentioned
for the nerve-tring voices. But if
this be granted it demonstrabIe the American
voice may be made quite musical as that of other
nations. Indeed, little thought may convince you
that to present misuse the organs speech s
distinctly raceable much irritation bodily
exhaustion; also catarrhal affections. On the other
hand should not be forgotten that control
voice is control of ones self; there Is definite ethcai
relation between voice and temperament under
proper guidance, is most advantageous
1t longed be overlooked the fixed
laws governing the production of sounds are as APP
plicable to speech to song. We speak a thousand
times where sing Singing implies a dis
special gift. whereas speech universal
Hence my contention that voice culture should begin
with the speaking voice. <..t.-....- .
Now let it be noted that there voice
each person. the organs producing the speaking
and singing tones, the difference in the movement
of dinerentiates speech from song, just
difference in movements of the body distinguishes
between dancing and. walking. One should therefore.
clearly that there is but vocal science,
it is applicable to speaking as to singing.
In spite of national ambition to progress in the
sciences and in extension Of school system of
which we are justly proud have been sadly negli-
gent in the of this wonderful faculty which
is Of such each individual having utterly
IGNORED the subject of vocal science applied to
speech Our great Lack today is that of fundamental
training of the of speech the regular chan
nels of education and. in the home The babbling
voice of infant is nearly always musical and it is
to trace the deterioration he begins to speak
and to initiate his elders The voice with the
growth child; only too often, however children