The way to sing; a guide to vocalism, with thirty practical exercises 1923

Front matter

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Contents

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CHAPTER I Talent

Besides a good natural voice, many other qualities are necessary for success; and before giving any advice, the teacher should exercise great care in estimating such qualities. A natural talent for music, effective physical appearance, artistic temperament and a sense of drama are valuable assets. Health, intelligence, common sense and the courage to hear the truth, however unflattering, are indispensable to the best results.

At the outset the teacher usually has to allow for an over-estimate of the pupil’s natural qualifications. Self-criticism is not often met with in young students, who are almost invariably misled by admiring friends and relations; and therein lies the opportunity of unscrupulous teachers to flatter and promise great things — promises not often fulfilled, otherwise Melbas and Carusos would be the rule rather than the exception. Diligence and perseverance are great factors, but these can never supply shortcomings which nature may have ungraciously imposed. Unexpected and wonderful results sometimes happen in the course of a pupil’s training — but rarely. My experience has enabled me clearly to define a student’s capabilities in a few months of study.

For the sincere as well as wise teacher will tell his pupil the whole truth, and, with the advantage of a clean, honest start, will frequently produce a singer of merit from what was not the most promising material.

An early beginning of vocal study is urged, before material cares arise to distract the mind. Of all the arts, none is more dependent on an early beginning and singleness of purpose. Even vocal prodigies have not been exempt from incessant industry in maintaining their high standards of art.

We find talents of various kinds: rare vocal phenom-- ena; voices of less beauty but accompanied by great dramatic and temperamental gifts; voices coupled with extraordinary musical equipment. All of these qualities are seldom found together, but when they are, we have genius. However, I have also seen cases where all of the above mentioned qualifications were present and yet valueless for want of earnest application.) So let it be said that without application and hard work one can never develop natural gifts, however great. He may become an amateur singer, pleasing to himself and his friendly audience; and we do not under-rate that result, which is often the best and most satisfactory issue of the matter.

Let the student develop his capacity for self-criticism, and learn to discount flattery and irresponsible advice. It is not possible for all students to reach the highest attainments; genius alone does that; but, given a fair allotment of the essential qualities herein described, the earnest student can and does achieve the most gratifying success.

Methods

Any method giving good results is a good method; the name of the method matters but little, — what we want is results. The method so often spoken of as the Italian iT y ea se

—— ~— due chiefly to their beautiful pure vowel language; which method is frequently misunderstood, — as are the so-called French and German methods. The Italians have vocal methods, better called vocal exercises, the growth of many years, and they also have up to the present time produced the world’s greatest singers. I, however, hold this to be

. naturally trains the Italian ear to a keener hearing regard-

— ing purity of tone — unimpaired by such disadvantages as the gutteral sounds of the German language and the over-nasal tones of the French language, not to speak of our English tongue which we abuse to an abominable degree. We often hear our own singers complain of their native tongue as a medium of vocal expression. They are convinced that they sing better in French, Italian or German, overlooking the fact that, if they would give the matter of diction in their own language the same amount of study they devote to it in other languages, the result would be amazing. Every language can be sung perfectly by a singer of any nationality if the true knowledge of the art of singing is based on the fundamental practise of the Italians, to specify the nation that has produced the greatest singers.

Much literature exists on the point of the differences of method. I believe that Manuel Garcia in his “ Art of Singing” and “ Hints on Singing” has given the students as healthy and safe advice and exercises as can be found. Marchesi, Viardot, Garcia, Gerster and several others have also written so-called methods, but in reality they are inferior imitations of Manuel Garcia’s works. Gerster went to the extreme of marking differences in registers in different colors of print, — a most dangerous and confusing conception of the art of singing.

Madame Lehmann’s book on singing is to be taken only as her own conception and personal understanding of the art, a book that she regrets having written and for which she defends herself in later years. As a practical work it could not be recommended, as it is illogical ;\and yet valuable suggestions are to be found in it for those who are far enough advanced to exercise discrimination. As for Lilli Lehmann herself, she is a Queen of Song. I heard her sing magnificently at the age of seventy-one. Her high C could justly have been envied by any young singer.

Then there are the vast numbers of methods and treatises on singing,— most of them contravening other methods. Some of these methods are all mental, others all physical or all scientific, — each striving to make clear — something. However, in most works on singing there is, here and there, some good advice; but whether it pays to read them all for what little good may be derived from them, is a question. I must warn the readers of the general literature on singing to be careful of vague statements that have no logical explanation. Much confusing literature exists on this subject.

The German work on ‘‘ Singing and Speaking ”’ by Hay, is of some value; but it was written primarily for Germans and especially for the use of Wagnerian singers. I have heard many exponents of the Hay exercises of vocal diction. The theoretical side of the work is carried out in detail, but it is not practical. If the underlying principles of the pure art were more clearly emphasized than are the German difficulties, the amount of energy spent on this work would mean something. It is, at best, only for Germans with German voices and for Wagnerian music in German.

Theory and practice must go hand in hand. A teacher of any method must be able to demonstrate his art in sound, healthy tone-production and in artistic and musical phrasing, or he is not qualified to teach the art of singing. He must possess knowledge, patience and judgment,— must, in short, be servant and master in one.

CHAPTER II Acoustics

The phenomena of acoustics and its underlying principles are best described by comparative illustrations.

Sound is a vibration of molecules or atoms and is transmitted through the air by one molecule impinging upon another, and setting up in it a similar vibration. Any object placed in the path of these vibrating atoms is set into motion or vibration in exact proportion to the atoms with which it comes into contact. The tympanum, or eardrum, is an object in the path of sound and consequently responds, as does any inanimate membrane, to perpendicular motion. Our sense of hearing is nothing more than a transmission by the nerve connecting the eardrum and the brain of a state of unrest or non-equilibrium of the former mentioned vibrations. It is important to note that sound is not a movement of a body of air from place to place but a vibration of the particles of air which, as soon as the disturbance ceases, return to a state of rest.

We are all familiar with the example of the man hewing wood,— we see the impact of the axe on the log and after a short space of time we hear the concussion of the blow. The explanation is that it has taken the sound some time to transverse the distance between the hewer and the observer. ;

An optical illustration as to how waves travel is usually demonstrated by dropping a stone into a placid body of water. One notices around the center of disturbance a number of ever-increasing concentric circles. If you now place upon this surface of water a small float, you will notice that this float will assume a to-and-fro movement

THE WAY TO SING T but that its relative position will remain unchanged after its lateral movement has ceased. Transform in your imagination this float into a particle of infinitesimal proportions and the body of water into a body of air and then you will have the vibration caused by sound on the particles of air.

Intensity. Should: these sound vibrations have a large amplitude in comparison to the length, we are impressed by a sudden powerful disturbance which is equivalent to what we call intensity or volume.

Pitch. Should these sound vibrations be very rapid, the sound or tone will be high. The greater the number of vibrations per second, the higher is the tone. |

Tone Color. Should these sound vibrations be affected by enclosed space (mouth), material (wood as in a flute) and so forth, so that the vibration sets up minor vibrations in the adjacent molecules, then we have color which distinguishes the tone.

We have, in our illustrations, referred to lateral vibration. In reality the sound waves travel in all directions from the point of emanation and consequently fill all space. The intensity of sound diminishes in proportion to the square of the distance, 7.e., a bell having the intensity of one at a distance of one meter has the intensity of one-fourth or is one-fourth as strong or loud at a distance of two meters. This, however, is the case only where space is unlimited. In an enclosure such as a room, this law does not hold good because reflections of sound from the walls and ceiling alter the waves; the same is-the case when talking or singing through a megaphone.

The French naturalist Biot observed that the sewers of Paris were able to transmit the softest conversation to a distance of one thousand meters.

A bare room is acoustically hard, whereas one draped and carpeted is soft, due to the non-reflection of the walls. If sound be produced in a long narrow hall, the waves reflected from the furthermost wall interfere with the outgoing ones, producing indistinctness. Such a hall is spoken of as having “ bad acoustics,” meaning that it is wrongly proportioned.

The effect of vibrations depends upon their immediate surroundings and the response of the latter to the initial impulse. Imagine a string, drawn tightly between two solid bodies, to be “ picked ”; the emanating sound is dull. The same string placed on a violin or guitar emits an entirely different sound which is pleasing. This is called 'resonance. ‘The body of the instrument reverberates sympathetically with the vibratory member and so gives quality and color. The same is the case with the human voice. The skull represents the body of the violin,— the vocal chords the string, and the breath the bow.

Overtones, a word often used but rarely perfectly understood, are secondary and partial vibrations which alter the shape and augment the fundamental tone wave.

Those desiring to further their knowledge of acoustics and overtones from a scientific standpoint, should read the magnificent work, “ Tonemplindungen,” by Helmholtz.

Every tone or sound has a dominant tone consisting of a fixed number of vibrations per second causing the various tones in our scales. The secondary vibrations do not change these fundamental and fixed number of vibrations _ per second but simply change the form of the vibrations,— and this is overtone or color.) Pleasant tones always result when overtones are a multiple of the fundamental or basic tone,— inharmonious or harsh tones when these secondary vibrations are not synchronous.

The calculation of the major scale of all keys is as follows:

The ground tone (Tonic) e (large third) E (large fifth) G

5.4: 32 When we add to this ae domiinatts G, B, D and the subdominant F, A, C, both having the Tonic C4 in common, we have the tones of the scale of C Major in the following proportions:

1 9/8 5/4 4/3 3/2 5/3 15/8 2 or in vibrations per second:

C D E F G A Beige

The lowest tone in orchestra music is EK Contrabass with forty-one and one-half vibrations. Modern pianos and organs usually go to C, thirty-three vibrations. Some organs have still one octave lower with sixteen and one-half vibrations. All of these notes or tones are not in perfect intonation and are noticed only by highly musically trained perceptions. Perfect intonation is only possible on instruments having no fixed keys — such as the violin and the voice.

When we strike in succession on the piano C, E,G with the open pedal we hear many additional tones, less intensively, however. These are overtones and harmonize with the fundamental C, E, G and produce a well-balanced full acoustic satisfaction.

Striking, for instance, C, D, B successively we notice _ sounds unpleasant to the ear. In other words the overtones do not sympathize and the effect is disagreeable. We term these sounds discords.

An interesting experiment showing the result of tone-waves which do not coincide is the following: Two singers singing the same tone on the same vowel, at the same time, produce only one distinct tone of great volume. If, however, one sings, for example, an Italian A, the other an

Italian I, we distinguish in spite of the increasec volume two distinct sounds which prove that the two vov-els have distinct character and wave formation.

That intensity is proportional to the amplitude of a wave, we can prove by striking a string of a guitar. The swing or vibration of the string is readily discernable. The larger this swing or amplitude, the louder the produced tone. |

These illustrations are only intended to help the mind to understand cause and effect, which is necessary for further - development.

Before closing this subject we wish to repeat:

1. Intonation or tone height is directly proportional to the number of vibrations per second.

2. Tone volume is proportional to the amplitude of vibration, or swinging movement.

3. Tone color is dependent upon the different forms of the tone waves vibrating at the same time.

CHAPTER III Vocal Organs aad

Definite vocal understanding is not possible without « some knowledge of the vocal organs and their relative action in producing the voice. As all of our vocal organs have functions other than that of producing the singing ‘voice, I naturally keep close to those which concern only singing. I classify vocal organs as follows: breathing ap- | paratus, vibrating organs, articulating organs and resonators. |

The drawing showing the parts of the trunk and head of the human body which have to do with tone production, is an intersection, thus showing the parts invisible to the eye in their relative positions and proportions.

The visible parts of the vocal organs are:

The outer mouth, (lips), having a distinct function in producing some consonants and also in aiding to a certain

The tongue, in a relaxed position fitting snugly the bottom of the mouth with the lower teeth as a barrier. The rear end or root of the tongue descends the throat and is also called the base of the tongue.

The palate. The roof of the mouth or hard palate extends from the upper teeth backwards to the soft palate, which terminates in the uvula. The part of the soft palate to the right and left of the uvula and extending from the hard palate is called the veils of the palate.

The invisible vocal organs are seen in the illustration on page 12.

PiatE 1

Ae Resonating

Be Articulating

C+ Vibration

D> Reservoir

F- Bellows Cabdomen) F Point of inhaling

G° Diaphragm (befere inhaling) I] 99 (low 9 )

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— men as oe ee

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Above and in back of the palate is a large space connecting with the nasal cavity and called the pharynx. From here downward the throat divides into two channels, the rear for food and drink, the front for breathing and the production of sound.

PLaTE 2

[__ 3}-hull Cavilg

——~—- ==

~ Pharynx

ZZ Hoot of Tongue ie A pate ena L piglollis mu] —.. false Vocal Chords oo Yocal Chords f Wind Pipe

The epiglottis (larynx cover) prevents food stuffs from entering the windpipe in the process of eating. This cover or epiglottis plays a most important part in singing and will be referred to later under ‘‘ Vocal Construction.”

_ The larynx or ‘‘ Adam’s Apple ”’ occupies a place in the throat between the root of the tongue and the upper end of the windpipe, and the vocal chords are extended horizontally from front to back within the larynx.

The lungs form the continuation and the termination of the windpipe and are separated from the digestive organs by the diaphragm which, resting on the digestive tract, is held on both sides and in the front by the abdominal walls and in the back by the spine. This digestive tract rests downward on the dorsal.

The organs described so far are actually in function while the tone is being produced. The resonating parts, at times called reflectors, belong to the stationary bone-structure of the head (the skull) and its resonance is dependent upon the adjustment and use of the other organs described, especially of the vibratory organs. The vibratory organs are entirely dependent upon the exhaled breath for their action.

The Tongue-Bone

Even the existence of this tongue-bone is new to many a singer — and it plays’a great part in singing; but although its separate training is useless, I shall describe it briefly for the benefit of those who desire to be informed of everything pertaining to the voice.

The tongue-bone is the bone in the shape of a horseshoe or a wishbone. The two open points rest on the horns of the thyroids, the arch protruding horizontally forward. This arch of the tongue-bone is capable of expanding and when we hold our two fingers on our throat under the jaw bone, we feel the expansion when we open our throat as if swallowing. This movement of expansion also occurs during singing, keeping the throat open, and the root of the tongue sufficiently apart, to enable the epiglottis to perform with freedom while assisting in the production of vowels.

I have known vocal methods based upon the principle of training the tongue-bone to expand, but the practice of such methods, to my knowledge, has never been successful. The tones produced became white and characterless, the voices in general too open and flattened. While I attach no value to the direct training of the tongue-bone, I fully appreciate its importance, but only as indirectly trained under the sensation of a loose, free, open throat, not an over-stretching of the so-called open throat.

The Windpipe

The windpipe plays a greater part in our singing than is usually ascribed to it. It is the downward connection between larynx and lungs and divides in the form of a T, as it directly connects with the lungs.

The windpipe is a tube constructed of cartilage rings not connecting in the back; when the cartilage ceases the tube or pipe is constructed of an elastic wall of sinewy skin that serves to separate the windpipe from the foodpipe. The windpipe, on account of this elastic wall in the back, is capable of expanding or resisting as the air used in singing is introduced, and the real compression of our breath is here adjusted, the lungs being the reservoir and the abdominal muscles gradually but automatically under normal conditions keeping the compression of air in the windpipe replenished as the flow of breath is being converted into resonance through the vibrations of the vocal chords.

In the low voice, where the vibrations are slower and heavier than in the higher voice, there is a transmission of vibration down in the upper chest where the windpipe divides into the T shape. From this sensation the term chest-voice originated, but as a resonator the chest plays no actual part.

The foregoing statements are only made for those who desire to know the part played by the windpipe in tone production, but to give that organ any further direct importance as regards training, would be out of place.

False Vocal Chords

Many errors exist in theory regarding the false vocal chords, also called ‘Lips of Morgani,”—being named after their first observer, an Italian physician. The false vocal chords are placed in the larynx like loose folds forming a horizontal oblong pocket, just above the true vocal chords.

Many theories have existed regarding the purpose of the false vocal chords,— for instance: that falsetto was produced by the false vocal chords. Many other statements _ have been made that were more fancies than facts. One theory as to vibrations taking on modulations of form according to the opening or expanding of these pockets, still remains unproven; and as these movements can never be definitely controlled and only exist in theory, my advice is not to attach any importance to the claim.

But what is of real importance and usually not known to the singer, is that in the false vocal chords there are numerous glands that discharge moisture which flows downward into the bottom of the larynx and helps to keep the vocal chords moist. The vibrations of the true vocal chords are the means of producing this flow of moisture while singing. Those singing with breathy tone, tone where the vibrations are weak, find that this discharge of moisture ceases and this results in dry vocal chords, or husky voice. The same condition is frequently experienced by voices who substitute falsetto, or an open glottis tone, for perfect pianissimo. These voices usually find the tones immediately following the wrongly produced pianissimo to be either veiled or husky and in many cases below pitch.

In some cases the false vocal chords are diseased, in which case a reliable physician should be consulted.

THE WAY TO SING AT

Tonsils

Much has been said and written by so-called authorities pro and con, regarding the tonsils. Some recommend their removal — others write big books on their importance and warn against their removal; but all of these sayings mean little to the practical observer.

The fact remains. that we have great singers who have had their tonsils removed and others who have not. Removal by incompetent physicians and the impairment of muscles and nerves of the inner throat, is of course, a detriment to the voice; but if the operation has been performed with skill and judgment, it has to my knowledge and experi-

~~ ence never been a detriment but repeatedly a gain in health, and a usual benefit to the singers who had previously been subject to colds and unhealthy vocal organs. Good surgi- ‘cal advice is recommended in all cases of abnormal or unhealthy tonsils, and if this operation is advised by an expert, I would say that the summer is the most favorable time; and the patient must allow a reasonable period to elapse in order that he may become accustomed to the new conditions. The real benefit after the operation is usually felt in about eight to twelve weeks.

The Uvula

Special mention must be made of uvula, as it is frequently mistaken for the soft palate, and a great deal of trouble has been caused through this misunderstanding.

The raising of the soft palate, to be beneficial, means a gentle arching of the veils of the soft palate, right and left of the uvula. This is, in part, one of the most essential elements of training of our vocal organs. It can be carried out successfully through suggestion of an “ inner smile,” and this to the beautifying of the entire voice; but where the uvula is mistaken for the soft palate and trained to be pulled up or raised, the entire top voice become small and insipid and cannot take on volume without the exercise of pressure, and the low and medium voice gets a peculiar covered or secondary sound, similar to that of a harmonica. In fact the raising of the uvula has an effect on the palate exactly opposite to the one desired. The importance lies in raising the veils; if the uvula drops, so much better, that being an indication that the important part of the palate is being arched.

We have had teachers who re onie the removing of the uvula for singers, one of the fads that come and go. If the uvula is inflamed, it is well to ask the advice of a doctor; but no special attention should be paid to this part of the soft palate. Methods training the directing of the vibrating air column against the hard palate frequently produce the same sound as voices trained to raise the uvula.

CHAPTER IV The Production of the Voice or Tone

The production of the voice is a simple process and I prefer to describe it in brief so as to eliminate complications and facilitate definite understanding of later chapters.

The human voice may be classed as a wind-instrument, notwithstanding it has, for purpose of illustration, been compared to a violin. The operation of breath, vocal chords and resonating cavities is not unlike that of the corresponding features of a wood-wind instrument.

The human voice is produced thus:

We inhale until the lungs are comfortably filled, by a relaxed lowering movement of the abdominal wall; then we hesitate a moment (a fraction of a second) while the vocal chords automatically meet or close, thus resisting to a very slight degree the inhaled air; the abdominal muscles _ now slightly compress the air inhaled (a minimum fraction more than the resistance of the vocal chords). During exhalation, the vocal chords vibrate. These vibrations are directed through the form or shape assumed by the throat or vocal tube, and, through the transmission of the back wall of the throat and the spine, make the bone-structure of the head (skull) reverberate, or resound or resonate. The number of vibrations made by the vocal chords per second determine the pitch. The different forms of the vocal tube and positions of the larynx relative to the epiglottis produce the form of the tone or the vowel. This subject, as well as that of the mode of vocal chord vibration, will be taken up more definitely in other chapters.

Voice Classification

Voices, male and female, differ in range and color. The simplest classification in either sex is low, middle and high voice.

Male: Bass — Barytone — Tenor.

Female: Contralto — Mezzo — Soprano.

The male voices are then again divided into Basso profundo and Basse Cantante — Dramatic and Lyric Barytone and Dramatic and Lyric Tenor. These special classifications, however, are chiefly applicable to opera, and aside from the opera repertoire we can leave the voices of both ~ sexes divided into three classes as stated above; low, middle and high.

The female voices are, however, for practicability better divided into Contralto, Mezzo Contralto and Mezzo Soprano; and Lyric and Dramatic Soprano and Coloratura Soprano.

The range is not the all important question that decides the class of voice; the tone color is equally important.

Only a most experienced ear can detect the subtle qualities that determine the classification of voices. Of course some voices are so decided that it needs no special judgment to place them correctly; but in many cases great care and judgment are required, and it is best to go slowly. Once a voice is wrongly classified, a great deal of time is lost. Dramatic Tenor and Lyric Barytone are frequently wrongly placed, as are also the Mezzo Soprano and Dramatic Soprano. It is always safer to leave the extreme high tones out of the question where there is lack of decision in the voice, and let quality be the predominant factor in deciding.

Vocal Technique

A fair knowledge of the vocal organs and their relative functions is a great help to the student in establishing facts.

The all-important point for the vocal beginner is to learn to hear. For instance, to learn to detect the difference between a dark tone-color and a covered tone; between breathy and brilliant singing. He must learn not to confuse volume with darkness, nor thinness with white or flat singing. Unbelievable errors exist on these points amongst singers; and frequently errors existing for years are almost immediately eradicated when the singer’s sense of hearing is awakened.

The training of hearing pure vowels, pure in form and unmixed with consonant resonance, is also most important. I call it ‘“ consonant resonance’’ instead of “low nose resonance.” ‘This term will later be made more clear in the chapter on vowels and consonants and their construction.

The differences between good and bad tone production are caused by wrong adjustments of the vocal organs. As long as the singer does not hear he is at a standstill. The controlling and correcting of the physical error is minimized as soon as the student learns to hear correctly.

Let us say at this point regarding technique: being able to hear and recognize perfect and beautiful tone production