,the ,renaissance of the ,vocal ,art    
,a ,practical ,study of ,vitality1      
,vitalized ,energy1 of the ,physical1   
,mental  and ,emotional ,powers of the  
,singer1 through ,flexible1 ,elastic    
,bodily  ,movements    ,,by ,,edmund ,j4
 ,,myer  ,f4,s4 ,sc4 7,london7          
,author of ,truths of ,importance to    
,vocalists1 ,the ,voice from a          
,practical ,stand-,point1               
,voice-,training ,exercises 7a study of 
the natural  movements of the voice71   
,vocal ,reinforcement1 ,position and    
,action in  ,singing1 etc41 etc4        
#aijb          ,when you see something  
new to you in art1 or hear a proposition
 in  philosophy you never heard before1 
do not make haste to ridicule1 deny or  
refute4 ,possibly the trouble is with   
yourself--who knows8          ,,preface4
      ,to my readers once again through 
this little work1 greetings4 ,for the   
many  kind things said of my former     
works by my friends1 my pupils1 the     
critic  and the profession1 thanks6 ,to 

those who have understood and           
appreciated  the principles laid down in
 my last book1 ,position and ,action in 
,singing1  ,i will say that this little 
work will be an additional help4 ,to my 
readers  in general1 who may not have   
fully understood or appreciated the     
principles  of vitality1 of vitalized   
energy1 aroused and developed through   
the  movements set forth in my last     
book1 to such ,i will say that ,i hope  
this  little work will make clearer     
those principles4 ,i hope that it may   
lead  them to a better understanding of 
the fundamental principles of the       
system1  principles which are founded   
upon natural laws and common sense4 ,in 
this  work ,i have endeavored to        
logically formulate my system4    ,as it
 is not possible to fully study and     
develop any one fundamental  principle  
of singing without some understanding or
 mastery of all others1  so it is not   
possible to write a work like this      
without more or less  repetition4       

,certain subjects are so closely        
related1 are so interdependent1  that   
repetition cannot be avoided4 ,i am not 
offering an apology for this2 ,i  am    
simply stating that a certain amount of 
repetition is necessary4                
,,contents4      ,,preface  ,,exordium  
,,part ,,first4    ,,evolution4         
,,article #a4 ,,the ,,old ,,italian     
,,school ,,of ,,singing         #b4     
,,the ,,dark ,,ages ,,of ,,the ,,vocal  
,,art         #c4 ,,the ,,two           
,,prevailing ,,systems         #d4 ,,the
 ,,renaissance ,,of ,,the ,,vocal ,,art 
#e4 ,,the ,,coming ,,school ,,or        
,,system         #f4 ,,conditions       
#g4 ,,the ,,influence ,,of ,,right      
,,bodily ,,action    ,,raison ,d',,tre  
,,part ,,second4    ,,vitality4         
,,article #a4 ,,the ,,first ,,principle 
,,of ,,artistic ,,tone-,,production     
#b4 ,,the ,,second ,,principle ,,of     
,,artistic ,,tone-,,production          
#c4 ,,the ,,third ,,principle ,,of      
,,artistic ,,tone-,,production          

,,part ,,third4    ,,aesthetics4        
,,article #a4 ,,the ,,fourth ,,principle
 ,,of ,,artistic ,,singing         #b4  
,,the ,,fifth ,,principle ,,of          
,,artistic ,,singing         #c4 ,,the  
,,sixth ,,principle ,,of ,,artistic     
,,singing         #d4 ,,the ,,seventh   
,,principle ,,of ,,artistic ,,singing   
,,exordium4      ,man1 to see far and   
clearly1 must rise above his            
surroundings4 ,to win great             
possessions1 to master great truths1 we 
must climb all the hills1 all the       
mountains1 which confront us4           
,unfortunately the vocal profession     
dwells too  much upon the lowlands of   
tradition1 or is buried too deep in the 
valleys  of prejudice4 ,better things1  
however1 will come4 ,they must come4    
,the  current of the advanced thought1  
the higher thought1 of this1 the opening
  year of the twentieth century1 will   
slowly but surely increase in power and 
influence1 will slowly but surely       
broaden and deepen1 until the light of  

reason breaks upon the vocal world4 ,we 
may confidently look1 in the near       
future1 for the ,renaissance of the     
,vocal ,art4          ,,part ,,first4   
,,evolution4          ,,article ,,one4  
,,the ,,old ,,italian ,,school ,,of     
,,singing4      ,the ,shibboleth1 or    
trade cry1 of the average modern vocal  
teacher is ,the  ,old ,italian ,school  
of ,singing4 ,how much of value there is
 in this may be  surmised when we stop  
to consider that of the many who claim  
to teach the  true ,old ,italian method 
no two of them teach at all alike1      
unless they  happen to be pupils of the 
same master4    ,a system1 a method1 or 
a theory is not true simply because it  
is old4 ,it  may be old and true2 it may
 be old and false4 ,it may be new and   
false2 or1  what is more important1 it  
may be new and yet true2 age alone      
cannot stamp  it with the mark of       
truthfulness4    ,the truth is1 we know 
but little of the ,old ,italian ,school 
of ,singing4 ,we  do know1 however1 that

 the old ,italians were an emotional and
 impulsive  people4 ,their style of     
singing was the flexible1 florid1       
coloratura style4  ,this demanded       
freedom of action and emotional         
expression1 which more  largely than    
anything else accounts for their        
success4    ,the old ,italians knew     
little or nothing of the science of     
voice as we know  it to-day4 ,they did  
know1 however1 the great fundamental    
principles of  singing1 which are       
freedom of form and action1 spontaneity 
and naturalness4  ,they studied ,nature1
 and learned of her4 ,their style of    
singing1 it is  true1 would be          
considered superficial at the present   
day1 but it is  generally conceded that 
they did make a few great singers4 ,if  
the  principles of the old school had   
not been changed or lost1 if they had   
been  retained and developed up to the  
present day1 what a wonderful legacy the
  vocal profession might have inherited 
in this age1 the beginning of the       

twentieth century4 ,adversity1 however1 
develops art as well as  individuality2 
hence the vocal art has much to expect  
in the future4        ,,article ,,two4  
,,the ,,dark ,,age ,,of ,,the ,,vocal   
,,art4      ,even in the palmiest days  
of the ,old ,italian ,school1 there were
 forces at  work which were destined to 
influence the entire vocal world4 ,the  
subtle  influence of these forces was   
felt so gradually1 and yet so surely and
  powerfully1 that while the profession1
 as one might say1 peacefully slept1    
art was changed to artificiality4 ,thus 
arose that which may be called the  dark
 ages of the vocal art1--an age when    
error overshadowed truth and  reason2   
for while real scientists1 after great  
study and research1  discovered much of 
the true science of voice1 many who     
styled themselves  scientists discovered
 much that they imagined was the true   
science of  voice4    ,upon the theories
 advanced by self-styled scientists1    
many systems of  singing were based1    

without definite proof as to their being
 true or false4  ,these systems were    
exploited for the benefit of those who  
formulated them4  ,this condition of    
things prevailed1 not only through the  
latter part of the  eighteenth century  
and the first half of the nineteenth1   
but still  manifests itself at the      
present day1 and no doubt will continue 
to do so  for many years to come4       
,the vocal world undoubtedly owes much  
to the study and research of the true   
scientist4 ,all true art is based upon  
science1 and none more than the art  of 
voice and of singing4    ,science is    
knowledge of facts co-ordinated1        
arranged1 and systematized2  hence      
science is truth4 ,the object of science
 is knowledge2 the object of  art is    
works4 ,in art1 truth is the means to an
 end2 in science1 truth is  the end4    
,the science of voice is a knowledge of 
certain phenomena or movements which    
are found under certain conditions to   
occur regularly4 ,the object of the     

true art of voice is to study the       
conditions which allow these phenomena  
to  occur4    ,the greatest mistake of  
the many systems of singing1 formulated 
upon the  theories of the scientists1   
and of the so-called scientists1 was not
 so  much in their being based upon     
theories which oftentimes were wrong1 as
 in  the misunderstanding and           
misapplication of true theories4 ,the   
general  mistake of these systems was   
and is that they attempt by direct local
  effort1 by direct manipulation of     
muscle1 to compel the phenomena of      
voice1  instead of studying the         
conditions which allow them to occur4   
,in this way  they attempt to do by     
direct control1 that which ,nature alone
 can do  correctly4    ,while it is true
 that the vocal world owes much to      
science and the  scientists1 yet the    
highest science can never fully explain 
the true  phenomena of the voice1 which 
are truly the phenomena of ,nature4 ,the
  phenomena of the voice no doubt       

interest the scientists from an         
anatomical  standpoint1 but these things
 are of little practical value to the   
singer4  ,as someone has said1 ,to      
examine into the anatomical construction
 of the  larynx1 to watch it            
physiologically1 and learn to understand
 the motions of  the vocal cords in     
their relation to vocal sounds1 is not  
much more than  looking at the dial of a
 clock2 the movements of the hands will 
give you no  idea of the construction of
 the intricate works hidden behind the  
face of  the clock4    ,we should never 
lose sight of the fact that there is a  
true science of  voice1 and that the art
 of song is based upon this science4    
,the true art of  song1 however1 is not 
so much a direct study of the physical  
or mechanical  action of the parts1 as  
it is a study of the spirituelle side2 a
 study of  the forces which move the    
parts automatically1 in accordance with 
the laws  of nature4 ,in other words1   
voice1 true voice1 is more psychological

 than  physiological2 is more an        
expression of mind and soul than a      
physical  expression or a physical      
force4 ,it is true1 the body is the     
medium through  which the soul1 the real
 man1 gives expression to thought and   
feeling2 and  yet voice that is simply  
mechanical or physical is always common 
and  meaningless and as a rule          
unmusical4 ,the normal condition of true
 artistic  voice is emotional and       
soulful4        ,,article ,,three4      
,,the ,,two ,,prevailing ,,systems4     
,the misunderstanding or the            
misapplication of any principle1 theory 
or  device1 always leads to error4 ,this
 was eminently true of the              
misunderstanding and misapplication on  
the part of many writers and  teachers  
who based their systems upon the        
theories of the scientists and  the     
self-styled scientists4 ,the result is  
evident2 it is that which is  known as  
the local-effort1 muscular school of the
 nineteenth century2 the  school which  

to this day so largely prevails2 the    
school which makes of man  a mere vocal 
machine1 instead of a living1 emotional1
 thinking soul4    ,the local-effort    
school attempts1 by direct control and  
manipulation of  muscle and of the vocal
 parts1 to compel the phenomena of      
voice4 ,in this  respect it is unique2  
in this respect it stands alone4 ,the   
truth of this  statement becomes evident
 when we stop to consider that in       
nothing known  which requires muscular  
development1 as does the art of singing1
 is this  development or training       
secured by direct manipulation and      
control of  muscle4 ,there is nothing in
 the arts or sciences1 nothing in the   
broad  field of athletics or physical   
culture1 nothing in the wide world that 
requires physical development1 in which 
the attempt is made to develop by       
direct effort as does the local-effort  
school4 ,hence we say the mistake  they 
make is in attempting to compel the     
phenomena of voice1 instead of  studying

 the conditions which allow them to     
occur4 ,it might be interesting1  it    
certainly would be very amusing1 to     
enumerate and illustrate the many       
things done under the name of science1  
to compel the phenomena of voice2  but  
space will not permit4 ,many of them are
 well known2 many more are too          
ridiculous to consider except that they 
should be exposed for the good of  the  
profession4    ,the result of all this  
direct manipulation of muscle is        
ugliness--everywhere hard1 unmusical1   
unsympathetic voices4 ,the public is  so
 used to hearing hard1 muscular voices  
that the demand for beautiful tone  is  
not what it should be4 ,in fact1 it is  
not generally known that it is  possible
 to make almost any voice more or less  
beautiful that is at all  worth         
training4 ,the hard1 unmusical voice of 
the day is a hybrid1 unnatural  and     
altogether unnecessary voice4 ,physical 
effort in singing develops  physical    
tone and physical effect4 ,common tone  

makes common singing4 ,a  great artist  
must be great in tone as well as in     
interpretation4    ,the disciples of the
 local-effort school lose sight of the  
fact that when a  muscle is set and     
rigid1 either in attempting to hold the 
breath or to  force the tone1 it is     
virtually out of action2 that instead of
 actually  helping the voice it is      
really preventing a free1 natural       
production1 and  that other parts are   
then compelled to do its work2 this     
accounts for many  ruined voices4 ,to   
make a part rigid is equal to the       
extirpation of such  part4 ,while it is 
in a state of rigidity it ceases to take
 part in any  action whatsoever3 it is  
inert and the same as if it had ceased  
to exist4    ,the local-effort school is
 accountable for many errors of the day4
 ,the  incubus of this school is        
fastened upon the vocal profession with 
octopus-like tentacles which reach out  
in every direction1 and which strive  to
 strangle the truth in every possible   

way2 but1 while life is short1 art  is  
long2 the truth must prevail4    99     
99       99       99       99    ,as an 
outgrowth of the local-effort school1   
and as an attempt to counteract  its    
evil tendencies1 there is to-day in     
existence another school or system      
known as the limp or relaxed school1 or 
the system of complete relaxation4  ,the
 object of this relaxation is to        
overcome muscular tension and rigidity4 
,this is the other extreme4 ,the        
followers of this school forget that    
there  can be no tonicity without       
tension4 ,flexible firmness without     
rigidity1 the  result of flexible1      
vitalized position and action1 is the   
only true  condition4 ,the tone of the  
school of relaxation is nearly always   
depressed  and breathy2 it always lacks 
vitality4        ,,article ,,four4      
,,the ,,renaissance ,,of ,,the ,,vocal  
,,art4      ,we are in the habit of     
measuring time by days1 weeks1 months1  
years1  decades and centuries4 ,the     

world at large measures time by epochs  
and eras4  ,while this is true in the   
physical world1 it is equally true of   
the arts  and sciences1 and it is       
especially true of the art of song4     
,thus we have  had the period known as  
,the ,old ,italian ,school of ,singing4 
,this was  followed by the modern       
school1 or ,the ,local-,effort ,school  
of the  nineteenth century1 the period  
which may be called ,the ,dark ,ages of 
the  ,vocal ,art4    ,there is a        
constant evolution in all things        
progressive1 and this evolution  is felt
 very perceptibly to-day in the vocal   
world4 ,great principles1 great  truths1
 are of slow growth1 slow development4  
,times change1 however1 and we  change  
with them4 ,while the changes may be    
slow and almost imperceptible to  the   
observer1 they are sure1 and finally    
become evident by the accumulation  of  
event after event4    ,the prevailing   
systems of the nineteenth century tried 
to develop voice by  direct local       

muscular effort4 ,these systems have    
proved themselves  failures4 ,the vocal 
world is looking for and demanding      
something better4 ,we  may say that we  
are now on the eve of great events in   
the vocal art4 ,when  the morn comes1   
and the light breaks1 we may confidently
 expect that  awakening or reawakening  
which may properly be called ,the       
,renaissance of  the ,vocal ,art4       
,this is the age of physical culture in 
all its forms4 ,there is a tendency     
from the artificial habits of life1     
back1 or rather one should say forward1 
to ,nature and ,nature's laws4 ,athletes
 appreciate the value of physical       
training3 brain-workers appreciate the  
value of mental training1 of  thinking  
before acting1 and if you would become  
either you must follow the  methods of  
both4    ,many of our foremost educators
 in all branches of development1        
physical1  mental and musical1 are now  
making a bold stand for natural methods 
of  education4 ,however1 all vocal      

training and development in the past1 we
 are  glad to say1 has not been on the  
wrong side of the question4    ,there   
have been1 at all ages and under all    
circumstances and conditions1  men who  
have been at the root or the bottom of  
things1--men who have  preserved the    
truth in spite of their surroundings4   
,so in the vocal art1  there have been  
at every decade a few men who have known
 the truth1 and who  have handed it down
 through the dark ages of the vocal art4
 ,the work of  these men has not been   
lost4 ,its influence has been felt1 and 
is today more  powerful than ever4      
,hence the trend of the best thought of 
the profession  is away from the ideas  
of the local-effort school1 away from   
rigidity and  artificiality1 and more in
 the direction of naturalness and common
 sense4 ,i  believe we are now1 as a    
profession1 slowly but surely awakening 
to truths  which will grow1 and which   
will in time bring to pass that which   
must come  sooner or later1 the new     

school of the twentieth century4        
,there is to-day that which is known as 
,the ,new ,movement in the ,vocal       
,art--a movement based upon natural laws
 and common sense and opposed to  the   
ideas of the local-effort               
school2--movement in the direction of   
freedom  of action1 spontaneity and     
flexible strength as opposed to rigidity
 and  direct effort2--a movement which  
advocates vitalized energy instead of   
muscular effort2--a movement which had  
its origin in the belief that no man    
ever learned to sing because he locally 
fixed or puckered his lips2 because  he 
held down his tongue with a spatulum or 
a spoon2 because he locally  lowered or 
raised his soft palate2 because he      
consciously moved or locally  fixed his 
larynx2 because he consciously1 rigidly 
set or firmly pulled in  one direction  
or another1 his breathing muscles2      
because he carried an  unnaturally high 
chest at the sacrifice of form1 position
 and strength in  every other way2      

because he sang with a stick or a pencil
 or a cork in his  mouth2 or because he 
did a hundred other unnatural things too
 foolish to  mention4 ,no man ever      
learned or ever will learn to sing      
because of these  things4 ,it is true he
 may have learned to sing in spite of   
them1 which  shows that ,nature is kind2
 but as compared to the whole1 he is one
 in a  thousand4    ,the ,new ,movement 
has come to stay4 ,it will1 of course1  
meet with bitter  opposition4 ,why not8 
,the custom of many has been1 and is1 to
 condemn  without investigation2 to     
condemn because it does not happen to be
 in the  line of their teaching and     
study4 ,someone has said1 ,he who       
condemns  without knowledge or          
investigation is dishonest4    ,the ,new
 ,movement is simply a study of the     
conditions which allow the  phenomena of
 voice to occur naturally and           
automatically4 ,the day will come1  when
 a right training of the voice will be  
recognized as a flexible1  artistic1    

physical training of the human body1 and
 a consequent right use  of the voice1  
as a soulful expression of the emotional
 nature4 ,matter or  muscle will be     
taught to obey mind or will             
spontaneously4 ,the thought  before the 
effort1 or rather before the action1    
will be the controlling  influence1 and 
vitalized emotional energy will be the  
true motor power of  the voice4 ,the    
elocutionists and the physical          
culturists understand this  far better1 
as a rule1 than the vocalists4    ,abuse
 brings reform in art as well as in all 
other things4 ,so the abuse of          
,nature's laws and the lack of common   
sense in the training of the singing    
voice has led1 through a gradual        
evolution1 to ,the ,new ,movement4 ,this
  movement is the outgrowth of the best 
or advanced thought of the profession   
rebelling against unnatural methods4    
,in the fundamental principles of ,the  
,new ,movement1 there is nothing new    
claimed by its advocates4 ,all is       

founded upon the science of voice1 as   
are  all true systems of teaching4 ,the 
claims are made with regard to the      
devices used to study natural laws1 to  
develop the ,god-given powers of the    
singer4 ,remember that ,nature          
incarnates or reflects ,god's thoughts  
and  desires and not man's ideas or     
inventions4 ,someone has said that there
 was  nothing new1 nor could there be   
anything new1 in the art of singing4    
,there  are many1 alas6 who talk and    
write as did this man4 ,is not this     
simply  proof of the fact that ignorance
 cheapens and belittles that which      
wisdom  views with awe and admiration8  
,and this is true of nothing so much as 
it is  of the arts and sciences4    ,is1
 then1 ours in all the world1 the only  
profession based upon science and  art  
that must stand still1 that must accept 
blindly the traditions handed  down to  
us1 without investigation8 ,are we to   
feel and believe that with us  progress 
is impossible1 that we may not and      

cannot keep up with the spirit  of the  
age8 ,god forbid4 ,is it not true that  
each age refutes much which a  previous 
age believed1 and all things human wax  
old and vanish away to make  room for   
new developments1 new ideals1 new       
possibilities8 ,is it possible  this is 
true of all professions but ours8 ,the  
signs of the times indicate             
differently4 ,hence we may confidently  
expect the ,renaissance of the ,vocal   
,art in this1 the first half of the new 
century4        ,,article ,,five4       
,,the ,,coming ,,school1 ,,or ,,system4 
,this is an age of progress2 and1 as we 
have said1 many educators are making  a 
bold stand for natural1 common-sense    
methods4 ,the trend of the higher       
thought of the vocal profession is away 
from artificiality1 and in the          
direction of naturalness4    ,the coming
 school1 or system1 of the twentieth    
century will undoubtedly  find its form1
 its power1 its expressional and        
artistic force and value1  its home1 its

 life1 in ,america4 ,the old country is 
too much in the toils1  too much in the 
ruts of tradition2 hence natural forces 
are suppressed1 and  artificiality      
reigns supreme in the training of the   
voice4 ,while this is  not true in      
regard to the strictly aesthetic side of
 the question1 it is  painfully true as 
far as the fundamental principles of    
voice development  are concerned4 ,of   
course we are glad to say there are     
bright and shining  exceptions to this  
rule in all lands1 but to the new       
country we must  undoubtedly look for   
the new school4    ,so far the world has
 produced but two great teachers4 ,the  
first of these is  ,nature2 the second  
is ,common ,sense4 ,nature lays down the
 fundamental  principles of voice2      
,common ,sense formulates the devices   
for development  according to these     
principles4 ,therefore we say1 ,go to   
,nature and learn of  her1 and use      
,common ,sense in studying and          
developing her principles4 ,the  nearer 

the approach to ,nature1 the higher the 
art2 hence the new school  must be      
founded upon artistic laws which are    
,nature's laws1 and not upon            
artificiality4    ,the coming school    
must teach the idealized tone4 ,the     
ideal in its  completeness means the    
truth1--all the truth1--and not1 as many
 suppose1 an  exaggerated form of       
expression4 ,the truth in tone1 or the  
idealized tone1  is beautiful and       
soulful1 and demands for its production 
and use all the  forces that ,nature has
 given to the singer1--physical1 mental1
 and  emotional or spirituelle4         
,unmusical1 muscular tone is not the    
true tone4 ,it  contains much that it   
should not have on the physical side1   
and lacks much  that it should have on  
the spirituelle4 ,as a rule1 it means   
nothing2 in  fact1 it is often simply a 
noise4 ,the idealized tone always       
represents a  thought1 an idea1 an      
emotion2 it is the expression of the    
inner--the  higher--man2 it is1 in      

reality1 self-expression4    ,the human 
voice is the most delicately attuned    
musical instrument that ,god  has       
created4 ,it is capable of a cultivation
 beyond the dreams of those who  have   
given it no thought4 ,it maybe made to  
express every emotion in the  gamut of  
human sensation1 from abject misery to  
boundless ecstasy4 ,it marks  the man   
without his consent2 it makes the man if
 he will but cultivate it4    ,the      
coming school must be founded upon      
freedom of form and action1 upon        
flexible bodily movements1 the result of
 vitalized energy instead of  muscular  
effort4 ,there must be no set1 rigid1   
static condition of the  muscles4       
,artistic singing is a form of          
self-expression2 and  self-expression1  
to be natural and beautiful1 must be the
 result of correct  position and action4
    ,the first principle of artistic    
singing is the removal of all restraint4
  ,this is a fundamental law of ,nature 
and cannot be changed4 ,under the       

influence of direct local muscular      
effort1 the removal of all restraint is 
impossible4 ,hence the coming school    
must be based upon free flexible        
action4 ,in this respect it will be much
 like the old ,italian school1 except   
that it will be as far in advance of the
 old school in the science of voice  as 
the twentieth century is in advance of  
the eighteenth4 ,it must also be  far in
 advance of the old school in the       
devices used to develop the  fundamental
 principles of voice4    ,in this age of
 progress and knowledge of laws and     
facts1 the new school1  under the       
influence of ,nature's laws and common  
sense1 with the aid of  flexible        
movements and vitalized energy1 must do 
as much for the  development of the     
singing voice in three or four years as 
the old school  was able to do in eight 
or ten4 ,this is necessary1 both because
 the singing  world demands it1 and     
,nature and common sense teach us that  
it does not  take years and years of    

hard study and practice simply to       
develop the  voice4 ,from a strictly    
musical standpoint1 however1 it does    
take years to  ripen a great singer1 to 
make a great artist4 ,many voices are   
ruined  musically by years of hard1     
muscular practice4 ,hence we say the new
 school  must give the voice freedom1   
and remove all muscular restraint by or 
through natural1 common-sense1 vitalized
 movements4        ,,article ,,six4     
,,conditions4      ,nature's laws are   
,god's laws4 ,all nature1 the universe  
itself1 is an  expression of ,god's     
thoughts or desires in accordance with  
,his laws4 ,this  one controlling force1
 this principle of law1 is at the bottom
 of  everything in nature and art4      
,everything which man says or does under
  normal1 free conditions1 is           
self-expression1 an expression of his   
inner  nature2 but this expression must 
be under the law4 ,if not1 the          
expression  is unnatural and therefore  
artificial4 ,this principle1 which holds

 true in  all of man's expression1 in   
all art1 is in nothing more evident than
 in the  use of the singing voice4      
,nature does nothing for man except what
 she enables him to do for  himself4    
,nature gives him much1 but never       
compels him to use what she  gives4 ,man
 is a free agent4 ,he can obey or       
violate the laws of ,nature at  will2   
but he cannot violate ,nature's laws1   
and not pay the penalty4 ,this  thought 
or principle constantly stands out as a 
warning to the vocal world4  ,the       
student of the voice who violates       
,nature's laws must not expect to       
escape the penalty1 which is hard1      
harsh1 unmusical tone or ruined voice4  
,nature demands certain conditions in   
order to produce beautiful1 artistic    
tone4 ,if the student of the voice      
desires to develop beautiful1 artistic  
tone he is compelled to study the       
conditions1 the fundamental principles  
under the law2 and this can be done only
 by the use of common-sense  methods4   

,all artistic tone is the result of     
certain conditions1 conditions demanded 
by ,nature and not man's ideas or       
fancies4 ,these conditions are dependent
  upon form and adjustment1 or we might 
better say adjustment and form1 as  form
 is the result of the adjustment of the 
parts4 ,so far all writers on  the      
voice1 and all teachers1 agree2 but here
 comes the parting of the ways4  ,one   
man attempts form and adjustment by     
locally influencing the parts1--the     
tongue1 the lips1 the soft palate1 the  
larynx1 etc4 ,this results in  muscular 
singing and artificiality4 ,we have     
found that form and adjustment1  to be  
right1 must be automatic4 ,this         
condition cannot be secured by any      
system of direct local effort1 but must 
be the result of flexible1  vitalized   
bodily movements--movements which arouse
 and develop all the true  conditions of
 tone2 movements which allow the voice  
to sing spontaneously4    ,the          
fundamental conditions of singing       

demanded by ,nature we find are as      
follows3      ,natural or automatic     
adjustment of the organ of sound1 and of
 all the    parts4      ,approximation  
of the breath bands4      ,inflation of 
all the cavities4      ,non-interference
 above the organ of sound4              
,automatic breath-control4      ,freedom
 of form and action of all the parts    
above the larynx4      ,high placing and
 low resonance4      ,automatic         
articulation4      ,mental and emotional
 vitality or energy4      ,free1        
flexible1 vitalized bodily position and 
action4    ,it is not my intention here 
to enlarge upon these conditions to any 
extent4  ,i have already done so in my  
last book1 ,position and ,action in     
,singing4 ,i  know many writers on the  
voice1 and many teachers1 do not agree  
with me on  this subject of conditions2 
but facts are stubborn things1 and ,a   
physical  fact is as sacred as a moral  
principle4 ,the sources of all          
phenomena1 the  sources of all life1    

intelligence and love1 are to be sought 
in the  internal--the spiritual realm2  
not in the external or material4 ,a man 
is  considerably out of date who says he
 does not believe a thing1 simply       
because he cannot do that thing or does 
not understand how the thing is  done4  
,there are three classes of people--the 
'wills1' the 'won'ts1' and the          
'can'ts'3 the first accomplish          
everything1 the second oppose           
everything1  and the third fail in      
everything4 ,these things these         
conditions can be  understood and fully 
appreciated by investigation only4      
,there is no  absolute definite         
knowledge in this world except that     
gained from  experience4    ,the voice  
in correct use is always tuned like an  
instrument4 ,this must be  in order to  
have resonance and freedom1 and this is 
done only through  natural or automatic 
adjustment of all the parts4 ,in singing
 there are  always two forces in action1
 pressure and resistance1 or motor power

 and  control4 ,in order to have        
automatic adjustment these two forces   
must  prevail4 ,when the organ of sound 
is automatically adjusted1 the breath   
bands approximate3 ,this gives the true 
resisting or controlling force4 ,when   
the breath bands approximate we have    
inflation of the ventricles of the      
larynx1 the most important of all the   
resonance cavities1 for when this       
condition prevails we have freedom of   
tone1 and the inflation of all other    
cavities4 ,and not only this2 it also   
enables us to remove all restraint or   
interference from the parts above the   
larynx1 and especially from the         
intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the  
throat4 ,this automatic adjustment1     
approximation of the breath bands and   
inflation of the ventricles1 gives us  a
 yet more important condition1 namely1  
automatic breath control2 this is       
beyond question the most important of   
all problems solved for the singer      
through this system of flexible         

vitalized movements4    ,the removal of 
all interference or direct local control
 of the parts above  the larynx1 gives  
absolute freedom of form and action2 and
 when the form  and action are free1    
articulation becomes automatic and      
spontaneous4 ,when  all restraint is    
thus removed1 the air current comes to  
the front1 and we  secure the important 
condition of high placing4 ,furthermore1
 under these  conditions1 when the air  
current strikes the roof of the mouth   
freely1 it  is reflected into the       
inflated cavities1 and there is heard   
and felt1  through sympathetic vibration
 of the air in the cavities1 added      
resonance  or the wonderful reinforcing 
power of inflation3 in this way is      
secured not  only the added resonance of
 all other cavities1 but especially the 
resonance of the chest1 the greatest of 
all resonance or reinforcing  powers4   
,when the voice is thus freed under true
 conditions1 it is possible to  arouse  
easily and quickly the mental and       

emotional power and vitality of  the    
singer4 ,in this way is aroused that    
which ,i have called the singer's       
sensation1 or1 for want of a better     
name1 the third power of the voice4     
,this power is not a mere fancy4 ,it is 
not imagination2 for it is absolutely   
necessary to the complete mental and    
emotional expression of the singer1 to  
the development of all his powers4 ,this
 life or vital force is to the  singer a
 definite1 controllable power4 ,various 
terms have been applied to  this        
mysterious force4 ,plato called it 'the 
soul of the world4' ,others  called it  
the 'plastic spirit of the world1' while
 ,descartes gave it the  afterward      
popular name of 'animal spirits4' ,the  
,stoics called it simply  'nature1'     
which is now generally changed to       
'nervous principle4' ,the  far-reaching 
results of so quiet and yet so          
tremendous a force may be seen  in the  
lives of the men and women who have the 
mental acumen to understand  what is    

meant by it4 ,the singer who has        
developed and controlled the  third     
power through the true conditions of    
voice1 never doubts its  reality2 and   
he1 and he only1 is able to fully       
appreciate it4    ,the development of   
all the above conditions depends upon   
one important  thing1 the education of  
the body2 upon a free1 flexible1        
vitalized body4        ,,article        
,,seven4    ,,the ,,influence ,,of      
,,right ,,bodily ,,action4      ,in art1
 as in all things else1 man must be     
under the law until he becomes a  law   
unto himself4 ,in other words1 he must  
study his technique1 his method1  his   
art1 until all becomes a part of        
himself1 becomes1 as it were1 second    
nature4 ,there is a wide difference     
between art and artificiality4 ,true art
  is based upon ,nature's laws4         
,artificiality1 in almost every         
instance1 is a  violation of ,nature's  
laws1 and at best is but a poor         
imitation4    ,the impression prevails  

that art is something far off1 something
 that is  within the grasp of the       
favored few only4 ,we say of a man1 he  
is a genius1  and we bow down to him    
accordingly4 ,the genius is an artist by
 the grace of  ,god and his own efforts4
 ,nature has given some men the power to
 easily and  quickly grasp and          
understand things which pertain to art1 
but if such men  do not apply their     
understanding they never become great or
 useful artists4  ,talent is the ability
 to study and apply1 and is of a little 
lower order  than genius2 but the genius
 of application1 and the talent to apply
 that  which is learned1 have made the  
great and useful men1 the great artists 
of  the world4 ,as someone has said1    
,art is not a thing separate and apart2 
art  is only the best way of doing      
things2 and while this is true of all   
the  arts1 it is eminently so of the art
 of voice and of song4    ,artistic     
tone1 as we have found1 is the result of
 certain conditions  demanded by        

,nature4 ,these conditions are dependent
 upon form and  adjustment2 and form and
 adjustment1 to be right1 must be       
automatic4 ,all  writers and teachers   
agree that correct tone is the result of
 form and  adjustment2 but here1 as we  
have said1 comes the parting of the     
ways4 ,one  man attempts1 by directly   
controlling and adjusting the parts1 to 
do that  which nature alone can do      
correctly2 result--hard1 muscular tone4 
,another  attempts1 by relaxation1 to   
secure the conditions of tone2          
result--vocal  depression1 or depressed1
 relaxed tone4    ,if artistic tone be  
the result of conditions due to form and
 adjustment1  and if form and           
adjustment1 to be right1 must be        
automatic1 if these things  are true1   
and they are as true as the fact that   
the world moves1 then there  is only one
 way under heaven by which it is        
possible to secure these  conditions2   
that way is through a flexible1         
vitalized body1 through  flexible bodily

 position and action4    ,the rigid1    
muscular school cannot secure these     
conditions1 for they make  flexible     
freedom impossible4 ,the limp1 relaxed  
school cannot secure them1  for there is
 no tone without tonicity and vitality  
of muscle4 ,vitalized  energy can secure
 these true conditions1 but through     
flexible bodily  position and action    
only4    ,the rigid school is           
muscle-bound1 and lacks life and        
vitality4 ,the limp  school1 of course1 
is depressed and lacks energy4 ,the     
world is full of dead  singers1--dead so
 far as vitality and emotional energy   
are concerned4  ,singing is a form of   
emotional or self-expression1 and       
requires life and  vitality4 ,life is   
action4 ,life is vital force aroused4   
,life in singing is  emotional energy4  
,life is a ,god-given1 eternal          
condition1 and is a  fundamental        
principle of the true art of song4      
,it is wonderfully strange that this    
idea or principle of flexible1          

vitalized bodily position and action is 
not better understood by the vocal      
profession4 ,that a right use or        
training of the body1 automatically     
influences form and adjustment1 and     
secures right conditions of tone1 has   
been and is being demonstrated day by   
day4 ,this is a revelation to many who  
have tried to sing by the rigid or limp 
methods4 ,there is really nothing  new  
claimed for it1 for it is as old as the 
hills4 ,truth is eternal1 and  yet a    
great truth may be lost to the world for
 a time4 ,the only things new  which we 
claim1 are the movements and the simple 
and effective devices used  to study and
 apply them4 ,these movements have a    
wonderful influence on the  voice1 for  
the simple reason that they are based   
upon ,nature's laws and  common sense4  
,these truths are destined to influence1
 sooner or later1 the  entire vocal     
world4    ,a great truth cannot always  
be suppressed1 and some day someone will
  present these truths in a way that    

will compel their recognition4 ,they are
  never doubted now by those who        
understand them1 and they are           
appreciated by  such to a degree of     
enthusiasm4 ,i am well aware that when  
these movements  are spoken of in the   
presence of the followers of the        
prevailing rigid or  limp schools1 they 
exclaim1 ,why1 we do the same thing4 ,we
 use the body  too4 ,of course they use 
the body1 but it is by no means the     
same4 ,their  use of the body is often  
abuse1 and not only of the body1 but of 
the voice  as well4    ,the influence on
 the singing voice of a rightly used or 
rightly trained  body is almost beyond  
the ability of man to put in words4     
,all singing should be rhythmical4      
,these flexible bodily movements develop
  rhythm4    ,all singing should be the 
result of vitalized energy and never of 
muscular  effort4 ,these movements      
arouse energy and make direct effort    
unnecessary4    ,singing should be      
restful1 should be the result of power  

in repose or under  control4 ,these     
movements1 and these movements alone1   
make such conditions  possible4    ,all 
singing should be idealized1 should be  
the result of self-expression1  of an   
expression of the emotions4 ,this is    
impossible except through correct       
bodily action4 ,by nature the expression
 of man is his voice1 and the whole     
body through the agency of that         
invisible force1 sound1 expresses the   
nobility1 dignity1 and intellectual     
emotions1 from the foot to the head1    
when properly produced and balanced4    
,nothing short of the whole body can    
express this force perfectly in man or  
woman4    ,these movements develop in a 
common-sense way the power of natural   
forces1  of all the forces which ,nature
 has given to man for the production and
 use  of the voice4 ,rigid1 set muscles1
 or relaxed1 limp muscles dwarf and     
limit  in every way the powers of the   
singer1 physical1 mental1 and emotional2
 the  physical action is wrong1 the     

thought is wrong1 and the expression is 
wrong4 ,a trained1 developed muscle     
responds to thought1 to right thought1  
in a free1 natural manner4 ,a rigid or  
limp muscle is1 in a certain sense1  for
 the time being1 actually out of use4   
,an important point to consider in this 
connection is the fact that there is  no
 strength properly applied without      
movement2 but when right movements are  
not used1 the voice is pushed and forced
 by local effort and by contraction  of 
the lung cells and of the throat4 ,this 
of course means physical  restraint1 and
 physical restraint prevents            
self-expression4 ,singing is more       
psychological than physiological2 hence 
the importance of free  self-expression4
 ,direct physical effort produces       
physical effect2  relaxation produces   
depression4    ,all artistic tone is    
reinforced sound4 ,there are two ways of
 reinforcing  tone4 ,first1 by direct   
muscular effort1 the wrong way2 second1 
by expansion  and inflation1 the added  

resonance of air in the cavities1 the   
right way4  ,this condition of expansion
 and inflation is the distinguishing    
feature of  many great voices1 and is   
possible only through right bodily      
position and  action4 ,these movements  
are used by many great artists1 who     
develop them as  they themselves        
develop1 through giving expression to   
thought1 feeling1 and  emotion1 through 
using the impressive1 persuasive tone1  
the fervent voice4  ,this brings into   
action the entire vocal mechanism1 in   
fact all the powers  of the singer2     
hence these movements become a part of  
the great artist4 ,he  may not be able  
to give a reason for them1 but he knows 
their value4 ,the  persuasive1 fervent  
voice demands spontaneity and automatic 
form and  adjustment2 these conditions  
are impossible without flexible1        
vitalized  movements4 ,the great artist 
finds by experience that the throat was 
made to  sing and not to sing with2 that
 he must sing from the body through the 

throat4 ,he finds that the tone must be 
allowed and not made to sing4 ,hence  in
 the most natural way he develops       
vitalized bodily energy4    ,next in    
importance to absolute freedom of voice1
 which these movements  give1 is the    
fact that through them absolute1        
automatic1 perfect  breath-control is   
developed and mastered4 ,these movements
 give the breath  without a thought of  
breathing1 for they are all breathing   
movements4 ,the  singer cannot lift and 
expand without filling the lungs        
naturally and  automatically1 unless he 
purposely resists the breath4 ,the      
conscious breath  unseats the voice1    
that is1 disturbs or prevents correct   
adjustment1 and  thus compels him to    
consciously hold it2 but this very act  
makes it  impossible to give the voice  
freedom4 ,through these movements1      
through  correct position1 we secure    
automatic adjustment1 which means       
approximation  of the breath bands1 the 
principle of the double valve in the    

throat1 which  secures automatic        
breath-control4 ,in other words1 the    
singer whose position  and action are   
correct need never give his breathing a 
thought4 ,this is  considered by many as
 the greatest problem--for the          
singer--solved in the  nineteenth       
century4    ,to study and master these  
movements and apply them practically1   
the singer  needs to know absolutely    
nothing of the mechanism of his vocal   
organs4 ,he  need not consider at all   
the physiological side of the question4 
,of course  the study of these movements
 must at first be more or less          
mechanical1  until they respond         
automatically to thought or will4 ,then 
they are  controlled mentally1 the      
thought before the action1 as should be 
the case  in all singing2 and finally   
the whole mechanism1 or all movements1  
respond  naturally and freely to        
emotional or self-expression4    ,these 
flexible1 vitalized movements are not   
generally understood or used1  because  

they have not been in the line of       
thought or study of the rigid  muscular 
school or the limp relaxed school2 and  
yet they are destined to  influence     
sooner or later all systems of singing4 
,they have been used more  or less in   
all ages by great artists4 ,it is       
strange that they are not  better       
understood by the profession4    99     
99       99       99       99    ,in    
this connection it might be well to     
speak of the importance of physical     
culture for the singer4 ,a series of    
simple but effective exercises should   
be used1 exercises that will develop and
 vitalize every muscle of the body4     
,there are also nerve calisthenics1     
nervo-muscular movements1 which         
strengthen and control the nervous      
system4 ,these nerve calisthenics       
generate electrical vitality and give   
life and confidence4 ,the body by       
certain exercises and regime may be     
educated to draw a constantly           
increasing amount of vitality from      

growing nature4    ,a singer to be      
successful must be healthy and strong4  
,he should take plenty  of out-door     
exercise4 ,exercise1 fresh air1 and     
sunlight are the three great  physicians
 of the world4 ,but beside this1 all    
singers need physical  training and     
development1 which tense and harden the 
muscles1 and increase  the lung         
capacity2 that training which expands   
all the resonance cavities1  especially 
the chest1 and which directly develops  
and strengthens the vocal  muscles      
themselves1 particularly the extrinsic  
and intrinsic muscles of the  throat4   
,as we have learned1 a trained muscle   
responds more spontaneously to  thought 
or will than an uneducated one2 flexible
 spontaneity the singer  always needs4  
,beyond a doubt1 the singer who takes a 
simple but effective  course of physical
 training in connection with vocal      
training will  accomplish twice as much 
in a given time1 in regard to tone1     
power and  control1 as he could possibly

 do with the vocal training alone4 ,this
 is the  day of physical training1 of   
physical culture in all things2 and the 
average vocal teacher will have to awake
 to the fact that his pupils need  it as
 much as1 or more than1 they need the   
constant practice of tone4    ,of course
 it is not possible to give a system of 
physical training in a  small work like 
this4 ,the student of the voice can get 
physical training  and physical culture 
from many teachers and many books4 ,it  
may not be  training that will so       
directly and definitely develop and     
strengthen the  vocal muscles and the   
organ of sound itself1 or training that 
will so  directly influence the voice as
 does our system1 which is especially   
arranged for the singer2 but any good   
system of physical development1 any     
system that gives the student health and
 strength1 is good for the singing      
voice4 ,activity is the source of       
growth1 both physical and mental4       
,strength to be developed1 must be used4

 ,strength to be retained1 must be      
used4        ,,raison ,d',,tre4         
,since writing my last book1 ,position  
and ,action in ,singing1 and after  four
 or five years more of experience1 ,i   
have been doubly impressed and  more    
than convinced of the power and         
influence of certain things necessary   
to a right training and use of the      
voice4 ,herbert ,spencer says1          
,experience  is the sole origin of      
knowledge2 and my experience has        
convinced me1 not  only that certain    
things are necessary in the training of 
the voice1 but  that certain of the most
 important principles or conditions     
demanded by  ,nature1 are entirely      
wanting in most systems of singing4     
,singers1 as a rule1 are artificial and 
unnatural4 ,they do not use all the     
powers with which ,nature has endowed   
them4 ,this has been most forcibly      
impressed upon my mind by the general   
lack of vitality1 or vital energy1      
among singers2 by a general lack of     

physical vitality1 and1 ,i venture to   
say1 largely of mental vitality1 and    
undoubtedly of emotional vitality1      
often1 but mistakenly1 called           
temperament4 ,these things have been    
forced  upon me by the general condition
 of depression which prevails4          
,vitality1  however1 or vitalized       
energy1 is in fact the true means or    
device whereby  the singer is enabled to
 arouse his temperament1 be it great or 
otherwise2  to arouse it1 to use it1 and
 to make it felt easily and naturally4  
,out of every hundred voices tried ,i am
 safe in saying that at least ninety    
are physically depressed1 are physically
 below the standard of artistic         
singing4 ,singing1 it is true1 is more  
mental than physical1 and more          
emotional than mental2 but a right      
physical condition is absolutely        
necessary1 and the development of it    
depends upon the way the pupil is       
taught to think4 ,singing is a form of  
self-expression1 of an expression of    

the emotions4 ,this is impossible when  
there is physical depression4 ,the      
singer must put himself and keep himself
 upon a level with the tone and  upon a 
level with his song1 the atmosphere of  
his song2 upon a level with  the        
sentiment to be expressed1 physically1  
mentally and emotionally4 ,this  cannot 
be done1 or these conditions cannot     
prevail1 when there is  depression4     
,there is1 to my mind1 but one way to   
account for this condition of           
depression among singers4 ,that is1 the 
way they think1 or are taught to  think1
 in regard to the use of their bodies in
 singing4 ,the way in which  they       
breathe and control the breath1 the way 
in which they drive and  control the    
tone4 ,it is the result of rigid        
muscular effort or relaxation1  and both
 depress not only the voice but the     
singer as well4 ,the tonal  result is   
indisputable evidence of this4          
,knowledge comes through experience2 and
 my experience in studying both  sides  

of this question has convinced me that  
there is but one way to  develop        
physical1 mental and emotional vitality 
in the singer1 and that is  through some
 system of flexible1 vitalized bodily   
movements4 ,there must be  flexible     
firmness1 firmness without rigidity4    
,the movements as given in my  book1    
,position and ,action in ,singing1 and  
as here given1 develop these            
conditions4 ,they give the singer       
physical vitality1 freedom of voice1    
spontaneity1 absolute automatic breath  
control1 and make self-expression1      
emotional expression1 and tone-color1   
not only possible but comparatively     
easy4 ,singing is self-expression1 an   
expression of thought and feeling4      
,there must be a medium1 however1 for   
the expression of feeling aroused       
through thought2 that medium is the body
 and the body alone4 ,therefore it  is  
easy to see the importance of so        
training the body that it will respond  
automatically to the thought and will of

 the singer4    ,the opposite of        
depression1 which local effort develops1
 is vitalized  energy1 the singer's     
sensation1 that which ,i have called the
 third power1  and which is a revelation
 to those who have studied both sides of
 the  question4 ,these things1 as ,i    
have said1 have been given to the vocal 
world  in my book1 ,position and ,action
 in ,singing4 ,many have understood     
them1  have used them1 and are          
enthusiastic advocates of the idea4     
,others have not  fully understood them1
 as was and is to be expected4 ,for that
 reason ,i have  written this little    
book in the hope that it might make     
things plainer to  all4 ,i have         
endeavored to embody these practical1   
natural1 necessary  movements in the    
formula of study given in this book4    
,the formula which follows is           
systematically and logically arranged   
for the  study and development of       
fundamental principles through or by the
 means of  these flexible vitalized     

movements4 ,in this way ,i hope to make 
these ideas  plainer and more definite  
to pupil and teacher4    ,every correct 
system of voice-training is based upon  
principle1 theory1 and  the devices used
 to develop the principles4 ,there are  
certain fundamental  principles of      
voice1 which are ,nature's laws laid    
down to man1 and which  cannot be       
violated4 ,upon these principles we     
formulate theories4 ,the  theories may  
be right or wrong1 as they are but the  
works of man4 ,if they  are right1 the  
devices used are more apt to be right4  
,if they are wrong1  wrong effort is    
sure to follow1 and the result is       
disastrous4    ,after all1 the most     
important question for consideration is 
that of the  devices used to develop and
 train the voice4 ,all depends upon     
whether the  writer1 the teacher1 and   
the pupil study ,nature's laws through  
common-sense  methods or resort to      
artificiality4 ,if the devices used are 
right1 if they  develop vitality1       

emotional energy1 if they avoid rigidity
 and depression1  then the singer need  
not know so much about principle and    
theory4 ,but with  the teacher it is    
different4 ,he must know what to think  
and how to think it  before he can      
intelligently impart the ideas to his   
pupils4 ,hence a system  based upon     
correct principle1 theory1 and device is
 absolutely necessary  for the teacher  
who hopes to succeed4    ,the following 
system1 as formulated1 is largely the   
outgrowth of my summer  work at ,point  
,chautauqua1 on ,lake ,chautauqua4      
,there we have a school every  summer1  
not only for the professional singer and
 teacher1 but for those who  desire to  
become such4 ,beside the private lessons
 we give a practical  normal course in  
class lessons4 ,there the principles1   
the theory1 and the  devices used are   
studied and worked out in a practical   
way by lecture1 by  illustration1 and by
 the study of all kinds of voices4 ,many
 who have taught  for years have there  

obtained for the first time an idea1 the
 true idea1 of  flexible vitalized      
movements1 the devices demanded by      
nature for giving the  voice vitality1  
freedom1 ease1 etc4 ,these teachers who 
are thus aroused  become the most       
enthusiastic supporters of1 and         
believers in1 our system of  flexible   
vitalized movements4    ,it is1         
therefore1 through the ,chautauqua work 
that ,i have been impressed  with the   
importance of placing this system in a  
plainer and more definite  way1 if      
possible1 before the vocal world4       
,,part ,,second4    ,,vitality4         
,,article ,,one4    ,,the ,,first       
,,principle ,,of ,,artistic             
,,tone--,,production4      ,the first   
principle of artistic tone-production is
      ,the ,removal of ,all ,restraint4 
,the theory founded upon this principle 
is as follows3 ,correct tone is the     
result of certain conditions demanded by
 ,nature1 not man's ideas4 ,these       
conditions are dependent upon form and  

adjustment2 and form and adjustment1  to
 be right1 must be automatic1 and not   
the result of direct or local  effort4  
,the devices used for developing the    
above conditions are simple vocal       
exercises which are favorable to correct
 form and adjustment1 and are  studied  
and made to influence the voice through 
correct position and  action4    ,a     
correct system for training and         
developing the voice must be based upon 
principle1 theory1 and device2 upon the 
principles of voice which are  ,nature's
 laws1 upon the theories based upon     
these principles1 and upon the  devices 
for the study and development of such   
principles4    ,my purpose in this      
little work is to give just enough      
musical figures or  exercises to enable 
us to study and apply the movements1 the
 practical part  of our system4    ,the 
first principle of artistic             
tone-production is the removal of all   
restraint4 ,this no one can deny without
 stultifying himself4 ,the removal of   

all restraint means absolute freedom1   
not only of form and action1 but of     
tone4 ,it is evident1 then1 that any    
local hardening or contracting of       
muscle1 any tension or contraction which
 would prevent elasticity1 would  make  
the removal of all restraint impossible4
 ,hence we find that this first         
principle is an impossibility with the  
rigid local-effort school4 ,on the      
other hand1 relaxation1 while it may    
remove restraint1 makes artistic        
control and tonicity impossible4 ,hence 
artistic tone1 based upon this first    
principle1 is an impossible condition   
with the limp or relaxed school4        
,that tone is the result of certain     
conditions demanded by ,nature1 and that
  these conditions are dependent upon   
form and adjustment1 cannot be denied2  
but unless form and adjustment give     
freedom to the voice1 unless they       
result in the removal of all restraint1 
then the manner or method in which  they
 are secured must surely be wrong4      

,local effort or contraction cannot  do 
this4 ,relaxation cannot secure the true
 conditions4 ,there is and can be  but  
one principle which makes true form and 
adjustment possible3 ,all form  and     
adjustment must be automatic1 and not   
the result of direct or local  effort4  
,this brings us to a study of devices2  
and devices1 to influence correctly  not
 only the voice but the individual1 must
 be in accordance with natural  and not 
artificial conditions4 ,the singer must 
put himself and keep himself  upon a    
level with the tone--upon a level with  
the tone physically1 mentally  and      
emotionally4 ,the device which we use1  
or the formula1 is1 lift1  expand1 and  
let go4    ,with the singer who         
contracts the throat muscles during the 
act of singing1  that which may be      
called the center of gravity or of      
effort is at the  throat4 ,with the     
singer who carries a consciously high   
chest and a drawn-in  or contracted     
diaphragm1 the center of gravity is at  

the chest4 ,with the  singer who takes a
 conscious full breath1 and hardens and 
sets the  diaphragm to hold it1 the     
center of gravity is at the diaphragm4  
,in none of  these cases is it possible 
to remove all restraint2 for they all   
result in  contraction1 especially of   
the throat muscles1 and make flexible   
expansion--a condition necessary to     
absolute freedom--impossible4    ,place 
the center of gravity1 by thought and   
action1 at the hips4 ,everything  above 
the hips must be free1 flexible1 elastic
 and vitalized when singing4  ,we say1  
lift1 expand1 and let go1 which must be 
in the following  proportion3 ,lift a   
little1 expand more than you lift1 and  
let go entirely4  ,the lift is from the 
hips up1 and must be done in a free1    
flexible manner1  with a constant study 
to make the body lighter and lighter1   
and the  movement more elastic and      
flexible4 ,do not lift as though lifting
 a weight1  but lift lightly as though  
in response to thought or suggestion4   

,expand the entire body in a flexible1  
elastic manner4 ,this will bring into   
action every muscle of the body1 and    
apply strength and support to the       
voice2 for1 as we have found1 there is  
no strength correctly applied except    
through right movement4 ,when we lift   
and expand properly1 we expand the  body
 as a whole1 and not the chest alone1   
nor the diaphragm1 nor the sides4       
,these all come into action and expand  
with proper movement2 but there must  be
 no conscious thought of1 nor conscious 
local effort of1 any particular  part of
 the body4 ,when we lift and expand     
properly the chest becomes  active1 the 
diaphragm goes into a singing position1 
and every muscle of the  body is on the 
alert and ready to respond to the       
thought or desire of the  singer4 ,not  
only this2 when we lift and expand      
properly1 we influence  directly the    
form and adjustment of all the vocal    
muscles1 and especially  the organ of   
sound itself4 ,in this way the voice is 

actually and  artistically tuned for the
 production of correct tone1 as is the  
violin in  the hands of the master      
before playing4    ,lift1 expand1 and   
let go4 ,this brings us to a            
consideration of the  third part of this
 expression1 let go4 ,this is in some   
respects the  most important of the     
three2 for unless the singer knows how  
to let go  properly1 absolute freedom or
 the removal of all restraint is        
impossible1  and the true conditions of 
tone are lacking4 ,the let go does not  
mean relaxation1 for there must be      
flexible firmness without rigidity4     
,with  the beginner the tendency is to  
lift1 expand1 and harden or contract all
  the muscles4 ,this1 of course1 means  
restraint4 ,the correct idea of let  go 
may be studied and better understood by 
the following experiment or             
illustration4    ,stand with the right  
arm hanging limp by the side4 ,lift it  
to a horizontal  position1 the back of  
the hand upward4 ,while lifting1 grip   

and contract  every muscle of the arm   
and hand out to the finger-tips4 ,this  
is much like  the contraction placed    
upon the muscles of the body and of the 
throat by  the conscious-breathing1     
local-effort school4 ,lift the arm again
 from the  side1 and in lifting have the
 thought or sensation of letting go all 
contraction of the muscles4 ,make the   
arm light and flexible1 and use just    
enough strength to lift it1 and hold it 
in a horizontal position4 ,this  should 
be the condition of all the muscles of  
the body under the influence  of        
correct1 lift1 expand1 and let go4 ,lift
 the arm the third time  without        
contraction or with the sensation of    
letting go1 hold it in a  horizontal    
position1 the back of the hand upward4  
,now will to devitalize  the entire hand
 from the wrist to the finger-tips4 ,let
 the hand drop or  droop1 the arm       
remaining in a horizontal position4     
,this condition of the  hand is the let 
go1 or the condition of devitalization1 

which should  be upon the muscles of the
 face1 the mouth1 the tongue1 the jaw1  
and the  extrinsic muscles of the throat
 during the act of singing4    ,thus1   
when we say1 lift1 expand1 and let go1  
we mean lift from the  hips1 the center 
of gravity1 in an easy1 flexible manner2
 expand the body  with a free movement  
without conscious thought of any part of
 it2 have the  sensation of letting go  
all contraction or rigidity1 and        
absolutely release  the muscles of the  
throat and face4 ,the let go is in      
reality more a  negative than a positive
 condition1 and virtually means1 when   
you lift and  expand1 do not locally    
grip1 harden1 or set any muscle of the  
body1 throat1  or face4    ,the lift1   
expand1 and let go must be in proportion
 to the pitch and  power of the tone4   
,this1 if done properly1 will result in 
automatic form  and adjustment1 the     
removal of all restraint1 and open1 free
 throat and  voice4 ,this is the only   
way in which it is possible to truly    

vitalize1 to  arouse the physical1      
mental and emotional powers of the      
singer4 ,this is the  only way in which 
it is possible to put yourself and keep 
yourself upon a  level with the         
tone--upon a level1 physically1 mentally
 and emotionally4  ,this is in truth and
 in fact the singer's true position and 
true condition2  this is in truth and in
 fact self-assertion2 and this1 and this
 only1 makes  it possible to easily and 
naturally arouse the singer's sensation1
  the true sensation of artistic        
singing4    ,we will take for our first 
study a simple arpeggio1 using the      
syllables ,ya  ha1 thus3                
,illustration3 ,,first ,,study4 ,ya1    
ha4444    ,we use ,ya on the first tone1
 because when sung freely it helps to   
place the  tone well forward4 ,ya is    
pronounced as the ,german ,ja4 ,we use  
ha on  all other tones of this study for
 the reason that it is the natural      
staccato of the voice4 ,think it and    
sing it in glossic or phonetically1     

thus3 h,a1 very little h but full1      
inflated1 expanded ,a4 ,a full          
explanation  for the use of ,ya and ha  
may be found in ,position and ,action in
 ,singing1  page #aag4 ,all the studies 
given in this little work for the       
illustration  and study of the movements
 of our system should be sung on all    
keys as high  and as low as they can be 
used without effort and without strain4 
,it has been said that the production of
 the human voice is the effect of a     
muscular effort born of a mental cause4 
,therefore it is important to know  what
 to think and how to think it4    ,we   
say1 put yourself and keep yourself     
constantly upon a level with the  tone1 
mentally1 physically and emotionally4   
,for the present we have to do  with the
 mental and physical only4    ,stand in 
an easy1 natural manner1 the hands and  
arms hanging loosely by the  sides4 ,you
 desire to sing the above exercise4     
,turn the palms of the hands  up in a   
free1 flexible manner1 and lift the     

hands up and out a little1 not  high1   
not above the waist line4 ,when moving  
the hands up and out1 move the  body    
from the hips up and out in exactly the 
same manner and proportion4  ,the hands 
and arms must not move faster than the  
body2 the body must move  rhythmically  
with the arms4 ,this rhythmical movement
 of body and arms is  highly important4 
,in moving1 the sensation is as though  
the body were  lifted lightly and freely
 upon the palms of the hands4 ,the hands
 say to the  body1 ,follow us4 ,in this 
way1 lift1 expand1 and let go4 ,do not  
raise the shoulders locally4 ,the       
movement is from the hips up4 ,the      
entire  body expands easily and freely  
by letting go all contraction of muscle4
 ,do  not first lift1 and after lifting 
expand1 and then finally try to let go1 
as is the habit of many2 but lift1 and  
when lifting expand1 and when  lifting  
and expanding let go as directed4 ,three
 thoughts in one  movement--three       
movements in one--lifting1 expanding1   

and letting go  simultaneously as one   
movement1 which in fact it must finally 
become4 ,this  is the only way in which 
it is possible to secure all true       
conditions of  tone4    ,with this      
thought in mind1 and having tried the   
movement without singing1  sing the     
above exercise4 ,start from repose1 as  
described1 and by using the  hands and  
body in a free1 flexible manner1 move to
 what you might think  should be the    
level of the first tone4 ,just when you 
reach the level of the  first tone let  
the voice sing4 ,move up with the       
arpeggio to the highest  note1 using    
hands1 body1 and voice with free1       
flexible action2 then move  body and    
hands with the voice down to the lowest 
note of the arpeggio2 when  the last    
tone is sung go into a position of      
repose4    ,the movement from repose to 
the level of the first tone is highly   
important1 for the reason that it       
arouses the energies of the singer1 and 
secures all true conditions through     

automatic form and adjustment4 ,do not  
hesitate1 do not hurry4 ,all movement   
must be rhythmical and spontaneous1  and
 never the result of effort4 ,in singing
 the arpeggio the tones of the  voice   
must be strictly staccato2 but the      
movement of the hands and body  must be 
very smooth1 even1 and continuous--no   
short1 jerky movements4    ,the movement
 of the body is very slight1 and at no  
time1 in studying these  first          
exercises1 should the hands be raised   
above the level of the hips or  of the  
waist line4 ,of course with beginners   
these movements may be more or  less    
exaggerated4 ,when singing songs1       
however1 they do not show1 at least  not
 nearly as much as wrong breathing and  
wrong effort4 ,they simply give  the    
singer the appearance of proper dignity1
 position1 and self-assertion4  ,by all 
means use the hands in training the     
movements of the body4 ,you can  train  
the body by the use of the hands in     
one-fourth of the time that it is       

possible to do it without using them4   
,be careful1 however1 not to raise the  
hands too high1 as is the tendency2 when
 lifted too high the energy is  often   
put into the hands and arms instead of  
the body2 in this way the body  is not  
properly aroused and influenced1 and of 
course true conditions are  not secured4
    ,practical rules must rest upon     
theory1 and theory upon nature1 and     
nature  is ascertained by observation   
and experience4 ,now1 if you will       
practice  this arpeggio with a free1    
flexible movement of hands and body1    
getting  under the tone1 as it were1 and
 moving to a level of every tone1 you   
will  soon find by practice and         
experience that these movements are     
perfectly  natural1 that they arouse all
 the forces which nature gave us for the
  production of tone1 that they vitalize
 the singer and give freedom to the     
voice4 ,by moving properly to a level of
 the first tone you secure all true     
conditions of tone2 and if you have     

placed yourself properly upon a level   
with the high tone1 when that is reached
 you will have maintained those  true   
conditions--you will have freedom1      
inflation and vitality instead of       
contraction and strain4    ,by moving   
with the voice in this flexible manner  
we bring every part of the  body into   
action1 and apply strength as nature    
demands it1 without effort  or strain4  
,remember1 there is no strength properly
 applied in singing  without movement4  
,in this way the voice is an outward    
manifestation of an  inward feeling or  
emotion4 ,the voice is your inner or    
higher self1  expressed not at or by but
 through the vocal organs1  aided by the
 whole body as a sound-board4    ,our   
next study will be a simple arpeggio    
sung with the la sound1  thus3          
,illustration3 ,,second ,,study4 ,la4444
    ,this movement1 of course1 must be  
sung with the same action of hands and  
body1 starting from repose to the level 
of the first tone1 and keeping          

constantly upon a level with the voice  
by ascending and descending4 ,sing  this
 exercise first semi staccato1          
afterwards legato4    ,the special      
object of this exercise is to relax the 
jaw1 the face1 and the  throat muscles4 
,a stiff1 set jaw always means throat   
contraction4 ,in this  exercise1 if sung
 in every other respect according to    
directions1 a stiff  jaw would defeat   
the whole thing1 and make impossible a  
correct production  of every high tone4 
,in singing the la sound1 the tip of the
 tongue touches the roof of  the mouth1 
just back of the upper front teeth4     
,think the tone forward at  this point1 
and let the jaw rise and fall with the  
tongue4 ,devitalize the  jaw and the    
muscles of the face1 move up in a free1 
flexible manner to the  level of every  
tone1 and you will be surprised at the  
freedom and ease with  which the high   
tones come4 ,the moving up in the proper
 way applies  strength1 and secures     
automatic form and adjustment2 develops 

or  strengthens the resisting or        
controlling muscles of the voice2 in    
fact1  gives the voice expansion1       
inflation1 and tonicity4    ,remember   
that one can act in singing2 and by     
acting ,i mean the movements as  here   
described1 lifting1 expanding1 etc41    
without influencing the voice or  the   
tone1 without applying the movements to 
the voice2 of course such  action is    
simply an imitation of the real thing4  
,herein1 however1 lies the  importance  
of correct thinking4 ,the thought must  
precede the action4 ,the  singer must   
have some idea of what he wants to sing 
and how he wants to  sing it4 ,a simple 
chance1 a simple hit or miss idea1 will 
not do4 ,make your  tone mean something4
 ,arouse the singer's sensation1 and you
 can soon tell  whether the movement is 
influencing the tone or not4 ,of course 
these  movements are all more easily    
applied on the middle and low tones than
 on  the higher tones1 but these are the
 great successful movements for the     

study and development of the high tones4
    ,as we have learned in our former   
publications1 there are but three       
movements in singing1--ascending1       
descending1 and level movements4 ,we    
have  so far studied ascending and      
descending movements or arpeggios4 ,we  
will now  study level movements on a    
single tone1 thus3    ,illustration3    
,,third ,,study4 ,ah4    ,place yourself
 in a free1 flexible manner upon a level
 with the tone by the  use of the       
movements as before described2 lift1    
expand1 and let go without  hurrying or 
without hesitation1 and just when you   
reach that which you feel  to be the    
level of the tone let the voice sing4   
,all must be done in a  moment1         
rhythmically and without local effort4  
,sing spontaneously1 sing  with abandon1
 trust the movements4 ,they will always 
serve you if you trust  them4 ,if you   
doubt them1 they are doubtful2 for your 
very doubt brings  hesitation1 and      
hesitation brings contraction4 ,sing    

from center to  circumference1 with the 
thought of expansion and inflation1 and 
not from  outside to center4 ,the first 
gives freedom and fullness of form1 the 
latter  results in local effort and     
contraction4 ,the first sends the voice 
out full  and free1 the latter restrains
 it4 ,expansion through flexible        
movement is  the important point to     
consider4 ,when the tone is thus sung1  
it should  result in the removal of all 
restraint1 especially from the face1    
jaw1 and  throat4 ,in this way the tone 
will come freely to the front1 and will 
flow  or float as long as the level of  
the tone is maintained without effort4  
,remember the most important point is   
the movement from repose to the level   
of the tone4 ,if this is done according 
to directions1 all restraint will be    
removed and all true conditions will    
prevail4 ,never influence form4 ,let    
form and adjustment be automatic1 the   
result of right thought1 position1  and 
action4 ,study to constantly make these 

movements of the body easier and  more  
natural4 ,take off all effort4 ,do not  
work hard4 ,it is not hard work4  ,it is
 play4 ,it is a delight when properly   
done4 ,make no conscious1 direct  effort
 of any part of the body4 ,never        
exaggerate the movement or action of    
one part of the body at the sacrifice of
 the true position of another4 ,the     
tendency is to locally raise the chest  
so high that the abdomen is  unnaturally
 drawn in4 ,this1 of course1 is the     
result of local effort1 and  is not the 
intention of the movements4 ,the center 
of gravity must be at the  hips2 and all
 movement above that must be free1      
flexible1 and uniform4#a    ,footnote   
#a3 ,in this connection1 see            
,supplementary ,note1 page #ace4    ,do 
not give a thought to any wrong thing   
you may be in the habit of doing  in    
singing1 but place your mind upon       
freeing the voice1 upon the removal of  
all restraint through these flexible    
vitalized movements3 think the ideal    

tone and sing4 ,when the right begins to
 come through these movements the  wrong
 must go4 ,over and against every wrong 
there is a right4 ,we remove the  wrong 
by developing the right4 ,sing in a     
free1 flexible manner1 the natural      
power of the voice4 ,make no effort to  
suppress the tone or increase its       
power4 ,after the movements are         
understood and all restraint is removed1
  then study the tone on all degrees of 
power1 but remember when singing soft   
and loud1 and especially loud1 that the 
first principle of artistic singing  is 
the removal of all restraint4           
,,article ,,two4    ,,the ,,second      
,,principle ,,of ,,artistic             
,,tone-,,production4      ,the second   
principle of artistic tone-production is
      ,automatic ,breathing and         
,automatic ,breath-,control4            
,theory4--,the singing breath should be 
as unconscious1--or1 rather1  as        
sub-conscious1--as involuntary1 as the  
vital or living breath4 ,it should  be  

the result of flexible action1 and never
 of local muscular effort4 ,the         
muscular breath compels muscular        
control2 hence throat contraction4 ,the 
nervous breath1 nervous control2 hence  
relaxation and loss of breath4          
,devices4--,expand to breathe4 ,do not  
breathe to expand4 ,expand  by flexible1
 vitalized movements2 control by        
position the level of the  tone1 and    
thus balance the two forces1 pressure   
and resistance4 ,in this  way is secured
 automatic adjustment and absolute      
automatic breath-control4    ,more has  
probably been written and said upon this
 important question of  breathing in    
singing than upon any other question in 
the broad field of the  vocal art2 and  
yet the fact remains that it is less    
understood than any of  the really great
 principles of correct singing4 ,this is
 due to the fact  that most writers1    
teachers1 and singers believe that they 
must do  something--something out of the
 ordinary--to develop the breathing     

powers4  ,the result is1 that most      
systems of breathing are artificial2    
therefore  unnatural4 ,most systems of  
breathing attempt to do by direct effort
 that  which ,nature alone can do       
correctly4 ,most breathing in singing is
 the  result of direct conscious effort4
    ,the conscious or artificial breath 
is a muscular breath1 and compels       
muscular control4 ,the conscious        
breath--the breath that is taken locally
  and deliberately 7one might almost say
 maliciously7 before singing--expands   
the body unnaturally1 and thus creates a
 desire to at once expel it4 ,in  order 
to avoid this1 the singer is compelled  
to harden and tighten every  muscle of  
the body2 and not only of the body1 but 
of the throat as well4  ,under these    
conditions the first principle of       
artistic tone-production--the  removal  
of all restraint--is impossible4    ,as 
the breath is taken1 so must it be used4
 ,nature demands--aye1  compels--this4  
,if we take 7as we are so often told to 

do7 a good breath1  and get ready1 it   
means entirely too much breath for      
comfort1 to say  nothing of artistic    
singing4 ,it means a hard1 set          
diaphragm1 an undue  tension of the     
abdominal muscles1 and an unnatural     
position and condition  of the chest4   
,this of course compels the hardening   
and contraction of the  throat muscles4 
,this virtually means the unseating of  
the voice2 for under  these conditions  
free1 natural singing is impossible4    
,the conscious1 full1  muscular breath  
compels conscious1 local muscular effort
 to hold it and  control it4 ,result3 a 
stiff1 set1 condition of the face       
muscles1 the jaw1  the tongue and the   
larynx4 ,this makes automatic vowel     
form1 placing1 and  even freedom of     
expression1 impossible4 ,the conscious1 
artificial breath is  a handicap in     
every way4 ,it compels the singer to    
directly and locally  control the parts4
 ,in this way it is not possible to     
easily and freely use  all the forces   

which ,nature has given to man for the  
production of  beautiful tone4    ,now  
note the contrast4 ,the artistic breath 
must be as unconscious or as            
involuntary as the vital or living      
breath4 ,it must be the result of free1 
flexible action1 and never of conscious 
effort4 ,the artistic1 automatic  breath
 is the result of doing the thing which 
gives the breath and controls  the      
breath without thought of breath4 ,the  
automatic breath is got through  the    
movements suggested when we say1 ,lift1 
expand1 and let go4    ,when the singer 
lifts and expands in a free1 flexible   
manner the body fills  with breath4 ,one
 would have to consciously resist this  
to prevent the  filling of the lungs4   
,the breath taken in this way means     
expansion1  inflation1 ease1 freedom4   
,there is no desire to expel the breath 
got in  this way2 it is controlled      
easily and naturally from position--the 
level of  the tone4 ,when the breath is 
thus got through right position and     

action1 we  secure automatic form and   
adjustment2 and correct adjustment means
  approximation of the breath bands1    
inflation of the cavities--in fact1 all 
true conditions of tone4 ,nature has    
placed within the organ of sound the    
principle of a double valve1--one of the
 strongest forces known in              
mechanics1--for the control of the      
breath during the act of singing4 ,this 
is what we mean by automatic            
breath-control--using the forces which  
,nature  has given us for that purpose1 
using them in the proper manner4    ,if 
the reader is familiar with my last two 
works1 ,vocal ,reinforcement and        
,position and ,action in ,singing1 he   
will have learned through them that we  
have not direct1 correct control of the 
form and adjustment of the parts  which 
secure the true conditions of tone and  
automatic breath-control4  ,these       
conditions1 as we have learned1 are     
secured through the flexible  movements 
which are the ground-work of our system4

 ,therefore we say1  ,trust the         
movements4 ,if you have confidence in   
them1 they will  always serve you4 ,if  
you doubt them1 they are doubtful2 for  
the least doubt  on the part of the     
singer means more or less contraction   
and restraint2  hence they fail to      
produce the true conditions4    ,this   
automatic breathing1 the result of the  
movements described1 does not  show     
effort or action half so much as the    
old-fashioned1 conscious muscular       
breath4 ,breathing in this way means the
 use of all the forces which ,nature    
has given us4 ,breathing in this way is 
,nature's demand1 and the reward is     
,nature's help4    ,the devices we use  
to develop automatic breathing and      
automatic  breath-control are the       
simplest possible exercises1 studied and
 developed  through the movements1 as   
before described4 ,in this way through  
right  action we expand to breathe1 or  
rather we breathe through flexible      
expansion1 and we control by position1  

by the true level of the tone4 ,in  this
 way1 as we have found1 all true        
conditions are secured and maintained4  
,we will take for our first study a     
single tone about the middle of the     
voice4 ,exercise three in ,article ,one 
of this second part of the book will    
suggest the idea4    ,sing a tone about 
the middle of the voice with the        
syllable ah4  ,lift1 expand1 and let go1
 by the use of the hands and the body1  
as before  suggested4 ,the lifting and  
expanding in a free1 flexible manner    
will give  you all the breath that is   
needed2 and the position1 the level of  
the tone1  will hold or control the     
breath if you have confidence4 ,remember
 that  automatic breathing depends upon 
first action1 the movement from repose  
to  the level of the tone4 ,if the      
action is as described1 sufficient      
breath  will be the result4 ,if the     
position1 the level of the tone1 is     
maintained  without contraction1        
absolute automatic breath-control will  

be the result  so sure as the sun       
shines4    ,the tendency with beginners 
and with those who have formed wrong    
habits of  breathing1 is to take a      
voluntary breath before coming into     
action4 ,this of  course defeats the    
whole thing4 ,again1 the tendency of    
beginners or of  those who have formed  
wrong habits1 is to sing before finding 
the level of  the tone through the      
movements1 or to start the tone before  
the action4  ,this of course compels    
local effort and contraction1 and makes 
success  impossible4 ,the singer must   
have breath2 and if he does not get it  
automatically through the flexible      
movements herein described1 or some such
  movements1 he is compelled to take it 
consciously and locally4 ,the  conscious
 local breath in singing is always an   
artificial breath1 and  compels local   
control4 ,under these conditions ease   
and perfect freedom are  impossible4    
,as we have said1 the important thing to
 consider in this study is the  movement

 from repose to the level of the first  
tone4 ,move in a free1  flexible manner 
as before described1 and give no thought
 to breath-taking4  ,when you have found
 the level of the tone1 all of which is 
done  rhythmically and in a moment1 let 
the voice sing1--sing spontaneously4    
,make  no effort to hold or control the 
breath4 ,maintain correct position the  
level of the tone1 in a free1 flexible  
manner1 and sing with perfect  freedom1 
with abandon4 ,as the movement or action
 gave you the breath1 so  will the      
position hold it4 ,the more you let go  
all contraction of body and  throat     
muscles1 the more freedom you give the  
voice1 the more will the  breath be     
controlled1--controlled through         
automatic form and adjustment4  ,this is
 a wonderful revelation to many who have
 tried it and mastered it4  ,those who  
have constantly thought in the old way1 
and attempted to breathe  and control in
 the old way1 cannot of course          
understand it4 ,the tendency of  such is

 to condemn it1--to condemn it1 we are  
sorry to say1 without  investigation4   
,knowledge is gained through experience4
 ,the singer or pupil who tries this    
system of breathing and succeeds1 needs 
no argument to convince him that it  is 
true1 natural and correct4 ,the greatest
 drawback to the mastering of it  on the
 part of many singers and teachers1 is  
the artificial habits acquired  by years
 of wrong thinking and wrong effort4    
,with the beginner it is the  simplest1 
the easiest1 and the most quickly       
acquired of all systems of  breathing2  
for automatic breathing is a            
fundamental1 natural law of  artistic   
singing4    ,for further illustration of
 this principle of breathing we will use
 the  following exercise3               
,illustration3 ,,fourth ,,study4 ,ah4444
    ,place yourself in a free1 flexible 
manner on a level with the first tone4  
,if this is done properly1 you will have
 secured automatically a singing  breath
 and all true conditions of tone4 ,when 

singing this exercise move the  hands   
and body with the tone or voice1        
ascending and descending4 ,in  ascending
 open freely and naturally by letting   
go4 ,do not influence the  form by      
attempting locally to open4 ,do not     
influence the form by locally           
preventing freedom or expansion4 ,let go
 all parts of the face1 mouth and       
throat1 and you will be surprised at the
 power of the tone1 of the breath1  and 
of the breath-control on the upper tone4
 ,you will be surprised to find  that   
you will have secured or developed three
 or four times as much  sustaining      
breath power as you imagined you had4   
,in descending1 care must  be taken not 
to droop or depress1 but to carry the   
voice by controlling the  movements of  
the body1 and only after the last tone  
is finished should the  body go into a  
position of repose4    ,sing this       
exercise in all degrees of power1 soft1 
medium and loud1  maintaining the same  
true conditions on all4 ,the tendency of

 most singers  is to relax and depress  
on soft tone1 or to pinch and contract4 
,soft tone  should never be small in    
form1 and it should always have the same
 vitality  and energy as the louder     
tone4    ,illustration3 ,,fifth ,,study4
 ,ah4444    ,this exercise should be    
studied and practiced in every way      
suggested for  the study of the         
preceding exercises4 ,place yourself    
upon a level with the  first tone1 in   
the manner before described1 and thus   
secure the automatic  breath4 ,do not   
forget to use the hands to suggest the  
movement to the body4  ,the hands should
 be used until the body is thoroughly   
trained to flexible  action4 ,it is     
always a question of the thought before 
the action4 ,do not  allow a conscious  
or local breath before the movement4    
,place yourself upon a level with the   
first tone1 and allow or let the voice  
start spontaneously and freely4 ,make no
 effort to hold the breath4 ,hold  from 
position4 ,sing down1 moving with the   

voice1 but do not let the body or  the  
tone droop or relax4 ,neither must there
 be stiffness or contraction4 ,if  you  
find it impossible to control the voice 
in this way1 or to prevent  depression  
of body and of tone1 then try the       
following way4    ,place yourself upon a
 level with the first tone in the proper
 manner1 sing  down1 but lift and expand
 with an ascending movement of the hands
 and body4  ,open the mouth freely and  
naturally1 and let the tone roll out4   
,you will be  surprised to find not only
 great breath power and control1 but a  
power in  the tone that most singers    
imagine can be got through physical     
force alone4  ,this power is the result 
of expansion and inflation1 the true    
reinforcing  power4 ,the increased      
vitalized energy of the tone is the     
result of the  upward and outward       
movement4 ,this movement of expansion   
and inflation  through flexible action1 
is the true application of strength or  
of power4  ,it is that which we call the

 reverse movement4 ,we sing down and    
move up4 ,it  is the great movement for 
developing the low tones of all voices4 
,this  reverse movement may be applied  
at will to all the studies given2 it    
will  depend upon the effect we may     
desire to produce4 ,if in descending1 a 
quiet  effect is desired1 the movement  
is with the voice4 ,if we want power we 
reverse the action4 ,the body1 when     
properly trained1 becomes the servant of
  the will1 and responds instantly to   
thought and desire4 ,hence the          
importance of correct thought4    ,in   
presenting these ideas to my readers1 ,i
 realize how difficult it is to  put    
them in words1 and how much they lose   
when they appear in cold print4  ,in    
working with a living1 vitalized voice1 
the effect is so different4 ,the  reader
 who may desire to experiment with these
 ideas should place himself  before a   
mirror1 and make his image his pupil1   
his subject4 ,in this way he  can better
 study the movements1 the action1 the   

position1 the level of the  tone1 and   
the breathing4    ,in private teaching1 
of course1 we do not take up one subject
 or principle  and finish that1 and then
 take up the next one2 but one idea is  
constantly  built upon another to form  
the harmonious whole4 ,the formula which
 we use  here1 as we have said1 is the  
one adopted for the normal class at the 
,point  ,chautauqua summer school4 ,this
 we do in order to have the system      
properly  arranged for lecture1         
illustrations1 and for a practical study
 of the  devices1 not only from the     
singer's1 but from the teacher's        
standpoint as  well4    ,the teacher or 
singer who studies and masters this     
course never questions  or doubts the   
truth and power of automatic breathing  
and automatic  breath-control2 or the   
wonderful influence on the voice of     
these movements1  which we call true    
position and action in singing4#a       
,footnote #a3 ,the few exercises or     
studies here given1 as well as a number 

of others1 may be found fully carried   
out with accompaniment1 in ,exercises   
for the ,training and ,development of   
the ,voice1 by the author of this work4 
,published by ,william ,a4 ,pond and    
,company4        ,,article ,,three4     
,,the ,,third ,,principle ,,of          
,,artistic ,,tone-,,production4         
,the third principle of artistic        
tone-production is      ,high ,placing  
and ,low ,resonance4    ,theory4--,tone1
 to be artistic1 must be placed forward 
and high1 and  must be reinforced by the
 low cavities and chest resonance2 it   
must be  placed high1 and reinforced or 
built down by added resonance through   
expansion and inflation4                
,devices4--,place high by removing all  
restraint1 all obstruction1  through    
flexible movements4 ,the high1 forward  
placing is the natural focus  of the    
voice4 ,when the voice is thus placed   
and automatic control prevails1         
reaction and reflection occur1 and the  
sympathetic low resonance of the        

inflated cavities is added to the tone4 
,also study the naturally high  placing 
of ,e and the naturally low color of oo2
 then equalize all the  vowels through  
their influence1 and thus develop       
uniform color and quality  in all4      
,this third principle of artistic       
singing is a very important one1 and    
means  much more than one might1 at     
first thought1 suppose4 ,many singers   
think of  placing simply as the point of
 contact or impact of the air current4  
,placing1 however1 means more than this4
 ,it means not only the correct focus   
of tone forward and high1 but it also   
means reaction and reflection of the    
air current2 in short1 sympathetic added
 vibration of air in the low  inflated  
cavities4 ,this being true1 we find that
 correct placing means even  much more4 
,it means the true form and adjustment  
of all the parts--all true  conditions  
of tone4    ,the prevailing idea of     
placing is the thought of constantly    
pushing up the  tone4 ,result1 the organ

 of sound is pushed out of place and all
 true  conditions disturbed4 ,the       
pushed-up tone means local1 muscular    
effort1  contraction1 and a hard1       
unmusical voice4 ,the voice thus placed 
may be loud  and brilliant1 but never   
soulful or beautiful4 ,the pushed-up    
tone means  singing from the larynx up4 
,it means head-resonance only2 and      
head-resonance is but one side1 and that
 the smallest side1 of this great       
question4    ,tone must be placed       
spontaneously1 with reaction and        
reflection4 ,this shows  at once the    
importance of the first two great       
principles of                           
voice-production1--freedom and automatic
 breath-control2 for without these  true
 placing is impossible4 ,tone placed in 
this way means the ring of the  forward 
high placing and the added resonance of 
the inflated cavities and  especially of
 the chest4    ,in singing1 as we have  
learned1 there are two forces constantly
 in  action1--pressure and resistance1  

or motor power and control4 ,these two  
forces must prevail1 and in order to    
produce the voice artistically1 they    
must be balanced4 ,this is done1        
indirectly1 through the movements we    
advocate1 through the position and      
action of the body4 ,the motor power    
lies  in the diaphragm and in the       
abdominal and intercostal muscles4 ,the 
controlling force lies in the chest1 in 
a properly adjusted larynx and the      
approximated breath-bands4 ,these two   
forces must be balanced during the act  
of singing4 ,most singers are much      
stronger in the driving or motor power  
than in reaction or the controlling     
force2 and with many1 the weakness in   
control1 reaction or adjustment1 is an  
absolute bar to success4 ,hence the     
importance of strengthening the chest1  
and the position of the organ of  sound1
 through physical culture4    ,when     
these two forces1 motor power and       
control1 are not equal1 the balance  of 
force is placed upon the throat and     

throat muscles4 ,this the singer can  no
 more avoid doing than he can avoid     
balancing himself to keep from  falling4
 ,when1 in order to place1 the voice is 
pushed up1 deliberately and  maliciously
 pushed1 both forces are exerted in the 
same direction4 ,they are  then         
virtually but one force--a driving      
force4 ,as there must be two forces  in 
singing1 as ,nature compels this1 there 
is nothing left for the singer to  do   
but to use the throat and throat muscles
 as a controlling force4 ,under  these  
conditions1 as before stated1 the tone  
may be brilliant1 but it will  always be
 unsympathetic and unmusical4    ,i hope
 no one will think for a moment1 in     
considering the movements we  advocate1 
that we do not believe in strength and  
power4 ,we do believe in  applied power1
 applied indirectly2 not by local grip  
and contraction1 but  indirectly through
 vitalized energy1 expansion1 and       
flexibility1 through  the true position 
and action of the singer4 ,there is no  

strength properly  applied in singing   
except through movement2 through correct
 movement all  the forces which nature  
has given the singer are indirectly     
brought into  action2 in this way there 
is constant physical and vocal          
development4    ,every tone sung1 as we 
have learned1 is a reinforced sound4    
,there are two  ways of reinforcing     
tone4 ,first1 by muscular tension1      
muscular contraction1  muscular         
effort--the wrong way4 ,second1 by      
vitalized energy1 by expansion1  and by 
added resonance of air in the inflated  
cavities--the right way4 ,of  course to 
produce expansion and inflation1 true   
conditions of form and  adjustment must 
prevail1 through the movements given4   
,form has much to do with determining   
the quality and character of the tone4  
,muscular effort1 either in placing or  
reinforcing the tone1 results in        
muscular contraction1 and in most cases 
in elliptical form of voice1 thus3      
drawn horizontal oval ,this means       

depressed soft palate1 high larynx1     
contraction of the fauces1 closed       
throat1 and spread open mouth4          
,result--high placing impossible1 no low
 color or reinforcement2 in short1  hard
 muscular tone4 ,the tone may be loud   
but it cannot be musical4    ,the true  
musical form of the voice is elongation1
 thus3 drawn vertical  oval ,this means 
high placing and low resonance2 it means
 that the tone has  the ring of forward 
high placing and the reinforcement1     
color1 and beauty  of added low         
resonance4 ,elongation is a             
distinguishing feature of all truly     
great voices4    ,for artistic tone1 the
 soft palate must be high1 the larynx   
must be low1  and the throat and mouth  
allowed to form1 not made or compelled4 
,the form  must be flexible and elastic4
 ,the larynx must be low in adjustment  
for the  production of beautiful tone1  
but it must never be locally adjusted4  
,it  must always be influenced          
indirectly through the movements we     

advocate1  through the true position and
 action of singing4 ,in this way are    
secured  open throat1 freedom of voice1 
all true conditions4 ,in this way the   
tone  may be placed by impulse1 by      
flexible action1 may be started high and
  instantly reflected into the inflated 
cavities4 ,this means perfect poise of  
voice2 it means the focus of the tone   
high and forward with the sympathetic   
added vibration of the low cavities and 
especially of the chest4 ,this is  the  
only true placing of voice1--the        
combination of head and chest  resonance
 through automatic form and adjustment4 
,a tight throat through  local1 muscular
 effort makes these conditions          
impossible4    ,the true                
resonance-chamber then1 as we have      
found1 is from head to chest2           
sympathetically the resonance of the    
entire body must be added4 ,the true    
artist sings with the body1 through the 
throat1 and never with the throat4  ,in 
this way the entire singer is the       

instrument4 ,fill the body with sound4  
,the higher the tone the more elongated 
the form4 ,nature demands this4 ,if     
this does not occur contraction and     
depression are sure to follow4 ,also the
  higher the tone the lower the added   
resonance1 when the conditions are      
right4 ,in this way the form elongates  
and the compass expands without  effort 
or strain4 ,these ideas studied through 
flexible movements are truly  wonderful1
 but natural means for expanding the    
compass of the voice4    ,much has been 
written lately on the subject of open   
tones4 ,should the tones  be opened or  
closed1 is the question4 ,tone should   
never be closed4 ,it  should always be  
open1 but never out4 ,if it is out of   
the mouth it is not a  singing sound4   
,even the real covered tones of the     
voice should never be  closed4 ,the     
truth is1 the form of the covered tones 
of the voice1 through  elongation1 is   
larger than the form of those which we  
call the open tones1  in                

contradistinction to the covered4    ,in
 the clear timbre of the voice1 the     
bright tone1 the ring of high  placing1 
predominates4 ,in somber timbre1 the    
dark tone1 low resonance1 or  low color1
 predominates4 ,in medium tone both are 
heard or felt more  equally4 ,none of   
this coloring or reinforcing must be    
done by locally  influencing form or    
placing4 ,the voice must be perfectly   
free2 and the  result must be due to    
sentiment1 feeling1 emotion1 to the     
effect it may be  desired to produce4   
,if all restraint is removed1 if true   
conditions  prevail1 this can always be 
done through the singer's sensation1    
through  the use of the third power4 ,it
 is marvelous how1 under right          
conditions1  the voice will respond to  
thought1 to sentiment1 to feeling4      
,the tone thus produced and thus        
delivered1 with perfect breath-control1 
will set the whole body sympathizing1   
from the sole of the foot to  the crown 
of the head4 ,and it is only tones like 

these--that it is  possible to so adorn1
 and decorate1 and beautify1 with the   
due amount of  emphasis1 and accurate   
intensity of emotional feelings1 and    
exquisitely  shaded and ever-varying    
tinges of color in expression--that can 
prove  capable of captivating the heart 
of the hearer1 that can graphically     
impress the listener with such          
sentiments as the vocalist desires to   
convey4    ,we will take for our first  
study a single tone about the middle of 
the  voice4 ,in studying placing and    
resonance1 we must of course observe all
 the  rules laid down in regard to the  
action1 position1 etc4 ,do not take a   
voluntary breath before acting--do not  
start the tone before the action1  two  
things which require constant watching  
on the part of the beginner4  ,either of
 them will virtually cause defeat4      
,remove all obstruction by seeking the  
level of the tone through flexible      
action4 ,think the tone forward and     
high4 ,place by impulse1 and never by   

local effort4 ,have the sensation as    
though the tone started forward and     
high1 as though it impinged against the 
roof of the mouth1 and instantly        
reflected into the low cavities1 and    
especially into the chest4 ,in doing    
this1 relax the jaw1 let go all face and
 throat contraction1 expand the  body1  
and think and feel the chest vibrant and
 filled with tone4 ,in this  way the    
tone may be started high and reinforced 
or built down by the added  resonance of
 all the inflated cavities4    ,another 
way to do this1 is to start the tone    
spontaneously by impulse  through       
correct action2 in doing so1 think and  
feel as though the tone  placed and     
reflected at the same instant1 forward  
against the roof of the  mouth and on   
the chest1--as though the contact or    
impingement of the tone  were felt at   
both places simultaneously4 ,of course  
the high forward placing  in mouth and  
face is the true placing1 and the       
sensation on the chest is  the action or

 reflection of the true placing4 ,this  
can be done through  flexible vitalized 
action alone4 ,with a tight throat or   
local muscular  effort it is impossible4
 ,this is perfect attack1 and in this   
way all force  and push are avoided4 ,in
 this way freedom and inflation are     
secured1 that  condition which unites   
head and chest resonance4    ,think of a
 rubber pouch filled with air4 ,imagine 
you grasp it in the middle  with the    
hand1 and close the hand tight4 ,the    
upper part of this pouch  represents the
 face and high forward placing4 ,that   
below the hand1 or the  lower part1 the 
chest resonance4 ,the hand holding the  
middle of the pouch  represents the     
throat4 ,so long as the hand contracts  
tightly the middle of  the pouch1 there 
is no connection between the air in the 
upper and lower  parts of the pouch4 ,if
 the desire is to connect these two     
parts1 relax the  hand a little1 and    
allow an opening or a free passage      
between them4 ,in  singing1 the same    

relaxation or opening must occur at the 
throat1 if the  desire is to connect the
 ring of high placing with the resonance
 of the low  cavities4 ,if the desire is
 to reinforce1 to build down1 the       
extrinsic  muscles of the throat must   
relax1 and the throat must expand4      
,in thus placing and reinforcing tone1  
the pupil is guided or assisted not     
only by the sense of hearing but by the 
sense of feeling4 ,there will be the    
sensation of freedom1 of ease1 of power2
 a feeling as though the entire  body   
from the head down to the waist were    
open and filled with tone4  ,remember1  
however1 this important fact1 that it is
 possible to lift and  expand1 and even 
to let go1 and yet not to influence the 
tone4 ,we can act  well and yet sing    
with a common tone4 ,the pupil must     
think and feel the  tone1 must think and
 feel the effect desired4 ,the thought  
must precede the  action4    ,this point
 is worthy of all consideration1--right 
thought or right feeling  assists the   

tone in every way1 has1 in fact1 a      
wonderful influence in  developing right
 action4 ,the idealized tone brings into
 action more of the  true powers of the 
singer than it is possible to do in any 
other way4    ,illustration3 ,,sixth    
,,study4 ,ya1 ah4    ,this study lends  
itself easily and naturally1 not only to
 the development  of high placing1 but  
to correct bodily action4    ,sing the  
first tone staccato1 placing the body   
upon a level with the tone  as          
described4 ,then from the level of this 
first tone1 through flexible  vitalized 
action1 carry the body spontaneously or 
by impulse to the level  of the upper   
tone2 the air current or the tone should
 strike the roof of  the mouth well     
forward and instantly reflect into the  
low cavities4 ,in this  way all true    
conditions are secured1 and the voice is
 allowed to sing  instead of being made 
or compelled4 ,there must be a very free
 lift1  expansion1 and let go between   
the first and the upper tone4 ,do not   

let the  second tone start until its    
level is reached1 or the effect will be 
spoiled1 or at least modified4 ,all this
 must be done rhythmically1 which  means
 without the least hesitation1 or       
without the sensation of haste4 ,to     
hesitate compels local effort4 ,to hurry
 disturbs all true conditions4 ,this  is
 a very valuable exercise1 if           
understood4    ,illustration3 ,,seventh 
,,study4 ,ah4444    ,this study is      
virtually the same as the sixth1 except 
that the voice is not  suspended or     
arrested between the first and second   
tones4 ,this exercise  must be studied  
with the same action and the same       
impulse as the sixth  study4 ,some      
singers can get placing and reaction    
better on this study than  on the sixth4
    ,illustration3 ,,eighth ,,study4    
,ah4444    ,find the level of the first 
tone as suggested1 using hands and body2
 move  down1 hands and body going with  
the tone1 while singing the first three 
notes of this exercise2 then1 without   

stopping or hesitating1 reverse the     
action or the movement1 by lifting hands
 and body1 and opening wide by  dropping
 the lower jaw1 while singing the last  
three notes4 ,of course the  voice must 
sing from the highest to the lowest note
 with a continuous  legato flow4 ,the   
movement of the body down with the first
 three notes and  the reverse action1   
moving up and out on the last three1    
must be smooth and  continuous4 ,if this
 is done properly the reverse action    
will give a  wonderful sensation of     
freedom1 openness1 and the power of low 
added  resonance4 ,it demonstrates      
forcibly what is meant by placing up and
  building down4    ,this is the great  
idea or the great movement for          
developing the low tones  in all voices4
 ,when the low tones are thus developed 
by expansion1 but  without effort1 the  
same idea of freedom and low resonance  
can be carried  into the high tones4    
,this can be done especially well and   
easily on  exercises six and seven4 ,the

 higher the tone the lower the resonance
 should  be if the object be a full     
beautiful1 free tone4    ,illustration3 
,,ninth ,,study4 ,ah4444    ,place      
yourself upon a level with the first    
tone as suggested1 and allow the  tone  
to start spontaneously1 striking1 as it 
were1 the roof of the mouth  and the    
chest simultaneously4 ,move body and    
hands down with the voice to  the low   
tone1 and then instantly but            
rhythmically1 lift back to the level  of
 the upper tone4 ,feel as though you    
were under the tone with body and  hands
 in moving up1 and let the tone strike  
by impulse1 the roof of the  mouth1 and 
instantly reflect into the chest4       
,practice this exercise until  it can be
 done with perfect freedom of form and  
action4    ,in starting the first tone  
in all these exercises1 feel the        
vibration in  the face1 on the forehead1
 and on the cheek-bones4 ,if this is    
done without  pushing1 but by flexible  
action1 a sympathetic vibration can be  

felt  through the entire body4    ,a    
very effective and successful study of  
high placing and low resonance may  be  
got through a consideration of the      
natural placing and resonance of the    
vowel sounds4 ,as ,i have written so    
fully on the vowel sounds in my former  
works1 ,i shall simply touch upon that  
important question here4    ,e as in    
reed is naturally the highest placed    
vowel in the ,english  language4 ,u or  
oo as in you or do is naturally the     
lowest in  color4 ,sing ,e with the     
freedom of action as suggested1 and     
think it high in  the face4 ,make no    
effort to influence the form4 ,the form 
of ,e is naturally  very small4 ,e will 
be found in this way to be free and     
bright1 not hard and  wiry4 ,sing oo in 
the same way4 ,the form of oo is also   
very small4 ,oo should  have a          
flute-like sound4 ,it will be found that
 in ,e high resonance  predominates4 ,in
 oo low color4 ,in studying the vowels  
the aim should be to  equalize them by  

placing1 reinforcing1 and coloring them 
as nearly alike as  possible4 ,in this  
way they are equalized instead of       
differentiated4    ,place ,e as         
suggested1 and color it by the thought  
and influence of the low  resonance of  
oo4 ,sing oo as suggested1 and brighten 
it by the thought1  influence1 and high 
placing of ,e4 ,in this way study all   
other vowels1  influencing them by the  
high placing of ,e and the low resonance
 of oo4 ,the  high ring and brightness  
of the reed sounds of the voice1 must be
 modified  and influenced by the color  
and low resonance of the flute sounds4  
,the  flute sounds of the voice must be 
made more brilliant and free by the     
influence of the high placing and high  
resonance of the reed sounds4 ,in  this 
way we equalize all the vowels until1 in
 a certain sense1 they all  have the    
same color and quality and sound1 as    
though they belonged to one  and the    
same voice4 ,for a further study of high
 placing1 use the second  sound of ,o1  

or1 as some writers classify the vowels1
 the second sound of  ,u1--the sound of 
uh as heard in up4 ,this is the highest1
 narrowest1 and  most elongated arch    
form in the ,english language2          
consequently it is1 for  many voices1   
the most favorable sound for the study  
of high placing4    ,all vowel sounds1  
like all tones of the voice1 are        
reinforced sounds4 ,the  tendency of    
most singers is to sing the reed sounds 
too white and the flute  sounds too     
dark4 ,by properly distributing         
brilliancy and color we influence  and  
modify all the vowels without losing    
their character or individuality4       
,,part ,,third4    ,,aesthetics4        
,,article ,,one4    ,,the ,,fourth      
,,principle ,,of ,,artistic ,,singing4  
,the fourth principle of artistic       
singing is    ,emotional or             
,self-,expression4                      
,theory4--,vitalized emotional energy1  
the ,singer's ,sensation1 is  the true  
motor power of the voice4               

,devices4--,a study of tone-color and   
tone-character2 the idealized  tone1    
applied and developed by the use of     
words and sentiment4    ,the student of 
the voice who has studied1 understood1  
and1 to a certain  extent1 mastered the 
first three great principles of voice   
production--the  removal of all         
restraint1 automatic breathing1 high    
placing1 and low  resonance--has        
certainly accomplished much4 ,he has    
aroused and developed  the physical and 
mental vitality of the singer1 the      
vitality and energy of  body and mind4  
,this is the limit of progress or       
development with many1 at  least so far 
as actual tone study is concerned4      
,there comes a time1 however1 in the    
experience of every student of the      
voice1 a stage of the study1 when1 if he
 expects to be an artist1 he must  take 
a step in advance1 a step higher2 he    
must place himself upon a higher  plane 
or level2 he must arouse his true inner 
nature1 the singer's  sensation1 that   

which we have called the third power4   
,this is done by a  study of emotional1 
or self-expression4 ,it is done through 
arousing and  vitalizing the emotional  
energy4 ,vitalized emotional energy1 the
 singer's  sensation1 is undoubtedly the
 true motor power of the artist4    ,at 
just what stage of development the      
consideration of this higher form of    
study or expression should be placed    
before the mind of the pupil1 is a      
question4 ,singers are so different1    
physically1 mentally1 and emotionally4  
,with some ,i have found it best not to 
consider this side of the question      
until they have developed a fair vocal  
technique4 ,this should be the case     
with emotional1 nervous1 excitable      
temperaments4 ,with hard1 cold1 stiff1  
mechanical pupils1 this is often the    
only way in which it is possible to     
arouse them1 in order to give them a    
start1 without wasting weeks or months  
of precious time4    ,the development of
 this principle of vitalized1 emotional 

energy1 depends1  as a rule1 upon       
freedom of voice and the true conditions
 of tone as before  described4          
,therefore1 in order to study this great
 question1 in order to  fully develop   
this higher form of expression1 the     
singer must have mastered  the flexible1
 vitalized movements given in this work1
 must have acquired  through these      
movements absolute freedom of tone4     
,experience teaches us1  however1 that  
there are those who1 while they learn1  
in a certain way1 to  do the movements  
comparatively well1 yet do not entirely 
let go1--they do  not free the voice4   
,with such the study of tone color1 and 
especially the  study of soft color1 not
 soft tone necessarily1 but soft1       
emotional tone  color1 is their only    
salvation4 ,it releases and relaxes all 
the rigid local  tendencies4    ,there  
is a stage of study1 as we have said1 in
 the experience of all  students of the 
voice1 when1 in order to become artists1
 ,nature demands of  them more than mere

 sound4 ,there comes a time when every  
tone of the voice  must mean something1 
must express something1 through the     
character of the  tone1 the idealized   
tone4 ,in this way the personal         
magnetism of the singer  is imparted1   
heard1 and felt4 ,this means the        
expression of thought and  feeling      
through the color and character of the  
tone1 the highest known form  of        
expression4 ,this principle is the      
greatest known agency for the           
development of all the powers of the    
singer1 not only the emotional and      
mental powers1 but the physical as well4
 ,the student of the voice who  studies 
or who is trained in this way1 develops1
 not only in character and  beauty of   
tone1 but in actual physical power and  
control4 ,this study of  tone color and 
tone character develops new power in    
every way4 ,the  mechanical and mental  
alone are but half development1 but this
 is full and  complete development of   
the entire being4 ,in proof of this1    

sing a light1  bright1 happy thought or 
tone1 using the clear timbre1 about the 
middle of  the voice4 ,it will require  
but little strength4 ,then sing a more  
emotional  thought1 sentence1 or tone2  
express deeper feeling1 and it will be  
found  that more strength is required4  
,again1 give utterance to tone or words 
which express sadness1 sorrow1 or       
intense pleading1 using the somber      
timbre  of the voice1 and much more     
strength will be required4 ,this will be
  especially noticeable in the action or
 energy of the diaphragm and  abdominal 
muscles4 ,it will be found that the low 
muscles of the body exert  more strength
 on somber timbre than on clear tone4   
,this1 in order to induce  the deep1 low
 setting of the voice at the organ of   
sound1 necessary for the  production of 
somber or dark tone1 and the expression 
of deep1 emotional  feeling4 ,it is easy
 to see that this means greater physical
 as well as  emotional development2     
physical development1 not only of every 

muscle of  the body1 but of the organ of
 sound itself2 a development which can  
be  attained through the study of tone  
color and emotional expression only4    
,the power of vitalized emotional       
energy1 ,i might say the power of the   
emotional power1 cannot be              
overestimated4 ,the power of an         
emotional climax1  imparted through the 
soft color of the voice1 is often       
greater than that of  the dramatic      
climax2 it will often influence and     
affect an audience in the  most         
startling way4 ,we find that thought and
 will control all physical  action in   
singing4 ,if the thought is right1 the  
action will be right2 if  wrong1 the    
action will surely be wrong4 ,when right
 thought and action have  developed     
absolute freedom1 then the emotional    
energy1 the singer's  sensation1 the    
true power of the voice1 should dominate
 everything4 ,the  mind or will controls
 the body through thought1 but the      
thought must be  aroused through feeling

 or emotion2 and the feeling or emotion 
is inspired  by the sentiment to be     
expressed4 ,this means1 of course1 the  
higher form of  expression1 means the   
power of tone color and tone character2 
but it  depends first upon all true     
conditions of tone1 mental and physical1
 and  then upon the temperament1 upon   
the heart1 and soul of the singer4      
,singing1 as we have said1 is more      
psychological than physiological4 ,this 
whole system of flexible1 vitalized     
movements1 is first aroused by right    
thought1 and finally applied and        
controlled through the mind or will1 in 
response to feeling or emotional        
impulse4 ,in this way we are able to    
arouse  and use at will the persuasive1 
the impressive1 the fervent voice2 the  
voice that is something more than mere  
sound2 the voice that has character  and
 magnetism4    ,compare two voices that 
are equal in every way in regard to     
power of tone1  compass1 and control4   
,the one varies the color and character 

of the tone  continually with the change
 of thought and sentiment1 and is       
enabled  thereby not only to avoid      
monotony1 but to use the impressive1    
persuasive  voice1 the tone the         
sentiment demands4 ,in this way he has  
magnetic power  and influence over an   
audience4 ,the other voice may be       
bright1 free1 and  clear1 yet may use   
the same quality or color of tone       
constantly on all  styles of singing1   
and on all degrees of power1 it matters 
not what the  thought or sentiment may  
be2 and this style of voice is by no    
means  uncommon1 even among many of our 
public singers4 ,now consider the       
difference in the commercial value of   
these two voices1 which should bear  at 
least some relation to their artistic   
value4 ,no artist can be truly  great or
 fully developed without the power of   
vitalized1 emotional energy1  and       
variety of tone color and character4    
,sing a tone1 about the middle of the   
voice1 without other thought than that  

of simply pure1 free tone4 ,it will be  
found that in the most beautiful  voice 
the tone will be common-place1          
meaningless2 in many voices it will be  
simply sound4 ,now place yourself in    
every way upon a higher1 a more lofty   
plane4 ,think of higher ideas and       
ideals4 ,in other words1 idealize the   
tone4  ,remember1 the ideal is the      
truth1 and not exaggeration4 ,appeal to 
your  emotional energy1 the singer's    
sensation1 and give expression to       
thought  and feeling aroused in this    
way4 ,give expression to an actual      
life-throb1  whether it be of love or   
hate1 of joy or sadness1 of ecstasy or  
despair4  ,the result1 the change of    
tone1 character1 and quality1 will be   
astonishing1 will ofttimes be           
electrifying4 ,in this way make the tone
  actually mean something4 ,feel like a 
singer1 assert yourself1 express        
thought1 sentiment1 feeling1 emotion1   
and not simply sound4    ,simple sound1 
as a rule1 is meaningless and unnatural4

 ,nature demands1 for  the expression of
 beautiful1 artistic tone1 that all the 
powers she has  given the singer--the   
powers1 physical1 mental1 and           
emotional--be brought  into action and  
put into the tone4 ,character and       
magnetism of tone must be  aroused in   
most voices4 ,this cannot be done       
through the mechanical and  mental      
powers alone4 ,it requires the study and
 development of the emotional  energies 
of the singer4 ,in other words1 the     
singer must put himself1 not  only upon 
a physical and mental level1 but upon   
the emotional level of the  tone as     
well4    ,all voices have two distinct  
color or character effects1 the reed and
 the  flute4 ,these effects are the     
result of vowel forms1 and of the       
predominating influence of high placing 
or of low resonance4 ,when we desire    
brilliancy1 the reed effect should      
predominate4 ,when we desire dark color 
or more somber effects1 the flute       
quality should prevail4 ,in clear tone  

or  timbre there is more reed effect    
than flute4 ,in medium tone or color the
  effect of both is heard and felt4 ,in 
the somber tone the flute  predominates4
 ,to express joy or happiness we use the
 clear timbre1 and the  ring of high    
forward placing predominates4 ,to       
express a deeper feeling1 a  more       
serious but not a sad tone1 that which  
we call the emotional form1  both the   
clear and the somber are heard in       
various proportions2 the high  placing  
and the low resonance are about equally 
balanced4 ,to express  sadness the      
somber color or low resonance           
predominates4    ,apply these ideas on  
all the exercises given4 ,use sentences 
which contain  thought or sentiment that
 will enable you to arouse a definite   
feeling4 ,for  example1 to study the    
clear timbre1 sing1 ,my heart is glad4  
,to  express the emotional tone1 the    
tone which is not sad but serious1 sing1
  ,my heart is thine4 ,to express a     
somber sound or sadness1 sing1 ,my      

heart is sad4 ,to express a ringing1    
dramatic tone1 sing1 ,thy  heart is     
false4 ,thus we express four different  
effects on the one  word1 heart4        
,this subject of emotional expression   
through tone color and tone character   
is so great1 so important1 that it is   
impossible to do it justice in this     
little work4 ,i have written more fully 
on this and kindred subjects in my      
other works1 therefore ,i shall here    
touch but lightly upon the aesthetics   
of the vocal art4    ,it should be      
remembered that the prime object for    
which this book was  written1 was to    
place more clearly1 if possible1 before 
my readers1 the  importance and         
wonderful influence of the flexible1    
vitalized movements of  our system4     
,these movements1 we find1 so directly  
influence the voice1 the singer1 and    
the results in every way1 that we feel  
justified in again calling attention  to
 them4 ,too much cannot be said of them1
 for the average student of the  voice  

is inclined to neglect them4 ,if they   
have been1 to a certain extent1         
understood and mastered1 then the study 
of this1 the fourth principle of        
artistic singing1 becomes a             
comparatively easy matter4 ,with the    
student who  does not understand them1  
emotional or self-expression is always a
  difficult matter1 and with many an    
impossibility2 which largely accounts   
for the great number of mechanical      
singers4 ,at least twenty years' hard   
work and study have been put upon these 
movements in order to reduce them  to   
the simplest and most effective form4   
,they are based upon common sense  and  
,nature's laws4 ,of course no one can or
 should expect to understand or  fully  
appreciate them without more or less    
investigation4        ,,article ,,two4  
,,the ,,fifth ,,principle ,,of          
,,artistic ,,singing4      ,the fifth   
principle of artistic singing is        
,automatic ,articulation4               
,theory4--,articulation must be         

spontaneous1 the result of  thought1 and
 of the effect desired1 never of direct 
or local effort4 ,the  thought before   
the action1 never the action before the 
thought4    ,devices4--,the development 
of the consonantal sounds through the   
study of the three points or places of  
articulation1 and the application by    
the use of words1 sentences1 and        
sentiment1 vitalized and intensified4   
,in our course of study or in the       
formula here given1 it will be evident  
to  the reader that we lay much stress  
upon the principle of vitality or       
vitalized energy4 ,in the second part of
 this work we have considered the       
principles and the devices that develop 
physical and mental vitality4 ,in  the  
article which directly precedes this1   
special emphasis is placed upon         
emotional vitality4 ,vitality or        
vitalized energy1 it will be found1     
holds  good also in this1 the fifth     
fundamental principle of artistic voice 
production4    ,articulation1 to be     

artistic1 must be automatic and         
spontaneous2 must be  the result of     
thought and effect desired1 and never of
 direct or local  effort4 ,this being   
true1 we must recognize the importance  
of freedom of  form and action1 of the  
removal of all restraint1 in fact1 the  
importance  of all true conditions of   
tone4 ,this brings us back again to our 
original  position1 as do all the       
fundamental principles of singing2      
namely1--the  importance of the free1   
flexible movements of our system1 upon  
which  freedom of form and action1 in   
fact1 all true conditions of tone1      
depend4    ,language1 spoken language1  
has been considered by many a vocal     
weakness4  ,scientists have contended   
that the consonantal sounds weaken the  
resonance  and power of the vowels4 ,we 
have found the opposite to be true4 ,we 
have  found that the consonantal sounds 
in many ways are a wonderful help in    
developing the voice4 ,this proves that 
which some one has so well said1  ,the  

demonstrations of yesterday are the     
falsehoods of to-day4    ,a free1       
flexible articulation of the consonantal
 sounds helps to place the  voice1 and  
gives it life and freedom4              
,articulation1 under right conditions1  
will not interfere with the legato flow 
of voice4 ,it is not necessary1 as  many
 suppose1 to sacrifice distinct         
utterance in song for the sake of the   
legato flow of voice1 the most desired  
mode of singing4 ,on the other hand1    
the free legato flow of the vowels need 
not interfere at all with distinct      
articulation4 ,the voice is composed of 
two separate and distinct  instruments1 
the organ which produces sounds or      
vowels1 and the  articulating organ     
which produces consonants4 ,these two   
instruments1 when  properly trained1    
strengthen1 complement1 and support each
 other1 and  together they mold vowels  
and consonants into speech4    ,it is   
true that with many1 articulation is a  
difficult matter1 and this is           

especially true on the high tones of the
 voice4 ,no one who has heard the       
majority of the average opera and       
concert singers of the day1 would be    
justified in holding that articulation  
is not a lost art4 ,a free1 distinct    
articulation and use of words in song1  
is the exception and not the rule4      
,this is due largely to the following   
fact--with most singers there is  direct
 or local effort on face1 jaw1 tongue   
and throat1 during the act of  singing2 
in other words1 they grip the parts to  
hold the tone1 and the  higher or louder
 they sing1 the firmer the grip or      
contraction4 ,this  virtually paralyzes 
action1 and makes flexible articulation 
impossible4  ,articulation knows no     
pitch4 ,it should be as easy on a high  
tone as on a  middle or low tone4 ,if   
there were no direct or local effort of 
the  articulating muscles to hold the   
tone1 articulation on the high tone     
would  be as easy as on the middle or   
low tone4 ,this is a fact which has been

  demonstrated again and again4 ,of     
course it is more difficult to learn to 
sustain the high tone without placing   
more or less effort upon the face1  jaw1
 and throat2 but under right conditions1
 the result of right position  and      
action1 this can be done1 and has been  
done many times4    ,articulation1 to be
 artistic1 must be spontaneous1--the    
thought before the  action4 ,think and  
feel the effect desired1 and give no    
thought to the  action of articulation4 
,the action1 under right conditions1 if 
there is no  restraint1 will respond to 
thought and feeling2 it will be         
automatic and  spontaneous4 ,just as the
 singer1 after a certain stage of study1
 should  never produce a tone that does 
not mean something1 that has not        
character1  so in the use of words1 he  
should always sing them in a persuasive1
  impressive manner1 and with free1     
flexible action4 ,as1 under this system1
  we never locally influence vowel form1
 so1 after a certain stage of study  we 

never locally influence consonantal     
action4 ,to be right1 it must be        
automatic and spontaneous4    ,of course
 we recognize the fact that in all vocal
 study there must be a  beginning4 ,the 
pupil must be taught to know and think  
correct physical or  mechanical action  
in singing4 ,he must know what it is1   
what it means1 and  how to think it4    
,then it must be trained to respond to  
thought and will4  ,this we call the    
first two stages of study1 or the       
physical and mental4 ,the  mental1 as   
the student progresses1 must dominate   
and control the physical2  and finally1 
as we have before stated1 the true motor
 power is emotional  energy or the      
singer's sensation4 ,this order of study
 and development holds  good in this    
fifth principle of artistic singing1 as 
in all others4    ,the device to which  
we first resort for the understanding   
and development  of articulation1 is a  
study of the three points or places of  
contact4 ,on  page #ahc of ,vocal       

,reinforcement 7by the author of this   
work7 will be  found a full explanation 
of these three points4    ,a vowel sound
 is the result of an uninterrupted flow 
of the vibratory air  current4 ,a       
consonantal sound1 on the other hand1 is
 the result of a  complete obstruction  
and explosion1 of a partial obstruction 
and explosion1  or of a partial         
obstruction only4 ,the place and manner 
of the obstruction  and explosion1 or of
 the obstruction only1 determine the    
character of the  sound4 ,there are     
three points of obstruction or          
articulation3    #a4 ,the point of      
contact of the base or back of the      
tongue and of the soft  palate4    #b4  
,the contact of the tip of the tongue   
and of the hard palate1 the roof of  the
 mouth4    #c4 ,the contact of the lips1
 or of the lower lip and the teeth4     
,almost any first-class work on the     
elements of the ,english language will  
give the divisions and the location of  
the consonantal sounds4 ,for the        

singing voice it is always best to      
simplify1 hence we divide the           
consonantal sounds into two general     
divisions3 the aspirates1 those which   
are the result of complete obstruction  
and explosion1 or of partial            
obstruction only1 breath and vowel      
sound2 the sub-vocals1 those which are  
the result of partial obstruction and   
explosion1 or of partial obstruction    
only1 sub-vocal and vowel sound4 ,the   
sub-vocals1 as ending or final          
consonants1 are the most difficult of   
all to give their proper value and      
effect4    ,the student of the voice    
should study1 understand1 and           
practically train  the action of these  
three points or places of articulation2 
for at these  three points1 with a few  
exceptions1 all consonantal sounds are  
made4 ,take  all the consonants1 and    
classify them in two columns1 the       
aspirates or  breath sounds in one      
column1 and the sub-vocals in another4  
,we will give  one example of each kind1

 as made at each point or place of      
articulation4  ,by the aid of vowels we 
form syllables1 and thus simplify the   
study1 and  make it more definite4 ,the 
study of consonantal sounds without the 
use of  vowel sounds is very indefinite 
and unsatisfactory4    ,we give the     
formula for the study of articulation1  
as found in ,exercises  for the         
,training and ,development of the ,voice
 7by the author of this  work71 on page 
#ah4                                    
,ko-,ok--,aspirate4  ,thus3   #ast      
,point4                                 
,go-,og--,sub-vocal4                    
,to-,ot--,aspirate4          #b;d       
,point4                                 
,do-,od--,sub-vocal4                    
,po-,op--,aspirate4          #c;d       
,point4                                 
,bo-,ob--,sub-vocal      ,exaggerate the
 consonantal sounds in every instance1  
and the points of  contact or places of 
articulation will be very evident4 ,it  
will also be  evident that the point of 

contact or articulation is much more    
positive on  certain aspirates than on  
the sub-vocals2 while on a few other    
aspirates  the action or obstruction is 
so slight that it is almost impossible  
to tell  where or how they are made4    
,they are the exception to the general  
rule4 ,to  such1 however1 very little   
attention or study need be given4       
,having studied  the formula as given1  
classify the consonants in three        
columns1 under the  headings of #ast1   
#b;d1 and #c;d points or places of      
articulation4    ,at a certain stage of 
study1 when the student of the voice has
 acquired  freedom and control1 when he 
is able to release the face1 jaw1       
tongue1 and  throat from all local      
effort or contraction1--at this stage of
 study it is  wonderful what can be done
 in the way of articulation in a few    
days1 by  this system4 ,i have known    
many singers who could produce beautiful
 tones1  but who could not make         
themselves understood at all in the     

singing of a  song2 yet in a few lessons
 on these three points or places of     
articulation1  practically applied by   
the use of words and sentences1 they    
could sing the  words of a song as      
distinctly as it was possible to speak  
them4    ,for the practical application 
of the above principles of articulation1
 form  groups of vowel sounds1 and make 
syllables by adding consonants1 and sing
  them on single or level tones4 ,first 
place the consonant before the vowel1   
making the articulation the initial     
sound of the syllable4 ,then place the  
consonant after the vowel1 making the   
articulation the final sound of the     
syllable4 ,also sing sentences on single
 tones or level movements4 ,analyze  all
 the consonantal elements of the        
sentence4 ,take for example the         
following sentence1 ,we praise ,thee1 ,o
 ,god1 and notice at which point or     
place of articulation each and every    
consonant is made4 ,let all             
articulation be free1 flexible1 and     

light in movement1 not heavy or         
labored4 ,never work with articulation2 
play with it1 but let it be distinct    
and definite4 ,make no effort of face1  
lips1 or tongue2 let all be free and    
pliable4 ,show no effort or contraction 
of the face in sustaining voice or      
pronouncing words4 ,in other words1     
never sing on the outside of the face4  
,mouth and face must be left free and   
pliable for the outline of form and  for
 expression4 ,use words and sentences in
 an impulsive1 impressive manner        
without local effort4    ,articulation  
must be rhythmically in sympathy with   
the movement or the  rhythm of the song4
 ,even though the voice may flow freely 
on the vowels1  the articulation must   
not be hurried1 nervous or spasmodic4   
,this style of  articulation often      
disturbs the legato flow and spoils the 
general effect4  ,while of course it is 
not possible to sing the consonantal    
sounds1 a  beautiful effect is often the
 result of playing upon the consonant   

rhythmically1 with the movement of the  
song4        ,,article ,,three4    ,,the
 ,,sixth ,,principle ,,of ,,artistic    
,,singing4      ,the sixth principle of 
artistic singing is      ,the ,elocution
 of ,singing4    ,theory4--,the words   
and their meaning1 in modern song1 are1 
as a  rule1 more important than the     
music4    ,devices4--,a study to combine
 elastic vowel form and flexible        
articulation1 applied by the emphasis   
and accent of important words and       
phrases2 also applied through the color 
and character of tone1 and the          
impressive1 persuasive1 fervent voice4  
,in short1 a study of pure diction4     
,every singer and teacher of singing    
should1 in a certain sense1 be an       
elocutionist as well4 ,not an           
elocutionist from the standpoint of many
 who  are called elocutionists1 who are 
stagey1 full of mannerisms1 and who     
exaggerate everything pertaining to     
elocution4 ,of course the better class  
of elocutionists are not guilty of these

 things2 but they do idealize           
everything1 whether they read1 recite1  
or declaim1 and this in their           
profession is a mark of true art4 ,so   
must the teacher and singer learn to    
idealize not only the tone or the voice1
 but everything pertaining to the       
singing of a song4 ,this must be done   
through the manner in which the         
sentiment1 the thought1 the central idea
 is brought out and presented to  the   
hearer2 through the impressive way in   
which the story is told4    ,the        
elocution of singing depends upon a     
knowledge and control of all the        
principles considered up to this point  
of study1--a knowledge and control  of  
physical1 mental1 and emotional power1  
of freedom of form and action1 of       
artistic vowel form and automatic       
articulation1 of the removal of all     
restraint1 in fact1 of all true         
conditions of tone4 ,to interpret well1 
the  singer must have mastered the      
elocution of singing1 must be able to   

bring  out every vowel and consonantal  
element of the words1 must know how to  
use  and apply tone color and tone      
character1 the impressive1 persuasive1  
fervent voice4 ,the singer must idealize
 not only the tone1 but the words of    
the song2 just as the painter idealizes 
the landscape1 so the musical  artist   
must use his powers of idealization in  
interpreting the work of the  composer4 
,to be able to do this1 his diction must
 be as pure1 his language  as polished1 
as that of the most accomplished orator4
    ,the power of word vitality in the  
singing of a modern song1 is one of the 
great elements of success1 if not the   
greatest4 ,not an exaggerated form of   
pronunciation1 but an intense1 earnest1 
impressive way of bringing out the      
thought4 ,it would be interesting to    
know what per cent of teachers and      
singers can read properly the words of a
 song2 to know how many of them1 or     
rather how few of them1 have ever given 
this phase of the study1 thought or     

attention4 ,most of them act as though  
they were really ashamed to try1 when   
you ask them to read the words of a     
song1 and when they read them1 they     
apparently have no thought of           
expressing1 or no idea of how to express
 the  elevated thought or feeling1      
necessary to bring out the author's     
ideas4 ,it  is almost impossible to make
 them idealize the words through the    
elocution  of singing2 and yet in the   
artistic rendition of a song1 a ballad1 
or a  dramatic aria1 the words are often
 of more importance than the music4 ,the
  singer should study the story of a    
song by reading it aloud upon the       
highest plane or level of emotional or  
dramatic expression4 ,to do this1 he    
must know and apply the elocution of    
singing4 ,then he should endeavor to    
bring out the same lofty ideals when    
applying the words to the music4    ,why
 do not singers read or talk as they    
sing8 was a question once asked  by a   
prominent elocutionist4 ,why do not     

elocutionists sing as they talk or      
read8 ,i replied4 ,this1 of course1 at  
once suggests an interesting subject    
for discussion4 ,to give the reason in a
 general way1 is simply to state  that  
singers1 as a rule1 do not apply the    
principles of their art to the  talking 
voice4 ,hence they often read and talk  
badly4 ,the same is true1 as a  rule1 of
 elocutionists4 ,they do not apply the  
principles of their art when  they      
attempt to sing4    ,the devices we use 
are a study of elastic vowel form and   
flexible  articulation1 applied by the  
emphasis and accent of important words  
in  phrases and sentences4 ,then a study
 of the character and tone color        
necessary to express the meaning of the 
words4 ,then a use of the earnest1      
impressive1 persuasive voice1 as the    
text may demand4 ,by using these forces 
or principles1 as suggested by the      
thought and sentiment of the words1 we  
arouse the emotional power1 the         
magnetism of the voice1 and thus        

influence  the hearer4 ,through the     
elocution of singing we place our       
emotional1 our  personal expression upon
 a high and lofty plane4 ,we thus       
express the  central thought1 the high  
ideals of the composer1 and through the 
earnest1  impressive voice impart them  
to the hearer4        ,,article ,,four4 
,,the ,,seventh ,,principle ,,of        
,,artistic ,,singing4      ,the seventh 
principle of artistic singing is        
,interpretation4    ,theory4--,singing  
means infinitely more than the use of   
words and  music2 it means the          
expression of the author's idea as a    
whole4    ,devices4--,the application of
 all true principles by drawing1 as it  
were1 a mental and emotional            
tone-picture1 as suggested by words and 
music4    ,the following article upon   
this subject was kindly written1        
especially for  this book1 by my friend 
and pupil1 the well known teacher1 ,mr4 
,john  ,randolph4    ,interpretation in 
song is the faithful reproduction of the

 intention of  both poet and composer4  
,this reproduction includes the         
revelation of the  characteristics of   
the poem itself1 whether lyric1         
dramatic1 or in other  ways distinctive4
 ,it also reveals the musical           
significance of the  composition to     
which the words are set4 ,the melodic1  
rhythmic1 and even  harmonic values must
 be made clear to the hearer4 ,but      
interpretation  includes more than this 
reproduction1 essential though it may   
be4 ,if the  expression of the intention
 of poet and composer fulfilled the sum 
total of  interpretation1 one           
performance would differ little from    
another4 ,a  clear-cut1 automatic       
precision would be the result1 perhaps  
as perfect as  the repetition given out 
by a music-box and certainly no more    
interesting4  ,another element enters   
into interpretation4 ,the meaning of the
 poem and its  accompanying music must  
be displayed through the medium of a    
temperament  capable of self-expression4

 ,a personal subjective quality must    
enter into  the performance4 ,the singer
 must reveal not only the significance  
of words  and music1 but his own        
intellectual and emotional comment upon 
them4 ,upon  this acceptance of the     
inner meaning of words and music1 and   
upon his  ability to weave around them  
some strands of his individuality1      
depend the  character and originality of
 the singer's interpretation as a whole4
 ,let us  see how this comprehension of 
the meaning of songs may be acquired2   
upon  what foundations rests the ability
 to make the meaning clear2 and if we   
can  do so1 let us discover the springs 
of that elusive quality commonly called 
temperament which gives the personal    
note to one rendition as distinct  from 
another1 and without which the clearest 
exposition of vocal meanings  becomes   
tame and colorless4    ,the singer is a 
specialist1 but all successful          
specialization rests upon  the broad    
foundations of general culture4 ,the    

reason why there are so many  singers   
and so few artists who thrill us with   
the revelation of the  intimate beauties
 of the songs of ,franz1 ,grieg1 and    
,mac,dowell1 to take only  a few names  
from the rich list of song writers1 is  
because people sing  without acquiring  
the range of vision which makes such    
interpretation  possible4 ,how can one  
sing1 let us say1 a ,german song1 imbued
 with ,german  romanticism and          
melancholy1 unless he knows something of
 the ,german art1  the ,german spirit1  
the ,german language1 the ,german       
national  characteristics8 ,a knowledge 
of literature1 art in general1 and the  
,humanities1 to use an old-fashioned    
word1 is absolutely necessary to        
interpretation of a high order4 ,too    
often1 alas1 the singer imagines that   
the study of tone production1 or        
acquaintance with musical literature1 or
 a  polished diction1 will make him sing
 with the combination of qualities      
called style4 ,not so6 ,upon the broad  

foundations of general culture1 which   
distinguishes the man of refinement from
 his less fortunate brother1 rests  also
 the specific ability to sing with      
distinction4 ,moreover1 the singer  must
 have definite musical ability1 natural 
and developed by study4 ,he must        
thoroughly comprehend rhythm1 melody1   
and harmony in order that his  attention
 may not be distracted from             
interpretative values to ignoble        
necessities of time and tune4 ,it is not
 possible to sing ,mozart1 not to say   
,beethoven and ,wagner1 without         
acquaintance with the vocabulary and    
grammar  of the wonderful language in   
which they wrote4 ,familiarity with the 
traditions of different schools of      
composition and performance is necessary
  also in order not to sing the songs of
 ,bach and ,handel like those of        
,schubert and ,schumann1 or ,brahms like
 the modern ,french composers2 in order 
not to interpret with like effects      
indiscriminately songs of the oratorio  

and opera1 of ,italian1 ,german1        
,french1 ,english and modern ,russian   
schools4    ,unquestionably the singer  
must have control of the physiological  
and  technical possibilities of his     
voice4 ,no one can make words and music 
mean  anything while he is wondering    
what his voice may do next4 ,developed  
intelligence1 emotional richness and    
refinement1 musical knowledge1 a        
properly placed voice capable of        
flexibility and color1 distinct         
articulation1 polished diction1 these   
are some of the preliminaries to        
successful interpretation in song4      
,let us see what special qualifications 
assist in the actual performance of     
song1 in the attempt to give pleasure or
 artistic gratification by singing      
songs for others to hear4 ,in the first 
place let us consider the  limitations  
as well as the advantages of the human  
voice4 ,i must ask you to  remember that
 considered as an instrument it is      
smaller in power than some  instruments1

 shorter in range than many others1     
often less beautiful than  the tones of 
the violin4 ,but in one respect it      
transcends all others4 ,it is  capable  
of revealing the mind and soul of the   
one who plays upon it4 ,the  speaking   
voice1 as well as the voice in song1    
reveals thought and feeling  to the     
hearer2 those subtler shades of meaning 
which distinguish man1 made  in the     
image of ,god1 from his humble          
companions1 are made clear to those     
about him by this instrument--this      
wonderful1 persuasive1 cajoling1        
beseeching1 enthralling1 exciting1      
thrilling1 terrifying instrument6 ,have 
you not been moved by the tones of the  
speaking voice8 ,how can we train the   
voice in song to express these varying  
shades of meaning1 and can we learn  to 
use them systematically instead of      
accidentally or when we are impelled  by
 strong emotion8 ,i know that there is a
 popular impression that some  singers  
possess a mysterious quality known as   

temperament1 and that  others do not4   
,having this uncertain quality1 one     
singer stirs an audience2  having it    
not1 the hearer remains unmoved4 ,if by 
temperament1 intelligence  and emotional
 richness of nature are meant1 ,i do not
 believe that anyone  who is not to some
 extent possessed of these faculties can
 stir the  feelings of his hearers to   
any considerable degree4 ,but surely    
many1 almost  all people capable of     
conquering the physiological1           
psychological1  technical1 and musical  
difficulties to be overcome before      
learning to sing  at all well1 possess  
these qualities4 ,and even if modern    
songs of the best  type abound in       
subtle1 emotional expression and varying
 shades of  intellectual significance1  
it is1 ,i believe1 possible for most    
singers to  gain in interpretative      
facility by learning to connect the     
thought and  feeling underlying the song
 with the spoken words which are their  
natural  outlet and expression4    ,i   

say spoken words2 for speech is the more
 spontaneous expression of  thought and 
feeling1 through which individuality    
attains its simplest and  most complete 
expression4 ,speech is the normal method
 through which we make  clear our       
ordinary thoughts1 feelings1 desires1   
repulsions1 and attractions  to those   
about us4 ,song is the finer flower of  
artistic expression1 one of  the means  
through which imagination and the       
creative and interpretative  faculties  
find an adequate medium and outlet4 ,but
 the words of the poem1  whether spoken 
or sung1 must first be thoroughly       
understood before the  reader or singer 
attempts to make anyone else comprehend 
or feel them4 ,too  often an apparent   
lack of temperament is only the failure 
to have a  definite understanding of the
 meaning of the words the singer is     
vainly  endeavoring to impress upon his 
audience4 ,let the singer recite or read
  aloud the words of his songs4 ,this is
 a natural form of expression1 and      

requires a less complex process of      
thought than singing1 which demands     
several automatic reflexes in securing  
tone production2 let him read aloud1    
trying to give out every shade of       
thought and feeling the poem contains1  
in  a tone which is persuasive and      
appealing4 ,later1 when he can do this  
with  appropriate emphasis in speech1   
let him try to express the same meanings
 in  his singing voice4 ,in all         
probability he will find that he is much
 assisted  by the music1 if his tone    
production is reasonably correct and    
authoritative1 and he be enough of a    
musician to grasp readily tonal  values4
 ,the sense of the words1 the emotion   
and thought underlying the  words1 will 
suggest the color and character of voice
 appropriate to the  expression and     
interpretation of the song as a whole4  
,of course1 if he  tries to impress upon
 his hearer that he thinks it rather    
weak and foolish  to give up completely 
to the full significance of the words1  

and to  impersonate their narrative or  
dramatic significance1 there is no help 
for  him4 ,i am inclined to think that  
the fear of seeming exuberant or        
foolish1  the unwillingness to give     
one's inner self to others1 or a        
self-consciousness which prevents it1 is
 at the root of much apparent lack  of  
temperament4 ,the singer must be both   
the narrator of the story of the  poem  
and the impersonator of the principal   
characters in that story4 ,upon  the    
completeness of his understanding of the
 meaning of the poem1 and his           
revelation of its meanings1 as well as  
upon the absence of stiffness or        
self-consciousness in suggesting the    
moods or characteristics displayed1     
will depend the impression of           
temperamental force upon his audience4  
,the following suggestions may be of    
some value as devices in making songs   
mean something2 and this1 after all1 is 
the object of all attempts at           
interpretation4    ,suppose you take a  

new song--one you have never seen       
before4 ,do not sit at  the pianoforte1 
and play at it and sing at it until1    
after a fashion1 you  know it4 ,this way
 of learning leads to the kind of       
statement recently heard  after a       
peculiarly bad performance1 ,why1 ,i    
never think of the words at all  when ,i
 sing6 ,instead of doing this1 if you   
have been taught to do so1 read  the    
song through1 observing its general     
character4 ,if thinking music  without  
playing or singing be impossible for    
you1 play it over1 carefully  noting    
tempo and other general characteristics1
 until you have an  understanding of the
 melody1 rhythm1 and musical content4   
,observe how the  words fit the music1  
still without singing4 ,then read the   
poem silently and  carefully1 and decide
 whether it is narrative1 lyric1        
dramatic1 churchly1  or in other ways   
distinctive4 ,next read the poem aloud1 
giving the voice  character appropriate 
to its sentiment1 phrasing it           

intelligibly1 observing  the emotional  
portent1 and coloring it accordingly4   
,if the poem be  narrative1 tell the    
story with life and vitality2 if it be  
dramatic1  attempt to impersonate the   
characters concerned2 if it be          
devotional1  recite with dignity and    
devotional quality4 ,finally1 when both 
words and  music are well in the mind1  
if possible with an accompaniment1 but  
certainly standing1 sing the song4      
,sing1 making a compromise between the  
strict rhythmical value of the notes and
 the demands of the sense of the  words4
 ,keep the general outlines of the music
 so far as phrasing and rhythm  are     
concerned2 but whenever a sacrifice must
 be made1 sacrifice the musical  value  
and emphasize the emotion1 the meaning1 
the poetry1 the dramatic or  narrative  
significance of the words4 ,phrase with 
this end in view2  sacrifice anything   
except tone-production to this end4 ,do 
not distort the  rhythm1 but bend it    
sufficiently to emphasize important     

words and  syllables1 by holding them a 
little1 at the expense of unimportant   
words or  syllables4 ,finally1 remember 
that misguided enthusiasm is not        
interpretation4    ,no real             
interpretation is possible without a    
full comprehension of the  meaning of   
both words and music4 ,study the voice4 
,study its possibilities  and its       
limitations4 ,study music until the     
musical element of difficulty is        
reduced to a minimum1 and until the     
character1 style1 and traditions of the 
various song forms are well within your 
grasp4 ,no matter how beautiful may  be 
the voice1 or how well placed1 no amount
 of enthusiasm or temperament  can atone
 for a meaningless or unintelligent     
treatment of the intellectual1          
emotional1 and musical characteristics  
of the song as a whole4                 
,,supplementary ,,note4      ,the       
tendency of many is to raise the hands  
and arms too high2 the hands  should not
 be raised above the waist-line4 ,if    

raised too high1 the energy  is often   
put in the action of the arms instead of
 the body2 or the upper  part of the    
body only is moved1 and thus the most   
important effect or  influence for power
 and control is wanting4 ,the action    
must be from the  hips up1 and not only 
from the hips1 but the hips must act and
 expand with  the body4 ,remember the   
center of gravity must be at the hips4  
,if it is  found that the tendency is to
 raise the hands too high1 then try or  
study  the action as follows3    ,place 
the hands upon the hips1 and when coming
 into action1 when seeking  the level of
 the tone1 or during the act of singing1
 see that the hips  expand freely and   
evenly with the body4 ,this should be   
tried and practiced  frequently by all  
in order that the movement may be from  
the hips up and  not above the hips     
only4 ,when the hips are thus brought   
into action1 the  abdominal muscles and 
the diaphragm are strengthened1 and     
their position  and action are correct4 

,when the upper part of the body only is
 brought  into action the position of   
the diaphragm and abdominal muscles is  
often  weakened4 ,remember that the     
basic law or foundation principle of our
 whole  system of movements is movement 
from the hips up1 including the action  
or  expansion of the hips in connection 
with the movements of the entire body4