,transcriber's ,note3 ,this text is intended for users whose text readers cannot use the real 7unicode_/utf-#h7 version of the file4 ,characters that could not be fully displayed have been unpacked and shown between braces3 -a1 a31 -e1 -,i1 -o1 -,u 7long vowels7 7a1 7e1 7i1 7oo 7short vowels7 ,the flat symbol is shown as b4 ,sharps are shown with the number sign 4 ,in the printed text1 all musical references--including single notes showing pitch--were shown on a musical staff4 ,in this e-text1 these brief passages are shown in brackets as ,music3 e' e''1 where c'-c'' is the octave beginning at middle ,c4 ,durations are not significant and have generally been omitted4 ,within illustrations1 text in braces was added by the transcriber4 ,typographical errors are listed at the end of the e-text4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,child-,,voice ,,in ,,singing ,treated ,from ,a ,physiological and a ,practical ,standpoint and ,especially ,adapted to ,schools and ,boy ,choirs ,by ,,francis ,e4 ,,howard ,supervisor of ,music in the ,public ,schools and ,choirmaster of ,st4 ,john's and ,trinity ,churches1 ,bridgeport1 ,conn4 ,,new ,,and ,,revised ,,edition ,new ,york3 ,the ,h4 ,w4 ,gray ,co4 ,sole ,agents ,for ,,novello ,,co41 ,ltd41 ,london ,made in the ,united ,states of ,america ,copyright1 #ahie ,by ,f4 ,e4 ,,howard ,copyright1 #ahih ,by ,,novello1 ,,ewer ,,co4 ,copyright renewed1 #aibc ,,preface ,,to ,,the ,,second ,,edition4 ,one of the most encouraging signs of the growth of musical taste and understanding at the present time as regards the singing of children1 is the almost unanimous acquiescence of choirmasters1 supervisors1 teachers1 and others in the idea that children should sing softly1 and avoid loud and harsh tones2 and the author ventures to hope that the first edition of this book has helped1 in a measure at least1 to bring about this state of opinion4 ,it is true that for a long time the art of training children's voices has been well understood by choirmasters of vested choirs1 and by many others1 but its basis was purely empirical4 ,something more1 however1 than the dictum of individual taste and judgment is needed to convince the educators of our schools of the wisdom of any departure from established customs and practices4 ,the primary end1 then1 of the author has been to show a scientific basis for the use of what is herein called the head-voice of the child1 and to adduce1 from a study of the anatomy and physiology of the larynx and vocal organs1 safe principles for the guidance of those who teach children to sing4 ,the conditions under which music is taught in schools call for an appeal to the understanding first1 and taste afterward4 ,these conditions are3 ,first1 the actual teaching of music is done by class-room or grade teachers4 ,the special teacher1 who usually supervises also1 visits each room1 it may be as often as once a week1 but in most towns and cities not oftener than once in three or four weeks4 ,at any rate the class form their ideals and habits from the daily lessons1 which are given by their grade teacher4 ,second1 these teachers in the great majority of cases acquire their knowledge of music through teaching it1 and must also1 it can easily be understood1 develop a sense of discrimination in musical matters in the same way4 ,there is a strong natural tendency in the school-rooms to emphasize the teaching of music1 or teaching about music1 as contrasted with actual singing4 ,the importance of using the voice properly will not suggest itself to many teachers4 ,it is necessary1 then1 that this1 which is the essence of all instruction in vocal music1 should be brought to the attention of the vast army of instructors in our public schools in as convincing a way as is possible4 ,now the best1 and in fact the only way to secure the assent of our educators to a new idea in school work1 is to prove its truth4 ,it is useless to dispute about tastes1 and so the less said about harsh tone to a teacher accustomed to hear it daily1 and to like it1 the better2 but prove to this teacher that the harsh tone is physically hurtful to the child1 and that for physiological reasons the voice should be used softly and gently1 and you have won a convert1 one1 too1 who will quickly recognize the aesthetic phase of the change in voice use4 ,the author knows from observation and experience that children in the public schools can1 under existing conditions1 be taught good habits of voice use4 ,there are wonderful possibilities of musical development1 in the study of music in schools1 and the active interest of every musician and music lover should be exercised to the end that its standard may be kept high4 ,,preface4 ,it will be generally admitted by those who are able to judge1 that the singing of children is more often disagreeable than pleasant1 and yet the charm of childhood and the effect of custom are so potent that many who are keenly alive to any deficiency in the adult singer1 listen with tolerance1 and it would seem with a degree of pleasure even1 to the harsh tones of children4 ,this tolerance of rough1 strident singing by children is as strange as the singing4 ,it cannot be right for children to sing with the coarse1 harsh tone that is so common1 and it is not right1 although there is a prevalent idea that such singing is natural1 that is1 unavoidable4 ,this idea is false4 ,the child singing-voice is not rough and harsh unless it is misused4 ,the truth of this statement can be easily demonstrated4 ,if it were not true it would be difficult to justify the teaching of vocal music in schools1 or the employment of boy sopranos in church choirs4 ,it seems to the author that the chief difficulty experienced by teachers and instructors of singing1 in dealing with children1 lies in the assumption1 expressed or implied1 that their voices are to be treated as we treat the voices of adults-- adult women2 but the vocal organs of the child differ widely from those of the adult in structure1 strength and general character4 ,as a consequence1 there is a marked difference in voice4 ,vocal music has been very generally introduced into the schools of our country during the past few years1 and there is evidently a very general and earnest desire that children be taught to sing4 ,it is also the wish of those who are teachers to do their work well4 ,while there are many books to aid educators upon every other subject taught in public schools1 the literature on the voice1 particularly the singing-voice1 is meagre1 and it is believed that some direct1 practical hints on this topic may be welcome4 ,the following pages are the result of several years' experience in teaching1 and of careful study of children's voices4 ,the author has attempted to describe the physiological characteristics of the child-voice and to give some practical hints regarding its management4 ,it is sincerely hoped that what is herein written may be useful and helpful to those engaged in teaching children to sing4 ,,francis ,e4 ,,howard1 ,bridgeport1 ,conn4 ,december1 #ahie ,,contents4 ,,page ,preface to the ,second ,edition1 #c ,preface1 #g ,,chapter ,i4 ,physiology of the ,voice1 #ac ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,registers of the ,voice1 #be ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,how ,to ,secure ,good ,tone1 #dd ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,compass of the ,child-,voice1 #gb ,,chapter ,v4 ,position1 ,breathing1 ,attack1 ,tone-,formation1 #ha ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,vowels1 ,consonants1 ,articulation1 #ie ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,mutation of the ,voice1 #aab ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,the ,alto ,voice in ,male ,choirs1 #abe ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,general ,remarks1 #acb ,,chapter ,i4 ,,physiology ,,of ,,the ,,voice4 ,in former times the culture of the singing-voice was conducted upon purely empirical grounds4 ,teachers followed a few good rules which had been logically evolved from the experience of many schools of singing4 ,we are indebted to modern science1 aided by the laryngoscope1 for many facts concerning the action of the larynx1 and more especially the vocal cords in tone-production4 ,while the early discoveries regarding the mechanism of the voice were hopefully believed to have solved all problems concerning its cultivation1 experience has shown the futility of attempting to formulate a set of rules for voice-culture based alone upon the incomplete data furnished by the laryngoscope4 ,this instrument is a small1 round mirror which is introduced into the throat at such an angle1 that if horizontal rays of light are thrown upon it1 the larynx1 which lies directly beneath1 is illuminated and reflected in the mirror at the back of the mouth-- the laryngoscope4 ,very many singers and teachers1 of whom ,manuel ,garcia was the first1 have made use of this instrument to observe the action of their vocal bands in the act of singing1 and the results of these observations are of the greatest value4 ,still1 as before said1 the laryngoscope does not reveal all the secrets of voice-production4 ,while it tells unerringly of any departure from the normal1 or of pathological change in the larynx1 it does not tell whether the larynx belongs to the greatest living singer or to one absolutely unendowed with the power of song4 ,also1 the subject of vocal registers is as vexing to-day as ever4 ,while1 then1 we may confidently expect further and more complete elucidation of the physiology of the voice1 there is yet sufficient data to guide us safely in vocal training1 if we neglect not the empirical rules which the accumulated experience of the past has established4 ,the organ by which the singing-voice is produced is the larynx4 ,it forms the upper extremity of the windpipe1 which again is the upper portion and beginning of the bronchial tubes1 which1 extending downward1 branch off from its lower part to either side of the chest and continually subdivide until they become like little twigs1 around which cluster the constituent parts of the lungs1 which form the bellows for the supply of air necessary to the performance of vocal functions4 ,above1 the larynx opens into the throat and the cavities of the pharynx1 mouth1 nose1 and its accessory cavities1 which constitute the resonator for vocal vibrations set up within the larynx4 ,the larynx itself consists of a framework of cartilages joined by elastic membranes or ligaments1 and joints4 ,these cartilages move freely toward and upon each other by means of attached muscles4 ,also the larynx as a whole can be moved in various directions by means of extrinsic muscles joined to points above and below4 ,the vocal bands are two ligaments or folds of mucous membrane attached in front to the largest cartilage of the larynx1 called the thyroid1 and which forms in man the protuberance commonly called ,adam's apple2 and1 extending horizontally backward1 are inserted posteriorly into the arytenoid cartilages1 the right vocal band into the right arytenoid cartilage and the left band into the left cartilage4 ,these arytenoid cartilages1 by means of an articulation or joint1 move freely upon the cricoid1 the second large cartilage of the larynx1 forming its base1 and sometimes called the ring cartilage1 from its resemblance in shape to a seal ring4 ,the vocal bands are composed of numberless elastic fibres running in part parallel to each other1 and in part interwoven in various directions with each other4 ,the fibres also vary in length2 some are inserted into the extending projections1 called processes of the arytenoid cartilages1 and some extend further back and are inserted into the body of the cartilages4 ,the vocal bands1 then1 lie opposite each other1 on a level1 raised a little in front1 and with a narrow slit between1 called the glottis4 ,the muscles controlling the action of the vocal bands1 and which regulate the mechanism producing sound1 are of three groups1 viz41 abductors 7drawing-apart muscles71 adductors 7drawing-together muscles71 and tensors4 ,the abductors act to keep the bands apart during respiration1 while the function of the adductors and tensors is to bring the bands into position for speech or singing4 ,they are1 since phonation is at will1 voluntary muscles2 but it is an interesting fact that the laryngeal muscles of either side invariably act together4 ,it has been shown that it is not possible to move one vocal cord without the other at the same time executing the same movement4 ,it is thus shown that the laryngeal muscles are1 to a less extent1 under the control of the will than are those of either hand or eye4 ,the rational training of the singing-voice cannot1 therefore1 proceed upon any theory based upon the voluntary training of the muscles controlling the movements of the vocal cords4 ,the mucous membrane which lines the larynx is liberally supplied with secreting glands1 whose function is to keep the parts moist4 ,above the vocal bands1 another pair of membranous ligaments are stretched across the larynx forming1 with its sides and the vocal bands1 a pouch or pocket4 ,the upper ligaments are sometimes called the false vocal cords1 but are more properly termed ventricular bands4 ,their function has occasioned much speculation1 but whatever modification of tone they may be supposed to produce1 they no doubt protect the true vocal bands and permit their free vibration4 ,the larynx1 in the production of sound1 may be compared to an organ-pipe4 ,the two vocal cords which act simultaneously and are anatomically alike1 when set in vibration by the blast of air coming from the lungs1 correspond to the reed of the organ-pipe2 the vibration of the cords1 producing sound1 which is communicated to the air enclosed in the cavities of the chest and head4 ,pitch of tone is determined by the rapidity of vibrations of the bands1 according to acoustical law1 and the length1 size1 and tension of the cords will determine the number of vibrations per second1 i4e41 their rapidity4 ,strength or loudness of tone is determined primarily by the width or amplitude of the vibrations of the vocal membrane1 and quality or timbre is determined by the form of the vibration4 ,the infinitely varying anatomical divergencies in the form and structure of the nasal1 pharyngeal and throat cavities1 and possibly the composition of the vocal bands1 modifies1 in numberless ways1 the character of tone in speech or song4 ,it is a fascinating topic1 but must be dismissed here with the remark that1 as those anatomical differences in structure are far less marked in children than in adults1 their voices are1 in consequence1 more alike in quality and strength4 ,it takes long1 patient training to blend adult voices1 but children's voices1 when properly used1 are homogeneous in tone4 ,the voices of boys and girls1 prior to the age of puberty1 are alike4 ,the growth of the larynx1 which in each is quite rapid up to the age of six years1 then1 according to all authorities with which the writer is conversant1 ceases1 and the vocal bands neither lengthen nor thicken1 to any appreciable extent1 before the time of change of voice1 which occurs at the age of puberty4 ,it is scarcely possible1 however1 that the larynx literally remains unchanged through the period of the child's life1 extending from the age of six to fourteen or fifteen years4 ,in point of fact1 authorities upon the subject refer only to the lack of growth and development in size of the larynx during the period2 but undoubtedly1 during these years1 there is a constant gaining of firmness and strength1 in both the cartilages and their connecting membranes and muscles4 ,none of the books written upon the voice have even mentioned this most important fact4 ,it bears with great significance upon questions relating to the capacities of the child's voice at different ages1 and explains that phenomenon called the movable break1 which has puzzled so many in their investigations of the registers of the child's voice4 ,the constant1 though of course extremely slow1 hardening of the cartilaginous portions of the larynx1 and the steady increase in the strength of its muscles and ligaments is not in the least inconsistent with the previously noted fact1 that the vocal bands during this time increase to no appreciable extent in length2 for1 it may be observed1 after the change of voice1 which often occurs with great rapidity1 and during which the vocal bands increase to double their previous length in males1 that1 though the pitch of the voice1 owing to increased length of the bands1 suddenly lowers1 yet not until full maturity is reached1 do the laryngeal cartilages attain that rigidity1 or the vocal bands that ready elasticity essential to the production of pure1 resonant voice4 ,yet1 during these years1 while the voice is developing1 the vocal bands remain unchanged in length4 ,even in those cases where the voice changes slowly in consequence of the slow growth in length and thickness of the vocal cords1 it takes several years1 after laryngeal development has ceased1 for the voice to attain its full size and resonance4 ,furthermore1 the continual increase in strength and firmness of the larynx from six years onward to puberty1 is consistent with the constant growth in strength and firmness of tissue characterizing the entire body4 ,it is again proven by the continual improvement in the power and timbre of the tone through this period1 always premising1 be it understood1 that the voice is used properly1 and never forced beyond its natural capabilities4 ,the voice1 at the age of eleven or twelve1 is far stronger1 and is capable of more sustained effort than at the age of six or seven years1 and1 for the year or two preceding the break of voice1 the brilliance and power of boys' voices1 especially in the higher tones1 is often phenomenal1 and in all cases is far superior to that of previous years4 ,the resemblance between the voices of boys and girls1 a resemblance which amounts to identity1 save that the voices of boys are stronger and more brilliant in quality1 disappears at puberty4 ,among the physical changes which occur at this period is a marked growth of the larynx1 sufficient to alter entirely the pitch and character of the boy's voice4 ,as a female larynx is affected to a lesser extent1 the voices of girls undergo little change in pitch1 but become eventually more powerful1 and richer in tone4 ,this break of the voice1 as it is called1 occurs at about the age of fifteen years in this climate1 but often a year or two earlier1 and not infrequently a year or two later4 ,the growth of the larynx goes on1 with greater or less rapidity1 varying in different individuals1 for from six months to two or three years1 until it attains its final size4 ,in boys1 the larynx doubles in size1 and the vocal bands increase in the proportion of five to ten in length4 ,this great gain in the length of the vocal cords is due to the lateral development of the larynx1 for the male larynx1 in its entirety1 increases more in depth than in height4 ,the result is a drop of an octave in the average boy's voice1 the longer bands producing lower tones4 ,the change in size in the female larynx is in the proportion of five to seven1 and the increase is in height instead of depth or width as in the male larynx4 ,the vocal cords of women are1 therefore1 shorter1 thinner and narrower than are those of men4 ,the reason assigned for the peculiar antics of the boy's voice1 during the break1 is unequal rapidity in the growth and development of the cartilages and of the muscles of the larynx4 ,the muscles develop more slowly than do the cartilages1 and so abnormal physical conditions produce abnormal results in phonation4 ,no further changes occur in the laryngeal structure until middle life1 when ossification of the cartilages commences4 ,the thyroid is first affected1 then the cricoid1 and the arytenoids much later4 ,the consequent rigidity of the larynx occasions diminished compass of the singing-voice1 the notes of the upper register being the first to disappear4 ,in some few cases of arrested development1 the voice of the man retains the soprano compass of the boy through life4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,registers ,,of ,,the ,,voice4 ,it may be observed1 in listening to an ascending series of tones sung by an untrained or by a badly-trained adult voice1 that at certain pitches the tone-quality undergoes a radical change2 while a well-trained singer will sing the same series of tones without showing any appreciable break or change in tone-quality1 although the highest note will present a marked contrast in timbre to the lowest4 ,the breaks or changes in register so noticeable in the untrained voice are covered or equalized in the voice trained by correct methods4 ,these breaks in both male and female voices occur at certain pitches where the tone-producing mechanism of the larynx changes action1 and brings the vocal bands into a new vibratory form4 ,a register consists of a series of tones produced by the same mechanism4-- ,emil ,behnke in ,voice1 ,song1 and ,speech4 ,g4 ,edward ,stubbs1 in commenting upon the above definition1 says3 ,by mechanism is meant the action of the larynx which produces different sets of vibrations1 and by register is meant the range of voice confined to a given set of vibrations4 ,in passing the voice from one register to another1 the larynx changes its mechanism and calls into play a different form of vibration4 ,the number of vocal registers1 or vibratory forms1 which the vocal bands assume1 is still a matter of dispute1 and their nomenclature is equally unsettled4 ,the old ,italian singing-masters gave names to parts of the vocal compass corresponding to the real or imaginary bodily sensations experienced in singing them2 as chest-voice1 throat-voice1 head-voice4 ,madame ,seiler1 in ,the ,voice in ,singing1 gives as the result of original investigations with the laryngoscope five different actions of the vocal bands which she classifies as first and second series of the chest-register1 first and second series of the falsetto register and head-register4 ,browne and ,behnke1 in ,voice1 ,song1 and ,speech1 divide the male voice into three registers1 and the female into five4 ,they are termed lower thick1 upper thick1 lower thin1 upper thin and small4 ,other writers speak of three registers1 chest1 medium and head1 and still others of two only1 viz41 the chest and the head4 ,modern research has shown what was after all understood before1 that1 if the vibratory form assumed by the vocal bands for the natural production of a certain set of tones is pushed by muscular exertion above the point where it should cease1 inflammation and weakening of the vocal organs will result1 while voice-deterioration is sure to follow4 ,a physiological basis has reinforced the empirical deductions of the old ,italian school4 ,in dealing with children's voices1 it is necessary to recognize only two registers1 the thick1 or chest-register1 and the thin1 or head-register4 ,further subdivisions will only complicate the subject without assisting in the practical management of their voices4 ,tones sung in the thick or chest-register are produced by the full1 free vibration of the vocal bands in their entire length1 breadth and thickness4 ,the tones of the thin or head-register result from the vibration of the vocal bands along their inner edges alone4 ,we may then conclude from the foregoing that children up to the age of puberty1 at least in class or chorus singing1 should use the thin or head-register only4 #ast4 ,it is from a physiological standpoint entirely safe4 ,the use of this register will not strain or overwork the delicate vocal organs of childhood4 #b;d4 ,its tones are musical1 pure and sweet1 and their use promotes the growth of musical sensibility and an appreciation of beauty in tone4 #c;d4 ,the use of the thick or chest-voice in class-singing is dangerous4 ,it is wellnigh impossible to confine it within proper limits4 ,it is unnecessary to discuss the second point4 ,anyone who has noted the contrast between the harsh quality of tone emitted from childish throats when using the chest-voice1 and the pure1 flute-like sound produced when the head-tones are sung will agree that the last is music and the first noise1 or at any rate very noisy1 barbaric music4 ,the third point1 if true1 establishes the first1 for1 if the chest-voice cannot be safely used1 it follows that children must use the head-register or stop singing4 ,it must be said1 before proceeding further1 that it is not denied that the thick voice can be used by children without injury1 if properly managed2 that is1 if the singing be not too loud1 and if it be not carried too high4 ,it is also fully recognized1 that1 when theoretically the head-voice alone is used1 it yet1 when carried to the lower tones1 insensibly blends into the thick register2 but if this equalization of registers is obtained so completely that no perceptible difference in quality of voice can be observed1 why then the whole compass is practically the thin or head-register4 ,now1 can the thick voice be used in school-singing1 and confined to the lower notes8 ,and is it fairly easy to secure soft and pure vocalizations in this register8 ,let the experience of thousands of teachers in the public schools of this and other lands answer the last question4 ,it would be as easy to stop the growth of the average boy with a word1 or to persuade a crowd of youngsters to speak softly at a game of baseball1 as to induce them1 or girls either for that matter1 to use the voice gently1 when singing with that register in which it is possible to push the tone and shout4 ,there should be some good physiological reason for the habitual recourse to the strident chest-voice so common with boys1 and nearly as usual with girls4 ,and there is a good reason4 ,it is lack of rigidity in the voice-box or larynx4 ,its cartilages harden slowly1 and even just before the age of puberty the larynx falls far short of the firmness and rigidity of structure1 that characterize the organ in adult life4 ,it is physically very difficult for the adult to force the chest-voice beyond its natural limits1 which become fixed when full maturity of bodily development is reached1 but the child1 whose laryngeal cartilages are far more flexible1 and move toward and upon each other with greater freedom1 can force the chest-voice up with great ease4 ,the altitude of pitch which is attained before breaking into the thin register is with young children regulated by the amount of muscular exertion they put forth4 ,even up to the change of voice1 boys can often force the thick register several notes higher than women sopranos4 ,it must be borne in mind that the thick voice is produced by the full1 free vibrations of the vocal bands in their entire length1 breadth and thickness4 ,imagine children six years of age carrying tones formed in this manner to the extreme limit of their voice2 yet they do it4 ,the tone of infant classes in ,sunday-schools1 and the tone of the primary schools1 as they sing their morning hymns or songs for recreation1 is produced in nine hundred and ninety-nine cases out of a thousand in exactly the way set forth4 ,if the vocal bands of children were less elastic1 if they were composed of stronger fibres1 and protected from undue exertion by firm connecting cartilage2 in short1 if children were not children1 such forcing would not be possible4 ,if it were not for the wonderful recuperative power of childhood1 serious effects would follow such vocal habits4 ,we are now prepared to understand that common phenomenon of the child-voice1 termed the movable break4 ,every public school teacher who has had experience in teaching singing must be familiar with the meaning of the term1 though possibly unaware of it4 ,allusion has already been made to the fact that1 in primary grades1 the thick quality1 if permitted1 will be carried as high as the children sing1 to ,music3 e'' for example4 ,if they are required to sing the higher tones lightly1 then the three or four tones1 just below the pitch indicated1 will be sung in a thin quality of voice4 ,the place of the break or the absence of any break at all will depend upon the degree of loudness permitted4 ,pass now to a grade in which the pupils average eleven years of age4 ,these can use the thick tones as high as ,music3 d'' e'' only with great exertion1 and1 if required to sing softly1 will pass into the thin register at a lower pitch than the primary class4 ,now1 go to a room where the children range in age from thirteen to fifteen years4 ,the girls will still use thick tones up to ,music3 b' c'' d'' ,the pitch at which the break occurs will vary in individual cases according to physique or ambition to sing well2 but the boys 7excluding those whose voices have begun to break7 will manifest the utmost repugnance to singing the higher notes4 ,can't sing high will be the reply when you ask them why they do not sing4 ,and they are correct4 ,they cannot1 not with the thick voice4 ,even when putting forth considerable exertion1 they will pass to the thin voice at ,music3 g' or a' and lower1 if they sing softly4 ,this phenomenon1 then1 is the movable break of the child-voice4 ,the pitch at which the child-voice passes from the thick to the thin voice depends first upon the age2 second1 upon the amount of physical energy employed1 and third1 upon the bodily vigor of the child4 ,it may also be added that boys' voices break lower than girls' during the year or two preceding change of voice4 ,when1 now1 it is remembered that the adult female voice leaves the chest-register at ,music3 f' f' it will be admitted by everyone who has had actual experience in class singing in schools or elsewhere1 that the facts set forth in reference to the ability of the child to carry the thick voice from one to eight tones higher than the adult1 has a very important bearing on the subject of training children's voices4 ,but1 is it physically injurious8 ,it may be said that1 as regards upward forcing of the vocal register1 authorities upon the adult voice are united4 ,leo ,kofler1 in ,the ,art of ,breathing1 p4 #afh1 says3 ,i have met female trebles that used this means of forcing up the chest-tones as high as middle ,a1 ,b1 ,c1 and 7one can hardly conceive of the physical possibility of so doing7 even as far as ,d and ,e flat4 ,the reason why this practice is so dangerous lies in the unnatural way in which the larynx is held down in the throat1 and in the force that is exercised by the tension muscles of the vocal ligaments and the hard pressure of the muscles of the tongue-bone4444 ,i have examined with the laryngoscope many ladies who had the habit of singing the chest-tones too high1 and1 without exception1 ,i have found their throats in a more or less diseased condition4 ,laryngitis1 either alone or complicated with pharyngitis1 relaxation of the vocal ligaments1 and sometimes paralysis of one of them1 are the most frequent results of this bad habit4 ,if a singer is afflicted with catarrhal trouble1 it is always aggravated by this abominable method of singing4 ,emma ,seiler1 in ,the ,voice in ,singing1 p4 #ed1 after describing the action of the vocal ligaments in the production of the chest-voice and alluding to the fact that such action can be continued several tones higher than the proper transitional point1 goes on3 ,but such tones1 especially in the female voice1 have that rough and common timbre1 which we are too often compelled to hear in our female singers4 ,the glottis also in this case1 as well as parts of the larynx near the glottis1 betrays the effort very plainly2 as the tones ascend1 they grow more and more red4 ,thus1 as at this place in the chest-register1 there occurs a visible and sensible straining of the organs1 so also is it in all the remaining transitions1 as soon as the attempt is made to extend the action by which the lower tones are formed beyond the given limits of the same4 ,and again3 ,in the ignorance existing concerning the natural transitions of the registers1 and in the unnatural forcing of the voice1 is found a chief cause of the decline in the art of singing1 and the present inability to preserve the voice is the consequence of a method of teaching unnatural1 and1 therefore1 imposing too great a strain upon the voice4 ,quotations innumerable might be made1 to give more emphasis1 were it needed1 to the evils of register forcing4 ,the only point remaining is the one very often raised4 ,is it not natural for children to use the chest or thick voice8 ,if their vocal organs are so flexible1 may they not carry such tones higher than adults1 and younger children higher than those a little older1 and so on8 ,it is quite obvious1 for reasons herein set forth1 that children do not experience the same degree of difficulty in continuing the use of the thick voice to their higher tones as do adults1 but as to the effect upon their vocal organs there need be no reasonable doubt4 ,a4 ,b4 ,bach1 in ,principles of ,singing1 p4 #adb1 says3 ,if children are allowed to sing their higher notes forte1 before the voice is properly equalized1 it will become hard1 harsh and hoarse1 and they will fail in correct intonation4 ,a mistake in this direction not only ruins the middle register but destroys the voice altogether4 ,the consequence of encouraging forte singing is to change a soprano rapidly to an alto2 and they will generally sing alto equally forte because their vocal cords have lost their elasticity through overstraining and the notes will no longer answer to piano4 4 4 4 4 ,the fact is that reckless singing often breaks tender voices and breaks them forever4 ,it may be observed that the writer cited evidently accepts the same classification in register for children and adult women's voices1 but this does not make the above extract any less applicable4 ,the baneful effects of forcing the voice is clearly set forth4 ,how to avoid it is another matter4 ,leo ,kofler1 in the work previously mentioned1 p4 #afh1 refers to this point as follows3 ,it frequently happens that the tones of the lower range1 or the so-called chest-tones1 are forced up too high into the middle range4 ,this bad habit is often contracted while the singers are quite young4 ,boy trebles have this habit to an unendurable degree1 usually screaming those horrible chest-tones up to middle ,c4 ,of all bad habits1 this one is the most liable to injure a voice and to detract from artistic singing4 ,to cite ,madame ,seiler once more1 p4 #agf3 ,while it often happens that at the most critical age while the vocal organs are being developed1 children sing with all the strength they can command4 ,boys1 however1 in whom the larynx at a certain period undergoes an entire transformation1 reach only with difficulty the higher soprano or contralto tones1 but are not assigned a lower part until perceiving themselves the impossibility of singing in this way1 they beg the teacher for the change1 often too late1 unhappily1 to prevent an irreparable injury4 ,moderate singing without exertion1 and above all things1 within the natural limits of the voice and its registers1 would even during the period of growth be as little hurtful as speaking1 laughing or any other exercise which cannot be forbidden to the vocal organs4 ,browne and ,behnke1 who separately and together have given most valuable additions to the literature of the voice1 in a small book entitled ,the ,child-,voice1 have collated a large number of answers from distinguished singers1 teachers and choir-trainers to various questions relating to the subject4 ,the following citation is from this interesting work1 p4 #ci3 ,the necessity of limiting the compass of children's voices is frequently insisted upon1 no attention whatever being paid to registers2 and yet in finitely more mischief is done by forcing the registers than would be accomplished by allowing children to exceed the compass generally assigned to them1 always provided that the singing be the result of using the mechanism set apart by nature for different parts of the voice4 ,there can really be no doubt that the use of the chest or thick voice upon the higher tones is injurious to a child of six years1 or ten years1 or of any other age4 ,the theory that in the child-voice the breaks occur at higher fixed pitches than in the adult is shown to be untenable4 ,the fact would seem to be that comparisons between the registers of the child and the adult voice are misleading1 since the adult voice has fixed points of change in the vocal mechanism1 which can be transcended only with great difficulty1 while the child-voice has no fixed points of change in its vocal registers4 ,this point must not be overlooked4 ,it is the most important fact connected with the child-voice in speech or song4 ,it is the fundamental idea of this work and is the basis for whatever suggestions are herein contained upon the management of the child-voice4 ,the rigidity of the adult larynx1 the strength of the tensor and adductor muscles and the elastic firmness of the vocal ligaments1 are to those of the child as the solid bony framework and strongly set muscles of maturity are to the imperfectly hardened bones and soft muscles of childhood4 ,nature makes no fixed limits of the vocal registers until full maturity is reached4 ,a fixed register in a childish throat involving a completely developed larynx would be a startling anomaly4 ,the laryngeal muscles of childhood are not strong4 ,they are weak4 ,most of the talk about strength of voice in children is utter nonsense4 ,when the muscles and other parts concerned in tone-production perform their physiological functions in a healthy manner1 that is1 in such a way that no congestion1 or inflammation or undue weariness will result1 the singing-tone of the child will never be loud4 ,high or low1 under these conditions it must perforce be soft1 and if proper directions be followed the quality will be as good as the voice is capable of4 ,everyone who has observed has also noticed the contrast in the lower tones of children and women4 ,the chest-voice of the woman1 which she uses in singing her lower register1 is normally very beautiful in its quality4 ,its tones are the product of a perfectly developed1 full-grown organ4 ,the chest-voice of the child is an abnormal product of a weak1 growing1 undeveloped organ4 ,it possesses1 even when used carefully1 little of the tone tints of the adult voice4 ,the chest-voice belongs to adult life1 not to childhood4 ,the so-called chest-voice of children is only embryonic4 ,it cannot be musical1 for the larynx has not reached that stage of growth and development where it can produce these tones musically4 ,the constant use of this hybrid register with children is injurious in many ways4 ,its use is justified in schools merely through custom1 and it can not be doubted that as soon as the attention of teachers is called to its evils1 they will no longer tolerate its use4 ,the usual analogies then which are drawn between the adult female voice and the child-voice1 in so far as they imply a similar physiological condition of the vocal organ and similar vocal training1 are not only useless1 but misleading4 ,he who tries to train the average child-voice on the theory of two1 three or five clearly-defined breaks1 or natural changes in the forms for vocal vibration assumed by the vocal bands will get very little help from nature4 ,with due consideration it is said that it is a harder task to train children's voices properly than to train the voices of adults4 ,where nature is so shifty in her ways1 it requires keen penetration to discover her ends4 ,the child-voice is a delicate instrument4 ,it ought not to be played upon by every blacksmith4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,how ,,to ,,secure ,,good ,,tone4 ,the practical application of the teaching of the two preceding chapters may at first thought seem to be difficult4 ,on the contrary1 it is quite easy4 ,we have favorable conditions in schools2 graded courses in music1 regular attendance1 discipline1 and women and men in charge who are accustomed to teach4 ,no more favorable conditions for teaching vocal music exist than are to be found in a well-organized and well-disciplined school4 ,the environments of both pupils and teachers are exactly adapted to the ready reception of ideas1 on the one hand1 and the skilful imparting of them1 on the other4 ,the abilities of the trained teachers of to-day are not half appreciated4 ,they often possess professional skill of the highest order1 and the supervisor of music in the public schools may count himself exceedingly fortunate in the means he has at hand for carrying on his work4 ,but knowledge of voice is no more evolved from one's inner consciousness than is knowledge of musical notation1 or of the ,greek alphabet2 therefore1 if regular teachers in the school permit singing which is unmusical and hurtful1 it is chiefly because they are following the usual customs1 and their ears have thereby become dulled1 or it may be that even if the singing is unpleasant to them1 that they do not know how to make it better4 ,as before said1 all energies have so far been directed to the teaching of music reading4 ,tone has been neglected1 forgotten1 or at most its improvement has been sought spasmodically4 ,the carelessness regarding tone1 which is so prevalent1 is due to an almost entire absence of good teaching on the subject of the child-voice-- to ignorance1 let us say-- not altogether inexcusable4 ,now and then1 when listening to the soprani of some well-trained boy-choir1 sounding soft and mellow on the lower notes and ringing clear and flutey on the higher1 it may have dimly occurred to the teacher of public school music that there might be things as yet unheard of in his musical philosophy1 a vague wonder and dissatisfaction1 which has slowly disappeared under the pressure of routine work4 ,when one reflects upon the results which the patience and skill of our regular teachers have accomplished in teaching pupils to read music2 it can never be reasonably doubted that the same patience and skill1 if rightly directed1 will be equally successful in teaching a correct use of the voice4 ,two principles form the basis of good tone-production as applied to children's voices4 #ast4 ,they must sing softly4 #b;d4 ,they must be restricted in compass of voice4 ,if these two rules are correctly applied in each grade1 if pupils sing softly enough1 and carry their tones neither too high nor too low1 always taking into account the grade or average age of the class1 then the voice will be used only in the thin or head-register1 and the tones of the thick or chest-register will never be heard4 ,but the two rules must be as one1 for if soft singing be carried too low with infant voices1 they are forced to use the thick tones2 and children of all ages1 even if singing within the right compass of voice1 will use the thick register if permitted to sing too loud4 ,there is nothing particularly original in insisting upon soft singing from children4 ,the writer has never seen a book of school music that does not mention its desirability1 nor hardly a reference to the child-voice in the standard works or writings of the day of which this idea has not formed a part4 ,the general direction ,sing softly is good so far as it goes1 but is1 first1 indefinite4 ,softly and loudly are relative terms1 and subject to wide diversity of interpretation4 ,the pianissimo of a cultivated singer is silence compared to the tone emitted by vocalists of the main strength order1 when required to produce soft tone4 ,secondly1 the direction is seldom or never found coupled with instruction upon the vocal compass of children4 ,hence1 it does not seem very strange that the injunction ,sing softly has not corrected vocal errors in school singing4 ,it is not easy1 it is even impossible1 to accurately define soft singing1 and no attempt will be made further than to describe as clearly as may be the degree of softness which it is necessary to insist upon if we would secure the use of the thin or head register4 ,the subject of register has already been discussed1 but it may not be amiss to repeat just here that in the child larynx as in the adult the head-register is that series of tones which are produced by the vibration of the thin1 inner edges of the vocal band4 ,if breathing is natural1 and if the throat is open and relaxed1 no strain in singing this tone is possible4 ,it is evident in a moment that children with their thin1 delicate vocal ligaments can make this tone even more easily than adult sopranos1 whose vocal ligaments are longer and thicker2 and it is also perfectly evident that no danger of strain to the vocal bands is incurred when this voice is used1 for all the muscles and ligaments of the larynx are under far less tension than is required for the production of tones in the thick register4 ,it must also be remembered in connection with this fact1 that children often enter school at five years of age1 and that according to physiologists the larynx does not reach the full growth in size1 incidental to childhood until the age of six years4 ,we must then be particularly careful with infant classes-- for the vocal bands of children prior to six years of age are very1 very weak4 ,speaking of infant voices1 ,mr4 ,w4 ,m4 ,miller1 in ,browne and ,behnke's afore-mentioned work1 ,the ,child-,voice1 is quoted as saying2 ,voice-training cannot be attempted1 but voice-destruction may be prevented4 ,soft singing is the cure for all the ills of the vocal organs4 ,it would be hard to find a more terse or truthful statement than the first sentence of the above as regards the voices of little children from five to seven or eight years of age4 ,it is unmitigated foolishness to talk about vocal training as applied to children of that age4 ,the voice-culture which is suited to little children is that sort of culture which promotes growth-- food and sleep and play4 ,as well train a six months' old colt for the race track1 as attempt to develop the voice of a child of six or seven years with exercises on o1 and ah1 pianissimo and fortissimo1 crescendo1 diminuendo and swell4 ,their voices must be used in singing as lightly as possible4 ,this answers the question1 how softly should they sing8 ,children during the first two or three years of school-life may be permitted to sing from ,music3 e' e'' or if the new pitch is used from ,music3 f' f'' ,two or three practical difficulties will at once occur to the teacher with reference to songs and exercises which range lower than ,e first line1 and with reference to the customary teaching of the scale of ,c as the initial step in singing4 ,the subject of compass of children's voices will be discussed at some length in a following chapter1 but for the present it may be said that the difficulty with songs and exercises ranging below the pitch indicated may be overcome easily by pitching the songs1 etc41 a tone or two higher4 ,if they then range too high1 don't sing them1 sing something else4 ,in teaching the scale1 take ,e or ,f as the keynote1 and sing either one or the other of those scales first4 ,the children must sing as softly as possible in all their singing exercises1 whether songs or note drill4 ,they should be taught to open their mouths well1 to sit or stand erect as the case may be1 and under no circumstances should the instructor sing with them4 ,too much importance can hardly be given to this last statement4 ,if teachers persist in leading the songs with their own voices and in singing exercises with the children1 they can and most probably will defeat all efforts to secure the right tone in either the first1 or any grade up to that in which changed voices are found4 ,this sounds rather cynical1 and might seem to imply that instructors cannot sing well4 ,the meaning1 however1 is quite different4 ,the quality or timbre of the adult woman's voice is wholly unlike that of the child's thin register4 ,her medium tones1 even when sung softly1 have a fuller and more resonant quality1 and if she lead in songs1 etc41 the pupils1 with the proverbial aptitude for imitation1 will inevitably endeavor to imitate her tone-quality4 ,they can only do so by using the thick register1 which it is so desirable to utterly avoid4 ,it is worse yet for a man to lead the singing4 ,neither should one of the pupils be allowed to lead1 for not only will the one leading force the voice in the effort1 but a chance is offered to any ambitious youngster to pitch in and outsing the leader2 from all of which follows naturally the idea that all prominence of individual voice must be discouraged1 forbidden even4 ,the songs and exercises must be led1 it is true1 but by the teacher and silently4 ,then1 again1 unless the teacher is silent she cannot be a good critic4 ,think of a voice-trainer singing each solfeggio and song with his pupil during the lesson4 ,certainly it is often necessary for the teacher to sing1 but only to illustrate or correct1 or to teach a song4 ,in the last1 if the teacher will remain silent while the class repeat the line sung to them1 and will proceed in the same way until the whole is memorized by the class1 not only will time be economized1 but the tone can be kept as soft as is desired and individual shouters checked4 ,once more it must be insisted that soft1 very soft singing only1 can be allowed4 ,and this applies to the entire compass used4 ,children of the ages mentioned can1 as has already been shown1 break from the thin to the thick voice at any pitch1 it only requiring a little extra push for the upper tones4 ,finally1 as an excellent test to settle if the tone is soft enough to ensure the use of the thin register beyond doubt1 require the class to sing so that no particular voice can be distinguished from the others1 which will make the tone as that of one voice1 and perhaps lead you to doubt if all are singing1 until convinced by the movement of their mouths4 ,the tone will seem pretty light and thin1 but will be sweet as the trill of a bird4 ,to ,distinguish ,registers4 ,the difficulty which may be experienced in attempting to distinguish between the two registers must not be disregarded4 ,if the voices of children were never entrusted to any save professional voice-teachers1 a very few hints upon their management would perhaps suffice1 for the ear of the teacher of voice and singing is presumably trained in the differentiation in tone-quality occasioned by changes in the action of the vocal mechanism4 ,when1 however1 we reflect that of the thousands of teachers in our public schools very few1 indeed1 have ever heard of voice-registers1 and much less been accustomed to note distinctions in tone-timbre between them1 the need of a detailed plan of procedure is seen4 ,it is safe to assert that anyone with a musical ear can with a little patience learn to distinguish one register from another4 ,there is no vocal transition so marked as the change from thick to thin register in the child-voice1 unless it be the change from the chest to the head or falsetto in the man's voice4 ,suppose we take a class of say twelve from the fourth year averaging nine years of age4 ,give them the pitch of ,c4 ,music3 c' ,require them to sing up the scale loudly4 ,as they reach the upper tone ,music3 c'' stop them and ask them to sing that1 and the two tones above very softly4 ,the change in tone will be quite apparent4 ,the tone used in ascending the scale of ,c1 singing loudly1 will be reedy1 thick and harsh-- the thick register4 ,the tone upon ,music3 c'' d'' e'' singing very softly1 will be flute-like1 thin and clear-- the thin register4 ,again1 let them sing ,e first line with full strength of voice and then the octave lightly1 or have them sing ,g second line1 first softly and then loudly1 or1 again1 let them ascend the scale of ,e singing as light a tone as possible1 and then descend singing as loud as they can4 ,in each case the change from thick to thin voice1 or vice versa1 will be illustrated2 and in singing the scale of ,e as suggested1 the break of voice a little higher or lower in individual cases will be noticed4 ,it is quite possible that some members of the class may use the thick voice on each tone of the descending scale beginning with the highest4 ,care must always be taken that in singing softly the mouth be well opened4 ,the tendency will be to close it when required to sing lightly1 but the tone1 then1 will be nothing but a humming noise4 ,it may as well be said here that a great deal of future trouble and labor may be avoided1 if1 from the first1 pupils are taught to keep the mouth fairly well opened1 and the lips sufficiently apart to permit the free emission of tone4 ,let the lower jaw have a loose hinge1 so to speak4 ,it is well enough to point out also that when the lower jaw drops1 the tongue goes down with it1 and should remain extended along the floor of the mouth with the tip against the teeth while vowel-sounds are sung4 ,there are many other ways than those already suggested1 in which the distinction between the registers may be shown4 ,let the whole class sing ,music3 d'' c'' b' softly1 and then the next lower tone or tones loudly4 ,the thick quality will be heard easily enough4 ,or from the room select a pupil1 one of the class who has1 in the phraseology of the schoolroom1 a good voice1 to sing the scale of ,d ascending and descending4 ,if the pupil be not timid1 and the kind referred to are not usually1 and if loud singing has been customary1 the tone will be coarse and reedy throughout4 ,now let another pupil who has what is called a light voice1 and who daily sits modestly in the shade of his boisterous brother1 sing the same scale4 ,the tone in all likelihood will be pure and flutey1 at least upon the higher notes4 ,take the scale of ,e now and have each pupil in the room sing it alone4 ,there may certainly be some who cannot sing the scale1 and if the daily singing has been harsh1 the number may be large1 but postponing the consideration of these so-called monotones and directing the attention wholly to the quality or timbre of tone used by the different pupils1 it may be observed that some use the thick voice only1 some use the thin voice1 others break from the thick voice into the thin at one pitch as they ascend1 and from the thin to thick voice at a lower pitch as they descend2 and if required to sing again1 may perhaps pass from one voice to the other at different pitches4 ,others again may exhibit a blending of the two voices at certain pitches4 ,in fact1 unless the degree of power is suddenly changed1 a break from the thick tone upon one note to the thin tone upon the next note or vice versa seldom occurs4 ,the same illustrative tests may be applied to children of any grade1 or of any age up to the period when the voice changes1 only the break will occur lower with older pupils4 ,suppose1 now1 the teacher has obtained a tolerably clear idea of the differences between the registers2 she should then arouse a perception of tone-quality in her pupils4 ,let the beauty of soft1 light tone as contrasted with loud1 harsh tone be once clearly demonstrated to a class1 and the interest and best efforts of every girl or boy who has the germ of music within them will be enlisted4 ,those who grumble because they may not sing out good and loud may be disregarded1 and with a clear conscience4 ,the future will most likely reveal such incipient lovers of noisy music as pounders of drums and blowers of brass4 ,select now a number of the class who upon trial have been found to have light1 clear voices and who are not prone to shout4 ,let them sing ,music3 e'' or f'' and then slowly descend the scale of ,e or ,f1 singing each tone softly1 and those below ,c ,music3 c'' very lightly4 ,this will insure the uninterrupted use of the thin register to the lowest note4 ,let them now sing up and down the scale several times1 observing the same caution when notes below ,c or ,b are sung1 and also insisting that no push be given to the upper notes4 ,now1 first excusing monotones1 let the other pupils in the room sing first down the scale and then up1 imitating the quality and softness of tone of the picked class4 ,recollect1 you are asking something of your pupils which it is perfectly easy for them to do4 ,it may be that the strength of well-formed habits stands opposed to the change1 but1 on the other hand1 every musical instinct latent1 or partly awakened1 is becoming alert and proving the truth of your teaching better and faster than can any finespun reasoning4 ,illustrate the difference in tone-quality between the thick and thin register as often as it is necessary1 to show your pupils what you wish to avoid and how you wish them to sing4 ,when in doubt whether or not the thin quality is being sung1 require softer singing until you are sure4 ,it is better to err upon the side of soft singing than to take any chances4 ,in time teachers will become quick to detect the change in register1 and in time also the pupils who are trained to sing in the thin voice will yield to the force of good habit1 as they once did to bad habit1 and seldom offend by too loud or too harsh tone4 ,the inquiry may naturally have arisen ere this3 ,are syllables1 i4e41 do1 re1 mi1 etc41 to be used1 or the vowel-sounds8 ,it is immaterial from the standpoint of tone-production1 whether either or both are used4 ,until children are thoroughly accustomed to sing softly1 they will be kept upon the thin register more easily when singing with a vowel-sound1 than when using the syllables4 ,the reason is that the articulation of the initial consonants of the syllables requires considerable movement of the organs of speech1 viz41 the tongue1 lips1 etc41 and these movements are accompanied by a continually-increasing outrush of air from the lungs1 occasioning a corresponding increase in the volume of sound4 ,adult voices show the same tendency to increase the volume of tone when first applying words to a passage practiced pianissimo with a vowel-sound4 ,it is advisable then to sing scales and drill upon them with a vowel-sound1 and to recur to the same drill for a corrective1 when a tendency to use the thick voice in singing note exercises appears4 ,scale drill may be carried on as follows3 ,if the scales are written upon a blackboard staff1 they may from day to day be in different keys4 ,it is a very easy matter to extend the scale neither above nor below the pitches within which it is desired to confine the voice4 ,for example1 the scale of ,e or ,f may be written complete1 that of ,g as follows3 ,music3 scale in ,g running down to e' and up to e'' or ,a ,music3 scale in ,a running down to e' and up to f'' or ,bb ,music3 scale in ,bb running down to eb' and up to f'' and so on4 ,now let the teacher with a pointer direct the singing of the class upon the selected scale in such a manner as to secure the desired result in tone1 and incidentally a familiarity with pitch relations1 etc4 ,of course1 if charts are used the trouble of writing scales is saved1 only it is advised that the notes lying outside the prescribed compass be omitted in the lower grades entirely1 and in the upper until the habit of good tone is established1 when1 of course1 the tones may be carried below ,e with safety4 ,the extent and variety of vocal drill which can be given with a pointer and a scale of notes is wonderful2 but nothing more need be now suggested1 than those exercises which are peculiarly intended to secure good tone1 and fix good vocal habits1 although it must be evident that all such drill is very far-reaching in its effects4 ,a few exercises which are very simple are here suggested4 ,first1 taking the scale of ,music3 scale in ,f running down to e' and up to f'' for example4 ,let the teacher1 after the pitch of the keynote is given to the class1 place the pointer upon ,f1 and slowly moving it from note to note1 ascend and descend the scale1 the class singing a continuous tone upon some vowel1 o for instance4 ,the pointer should be passed from note to note in such a manner that the eye can easily follow it4 ,if the notes are indicated to the class by a series of dabs at the chart or blackboard1 the pointer each time being carried away from the note several inches1 and then aimed at the next note and so on1 the eye becomes weary in trying to follow its movements1 and the mental energy of the pupils1 which should be concentrated upon tone1 is wasted in watching the gyrations of the pointer4 ,if1 on the other hand1 the pointer is made to glide from note to note1 passing very quickly over intervening spaces1 then the eye is not wearied in trying to follow it4 ,these directions may seem pretty trivial1 but practical experience has proved their importance4 ,the vowel o is suggested because it has been found easier to secure the use of the head-register with this vowel than with ah1 when it is sought to break up the habit of singing loudly and coarsely4 ,the term continuous tone used to describe the style of singing desired is meant literally4 ,if the class in this scale-drill all stop and take breath at the same time1 making frequent breaks in the continuity of the tone1 there will be found with each new attack a tendency to increase in volume of sound4 ,for certain reasons1 which will be explained in the chapter on breath-management1 the attack of tone will become more and more explosive1 demanding constant repression4 ,this irritating tendency may1 in a short time1 be almost entirely overcome1 if1 instead of letting the class take breath and attack simultaneously1 each pupil is told to take breath only when he or she is obliged to1 and then at once and softly to join again with the others4 ,this will effect the continuous tone1 useful not alone as a corrective for the tendencies to loud singing1 but also to establish good breathing-habits4 ,this same swift1 silent breath-taking and succeeding soft attack of tone must be insisted upon in all school singing4 ,the exercise already suggested is slow singing or rapid singing of the scale with the vowel o softly1 and with continuous tones4 ,other simple exercises are obtained by repetitions of the following exercise figures at higher or lower pitches throughout an entire scale1 or parts of a scale1 ascending and descending progressively3 ,transcriber's ,note3 ,the exercises in ,figure ,i are in the key of ,f in #d_/d time2 those in ,figure ,,ii are in ,e1 #f_/h time2 and those in ,figure ,,iii are in ,bb1 #d_/d time on eighth notes4 ,all text is from the original4 ,,figure ,i4 ,music3 ,ascending4 7,same figure tone higher47 7,again raised47 etc4 ,music3 ,descending4 7,same figure tone lower47 7,again lowered7 etc4 ,the next figure1 in which the voice ascends or descends four tones at each progressive repetition1 has a different rhythm4 ,,figure ,,ii4 ,music3 ,ascending4 7,same figure raised47 7,again raised47 etc4 ,music3 ,descending4 7,same1 tone lower47 7,still lower47 etc4 ,another exercise figure is to use five ascending and descending tones4 ,in the illustration which follows1 in the key of ,b flat1 it is shown how the exercises may be sung1 beginning upon the keynote1 and keeping within the voice-compass4 ,music3 ,,figure ,,iii4 etc4 ,music3 7,same ,ex4 inverted47 etc4 ,these exercises are to be sung with vowel-sounds1 softly1 four measures with one breath1 if possible1 and in strict time4 ,only so many of these tone-groups may be sung in any one scale1 as lie within the extremes of pitch set for the grade1 but if different scales and upward and downward extensions of the same be used1 then all possible combinations of tones in the major scale may be sung1 that is1 these exercise figures may upon a piano be repeated seven times in any key1 in phrases of four measures each1 both ascending and descending1 but1 owing to the limitations of the vocal compass1 only a certain number of ascending or descending phrases can be sung in any one key4 ,while it is suggested that drill upon these musical figures or groups of tones may be given from scales1 the teacher tracing out the tones with a pointer with a rhythmical movement1 yet it is still better to practice these groups or some of them from memory1 the teacher keeping time for and directing the class4 ,,note4--,the directions given are for rooms in which the teacher has only a pitch pipe or tuning-fork to get pitch from4 ,if there is a piano the drill work for tone will be conducted a little differently4 ,pages of musical phrases adapted to vocal drill might be given1 but to what end except to produce confusion4 ,our greatest singers use but few exercises to keep their voices in good condition1 but they practice them very often4 ,the exercises suggested are intended for daily practice1 and the fewer in number and simpler in form they are1 the better will be the results in tone4 ,this vocal drill which should precede or begin the daily music lesson must not be for over five minutes at most4 ,half of that time is enough1 if it be spent in singing1 and not frittered away in useless talk1 and questions and answers4 ,a practical application of the vocal drill is to be made to the note-singing from the book and chart1 and to the school repertoire of songs4 ,the phrases voice-culture1 voice-training1 voice-development1 etc41 have been avoided in treating the subject of children's voices1 because of possible misapprehension of their intended meaning4 ,the terms are not1 of course1 inapplicable to children's voices1 but they must convey quite a different significance than they do when applied to the adult voice4 ,in each case1 the end of voice-culture is the formation of correct vocal habits2 but it would seem1 that while it is possible to develop the adult voice very considerably in power1 range and flexibility1 we ought1 in dealing with children's voices1 to adopt those methods which will protect weak and growing organs4 ,the aim is not more power1 but beauty and purity rather4 ,it should not be inferred that beauty of tone is not equally the aim in culture of the adult voice1 but in that case it is consistent with development of strength and brilliancy of voice1 while with young children it is not4 ,if the tone is clear1 beautiful1 well poised1 and under the singer's control1 then the training is along safe lines4 ,if the tone is bad1 harsh1 pinched or throaty1 then the training is along unsafe lines4 ,when the parts act harmoniously together1 and there is a proper and normal adjustment of all the organs concerned in the production of tone1 the result is good4 ,bad tone follows from the ill-adjustment of the parts concerned in voice production4 ,it is the office of the teacher to correct this ill-adjustment and bring about a perfect1 or nearly perfect functional action4 ,the teacher must judge of the proper or improper action of the parts concerned in tone production by the sense of hearing4 ,no accumulation of scientific knowledge can take the place of a careful and alert critical faculty in training voice4 ,tone color must guide the school teacher in determining register as it does the professional voice trainer4 ,but we can also call the mental perceptions of the child to our aid1 and will find a more lively sense of discrimination in tone quality than the average adult shows4 ,we can encourage the growth of high ideals of tone-beauty4 ,we can cultivate nice discrimination4 ,we can1 in short1 use music in our schools not to dull1 but to quicken1 the musical sensibilities of childhood4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,compass ,,of ,,the ,,child-,,voice4 ,there is the greatest diversity of opinion upon this subject among those who have any opinion at all4 ,it might be supposed that1 among the thousands of educators who are interested in school music and in the singing of children generally1 many might be found who have given the subject careful attention1 but such does not appear to be the case4 ,if we consult the musical literature published for children1 the prevalence of songs suited to the contralto voice is noticeable1 indicating apparently that the compass of infant voices at least is about the same as that of the adult contralto4 ,if there is any generally recognized theory upon the subject1 it would seem to be this2 but from a physiological standpoint the voices of children are totally unlike the woman contralto1 and especially is this true of children of from six to eight years of age whose songs are usually written so low in range4 ,an error1 started anywhere or at any time1 of theory or of practice1 if it once become incorporated into the literature of a subject1 is liable to be frequently copied1 and enjoy a long and useless life4 ,so with this treatment of the child-voice4 ,the error is in supposing that it consists of a limited number of quite low tones4 ,it has its origin in the sole use of the so-called chest-voice of the child1 and when the evident strain under which a child of six or seven years labors to sing up is observed1 the conclusion seems safe that they cannot sing high4 ,while1 on the other hand1 they manage with apparent ease to sing down even as low as ,music3 a ,this conception has in divers ways so imbedded itself into the musical literature for little children1 that all efforts to uproot it have so far been apparently futile4 ,there are1 however1 very many supervisors of school music1 and the number is growing1 who have recognized that this treatment of little children's voices is a vocal barbarity1 and the device of pitching songs higher than they are written to overcome the difficulty is more common than might be supposed4 ,there can be no doubt that in a short time the practice of carrying the tones of little children three and four notes below the first line of the staff will not be tolerated4 ,the common1 even universal1 tendency of primary classes to drop in pitch when singing with the usual thick tone might show anyone that the voice was being used in an abnormal manner4 ,furthermore1 the intonation of children of any age is something horrible when the thick voice is used4 ,even carefully-selected and trained boy choristers1 if they use this voice1 are frequently off the key even when supported by men's voices and the organ4 ,so in addition to other reasons for using the thin register may be added this1 that habits of faulty intonation are surely fostered by the use of the thick voice4 ,picture to yourself the short1 thin1 weak vocal bands of a child of six or seven years attached to cartilaginous walls so devoid of rigidity that in that dreaded disease of childhood-- croup-- they often collapse4 ,that is not an instrument for the production of tones in the contralto compass4 ,no wonder the pitch is wavering4 ,if infant classes are to sing with the usual tones1 the common advice to make the singing-exercise short is extremely judicious4 ,it would be better to omit it4 ,the intimation that the last word can now be said on this subject is not for a moment intended1 but experience has given some tolerably safe hints in reference to the compass of the child-voice in the thin register at the ages mentioned1 and it is advised never to carry the compass lower than ,e first line1 nor higher than ,f fifth line of the staff1 and the upper extreme must be sung sparingly4 ,the easiest tones lie from ,music3 f' d'' ,the injunction to sing very softly need hardly be repeated4 ,passing now to children who range in age from nine to eleven years1 who are found in the fourth and fifth years of school-life1 it may be observed that there is quite a marked increase in the evenness and firmness of their tones4 ,it is quite possible1 especially at the age of about eleven years1 to extent the compass to ,g above the staff and to ,d or ,c below2 but if it does no harm1 it serves no particular good end either1 and unless care is taken1 the children will push the highest tones4 ,all of the necessary music drill can be kept within the suggested range1 and it is just as well to keep on the safe side4 ,then again1 the extremes in age between children of the same class grow farther apart as we ascend in grade1 and the compass must be kept within the vocal powers of the youngest1 and1 from a voice-standpoint1 weakest pupils4 ,protect the voice1 and nature will attend to its development4 ,from the time children pass the age of twelve years on to the period of puberty1 the child-voice is at its best1 and if the use of the thin register has been faithfully adhered to in the lower grades1 the singing-tone will now be both pure and brilliant4 ,it will be found not at all difficult to carry the same voice as low or lower than middle ,c without any perceptible change in tone-quality1 and ,g above the staff will be sung with absolute ease4 ,how much higher1 if any1 the compass may be carried is open to discussion4 ,it is not at all necessary in school music to go any higher1 for1 even where it is deemed best to raise the pitch of the song or exercise to avoid too low tones1 the pitch of the highest note will seldom be above ,g-- space above4 ,still1 it is the practice of choirmasters to carry the tone of soprano boys much higher in vowel-practice1 as high even as ,music3 c''' and although that is a pretty altitudinous pitch1 there are very few choir-boys who1 when taught to breathe properly1 etc41 will not take it occasionally with perfect ease4 ,the head-register1 even in woman's voice1 is capable of great expansion1 if good habits of tone-production are followed4 ,but again it is well to be on the safe side2 and choir-boys1 who are selected because they have good vocal organs1 and who are drilled far more than school children1 are hardly a criterion to go by4 ,it must not be forgotten that the thin voice can be pushed and forced4 ,good judgment must be exercised in controlling the power of voice1 or children will strain the vocal mechanism in trying to outsing each other on high tones4 ,the question1 ,how high may boys or girls sing who have passed twelve years of age and whose voices show no signs of break1 is not so very important after all1 for if they have been well trained in soft tone1 no danger of vocal strain need be feared even if an occasional high ,a or ,b flat is struck4 ,the reason for the ease with which children sing the high head-tones is found in the structure of the vocal bands4 ,they are thin4 ,consequently1 there is1 compared to the entire substance of the vocal bands1 a larger portion proportionately set in vibration than for the production of the head-tone in woman's voice4 ,and when the child-voice is so used that no strain of the laryngeal structure is occasioned1 that is1 when the vocal ligaments are exercised in a normal manner1 it cannot but happen that the muscles controlling the vocal bands will increase in strength1 and that the bands themselves1 composed as they are of numberless elastic fibres1 will improve in general tone and elasticity4 ,the suggestions made in regard to the compass of voice are1 be it said1 simply suggestions based on experimental teaching and are such as it is believed may be followed with safety in school singing4 ,if they do not square with the music of books and charts1 why1 as before said1 it is a very simple matter to give a higher key for any exercise1 than the one in which it is written4 ,a supervisor1 by marking the exercises in the desk copy1 can ensure the use of the key he desires4 ,if it is objected that the tones then sung will not represent the real pitch of the written notes1 why that is at once admitted4 ,what then8 ,the idea of teaching absolute pitch is a chimera4 ,pianos are not alike in pitch1 neither are tuning-forks4 ,classes will often for one cause or another end a half tone or a tone lower than they began even if the pitch as written is given4 ,it may not be desirable to sing in one key music that is read in another1 but it certainly is less objectionable in every way than is an unsafe use of the voice4 ,the correct use of the voice must transcend all considerations in vocal music1 and no sort of practice which misuses the vocal organs can be excused for a moment4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,position1 ,,breathing1 ,,attack1 ,,tone ,,formation4 ,one way to secure good position is to require the pupils to stand4 ,unless the singing-period directly follows a recess1 or the drill in physical exercises1 the pupils will welcome the opportunity4 ,as soon as standing becomes irksome resume the seats4 ,no further direction in regard to sitting position is necessary than that the body should be held not stiffly1 but easily erect and self-supporting1 resting neither upon the back of chair nor upon the desk in front4 ,a doubled-up1 cramped position is1 of course1 all wrong1 and may be avoided if the pupils are permitted to alternate between sitting and standing positions2 but1 if required to sit as suggested for too long a time1 the rule will soon be honored more in the breach than in the observance4 ,this brings us to the consideration of ,breathing1 for the latter in its relations to vocalization depends much upon position4 ,the breath is the motive power of the voice in speech or song1 and the fundamental importance of managing it aright has been understood by every teacher of voice since the time of ,porpora4 ,how for singing purposes breath shall be taken1 how exhaled1 how managed in short1 is not yet entirely settled and presumably never will be1 for people are not born wise1 and some never acquire wisdom1 of whom a few teach music4 ,browne and ,behnke1 in ,voice1 ,song1 and ,speech1 p4 #ach-adb1 describe the process of breathing as follows3 ,there are three ways of carrying on the process of respiration1 namely1 midriff breathing1 rib-breathing1 and collar-bone breathing4 ,these three ways are not wholly independent of one another4 ,they overlap or partly extend into one another4 ,nevertheless1 they are sufficiently distinct and it is a general and convenient practice to give to each a separate name1 according to the means by which it is chiefly called into existence4 ,the combined forms of midriff and of rib-breathing constitute the right way1 and collar-bone breathing is totally wrong and vicious1 and should not in a state of health be made under any circumstances4 ,when enlarging our chests by the descent of the midriff1 we inflate our lungs where they are largest and where consequently we can get the largest amount of air into them4 ,when expanding our chests by raising the shoulders and collar-bones1 we inflate the lungs where they are smallest and where1 consequently1 we get the smallest amount of air into them4 ,the criterion of correct inspiration is an increase of size of the abdomen and the lower part of the chest4 ,whoever draws in the abdomen and raises the upper part of the chest breathes wrongly4 ,in normal breathing the body at inspiration increases in girth at the waist1 and the abdomen moves slightly outward as the viscera are forced downward by the descent of the diaphragm4 ,the diaphragm is a large muscle which serves as a partition between the thorax or chest-cavity and the abdomen4 ,when relaxed its middle portion is extended upward into the chest-cavity1 presenting a concave surface to the abdomen4 ,at inspiration it contracts1 descending so as to assume very nearly a plane figure4 ,at expiration the process is reversed1 the diaphragm relaxes and the abdominal viscera1 released from its pressure and forced by the abdominal muscles which contract as the diaphragm relaxes1 moves upward and inward4 ,this kind of breathing in which the muscular contraction of the diaphragm calls in operation atmospheric pressure1 supplies the body1 when tranquil1 with nearly or quite enough air4 ,when for any reason a larger quantity of air is demanded1 it may be secured by raising the ribs1 thereby increasing the chest-cavity4 ,in singing1 the breath must be managed so that the air passing through the larynx at expiration shall be set into vibration at the vocal bands4 ,expiration1 then1 which ordinarily occurs very quickly must be retarded by slowly relaxing the muscles which contract at inspiration4 ,at the same time the throat must be open1 and the muscles surrounding the resonance cavities relaxed to allow free movement of the sound-waves set up at the vocal bands4 ,any upward movement of the shoulders and chest at inspiration involving the contraction of many powerful muscles of back and neck will occasion a stiffening of the throat1 which prevents free vibration of the vocal bands and seriously interferes with the resonance of tone4 ,the conclusion of the whole matter is1 that in singing we should take breath exactly as in the ordinary quiet respiration1 and avoid any lifting of the shoulders4 ,this is at least enough to say to a class of children upon the subject4 ,the means adopted in education should be as simple and direct as possible4 ,it will be found unnecessary to say very much about breathing in dealing with classes of children4 ,in the first place1 the moment the subject is broached and the direction take a good breath or a similar one given1 each child will draw up the chest and shoulders prepared for a mighty effort2 while1 if nothing is said about it1 position alone being attended to1 the breathing will be all right4 ,and again1 while adult singers for various reasons1 one of which may be the supposition that the more energy put forth the better the tone1 often present themselves to the voice-teacher with a fine assortment of bad breathing-habits1 children1 on the contrary1 are sent to school at so young an age that a little watchfulness on the part of the teacher only is necessary to avoid improper ways of taking breath and establish good habits4 ,if young children1 then1 are not permitted to raise the shoulders1 they will perforce breathe properly4 ,it seems inadvisable also to give any instruction regarding the emission of air from the lungs in singing4 ,none but cultivated singers1 after long practice and through a complete command of the muscles concerned1 can vocalize all the air at the vocal bands4 ,the absolute purity of tone which is thus secured is a result that may or may not be reached in any particular case4 ,it depends upon the mental and physical organization of the pupil as well as upon the method of the teacher4 ,exercises which are adapted to the formation of good breathing-habits are much more to the point in practical teaching than efforts at explanation4 ,therefore1 a few hints are given1 which1 it is hoped1 may be of practical value1 for it is very important that good breathing-habits be formed in school singing4 ,the change in structure which the larynx undergoes at puberty1 demolishing as it does the boy-voice1 and rendering of no avail the training of childhood in so far as it affects the larynx1 does not extend in its effects to the breathing-apparatus4 ,so1 a habit of breath-management1 good or bad1 formed in school may continue through adult life4 ,special breathing-exercises are sometimes recommended1 but their efficacy may be doubted1 even if the length of time devoted to the music lesson permits them4 ,the inclination of pupils in such exercises is to raise the chest and fill the lungs too full of air4 ,the result is too much air pressure at the vocal bands1 and a stiffening of throat and jaw muscles4 ,the tone then will be loud2 in fact1 strong pressure of air at the vocal bands is almost sure to force them into the fullest vibration2 that is1 into the thick register1 and1 as a result of contracted throat1 the tone will be pinched1 or throaty4 ,it is recognized1 however1 that it is just as easy to teach good habits of breathing as bad4 ,this exercise may occasionally be given3 ,the pupils first standing1 shoulders well set1 but with no pushing out of chest1 place hands at the waist so that the movements of normal breathing may be felt4 ,now let the pupils take a little breath quickly4 ,the movement at the waist must be outward and downward1 never inward1 at inspiration4 ,the breath may be held a few seconds by keeping the waist expanded-- keeping an imaginary belt filled1 for instance-- and then let go by relaxing at the waist4 ,if1 however1 there is any stiffening of the throat1 as if it were thought to cork up the air in the lungs1 the object of the exercise1 in so far as it relates to the formation of good breathing-habits suitable for easy vocalization1 is defeated4 ,every teacher must use his judgment in this matter of breath-management in singing4 ,if pupils are1 unguided1 using correct1 easy methods1 there is then no need to interfere4 ,if some are inclined to take too much breath and lift the shoulders1 a few hints may put them on the right track4 ,loud singing and had breathing-habits go together4 ,if the first is desired1 the lungs must work at full capacity1 and hard blowing from the lungs forces the voice4 ,on the contrary1 soft singing promotes quiet habits of breathing2 and1 if the pressure of air at the larynx is moderate1 soft tone is possible4 ,if thin1 soft singing alone be allowed1 quiet deep breathing will be practiced instinctively4 ,the easy control of the muscles whose relaxation permits the exhalation of air from the lungs is1 as already said1 gained by their proper exercise in speaking and singing1 for the same mechanism is called into operation in speech as in song4 ,in childhood the lungs can neither hold as much1 nor retain it so long and easily as in adult life4 ,there is no better way1 perhaps1 to acquire the ability to regulate the air-pressure at the vocal bands than by soft1 sustained singing4 ,the continuous tone described in a preceding chapter1 secured in scale drill by letting each child breathe at will1 is an excellent exercise for developing good breathing-habits4 ,as there is no nervous tension whatever1 each pupil will naturally sustain tone until the need of another breath is felt1 when it will be taken quickly and the tone at once resumed4 ,to sum up3 ,sit or stand in good position1 the chest neither pushed out nor in a state of collapse4 ,avoid any1 even the slightest1 upward movement of the shoulders4 ,point out the movements at waist occurring at inspiration and at expiration if necessary1 not otherwise4 ,let the breath be taken quickly1 not too much at a time1 and as often as need be1 and sing softly4 ,attack4 ,the beginning of each tone is called attack4 ,the common faults of attack in class-singing are sliding to the pitch instead of striking it accurately1 and beginning to sing with the mouth still closed1 or only partly open4 ,when the attack presents the combined effects of these two common habits1 a quite realistic caterwaul is the result4 ,both faults may be generally overcome or prevented by calling attention to them4 ,good mental attention is the most infallible cure for slovenly habits of attack4 ,it may be that there are in all schools a certain proportion of the pupils who have very weak and imperfect vocal organs2 in their cases1 even good attention cannot overcome physical inability4 ,in repose the vocal bands are separated to allow the free passage of air to and from the lungs4 ,at phonation the bands are drawn toward each other1 meeting just as it commences4 ,there need be no preliminary escape of air4 ,also the resonance cavities above should be open1 that the vibrations generated at the vocal bands may find expansion and resonance4 ,the mouth and throat should then be opened a moment before tone is attacked1 when1 if the pitch to be sung is clearly pictured in the mind1 both the slide and hum will be avoided4 ,tone-,formation4 ,beauty of tone implies absence of disagreeable qualities1 and freedom from unpleasant sounds4 ,faulty tones are called nasal1 guttural1 palatal1 throaty1 muffled1 and so on1 the peculiar timbre of each suggesting the name4 ,if the throat is relaxed1 and if the soft parts of the vocal tube lying between the larynx and the teeth are kept out of the way1 most of the disagreeable qualities of voice enumerated disappear4 ,certain requisites are necessary to good tone-formation4 ,first1 a movable lower jaw4 ,it is astonishing that so many of young and old will1 when they wish to open the mouth for song1 try to keep it closed4 ,paradoxical as the statement is1 it nevertheless describes a very common phenomenon-- the fixed jaw1 it may be called4 ,as soon as the teeth are parted slightly1 the muscles of the face and neck which control the movement of the lower jaw contract1 holding it in a fixed position1 and incidentally tightening the muscles of the throat until the larynx is in a grip as of rubber bands4 ,the mouth must not be held open as if the jaws were pried apart4 ,it is opened by the relaxation of the closing muscles and should hang by its own weight1 as it were4 ,if then the lower jaw drops easily1 and with no accompanying muscular contraction of face or throat1 the tone may be formed or shaped well forward in the mouth1 unless the soft parts referred to obstruct it4 ,these soft parts are the tongue and the soft-palate4 ,the soft-palate is a structure which hangs from the posterior edge of the hard-palate4 ,the uvula1 the pillars of the palate1 and the tonsils are parts of the structure4 ,the tongue which1 when the mouth is closed1 nearly fills it1 should in vocalization lie as much out of the way as is possible4 ,if the tip be pressed against the lower teeth and its sides upon the molars1 it forms a floor to the cavity of the mouth4 ,if the tip turns toward the roof of the mouth1 or if it is drawn back and under1 so as to arch the tongue1 tone is seriously interfered with1 while if the root of the tongue is drawn backward1 the tone is shut in4 ,if the soft-palate is not raised in singing1 the tone is diverted into the cavities of the nose1 and that color given to the tone called nasal4 ,if the lower jaw is held too high1 the tone is again forced through the nose4 ,a nasal quality can be modified by opening the mouth4 ,the muffled voice is sometimes the result of the tongue's unruly behavior4 ,the throaty1 pinched voice1 due to a stiff and pinched throat1 will hardly appear if good conditions as regards position1 breathing1 soft tone1 open mouth1 etc41 are maintained4 ,the tone should not be swallowed nor1 on the other hand1 blown out of the mouth4 ,it should be formed in the mouth and kept vibrating within it4 ,when the right conditions are hit upon1 the tone seems to sing itself4 ,whether soft or loud1 the tone should fill the mouth1 so to speak4 ,it must now be remembered that beauty of tone improves along with growth of thought and feeling4 ,encourage discrimination in tone-quality and help in any way advisable the growth of good ideals1 and verily shalt thou be rewarded4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,vowels1 ,,consonants1 ,,articulation4 ,sound-vibrations generated at the larynx are modified as to their form1 by the size and shape of the resonating cavities of the mouth and pharynx4 ,through the movements of the soft-palate1 tongue1 lower jaw and lips1 the shape and size of the mouth can1 within certain limits1 be changed at will4 ,as every vowel-sound requires a peculiar form of the resonating cavity for its production1 it will be easily understood that each vowel-sound of which the human voice is capable can be made by a proper adjustment of the movable parts of the vocal organs4 ,as all singing-tone is vocal or vowel in its character1 the production of the various vowel-sounds takes precedence in the study of vocal music4 ,just how much of this study can be carried on in school music will depend upon circumstances1 the chief of which is the time assigned for music4 ,it is very easy to suggest that if the time given is not enough1 that longer lesson periods be demanded2 but it is quite probable that1 owing to the pressure of elaborate courses of study1 the request would be seldom granted4 ,it remains1 then1 for those in charge of school music to expedite their work by means of simple and direct methods4 ,each division of the music work must be carried so as to secure unity of result4 ,the vocal drill1 oral or written1 will train the eye and ear for sight-singing1 and the sight-singing be a practical application of correct vocal drill4 ,the study and practice of the different vowel-sounds must then fit in with the scheme of study4 ,the practice of singing the vowels by name as1 a1 e1 i1 o1 u1 is not to be recommended1 as only one1 namely e1 stands for a single sound-element2 nor is it probable that the results will justify extensive drill upon the more obscure vowel-elements1 if the term may be applied to those sounds which are differentiated only slightly from the more pronounced vowel-sounds4 ,there are some twenty vowel-sounds that are used in ,english speech1 but for various reasons a less number are employed in song4 ,for1 while it is desirable to give to each word and syllable its correct vowel-sound in singing1 those which are unfavorable to good tone are usually approximated to the sound of those more favorable to good tone4 ,if too marked distinctions in the vowel-sounds are made by the singer1 the result is disagreeable2 while if the voice preserves a similar hue or tone-color throughout1 the effect is pleasing4 ,the listener is unaware of the slight deviations from the spoken vowel-sound which the singer makes1 that the requirements of tonal beauty may be met4 ,it is advisable in vowel-practice to avoid letters or symbols which represent two sounds1 an initial and a vanish2 and to use simple vowel elements instead4 ,the combinations of different elements represented by certain letters and diphthongs may easily be explained when they appear in the words of a song1 if1 indeed1 the study of phonics has not already cleared away all difficulties4 ,in singing1 however1 it is necessary to understand which of the two sounds1 the initial or the vanish1 is to be sustained4 ,in -a1 for instance1 which is ehe1 if the vanish e is sustained in a word like day the effect is deh-ee4 ,the first sound should be sustained1 and the vanish e be heard only slightly as the mouth partly closes at the end of the tone4 -,i1 again1 which is equivalent to ahe1 is often sung by prolonging the e instead of the initial ah1 as light--li-eet4 -,o is a compound sound -o-o-o1 but the tendency to sing the first sound short and prolong the second is very slight usually4 ,o1 then1 can be used to represent a simple element4 -,u1 which equals eoo1 is best sung by making the initial sound short and the vanish the longer tone4 ,it will thus be seen that of the five vowel names1 a1 e1 i1 o1 u1 e only stands for one sound1 though the two sounds of o are so closely allied that the vanish is often imperceptible4 ,the sound of -a in 7at is the most unfavorable sound for song in the language1 and those extremely consistent singers who wish to use it can do so4 ,the nasal twang of ,yankeedom is a plant that needs no nourishing4 ,its roots are grown wide and deep2 so much so1 that those who love it need not fear that it will pine away and die1 if it bears no fruit of song1 but only that of speech4 ,the sound of 7a will survive even if it is unused in song4 ,it should in singing be broadened nearly to the sound of ah4 ,a number of simple elements are suggested which may be used in various ways in vocal drill4 ,they are -e1 7i1 7e1 3a1 a31 -o1 7oo4 ,or -e 7as in be71 7i 7as in it71 eh1 ah1 aw1 -o 7as in go71 7oo4 ,the vowel-elements remaining are each so closely allied to some of those indicated that the attempt to differentiate them from the above in vowel-drill is hardly worth while4 ,in fact1 the use of 7i-- i as in it-- may be omitted if pupils have learned to sing -e with fair breadth of sound1 and oo may be dropped in grades above the primary4 ,it is the final sound of -o1 as before said4 ,this leaves five vowel-elements4 ,e4 ,this vowel is often badly sung1 and its form is none too favorable to good tone even when made as large as distinctness will allow4 ,the lips must be drawn a little away from the teeth as in a smile1 but don't overdo it1 and the teeth slightly parted4 ,the lips should not be drawn back1 exposing the teeth and gums1 nor should they be contracted and pressed against the teeth4 ,in e and in all vowel singing the lips should be relaxed1 not contracted1 and kept about as far from the teeth as they are in repose4 ,if the opening of the mouth1 that is1 if the cavity back of the teeth is kept too small and narrow1 the tone will be nasal and twangy4 ,the mouth must be opened enough to permit purity of tone and free emission4 ,the sound should verge toward i in it4 ,i4 ,this sound is -e broadened4 ,the teeth may be a little farther apart than when -e is sung4 7,e or ,,eh4 ,this is the sound of e in the word get4 ,it is also the initial sound of the vowel -a or long a4 ,it is true that this sound is not usually so given1 but if -a is sung with this sound as its initial sound1 and the one to be prolonged1 the very best vocal results can be obtained4 ,the vowel 7a is more often poorly sung than otherwise4 ,this is1 perhaps1 for the reason that comparatively few singers recognize that long a stands for two sounds1 and that the first1 which may be spelled eh1 can be sung with large form and placed well forward in the mouth1 while the second sound -e is small in form1 and not adapted to the finest tone-effects4 ,in singing this element1 the jaw should drop much lower than for 7i and nearly as low as for ah4 3,a or ,,ah4 ,this is the tone universally accepted as the best for voice-development2 but in school-singing it is not permissible to use the voice except in the lightest manner1 therefore purity of tone must content our ambitions2 power can come later in life4 ,the mouth opens widely for this tone and the whole throat is expanded4 ,a3 or ,,aw4 ,this element is formed very much like ah4 ,it is ah broadened a little4 ,the jaw drops to a lower point and the mouth-cavity deepens1 while at the same time the extension from side to side narrows a little4 -,o and ,,oo4 ,these sounds are better adapted to securing the use of the thin voice1 where pupils have been accustomed to the use of the thick voice1 than any other vowel-element4 ,the mouth is well opened back of the lips1 which should not be puckered as if to whistle1 but relaxed instead4 ,in actual practice there may be observed a tendency1 more or less marked1 but pretty sure to manifest itself if practice on one sound is continued too long at a time1 to deviate from any one toward some other vowel-element1 as 7i to -e1 eh to 7i1 ah to er or er or uh1 aw to uh1 -o to oo4 ,if this tendency to deviate from the right tone be permitted1 the most slovenly habits will be formed1 and all distinctions in vowel-sound disappear4 ,vowel-practice had better be omitted from class-work unless carefully and conscientiously taught4 ,if the course of music embraces drill upon scales1 vowel-practice may be incorporated into the course easily4 ,for instance1 the drill outlined upon p4 #gj may one day be given with e for a few moments1 then with o4 ,on another day the drill may be upon ah1 followed by eh1 and so on4 ,it is unnecessary to particularize4 ,every teacher will at once see how to apply practically vowel-singing to his music course4 ,the exercises and songs may be sung with vowel-sounds4 ,nearly all books advise the use of la1 lo1 etc41 in vocal exercises2 but while that method of singing is unobjectionable1 the vocalization of solfeggii1 it may be observed1 is established by the sanction of time and the experience of thousands of voice-trainers the world over4 ,the advantages which flow from vocalizing exercises and songs on a single vowel-sound are too many to be described in a word4 ,no supervisor or teacher of music can afford to use do1 re1 mi1 exclusively4 ,another class of exercises is now suggested which may be sung upon one breath4 ,they will be found especially adapted to develop flexibility and a ready adjustment of the movable parts of the vocal tube to the positions suited to the formation of the different vowel-sounds4 ,if three sounds are used as here given1 they must be sung quite slowly1 the change from one sound to the next being made by a quick1 easy change of position of the jaw1 tongue1 etc41 but without interrupting the continuity of the tone4 ,sufficient pause to obtain a new breath must be made at the end of each group1 and the mouth opened properly for the production of the first sound of the next group before it is attacked4 ,the time should be ,music3 f' f' f' sung on o1 e1 o quite slow and as in illustration1 or the breath will not be used1 and at each succeeding group of tones the lungs will become too full of air4 ,the attack will then be explosive1 and the tone too loud1 if1 indeed1 the effort to control the breath does not contract and pinch the throat4 ,eight groups are given for ascending a scale and eight for descending3 -o -e -o -o -e 7i -o 7i -o -o -e oo -o ah -o o ah e -o eh -o -o ah eh -o aw -o -o ah aw -o -e eh -o ah 7i -o -e ah -o ah oo -o -e aw -o eh -e ,it will be observed that a certain system of arrangement of the vowel-elements is followed4 ,first1 there are five groups1 of which o is the first and last sound1 the others being placed between4 ,then o is the first tone with e as the second1 the other sounds in turn ending the group4 ,next ah is the second sound1 then eh1 i1 oo and ah might be used as the second vowel-element1 making thirty-five combinations with o as the initial sound of each group4 ,the same number of combinations can be made with ah as the first tone1 and so on with each of the seven vowel-elements4 ,sixteen of these groups1 changed from time to time as may be desired1 can be written upon the blackboard and sung by the class in the way set forth1 the teacher meanwhile keeping time for and directing the class4 ,it may be observed in this connection1 that1 as the voice ascends in pitch1 there is a tendency to blend the various vowel-sounds into one sound4 ,as the tones grow higher the sound-waves are focused at higher points upon the hard-palate1 the sounding-board of the resonance cavities1 and more difficulty is experienced in moulding these sound-waves into the forms characteristic of the different vowel-elements4 ,as the parts concerned in tone-formation gain in flexibility1 the result appears in the ease with which the alterations in shape of the resonance tube are made at higher pitches4 ,fads and devices which divert attention from the subject and retard rather than accelerate the progress of pupils are common enough in schools1 but the following simple illustrations of different vowel-forms may be found useful3 ,illustration3 mouth shapes -e 7i eh mouth shapes ah aw o oo ,the base line represents the floor or base of the mouth-cavity1 and the arch1 the height and width of the mouth for each sound2 the depth is not indicated4 ,the width of the mouth from side to side is represented as greatest in -e1 7i and eh1 while the height is greater in ah and aw1 o is pictured as nearly round1 and oo the same1 only small4 ,it is not contended that these diagrams picture the actual form assumed by the resonance cavities very accurately4 ,the various positions which the tongue and the soft-palate assume are not shown at all1 nor1 perhaps1 is it necessary2 for if the pupil is taught to drop the lower jaw to the right position for each sound1 and to keep the tongue prone in the mouth1 a mental picture of each tone will be formed1 and the thought will regulate the action4 ,when the pupil can think the sound desired1 the conditions for its formation will be met by the vocal organs4 ,the usefulness of diagrams will then cease4 ,consonants and ,articulation4 ,consonants are the bones of speech4 ,by means of consonants we articulate our words2 that is1 we give them joints4 ,we utter vowels1 we articulate consonants4 ,if we utter a single vowel-sound and interrupt it by a consonant1 we get an articulation4 ,consonants1 then1 not only give speech its articulation or joints1 but they help words to stand and have form1 just as a skeleton keeps the animal from falling into a shapeless mass of flesh2 therefore1 consonants are the bones of speech4 ,the consonant is the distinguishing element of human speech4 ,man has been defined in various ways according to various attributes1 functions and habits4 ,he might well be called the consonant-using animal4 ,he alone of all animals uses consonants4 ,it is the consonant which makes the chief difference between the cries of beasts and the speech of man4 --,richard ,grant ,white4 ,consonants are not to be sung4 ,the effort so common among singers to pronounce1 by sustaining consonant sounds1 is entirely misdirected4 ,m1 n and ng1 which are made by shutting off the escape of the air-current at either the lips or the hard-palate1 and so forcing it through the nose1 are often sustained to the detriment of beauty of tone and clear pronunciation as well4 ,articulation1 which is the pronunciation of a consonantal sound1 is accomplished by interrupting the air-current1 whether vibratory or not1 at certain points4 ,the interruptions are made by the meeting of the lips with each other or with the teeth1 by the tongue with the teeth or hard-palate1 and the root of the tongue with the soft-palate4 ,the interruption may be complete1 as in p or t1 or only partial1 as in th4 ,the sound of the consonant results from the slight explosion or puff which follows the recoil of the movable parts from the point of contact4 ,all consonants may for singing purposes be considered as preceding or following some vowel-sound4 ,if preceding1 then after the sound is made the vocal organs must be adjusted at once for the proper formation of the succeeding vowel4 ,if the consonant sound follows a vowel-tone1 the movement of the vocal organs to the interrupting point must be quick and vocalization at once cease2 for if the vowel-sound is prolonged after the production of the consonant1 the effect will be an added syllable to the word as at-at-er1 up-up-pah1 etc4 ,the movements of the organs of speech for both contact and recoil must be more rapid in singing to produce distinct articulation than in spoken language4 ,slovenly habits of articulation in speech will reappear in song1 and the converse is also true4 ,the study and practice of phonics1 which is now general in schools1 is of the highest practical importance in singing1 as well as in reading or speaking4 ,as consonant sounds cannot be sung1 they are best taught in spoken language4 ,the application of the knowledge and skill thus gained is readily applied to the pronunciation of words in singing4 ,if the vowel-elements have been carefully practiced in vocalizes1 there will be little effort required to secure the correct formation of all the vowel-sounds of words4 ,the nasal twang must1 however1 be ruthlessly suppressed4 ,as before suggested1 this will frequently appear in words containing the sound of a as in at1 past1 fast1 etc4 ,it is recommended that such words be sung with a as in father1 or if not quite as broadly1 at least approaching the sound of ah4 ,if the movements of the vocal organs are quick1 flexible and without muscular tension or stiffness1 and if the mouth opens neither too much nor too little for each vowel-sound1 words may be sung and understood while beauty of tone is not sacrificed4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,mutation ,,of ,,the ,,voice4 ,the anatomical and physiological changes which occur in the larynx at puberty have been described in the chapter on ,physiology of the ,voice4 ,it may be added that at this period the resonance cavities also undergo considerable alteration in size and form4 ,as childhood is left behind the individual emerges4 ,divergences in face1 in form and in mental characteristics become emphasized4 ,the traits of race and family are manifested and self-consciousness becomes more acute4 ,this period of development1 bringing as it does so much disturbance to the vocal organs1 is particularly inimical to singing2 and yet public school music is expected to produce its most elaborate results in those grades where the pupils are just about to enter1 or are passing through this period of rapid growth and change4 ,the singing in such grades may be discussed with reference first to the singing of girls and then to that of boys4 ,the vocal organs of girls often develop so gradually in size1 and with so little congestion of the laryngeal substance1 that no aversion is manifested to singing4 ,in other cases the inflamed condition of the vocal organs is shown by the hoarseness which follows their use1 and the huskiness of the singing-tone4 ,the voices of nearly all during the mutation period show more volume of tone on the lower tones and evidences of strain at the higher tones4 ,it is a good plan to put girls who show throat-weakness1 characteristic of their age1 upon that part which requires only a medium range of tones1 and to repress all inclination to force and push the voice4 ,the desire which girls often express to sing the upper soprano need not affect the teacher to any great extent4 ,a multitude of strong and constantly-shifting ambitions are thronging through their minds4 ,some wish to sing the highest part because it seems to them to be the most prominent part2 some wish to sing it because they can do so with the least mental effort1 and so on4 ,these whims and wishes must be treated tactfully1 but if the teacher is sure that a certain course is right1 there is no alternative but to carry it out1 with as little friction as may be4 ,large voices1 that is1 voices that proceed from large resonance cavities1 are often badly strained at this period of life by too loud and too high singing4 ,it must not for a moment be forgotten that the age is a critical one for vocal effort1 and a strain that the adult woman's voice will endure with apparent impunity may produce lasting evil effects on the voice of a girl of from fourteen to sixteen years of age4 ,if the requirements of the music are such that pitches above ,f1 the fifth line ,g clef1 must be occasionally sung1 let the voices upon the part sing lightly4 ,if some of the girls are put upon the lower of three parts1 do not let them use the chest-voice1 which is just beginning to develop1 otherwise than lightly also4 ,the boy's voice may change from the soprano to a light bass of eight or twelve tones in compass in a few months1 or the change may extend over two or three years2 that is1 two or three years may elapse after the first distinct break before there is any certainty of vocal action in the newly-acquired compass4 ,when the voice changes rapidly1 all singing should be stopped4 ,really1 in such cases1 boys cannot sing even if they attempt to do so4 ,they are so hoarse1 and the pitch alternates so unexpectedly between an unearthly treble and a preternatural bass that a boy can usually sing only in monotone1 if1 with courage proof against the ridicule occasioned by his uncontrollable vocal antics1 he tries to join in4 ,in those cases1 where the larynx undergoes a slow change in growth1 it is often possible for the boy to sing all through the period of change4 ,the upper tones may be lost1 while there is a corresponding gain of lower tones4 ,this process1 in many cases1 goes on slowly and with so little active congestion of the larynx that the voice changes from soprano to alto1 and thence to tenor almost imperceptibly4 ,voices which change in this way often become tenor1 but not invariably4 ,the question now arises1 ,should those boys who can sing while the voice is breaking be required to take part in school singing exercises8 ,in ,browne and ,behnke's work1 ,the ,child ,voice1 to which allusion has been made1 there is given a resume of #aeb replies to the question3 ,have you ever known of boys being made to sing through the period of puberty1 and1 if so1 with what result8 ,the answers were3 ,forty correspondents have no knowledge4 ,five think the voice is improved by the experiment4 ,ten quote solitary instances where no harm has arisen4 ,ten know of the experiment having been made1 and consider it has caused no harm to the voice4 ,eight mention results so variable as to admit of no conclusion4 ,seventy-nine say the experiment causes certain injury1 deterioration or ruin to the after voice1 and of this number ten observe that they have suffered disastrous effects in their own person4 ,these answers were from ,english choirmasters1 organists1 music teachers1 singers1 etc4 ,it will be noticed that only fifteen of those who give a positive opinion upon the subject think that boys can sing through the period of break safely2 while seventy-nine are positive that the result is unsafe4 ,the other replies are vague4 ,it must be remembered that many of the opinions are those of instructors in cathedral schools1 where one or two rehearsals and a daily church service means a great deal of singing2 while other answers come from choirmasters who require of their boys equally hard work1 though less in quantity4 ,every individual voice must be judged by itself1 if such demands as choir-singing are made upon it2 and1 while there are some cases1 as every choirmaster will probably agree1 where no perceptible injury results from singing during the change1 the rule is that even when possible1 it is very unsafe4 ,but the daily time given to singing in schools is very short2 the work bears no comparison with choir-singing4 ,it might almost be thought as necessary to forbid reading and talking during the break of voice as to forbid its use in a daily drill of fifteen or twenty minutes in singing4 ,certainly it is absurd to advocate entire non-use of the voice at this period in either speech or song4 ,it is rather correct to guard against its misuse4 ,if boys have up to this time used only the thick register1 they will in singing through the break intensify their bad habits2 throatiness1 harshness1 nasality will become chronic4 ,this would be bad enough1 but each bad vocal habit results from the abnormal use of the vocal organs1 and occasions hoarseness1 chronic sore throat1 catarrh1 etc4 ,it is quite customary in school music to assign the boys to the lower part1 in part music4 ,this practice continued from the time part-singing begins in the music course1 compels the boys to use the thick register4 ,as the larynx gains in firmness from year to year1 they experience more and more difficulty with their upper tones-- those lying from ,f to ,c4 ,having used only the thick voice in all their school singing1 they know of no other1 and very likely consider the thin voice which they are now obliged to use in singing the higher tones as altogether too girlish for the prospective heirs of manly bass tones4 ,the reluctance of boys to sing the soprano would be amusing were it not1 in the light of utterly false training1 so pitiful4 ,school music is educational2 its scope is controlled by those in charge4 ,the public expects good educational1 rather than show work1 and employs those to supervise and teach who are supposed to know what good educational work is in vocal music4 ,the supposition that children's voices can1 owing to individual differences analogous to those existing among adults1 be divided into alto and soprano voices1 is erroneous2 children can most assuredly sing in parts1 but the quality of tone which in the woman's voice is called alto or contralto cannot be secured for certain physical reasons previously explained2 and the use of the chest-tone1 which resembles the adult woman's chest-voice as a clarinet resembles a viola1 is wholly objectionable4 ,if1 however1 the voices have been trained in the use of the thin register only1 the management of the boy's voice during the change is simplified2 the influence of good vocal habits will be felt2 the vocal bands which have never been strained will respond when their condition admits of tone-production4 ,the boy who has been accustomed to sing with an easy action of the vocal ligaments and with open throat will at once become conscious of any unusual strain or wrong adjustment in the vocal organs4 ,if he has learned to sing well1 he has also learned not to sing badly4 ,the test to apply to the subject of boys' singing in school during the break may be3 ,can they sing without strain or push8 ,can they sing easily1 or does it hurt8 ,there is a certain amount of humbug in boys that must be allowed for1 but it does not affect calculations as to their singing-powers more than upon their other abilities1 if singing is well taught4 ,the speaking-voice also indicates the state of the vocal organs1 and shows the effect of the break sooner than does the singing-voice4 ,if the tones in speech are steady in pitch1 singing is possible in all probability4 ,if1 on the contrary1 the speaking-voice is croaky and wavering1 singing is difficult1 if not impossible4 ,as the object of the study of vocal music in the public schools1 in so far as it relates to the treatment of the voice1 is to develop good vocal habits1 not bad ones1 it follows that if boys sing during the break it must be only upon those tones which lie within their compass at any time1 and that the vocal organs must be used lightly1 and without strain4 ,in nearly every upper grade room there will be a percentage of boys whose voices are in a transition stage1 some of whom can sing and others of whom cannot4 ,it requires judgment and tact to handle these voices1 but if boys have sung as they should up to this period1 and have taken pleasure in it1 the mutual good understanding between them and their teacher need not be disturbed4 ,they are likely to do their best4 ,in this connection it should be said1 that really it may be doubted if the common practice of assigning all boys1 whose voices show signs of breaking1 to the bass part1 is right4 ,if boys have been kept upon the lower part1 in all part singing and have never used other than the thick chest voice1 then1 when the voice begins to break up1 it may be that they must sing bass or not sing at all4 ,boys trained in this way have never used the soprano head register and so if they sing alto1 it will be with the thick chest voice of boyhood1 which will now be the upper tones of the developing man's voice4 ,singing alto at the mutation period in this manner1 strains the vocal bands beyond reason1 and should not under any circumstances be allowed4 ,it must be understood then in what follows1 that singing alto in this1 the chest voice1 either before or during the break1 is unqualifiedly condemned4 ,but we will suppose now that boys have been permitted to sing only in the head register1 that they have been assigned to the upper part in part singing1 for notwithstanding that usage is to the contrary1 this is what should be done4 ,as has already been suggested the voices of girls change less1 and at a younger age than do boys1 and they begin to show weight of tone and increased volume1 at an age when boys are at their best as sopranos4 ,girls at this period should sing the middle and lower parts1 but it must be said in passing that much of the music contained in our text-books ranges too low in pitch for them1 or any voice except a low contralto or a tenor4 ,they must not be permitted to use their voices at full strength1 and special care should be taken of those who at this age show hoarseness4 ,with girls as with boys1 the change is accompanied with periods of great relaxation of the vocal bands1 and during these periods the singing tone is either very light1 or very loud4 ,returning to the subject of treatment of boys' voices during mutation1 and premising that they have sung only in the head voice during childhood1 the question arises whether they are not in many cases set to singing bass prematurely4 ,it is obvious that during this period the voice is actually broken1 divided in two4 ,the lower notes are produced in the chest or man's register1 while more or less of the boy's voice remains as upper tones4 ,these tones1 by the way1 never are lost1 they remain as the falsetto or head voice of the man4 ,now the vibratory action of the vocal ligaments is much larger for the chest voice than for the head1 or as we ordinarily call it1 the falsetto4 ,there is then no question that during mutation a boy can confine himself to the use of his old voice1 or so much of it as is available at any time with very little strain4 ,the tone will be light1 in fact1 during the active periods of laryngeal growth which characterize mutation1 there will perhaps be no voice at all1 owing to the congestion of the parts1 but in the periods of rest separating the periods of growth1 the vocal bands will respond4 ,the compass of the head voice at this time varies largely1 but it corresponds pretty closely to that of the second soprano1 in three part exercises1 or from ,c to ,c4 ,if it is attempted to carry the voice down it changes to the chest register unless used very lightly4 ,without attempting then to lay down positive rules for treating a voice which consists of fragments of voices1 the above suggestions are made in the hope that they may receive the consideration of teachers and musicians4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,the ,,alto ,,voice ,,in ,,male ,,choirs4 ,the suggestions of the preceding chapters are addressed directly to those who teach vocal music in public or private schools1 but the general principles and rules are equally applicable to the training of soprano choir boys4 ,the results in beauty and power of tone which may be obtained from carefully selected choir boys can seldom be equalled in the school-room1 first1 because training is required to develop voices in strength and purity of tone1 and the time devoted generally to school singing1 one hour a week possibly1 is no more than that given to a single rehearsal of choristers4 ,again school singing includes all members of the class1 and while it is true that there may be but few pupils in each room who cannot sing1 yet there are likely to be some4 ,these voices1 which we call monotones disappear almost entirely when pupils are trained to use the head voice4 ,still1 there is a percentage in every class in school1 whose inherited musical perceptions are very feeble1 and their slowness cannot but retard the general progress4 ,many of the difficulties that beset the teacher of music in schools1 then1 are eliminated at the start by the choir trainer1 when he selects boys with good voices1 who sing in tune naturally4 ,the increase in the number of vested choirs in this country has been very rapid during the past few years1 and fortunately1 the ideas which have prevailed among the majority of choir-masters on the subject of the boy voice1 have been just4 ,this is easily understood when we reflect that we have made the best ,english standards our ideal4 ,the leaven of sound doctrine on the boy voice is working rapidly1 and there are many choirs both in our large and small cities that are excellent examples of well-trained soprano boys4 ,there is1 however1 one problem of male choir training which is not yet satisfactorily solved1 at least it is troublesome to those choirs which have a small or moderate appropriation for music4 ,boy sopranos are plentiful1 basses and tenors are easily obtained1 but good male altos1 men1 not boys1 are almost unknown outside of a few large cities4 ,this state of affair has led1 in many cases1 to the employment of boys as altos1 and they have of course sung with the thick or chest voice4 ,it is an unmanageable and unmusical voice1 it is harsh1 unsympathetic1 hard to keep in tune1 its presence in a choir is a constant menace to the soprano tone1 and were it not for the idea that there is no recourse from this voice1 save in the employment of woman altos1 it would not be tolerated by musicians4 ,there is a recourse1 however1 and it is at the command of every choir trainer whose sopranos have been taught to sing with the head voice alone4 ,it is to select certain sopranos1 and when the voice breaks1 let them pass to the alto part1 and continue to use the head voice4 ,the objection which will naturally occur1 is1 that no singing should be permitted during the break4 ,well1 let us consider4 ,the period during which the voice1 in common parlance1 is breaking1 is a period of laryngeal growth1 just as inevitable and natural1 as is the growth of the body generally4 ,the voice may be fractured1 but the larynx is not4 ,every choir trainer must have observed the preliminaries to this period4 ,a boy for instance1 shows all at once a sudden increase of volume and finds it difficult to sing unless quite loudly or softly4 ,this shows that the vocal bands are relaxed4 ,following this1 the speaking voice will lower in pitch1 and show hoarseness at times4 ,as soon though1 as this hoarseness passes away1 that is1 when the congestion at the larynx has passed1 the voice is better perhaps than before4 ,then comes another break1 as we say1 that is1 a period of sore throat and hoarseness4 ,after this has passed1 it may be that the boy has lost his upper notes1 but can sing the lower ones with ease2 the tone too1 is changed in timbre4 ,it has the color of the man's head voice2 or it may be that the boy can still sing his high notes1 but that the lower ones are uncertain4 ,voice mutation is not one continuous period of growth of vocal bands and laryngeal cartilages4 ,on the contrary1 the periods of vocal disturbance are separated by intervals when the throat is comparatively free from irritation4 ,these intervals may be long or short4 ,it evidently depends upon the rapidity or slowness of the general growth and development4 ,there can be no doubt now1 that during a time when the voice is uncertain and hoarse from the irritation of the vocal bands and surrounding parts1 that singing is positively harmful1 but during the intervals separating these periods1 especially where they extend1 as in many cases1 over several months1 it would seem that the singing voice might be used4 ,each individual case must be observed and judged by itself4 ,this is entirely possible in choirs4 ,if then the choir-master is careful to observe and to humor the changing voice at all critical times2 if he will insist that the boy sing very lightly or not at all if it hurts him1 and if he will resolutely check any tendency to break into the tenor or chest quality1 he can train in a short time a good alto force from his choir1 and these young men so trained may become efficient male alto singers4 ,it is true that in many cases boys may be carried through the mutation period1 and at the end show such light tone upon the falsetto or head voice as to be of no value4 ,the strength and timbre of the male falsetto depends partly upon the character of the vocal bands and partly of course upon the size and shape of the resonance cavities4 ,men who have voices of wide range and good volume in the chest or usual singing voice1 generally possess strong head or falsetto tones1 and it may be that soprano boys who possess large voices1 that is those which show volume of tone along with purity1 whose resonance cavities are large1 will prove to develop a better falsetto1 as men1 than those boys whose voices are thinner4 ,one other point remains to be disposed of4 ,will the use of this voice by youth or adult1 injure his other voice1 be it naturally bass1 baritone1 or tenor8 ,no1 it will not1 and yet the average choir-master will most assuredly be met with this objection or fear4 ,it is surprising that so many of those who are in the business of trying to teach voice1 should be ignorant of the character and range of the male falsetto or head voice1 but in spite of this ignorance1 and more or less prejudice against its use1 the fear that by using it one impairs the tones of the chest register or the usual singing voice1 is utterly unfounded4 ,it is produced with far less effort and tension of the vocal bands than is the chest voice1 and is physiologically perfectly safe4 ,the mechanism which the larynx employs to produce the falsetto is just as natural as the mechanism employed to produce the chest voice4 ,that it is an unusual voice with us is due to circumstances of musical development4 ,the advent of the male vested choir has1 however1 created a demand for it1 and it may be met as indicated1 by keeping boys upon the head voice during mutation or so much of the time as is safe1 and afterward1 when the age of adolescence is past1 even if some prefer to sing bass or tenor1 the number of those available for the alto parts will be sufficient to meet all requirements4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,general ,,remarks4 ,in the preceding chapters1 dealing as they do with special subjects or subdivisions of the main topic1 the effort has been to point out and to suggest some ways in which good vocal habits may be taught1 and simple and effective vocal training carried on with whatever materials there may be at hand in the shape of books1 charts1 blackboards1 staves1 etc4 ,the leading idea is the correct use of the voice2 the particular song or exercise which maybe sung is of no special importance2 the way in which it is sung is everything4 ,the benefits of teaching music reading in the schools are a matter of daily comment4 ,is it1 then1 likely that the good resulting from the formation of correct habits in the use of the voice will fail of recognition8 ,not so4 ,for the effect of good vocal training in school music would be so general and so beneficent that even unfriendly critics might be silenced4 ,the first effect upon singing when the thick tone is forbidden and the attempt made to substitute the use of the voice in the thin or head register may be disappointing4 ,it will seem to take away all life and vigor from the singing4 ,teachers who enjoy hearty singing will get nervous2 they will doubt the value of the innovation4 ,in those grades where children range in age from twelve to fourteen years1 the apparent loss in vocal power will disconcert the pupils even4 ,never mind2 the use of the thin register will demonstrate its excellences1 and it will1 if slowly yet surely1 increase in brilliance and telling quality of tone4 ,again1 the compass downward needs to be more restricted at first than after the children have become habituated to its use4 ,as long as there is any marked tendency to break into the chest-voice at certain pitches1 the compass should be kept above them2 as the tendency weakens1 the voice may with due caution be carried to the lower tones1 in higher grades be it understood4 ,the tone should grow softer as the voice descends when the lower notes will sound mellow and sweet4 ,at first they may be quite breathy1 but as the vocal bands become accustomed to the new action1 the breathiness will disappear4 ,one thing at a time is enough to attempt in music1 and while a change in the use of the voice is being sought1 it may happen that sacrifices must be made in other directions2 part-singing1 until the voices become equalized1 that is1 of a similar tone-quality throughout the entire compass1 may1 as it requires the singing of tones so low as to occasion easy recurrence to the thick voice1 be so antagonistic to the desired end that it must be dropped for a time4 ,after the use of the thin voice has become firmly established1 part-singing may be resumed4 ,how low in pitch the lower part may with safety be carried depends partly upon the age of the pupils2 but until the chest-voice begins to develop at puberty1 all part-singing must be sung very lightly as to the lower part or voice4 ,there is a class of pupils always to be found in our schools who cannot sing in tune2 they vary in the degree of their inability from those who can sing only in monotone1 to those who can sing in tune when singing with those whose sense of pitch is good1 but alone1 cannot4 ,while the number of entire or partial monotone voices decreases under daily drill and instruction1 yet there always remains a troublesome few1 insensible to distinctions in pitch2 it is1 in view of the possible improvement they may make1 a difficult matter to deal with them2 for if they are forbidden to sing1 the chance to improve is denied them1 and if they sing and constantly drag down the pitch1 why the intonation of those who would otherwise sing true is injuriously affected4 ,many who sing monotone when the thick voice is used1 do so because the throat is weak and cannot easily sustain the muscular strain2 if they are trained to the use of the light1 thin tone1 they can sing in tune4 ,after children have been under daily music drill for two or three years in school1 if they still sing monotone1 it would seem inadvisable to let them participate with the class in singing4 ,they do themselves no good1 and they certainly injure the singing of the others2 for1 as before suggested1 constant falling from pitch will in time dull the musical perceptions of those most gifted by nature4 ,during the early years of school-life the pupils may often sing out of tune because the vocal bands and controlling muscles are very weak4 ,it is an excellent idea to separate the pupils into two classes3 ,first1 those who can sing with reasonably good intonation2 and second1 those who can sing only a few tones1 or only one4 ,let the second class frequently listen while the others sing4 ,they will thus be taught to note both tone and pitch1 and if any musical sense is dormant1 this should arouse it2 but1 if after long and patient effort a pupil cannot sing1 let him remain silent during the singing period4 ,every possible effort should certainly be put forth to teach children to sing in tune1 but yet it is now1 and will doubtless remain true1 that a small per cent4 cannot be so taught4 ,the primary causes of monotone singing may be physical or mental2 in many cases1 weak vocal organs and feeble nervous power1 in others lack of pitch-perception-- tonal blindness4 ,the secondary causes include the influences of environment and heredity4 ,the contempt in which music has been held by a portion of the ,english-speaking people from the time of the ,reformation until quite recently1 or shall we say until even now1 has made its powerful impress upon opinions1 tastes1 and natural powers4 ,singing1 with a part of our population1 is literally a lost art1 lost through generations of disuse4 ,it is often urged by educators that each study must help other studies4 ,the various subjects which are taught must move along1 as it were1 like the parts in a musical composition1 dependent upon1 sustaining1 and harmonious with each other4 ,now1 while it is not within the scope of this work to discuss the relation of music to other studies in all of its bearings1 it is yet clearly in line with its general tenor to suggest that the tone in singing will react upon the speaking-voice1 and vice versa4 ,now1 if pupils recite and speak with a noisy1 rough tone1 it will not be easy to secure sweet1 pure tone from them when they sing2 but1 on the other hand1 while they may be specially trained in good singing-tone1 it will not1 as a result1 follow that the speaking-voice will be similarly modified4 ,special attention must be given to this also2 but if children invariably sing with pure tone1 it must be very easy to direct them into good vocal habits in speaking and reading4 ,it is no more necessary for children to recite in that horrible1 rasping tone sometimes heard1 than it is to sing with harsh tone2 and if the same principles are applied to the speaking-voice as are herein given for the management of the singing-voice1 in so far as they may be applicable1 this harshness and coarseness may be avoided4 ,it is the pushed1 forced tone in speech or song that is disagreeable4 ,if teachers will consign to well-merited oblivion those two phrases1 speak up and sing out1 and will1 instead1 secure purity and easy production of tone1 with distinctness of articulation1 they will do wisely4 ,let us not hesitate to teach our pupils to know and to feel that which is beautiful1 and good1 and true1 that our schools may promote the growth of good taste1 and stand for the highest morality and the best culture4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,errors and ,inconsistencies3 to justify the teaching of vocal music in schools is schools inserted posteriorly into the arytenoid cartilages aryteniod forth4 ,even up to the change of voice comma for period to sing the higher tones lightly to sing the the -,i1 again1 which is equivalent to ahe ,i not italicized light--li-eet text unchanged3 error for lah-eet8 ah to er or er or uh text unchanged3 one er may be an error for eh the vocalization of solfeggii spelling unchanged he tries to join in trys ,the question1 ,how high may boys or girls sing paragraph not indented