Chapter X: Second Principle

1. The full extension of the natural range of the voice is
produced only by using the _minimum tension_ of the vocal cords
and the _minimum breath_ required for each tone. This
establishes a correct mechanism of voice production.

2. The laryngeal sounds must be transmitted to the mouth _free_
of any interference; _freedom_ is the fundamental pillar of
voice production.

When the mechanism of voice production enters into action, the
breathing apparatus, by means of its respiratory muscles, pushes
the air toward the vocal cords and puts them in vibration. The
vocal cords, which by a coördinate function of the muscles and
cartilages of the larynx come together, because of their
elasticity adapt themselves to an indefinite number of
adjustments and give origin to a series of different tones which
constitute the range of the voice.

The embryonic sound, resulting from the vibrations given by the
_minimum_ of _tension_ of the vocal cords, put in vibration by
the _minimum_ of _breath_, constitutes the lowest tone of the
natural range of the voice as produced by a correct mechanism.
This tone is very feeble and is of no practical use in singing,
but serves to great advantage in the mechanism of voice
production, as it establishes the deepest point of support for
the consecutive tones of the range, like the cornerstone in the
foundation of a building.

By comparing the upbuild of the natural range of the voice with
the construction of a house, we see a great similarity in the
structure of both, which tends to show how important is the low
section of the vocal range in the production of the voice.

The foundation of a building is the underground section which
readily escapes observation; yet it is as important as the
section above ground, if not more so, since it constitutes the
real support of the structure, and the greater its depth, the
higher the building.

In the upbuild of the voice there is a series of tones which are
of the lowest pitch, and of limited sounding power; they
nevertheless form the cornerstone in the formation of the voice.
These tones which carry the low part of the compass of the voice
to its physiological limit can be formed only by the minimum of
breath and the minimum of tension of the vocal cords; thus they
create a natural and easy mechanism of voice production by
establishing a preliminary adjustment of the vocal cords which
will rule throughout the entire range of the voice.

When these preliminary low and feeble sounds are gradually
succeeded by a series of tones higher in pitch and louder, the
voice production has the advantage of finding itself placed on a
correct basis which will remain throughout unless the vocal
organs become affected by artificial influences capable of
changing their original adjustments.

With this mechanism the voice acquires a larger range, because
according to the laws of acoustics the larger the size of the
instrument, the less air is used in producing sounds, and the
lower is the pitch of the resulting tone. By using little
breath, therefore; and by keeping the vocal organs in complete
relaxation, thereby enlarging the vocal instrument to the
utmost, a range of lower extension is created. This is the
lowest physiological limit of the natural range of the voice.

Singers who carelessly cultivate the habit of forcing their tone
production from the beginning of their training acquire a
mechanism which shortens the range of their voices, besides
depriving them of the invaluable support of the lower part of
their natural range, which is the solid foundation in the
upbuild of the singing voice. Their voices, consequently, have
no more resistance than houses built on sand.

The natural range of the voice, therefore, constitutes a number
of progressive sounds, extending from the lowest to the highest
pitch of the voice, when produced by a correct vocal mechanism.
To guarantee these sounds a correct formation, it is imperative
that the tension of the vocal cords during their various
adjustments, and the amount of breath required for producing
them, work in harmonious accord. By complying with these rules
the resulting mechanism of voice production is controlled by the
minimum tension of the vocal cords and the minimum breath
released by the lungs.

It is also obvious that the vocal cords, in increasing their
tension and shortening their length for producing higher
pitches, come under a physiological control which guarantees
that their adjustments are made with almost unnoticeably
increased power, thus avoiding forced and sharp singing.
Therefore, to produce correct voice mechanism, both the moving
and producing power must be governed in their coöperative work
by the fundamental law—the minimum of energy for the maximum of
efficiency, since voices based on this law are free from effort,
and nearest to perfection.

Another important factor in voice production is the necessity
for the tones to reach the mouth unhampered, where they are to
be transformed into full voice. The laryngeal sounds must travel
freely through the larynx and pharynx with their original number
of vibrations, so that they may get the advantage of a resonance
proportional to the entire volume of their vibrations.

This is of prime importance, for if the laryngeal vibrations are
hindered from freely taking on the resonating power, they
produce a voice of poor quality, thin in volume and feeble.

The causes for this interference in the delivery of the voice,
though most serious, have never been given due importance. The
contraction of the larynx and pharynx, the stiffening of the
tongue and palate, and foremost the bending of the epiglottis
over the opening of the larynx are the aforementioned causes
which hinder the vibrations from coming forward.

As a result of these interferences, the section of the vocal
apparatus extending from the trachea to the lips is reduced in
size, becoming narrower and causing the most appalling defect in
voice production.

According to the rules of acoustics as applied to resonating
tubes, the pitch of the tone becomes higher as the size of the
tube is reduced in width. Therefore in the case of the vocal
apparatus—the most perfect sounding tube because of its power of
elasticity—its exaggerated contraction brings about an
alteration in the pitch of the tone. The elastic property of the
vocal apparatus which enables it to establish a perfect control
of its dimensions should be utilized in a normal way during the
adjustments of the vocal organs in producing the different tones
of the range, avoiding any exaggeration in the rhythm of the
vocal mechanism. As a matter of fact the adaptation of the vocal
apparatus should be so gradual as to be almost involuntary on
the part of the singer. The great prima donna, Emmy Destinn,
questioned by the author years ago about her sensations while
singing, said: “When I sing I feel as if I have no throat.” This
statement proclaims the most wonderful and instructive truth
about voice production.

An easy mechanism of voice production enables the larynx to
produce free and full tones without strain, and allows it to
rely on the constant coöperative assistance of the moving power
which can supply any amount of breath necessary for producing
and carrying the sounding waves to the resonating power.

Lowering the epiglottis over the opening of the larynx, however,
and stiffening and contracting the tongue and palate, which
bring about a partial obstruction of the opening of the pharynx,
constitute such marked obstacles to the freedom of the tone that
they must not be overlooked.

Singing teachers and experts on voice have neglected to
illustrate the correct functioning of these organs in voice
production, due perhaps to the fact that through a misconception
of the vocal mechanism the breathing apparatus and vocal cords
have almost monopolized their entire attention, much to the
detriment of voice culture.

Researches and publications dealing with the breath and the
function of the vocal cords are countless; yet in spite of all
the elaborated discussions and suggestions for methods of
breathing, diaphragm development, and tone production, bad
singing prevails at present more than in any other epoch. It now
becomes imperative to establish the exact status of the rôles
played by these organs in the mechanism of the voice, so that
they may be placed at their proper valuation in voice culture.

The epiglottis is a flexible cartilage which, by shutting the
opening of the larynx, protects the vocal organs from such
foreign bodies as food, or drink, which would otherwise easily
be carried down into the breathing apparatus during the
inspiration. In the process of voice production it has the
important function of keeping the laryngeal cavity open for the
free passage of the sounds on their way from the vocal cords to
the mouth.

Picturing the epiglottis as a door for the larynx, its sole
function is to remain open during the respiratory and vocal
process, and to close during the passage of food and drink, or,
in other words, during the act of swallowing.

For our purpose, however, it is important to illustrate its
function only in relation to the voice mechanism, in which its
position, whether erect or inclined toward the opening of the
larynx, establishes a difference of result in the voice produced
which is worthy of the most careful consideration.

FIG. 9.—THE EPIGLOTTIS ERECT
]

When the epiglottis stands erect (Fig. 9), or bends toward the
larynx (Fig. 10), being attached to the base of the tongue, it
is closely connected with all its movements, and their
relationship, in voice production, of decisive consequence. In
swallowing, the epiglottis must bend toward the larynx, thus
closing its opening and preventing food from getting into the
breathing apparatus. The tongue helps this movement by
contracting its base and pushing the epiglottis backward and
downward. When the act of swallowing is over, both organs resume
their former position, the epiglottis standing erect, and the
tongue lying relaxed on the floor of the mouth (Fig. 10). This
position is the natural one for singing; but things are merely
reversed by a defective voice production, which substitutes the
mechanism of swallowing for that of singing. This erroneous
function cannot be the physiological one, as it is evident that
in order to have the full number of vibrations carried to the
resonating power a large opening of the throat—possibly the
largest—must be formed.

FIG. 10.—THE EPIGLOTTIS TURNED DOWN
]

The interference of these two organs is so commonplace that very
few singers escape its influence. In most cases the tongue—the
very worst enemy of singers—is actually the responsible factor,
because by its contraction it exerts such pressure on the
epiglottis that the latter is forced down toward the opening of
the larynx. Therefore the narrow space existing between the
epiglottis and the pharynx becomes still narrower, thus choking
and preventing a large number of vibrations from reaching the
resonance chambers. This condition starts the original disorder,
which brings about the disequilibrium in the mechanism of voice
production.

It seems that an instinctive influence—the result of a nervous
reaction or misinterpretation of the mechanism of voice
production—prompts singers to barricade the back of their mouth
when they begin to sing. They start by contracting their
laryngeal organs as if in self-defense against an imaginary
enemy—the sound—holding also all parts of their body in a tense
and rigid position.

The vocal cords, thus reduced in size by the contraction of the
larynx, produce forced sounds which are greatly hampered from
reaching the chambers of resonance by the lowering of the
epiglottis, and by the contraction of the base of the tongue.
Thus, most of the sounding waves remain confined to the larynx
alone for their resonance. This implies first that the voice is
centered out of its natural focus, the mouth, and is therefore
misplaced; also that the vibrations are prevented from getting
their natural expansion and from reaching the resonance
chambers.

After this disorder takes place, it consequently follows that
the pressure of the breathing apparatus, which acts under the
same nervous influence and erroneous conception as the mechanism
of singing, becomes more powerful. Then the vocal struggle
commences.

The larynx, reacting to the violent blast of breath, increases
its tension, and produces a voice decidedly sharp and thin. The
singer, worried about his deficient vocal results, tries to
improve them by increasing the breath. It is like adding more
fuel to a fire that is already smothered by too much of it. The
more breath the singer adds, the tighter the vocal organs
become; the more his voice fails to show results, the more
convinced he becomes that he is not giving enough breath. Thus a
vicious circle is established.

Then all the resources of elaborated methods of breathing and
diaphragm support, and the most strenuous laryngeal adjustments
are put into action. The lungs become a blowing machine, and the
vocal cords, under the violent blast of air, hardly succeed in
controlling the rhythm of their vibrations. The congestion of
the singer’s face bears evidence of the painful efforts and the
struggle he is making. The muscles, blood-vessels, and nerves of
his neck stand out in ugly prominence, making the performance
more painful. As a climax to these ineffectual efforts, the big
and anticipated effect bursts out and is usually embodied in a
strangled whistle very similar to that of a rusty locomotive.
Our Latin ancestors would say: “Parturiunt montes ridiculus mus
nascitur!” (“Mountains burst and a ridiculous mouse is born.”)

This is the average spectacle which audiences are called upon to
witness in the singing of to-day, when, because of these false
methods, voices fail by the hundreds, and singers whose natural
gifts would entitle them to a long and glorious career are
compelled to abandon singing after a few years of painful
struggle and devote themselves, in most cases, to the profession
of teaching.

Yet to say that correct singing, capable of carrying out
beautifully all human sentiments in spontaneous form, is a very
simple function, is to state a physiological truth. It is
certain that if nature were left alone to govern the mechanism
of voice by her physiological rules, without the profane
interference of incongruous theories and methods, a natural form
of singing based on scientific truths would now exist, and would
be the real guarantee for correct voice culture. Students must
remember that every error at the beginning of their training
becomes a permanent habit in the future singing.

When the tone, by its complete freedom, succeeds in getting into
the domain of the resonating power, another important factor
completes its full formation. All of its characteristics—volume,
quality, loudness, etc.—which are connected with the property of
resonance, lend to the resulting voice their enriching power. We
will treat this great advantage later, in a special chapter,
devoted to resonance and its most important contributions to
voice production.

An original view also about the rule played by the breath in
voice culture, which is a conception almost entirely in
opposition to most theories about the mission of the breath in
singing, will be treated at length in the following chapter.

It must be stated, however, that the freedom of the tone
represents the fundamental pillar on which the correct mechanism
of voice production is built.