Chapter XXIV: Vocal Exercises of the Scientific Culture of Voice

The pupil, either standing in a natural pose, or seated
comfortably, avoiding all muscular rigidity, must conduct
himself as if carrying on a conversation.

In the case of professional singers who can hardly overcome the
habitual pose of the stage, it is better to be seated, with head
bowed slightly, concentrating their mental attitude on the idea
of telling rather than singing their exercises to the teacher.

The first series of exercises are staccato in rhythm, and are
made up of the five Italian vowels in combination with the
consonants B and M in alternation with L, as in Ba, Be, Bi, Bo,
Bu, and La, Le, Li, Lo, Lu (Italian pronunciation).

In cases where the pupil finds that another consonant is easier
to articulate, he can use it for a preliminary length of time.

It is understood that these syllables must be pronounced very
distinctly, observing strictly the phonetic rules of Italian
vowels and consonants as given in Chapter XVIII, and special
care must be taken to avoid the formation of double vowels.

Pupils, after hearing the exercises on the piano, must first
enunciate clearly the syllables to be sung, as nearly as
possible on the pitch of the tones played; then, by using the
same mechanism as in the speaking voice, that is, the same
pronunciation and amount of breath, carry them into singing.

For practical convenience in practicing, we emphasize again, in
a brief summary, what pupils must do in singing these exercises,
according to this method, and what they must avoid:

1. They must act as real beginners, children, in fact, and they
will learn much more quickly.

2. Give no emphasis to what they are singing, except in regard
to its correct pronunciation.

3. Have the mental suggestion of being tired; it helps to relax.

4. Open the mouth wide by _dropping_, not forcing, the lower jaw
in producing the first syllable, Ma, La, or Ba, etc. The larger
the space of the _A_, the greater the resonance.

5. Sing with full voice, not falsetto. Often pupils who are
self-conscious fail to give their full voices. This must be
avoided, at any cost from the very beginning.

6. Practice before a mirror so as to be certain that the rules
are observed. Do not depend on the ear for that; its control can
be easily misleading.

7. Watch the tongue; that is of most vital importance. Keep it
in soft contact with the lower lip; it helps its relaxation.

8. Sing the exercises in staccato rhythm for three or four
months, or more, until the voice is placed and produced with the
vocal organs in complete relaxation.

What pupils must _avoid_ in singing:

1. To prepare themselves for singing.

2. To take a breath before starting, thus singing on the breath.
The breath already existing into the lungs must be used first,
then replaced by a new supply. This establishes a natural rhythm
of breathing.

3. To attack the tone by a stroke (stroke of glottis). It must
commence exactly as in talking.

4. To sing double vowels, like Ma-a, Me-e, Mi-i, Mo-o, Mu-u. In
doing this the second vowel will always be dragged back into the
throat by the tongue.

5. To accentuate the top notes, or the last of the exercises.
This is done by most students. The tones must all be perfectly
equal and colorless from the first to the last exercise.

Once pupils have acquired a certain freedom and dexterity in
doing these exercises with the consonants B, M, L, they must
practice all the other consonants of the alphabet. Thereafter
start to use the syllables La, Le, Li, Lo, Lu, in alternation
with the vowels alone, A—E—I—O—U in staccato form, until their
experience in placing the voice is completely assured.

The above suggestions, besides being a valuable guide in placing
the voice, can correct almost any defect in voice production,
and establish the proper vocal mechanism for beginners.

In order to acquire the full command of a correct voice
production, available for all styles of music, pupils must enter
into the practice of sustained tones—the most difficult
achievement in the art of good singing—only after a perfect
control of the staccato tones has been attained, and in the
beginning they must be attempted only in combination with
staccato tones. This constitutes the second series of exercises.

The third series is made up of only sustained tones, which, when
produced correctly, commences to take on all the musical
characteristics of the singing voice: volume, color, expression,
which gradually develop the pupils’ personal style of singing.

FACSIMILE OF MS. COPIED BY CARUSO HIMSELF AND CONTAINING HIS
ORIGINAL METHOD OF TEACHING HIMSELF HOW TO SING IN ENGLISH
]

Before going into the vocal exercises of The Scientific
Culture of Voice it may be of interest to study closely
an original manuscript written by Caruso himself as an
aid in studying.

The importance given by Caruso to his enunciation in
singing is shown by the care with which he translated
into English the front page of this Neapolitan song,
spelling the English version according to the Italian
rules.

The handwriting of both the music and the words is his
own, and the underscored words represent the English
pronunciation “Italianized.”

This series of staccato exercises is suggested for the purpose
of making students attain the correct enunciation of their words
as the best means for placing the singing voice through the
proper formation of the speaking voice.

When once the voice is placed, by the means of the consonants,
these same exercises must be practiced again by using the vowels
A, E, I, O, U alone, in staccato form.

The vowels are more difficult to place, therefore in singing
them alone particular care must be taken to enunciate them as
they are enunciated when connected with consonants as, for
instance, la, le, li, lo, lu. It would be a good practice at the
beginning to alternate, la, le, li, lo, lu with a, e, i, o, u.

[13]VOCAL EXERCISES
FOR USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH “THE SCIENTIFIC CULTURE OF THE VOICE”

In singing all the exercises which follow, the singer must
strive to use the correct Italian pronunciation of the vowels
and consonants.

FIRST SERIES—EXERCISE I^A

Tempo moderato

la le li lo lu la le li lo lu la le li lo lu
la le li lo lu la le li lo lu la le li lo lu ^{etc.}
]

This exercise starts on C, using the major triad, descending
four semitones; then on D♭︎ descending in the same manner; then
on D, E♭︎ and E, descending on the latter nine semitones to and
including G below the treble staff.

FIRST SERIES—EXERCISE I^B

Tempo moderato

la le li lo lu la le li lo lu la le li lo lu
la le li lo lu la le li lo lu la le li lo lu ^{etc.}
]

Major triad beginning on dominant (G), followed by same triad on
tonic (C); then ascending by semitones with same figure from A♭︎
to F; then descending by same figure reversed to G below treble
staff.

When correct voice production has been attained in each of the
foregoing exercises with the consonants M, B, L, practice each
of them with every consonant of the alphabet: for example

Ta, Te, Ti, To, Tu
Sa, Se, Si, So, Su

taking special care to articulate them properly.

FIRST SERIES—EXERCISE 2^A

Tempo moderato

la le li lo lu lo lo lo la la le li lo lu lo lo lo la
la le li lo lu lo lo lo la la le li lo lu lo lo lo la
la le li lo lu lo lo lo la la le li lo lu lo lo lo la ^{etc.}
]

Ascending and descending the scale, starting on the tonic (C)
and ending on the dominant (G), descending four semitones, then
starting on D♭︎ and descending in same manner, then on D, E♭︎, and
E, descending in last instance a full octave to E below the
staff.

FIRST SERIES—EXERCISE 2^B

Tempo moderato

la le li lo lu lo lo lo la la le li lo lu lo lo lo la
la le li lo lu lo lo lo la la le li lo lu lo lo lo la
la le li lo lu lo lo lo la la le li lo lu lo lo lo la ^{etc.}
]

Major scale starting on dominant (G) ascending and descending a
fifth; then on tonic (C) in same manner; then a major third
below (A♭︎) ascending to E♭︎, and descending in same way
progressively to E below the staff.

FIRST SERIES—EXERCISE 2^C

Tempo moderato

la le li lo lu lo lo lo la la le li lo lu lo lo lo la
la le li lo lu lo lo lo la la le li lo lu lo lo lo la
la le li lo lu lo lo lo la la le li lo lu lo lo lo la ^{etc.}
]

After thoroughly practising this exercise with the syllables la,
le, li, lo, lu, work with the other consonants of the alphabet,
for example

Ba, Be, Bi, Bo, Bu
Ma, Me, Mi, Mo, Mu
Sa, Se, Si, So, Su etc.

Pronounce every syllable distinctly and clearly—this is one of
the most important features in connection with the exercise.

FIRST SERIES—EXERCISE 3

Tempo moderato

La la la la la la la la lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo la
la la la la la la la la lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo la
la la la la la la la la lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo la ^{etc.}
]

After practising these exercises by singing the syllable Lo on
the top and descending notes, having acquired their correct
production, the syllables La, Le, Li, Lo, Lu must be substituted
and practised in place of Lo.

FIRST SERIES—EXERCISE 4

Tempo moderato

La la la lo lo lo la la la la lo lo lo la
la la la lo lo lo la la la la lo lo lo la
la la la lo lo lo la la la la lo lo lo la ^{etc.}
]

When the correct production of this exercise is acquired, change
the syllable on the top and descending notes, as in exercise 3.

FIRST SERIES—EXERCISE 5

Tempo moderato

La la la la la la lo lo lo lo lo lo la la la la la la la
lo lo lo lo lo lo la la la la la la la lo lo lo lo lo lo la
la la la la la la lo lo lo lo lo lo la la la la la la la ^{etc.}
]

When the correct production of this exercise is acquired, change
the syllable on the top and descending notes, as in exercise 3

FIRST SERIES—EXERCISE 6

Tempo moderato

la la la la lo lo lo lo la la la la la lo lo lo lo la
la la la la lo lo lo lo la la la la la lo lo lo lo la
la la la la lo lo lo lo la la la la la lo lo lo lo la ^{etc.}
]

When the correct production of this exercise is acquired, change
the syllable on the top and descending notes as in Exercise 3

FIRST SERIES—EXERCISE 7

Tempo moderato

la la lo lo lo lo la la lo lo lo lo la la lo lo lo lo la
la la lo lo lo lo la la la lo lo lo la la la lo lo lo la
la la lo lo lo lo la la la lo lo lo la la la lo lo lo la ^{etc.}
]

When the correct production of this exercise is acquired, change
the syllable on the top and descending notes as in Exercise 3

FIRST SERIES—EXERCISE 8

Tempo moderato

la la la la lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo la
la la la la lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo la
la la la la lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo la ^{etc.}
]

Continue Exercise 8 as in Exercise 2A, also in same manner as
Exercise 2B and 2C. Voice production must be equal in volume and
quality in every passage, and pronunciation must be perfect or
voice will be misplaced. Also change syllables on top and
descending notes as in Exercise 3

FIRST SERIES—EXERCISE 9

Tempo moderato

la la la lo lo lo la la la lo lo lo la la la lo lo lo la la la lo
lo lo la la la lo lo lo la la la lo lo lo
la la la lo lo lo la la la la lo lo lo la la la lo lo lo
la la la lo lo lo la la la lo lo lo la la la lo lo lo la la la lo
lo lo la la la lo lo lo la ^{etc.}
]

Use the least amount of breath possible in order to become
accustomed to its proper distribution. After each passage
breathe deeply, and do not begin the next passage before
complete relaxation is obtained.

When the correct production of this exercise is acquired, change
the syllable on the top and descending notes as in Exercise 3.

SECOND SERIES—EXERCISE 1

Tempo moderato

la la la lo lo lo lo lo lo la la la la lo lo lo lo lo lo
la la la la lo lo lo lo lo lo la la la la lo lo
lo lo lo lo la la la la lo lo lo lo lo lo la ^{etc.}
]

SECOND SERIES—EXERCISE 2

Tempo moderato

la la la la lo lo lo lo la la la la la lo lo lo lo
la la la la la lo lo lo lo la la la la la lo
lo lo lo la la la la la lo lo lo lo la ^{etc.}
]

SECOND SERIES—EXERCISE 3

Tempo moderato

la la la la lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo la
la la la la lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo la
la la la la lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo la etc.
]

Practice this exercise in same order of transposition as that
given in Exercises 2^a, 2^b, and 2^c (First Series)

When the correct production is acquired, change the syllable on
the top and descending notes as in Exercise 3 (First Series)

SECOND SERIES—EXERCISE 4

Largo

la on de la la la la lo lo lo lo la la on de
la la la la lo lo lo lo la la on de la la la la
lo lo lo lo la la on de la la la la lo lo lo lo la ^{etc.}
]

In practicing this exercise, care must be taken that on the
syllable de the tongue be completely relaxed between the teeth
and left there until the next bar begins.

SECOND SERIES—EXERCISE 5

Tempo moderato

la la la la la la la la lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo la
la la la la la la la la lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo la
la la la la la la la la lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo la ^{etc.}
]

Continue this exercise, ascending first to A below the staff up
to and including C below the staff.

THIRD SERIES—EXERCISE 1
SUSTAINED TONES

Largo

la-on la-on la-on la-on
la-on la-on la-on la-on
la-on la-on la-on la-on ^{etc.}
]

Continue this exercise up to C above Middle C and descend to the
starting point. The preceding exercises of the first and second
series must be practiced with sustained tones as in the above
exercise.