Overview

From the beginning of the first chapter: GENERAL PRINCIPLES BREATH THE allied arts of speech and song have a common foundation in right breathing. This involves effortless taking of breath, holding it with composure, releasing it freely, but economically. Upon the breath depends security of tone. The lungs contain the store of wind which is governed by the muscles of the chest. Here we seek to locate our control. The chest is the fundamental seat of leverage - not the throat. There is a saying in Italy that an Italian has no throat. By this is meant that he does not set or compress or interfere with that portion of his anatomy in seeking to govern his voice. The muscles of the throat will act automatically without thought or interference on the part of the speaker or singer, if they are permitted to do so. Many muscles, besides those of the chest, contribute to vocal control; but as to the action of those of the throat, the speaker should remain unconscious, otherwise he will betray his throat in the quality of his tone. Let the student, then, concentrate attention upon the chest and forget his throat. He should feel that the current of breath is pressed from the lungs through the open tube of his throat upon that part of his sound cavity (the mouth) at which the vowel renders it necessary he should locate, as it were, the sustained portion of the voice. The speaker should feel that the impact of sound is directed to the part of the resonant cavity which gives the particular characteristics essential to perfect pronunciation. In other words, he should locate, as it were, the column of vibrating breath we know as sound. The lips, with advantage, may be considered to govern in a minor degree the power and efficacy of the breath, and, to a more complete extent, in conjunction with the tongue, the emotional character of tone and efficiency of both pronunciation and enunciation. Let the mind, therefore, concentrate upon the chest, mouth, and lips in seeking the purest vocal results; there will then be little fear of throaty tones and cramped delivery. Under the head of Attack I deal with a matter controlled by unconscious action of one of the organs of the throat; but as this takes place automatically, I merely mention what is required to achieve the operation without going into details, which would result in confusing distractions. All that the pupil need be told is the simplest method of producing an effect; he need not be plunged into the whirlpool of physiological speculation. A man may eat his dinner any time without feeling compelled to understand the operations of his digestive organs....

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