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laboratory conditions, is really several sounds mixed together; the kind of mixture in any given case is its quality, its complexity. Another way of saying it is that complexity is a mingling of various resonance frequencies; or of various resonances, caused by physical differences in the resonating body that produces the sound. Force represents intensity of the sound wave, wave height, as it is called. Time is the duration of the resonance waves. Pitch is the wave "length," or frequency.

ASSIGNMENTS

1. Observe your own voice in speaking; notice its ups and downs, its pauses, retardations, and rapid spurts, its short shouts and its light brushing of many sounds, and its many different kinds or qualities of tones.

Do this also for the voices of other people whose conversation and public addresses you hear.

2. Select single tones from your own speech, and analyze each of the four elements in their make-up. piano or other musical instrument.

see if you can Do this with a

3. In listening to speakers, determine as far as possible how much of the speaker's power is due to his voice; also how much he loses in power by failure to possess a good voice or to use well what he has. 4. Bring in a report on some speaker you have heard; study him on the following points:

(1) Wide or narrow range of pitch.

(2) Slow or fast rate.

(3) Loud or soft force.

(4) Pleasant or unpleasant quality.

(5) Variation in the use of all four elements.

(6) Fitness of his general voice methods to the thought in hand.

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VII

QUALITY

QUALITY is a matter of how the tone is made, its physical make-up, its resonance complexity. To analyze Quality for study we must take up the elemental mechanism of voice. Voice is made from breath which is turned into sound as it passes through the larynx, or voice-box. It is breath set vibrating by the vocal cords. The vibrations produce sound, which always possesses the four elements of Quality, Force, Time, and Pitch. Changes in breathing have much to do with changes in the four elements, especially in changes of Quality and Force. Hence a study of the elements begins with a study of breathing.

Breathing is performed in reality not by the lungs, but chiefly by the diaphragm, a muscle below the lungs that pulls the lungs open or shut, thus inhaling or exhaling the air. The lungs are purely passive, being pulled up and down by the diaphragm. Help is given the diaphragm by the muscles of the ribs, and a small amount of aid by the muscles of the shoulders and back. But the main work of breathing is done by the diaphragm.

Breathing. Few people realize the possibilities for the development of the lungs and the speaking apparatus. Most men and women are undeveloped in lung capacity as well as in purity and strength of voice. A phase of the matter that ought to commend this study to students in general is that the cultivation of the voice and lungs

for speaking is at the same time an asset to the general health. Very seldom do we see a person who has given tim and effort to vocal training who is anemic, pale, or afflicted with lung trouble. On the contrary, great singers, actors, and public speakers are almost universally robust-looking, deep-chested, and even broadshouldered. Many instances could be cited of weak, sickly students who have made themselves into healthy, strong men and women by faithful attention to vocal exercises and lung development, for both singing and speaking.

Also it may be said in passing that a sure cause of failure in singing and speaking is the lack of practice, both in breathing and in acquiring vocal strength. Many a speaker who is not possessed of an extraordinary equipment of mental power still wields great influence over audiences by the possession of a ringing voice, with deep chest resonance, and vocal power enough to make men listen; whereas men of great intellect and fine reasoning powers too often have but little effect upon audiences simply because of the ineffectiveness of their vocal machine. Practice yields profitable returns in influence and effectiveness.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR BREATH CONTROL

Filling the Lungs.-1. Locate your diaphragm as follows: lay the hand on the soft space just below the floating ribs, and then pant. The diaphragm is a muscle which, when relaxed, arches upward, and when hardened flattens out, thus pulling the lungs downward and making a larger air chamber. If you cannot find the diaphragm by panting in an upright posture, get down on all-fours and pant; nature will assert itself and cause the diaphragm to move back and forth in a very pronounced manner. If you sincerely try to pant in

this posture, you can readily detect the muscle as it goes back and forth. Learn its location and appreciate how it ought to feel both to the hand and to the abdomen when it is moving freely and fully.

2. Assume an erect posture, shoulders back, chest up, abdomen in. Take in all the air you can and in such a way that the chest is not raised, but so that your hand can feel the diaphragm harden. Inhale and exhale repeatedly, making sure to harden the diaphragm and the whole of the abdomen, but do not raise the chest. While you are doing this notice how the movement ought to feel; in this way new ideas can be gained of how the diaphragm should work and how automatic action can be cultivated.

3. Harden the diaphragm as in the preceding exercise; then lift and expand the chest as far as you can, raising the chest in front without elevating the shoulders-the chest rises in speaking, but almost never the shoulders. Do this until you have caught the feeling for this kind of breathing. Be sure always to use the diaphragm first before raising the chest.

4. Having hardened the diaphragm and raised the chest, give the lungs their last few cubic inches of space by pulling back with the muscles of the back and shoulder. This gives you your full lung capacity. The repetition of these three exercises will ultimately give more capacious lungs and a stronger set of breathing muscles-a superior bellows for the speaking voice.

Acquiring Ease and Rhythm.-1. Inhale very slowly and fully, taking breath not oftener than six times to the minute. Be careful to make the passage of air both in and out as steady as possible. Also aim to keep the same rate throughout. Speaking requires deliberate breathing under perfect control.

2. Increase this rate, but make the breathing uniform and always steady. Study to keep out all puffing and

jerking of the breath. One of the surest ways to develop, or to keep up, stage fright is to let the breath get spasmodic and jerky; whereas one of the surest ways of securing and maintaining ease and a feeling of mastery is to make the breath come in rhythmical, controlled beats. Controlling the Exhalation of Air.-1. Fill the lungs with air by means of a deep, slow inhalation. Exhale slowly, keeping constant watch of the passage of the air to see that it comes at a uniform pace. At first exhale rather easily and naturally, at the same time keeping constant watch of the steadiness of the current. Then exhale more slowly, still cultivating the ability to detect unsteadiness and to correct it. Finally get the rate so slow that a lungful of air lasts a half-minute in the exhalation.

To do this the whole abdomen must be kept hard and firm. Give the voice a "base," as it is called. Note that during speaking and singing there is no breathing: the diaphragm is hardened sufficiently to crowd the whole lower abdomen so that this also is made hard. Then the diaphragm begins to push upward, still remaining hard, and keeping the whole abdomen hard also. During this process of expelling air the diaphragm and abdomen change shape, becoming taller and narrower, thus, like a rising pillar, accomplishing the work of exhalation. Finally, when the diaphragm and abdomen reach the limit of their powers in narrowing and rising, the breath gives out, no more tone can be made, and a new breath must be taken. The lungs are then "empty."

2. Repeat Exercise 1, using the hissing s; this will help in detecting unsteadiness.

3. Repeat with the aspirate ha. Make your ear alert to detect any lack of smoothness.

Cultivating Expulsive Power.-1. Fill the lungs and then drive the air out with a series of short puffs, making sure to use the diaphragm for the motive power.

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