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VOL. V.
NEW YOEK, FEBRUAEY 5TH, 1882.
No. 13.
of the higher tones where the tension and con- vowel sound and the approach to the tone. Either
traction is so much greater will become all the case being &n abnormal effort, and more or less a
strain upon the throat, the voice soon tires, and is
easier.
affected more or less throughout its entire com-
THE BASS VOICE.
THE MALE VOICE—THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE
especially in the medium register.
The correct development of the bass voice, pass,
Thus, as a rule, we find wanting the most
UPPER CHEST TONES IN THE TENOR VOICE.
however, in the lower series of the chest register beautiful
tones—the free, bright, ringing npper
is of the most importance.
tones—and simply because the average male
SINGING IN TWO REGISTERS—THE BASS VOICE—
The principles which apply to the bass also chest
AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY IN VOICE-BUILD-
apply to the baritone voice. The majority of bass singer does not understand his own voice.
ING — LOCAL THROAT EFFORT—THE
THE EASIEST VOICE TO DEVELOPE.
voices sing down in fine style to about Gr, first
DEVELOPMENT OY ITS ACOUSTIC
line, bass clef; then they begin to lose. The lower
The
baritone
voice is the easiest to correctly
PROPERTIES NECESSARY FOR *
tones, instead of being placed well forward in the develope, the basso next, and the tenor much the
THE DEVELOPMENT OF
month, are allowed to bury farther and farther hardest. Baritones, as a rule, sing freer than bas-
ANY
VOICE.
back in the throat as the voice sings down, each sos or tenors. They naturally get better form and
tone becoming more muffled and indistinct, until placing for the upper chest tones, and, of course,
By EDMUND .T. MYFR, Taohor of the Voice and the Art of Siny- they entirely lose all carrying quality and
sing them more nearly right, and it follows that
in«. Care of Pond & Co., 25 Uni n Square, New York.
effectiveness.
UCH has been written and said about the This backward movement, this burying the the entire voice is freer and better than any
voice in general, but the male voice has tone in the throat, as the voice sings down, is other.
The basso often sings in good form until he
been neglected.
just the opposite of what it should be, and is be- reaches the upper chest tones, then he will shout,
A lack of low bassos and high tenors is the com- yond
the reason why many strong bass or more likely close and pinch the throat most
plaint in this country. This may be attributed, to voices doubt
sing a good low tone—voices which fearfully, thus limiting the compass, and the
some extent, to the physique of the singer, but it is should cannot
able to sing a good, full, low E, D, or upper chest tones are sung only by a forced effort
in much larger part due to a want of proper train- perhaps be
ing and usage. We by no means make the most As the C. bass voice sings down, each tone must be painful to singer and listener.
of the material we have. The male voice, as a rule, placed well forward in the mouth, and the farther Let the average basso develop correctly the
upper chest tones, and they will surely gain free-
is taught and used in very bad form.
it goes the more the tone must be brought dom and quality, and he will be able to produce
In this article I shall speak of the better class of down
forward.
them with perfect ease. The baritone can force
male singers, semi-professional and professional.
When the low tones of the bass voice are placed the lower chest-form and action a tone or two
There are few even among professionals who fully well
forward with correct form and touch, the higher than the basso, and the tenor yet higher
understand their own voices. It is a rare thing to
will lose its usual contracted condition, than the baritone; but the forced-up tones are
hear a voice that is evenly developed and of beau- throat
through the relaxation of the strong muscles, and much more like shouting than singing.
tiful timbre throughout its entire compass.
a free and natural action of the larynx and of the The greatest evil in the training or use of any
Something must be wrong. Either too mnch vocal muscles will follow; then the low voice will
one-sided teaching and study, or all parts or reg- gradually but surely gain in compass, power, and voice is that which is so prevalent—the forcing up
of all the registers. The forcing up of the form
isters of the voice are not thoroughly understood. quality.
I am convinced that in most cases the latter is the The contracted condition of the strong muscles and action of any register beyond its natural
fault. If the voice is not thoroughly understood, of the throat is the result of allowing the voice to limit is always more or less a strain upon the
entire vocal apjmratus, and will sooner or later
then teaching and study must necessarily be one- bury
back in the throat, and of a consequent forced injure the voice.
sided. The male voice is not generally under- and unnatural
effort to produce a low tone. Many
In this age of the laryngoscope there is no
stood.
bassos, by a forced pressure upon the windpipe, good reason why teacher and singer should not
SINGING IN TWO REGISTERS.
whereby the larynx is pressed down and out, are understand and be able to master the natural
The male voice, as a rule, sings in but two reg- enabled to produce a low tone, but it is always a transitions of the registers.
isters, the chest and the medium. The medium is disagreeable, guttural growl, and is very hurtful
AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY.
to the entire voice.
known to many as the falsetto register.
One thing is absolutely necessary in order to
The term falsetto has a tendency to mislead, as The low register of the male voice is very easy
the falsetto is really a false tone used by certain to teach and fully develop, and the very low fully or artistically train and develope the entire
tenors to extend a limited compass, and is never tones of the basso need be no more difficult to compass of the voice; that is, the correct training
develop than any others, if correctly managed and development of the upper series of the chest
artistic.
The chest register is naturally divided into two It is simply a question of correct form, placing, register, and the natural transition from that to
the medium register.
series which are almost as distinct as two registers. and touch.
These we call the first and second series, or the
The tenor voice more than all others feels the
SECOND SERIES OF THE CHEST REGISTER.
lower and upper series.
want of this training and development, because it
The
tones
of
this
series
are
troublesome
and
The first series commences with the lowest tones dangerous breakers in the way of the success of a is used so much in the high chest tones and the
register.
of the voice, and extends in all male voices to B flat, very
majority of singers. He who can cor- medium
or B, third line, tenor clef. The second series rectly large
When this training and development are ac-
sing
E
fiat,
E,
F,
and
F
sharp,
fifth
line,
from B to F, fifth line, and the medium register finds but little trouble with the remainder of the quired, all trouble in training and developing the
from F sharp upward. There are many extremely voice. This series is not generally understood, higher tones of the tenor voice—the medium regis-
wild and fanciful theories in regard to the regis-
removed; 'tis simply a question of time and
accounts for the miserable condition in ter—is
ters of the voice. I adopt the terms chest, me- which
careful practice.
which
we
so
often
find
the
middle
and
high
tones
dium, and head register merely as names for the of the tenor and the high tones of the baritone
Then, too, the voice becomes perfectly even,
natural divisions of the voice.
and basso. Ignorance of the correct use of the without any perceptible break from the lowest to
Different parts of the voice cause different phys- upper chest tones is often a source of trouble in the highest tone. I have yet to find the first
ical sensations, and these sensations have given the female voice, especially in the contralto; but it tenor who had trouble with the high tones after
once mastering the upper chest tones and the
rise to many theories in regard to the registers. is by no means so serious as in the male.
A careful study of the voice by the aid of the laryn- The serious trouble in the training and use of transition from the chest to the medium register.
correct training and development of the
goscope should convince any one that evei-y tone
male voice is found in the upper series of the The
upper chest tones will make wonderfully easy the
is born or receives its life in the larynx; that the the
chest
tones
when
the
action
and
form
of
those
development of the higher tones of the tenor voice.
changes in the action, or the different actions, of
the vocal muscles cause the differences in the tones are not understood.
THE ACOUSTICS OF THE VOICE.
Then
almost
invariably
the
action
and
form
of
tones of the different registers.
the lower chest tones are forced up too high, or
After a long and careful study of the tenor
ANALYZING THE VOICE.
that of the medium register carried down too low. voice, and of the upper chest tones in all voices,
We will consider the natural divisions of the The forcing up of the lower chest-form and and after much study and practice in every form
voice in detail, commencing with the lower series action spreads the voice, and is a terrible strain and particular, lam convinced beyond the shadow
of a doubt that the only way to correctly and
of the chest register. The upper tones of this upon the larynx and the entire throat.
series are by no means difficult to develope, though
Carrying the medium down too far contracts fully develope the upper chest tones and the me-
they are often closed and breathy in the untrained the strong muscles of the throat, and the voice dium register of the male voice is through the
voice.
becomes pinched, throaty, and veiled; but it is not correct development of the acoustics of the voice.
The low tones of the tenor voice are often neg- so great a strain as forcing up the lower chest Four things are necessary for the correct de-
lected. Many persons have an idea that it hurts tones. But few tenors can sing well and with velopment of these acoustic properties, viz.:
the tenor voice to develope the low tones. This is ease all the vowel sounds on E, F, and F sharp, 1. The jiroper control of the motive power of the
a great mistake. They should be developed until fifth line, simply because they do not understand voice. 2. Correct form. 3. Correct placing. 4.
they gain perfect freedom, but they should never the form and action of the upper chest tones.
Correct touch.
be forced or sung in a guttural manner.
They either force the tone with the lower chest- The proper control of the motive power is sim-
Unfold the throat by the proper development form and action, and it becomes a shout, or they ply correct breathing, which means very much.
of the low tones of any voice where the tension carry down the medium, and the tone becomes The diaphragm, the muscles of the abdomen, and
and contraction is the least, and the development pinched and throaty,—it will depend upon the the costal muscles constitute the motive power
VOICE-TRAINING.
M