--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Kimball, Edward P. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 28 number: 2 published: 1924-12 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Edward P. Kimball, “Church Music Committee: Chorister’s Manual—Lesson XI—Concerning Voice Production,” *Improvement Era 28, no. 2 (December 1924)*: 147–148." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2802unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera2802unse start_page: 147 end_page: 148 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1924-12) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2802unse publication_year: 1924 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1924, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Church Music Committee: Chorister’s Manual—Lesson XI—Concerning Voice Production CHURCH MUSIC COMMITTEE Chorister's Manual, Lesson XL — Concerning Voice Production By Edward P. Kimball Some things on tone quality have been given in previous lessons, but nothing relating to how tone generally, and in its varied qualities specifically, is produced. While correct tone placement, principles of resonance, proper breathing, etc., cannot be taught by mere description-, still a consideration of some of these fundamentals operating in the use of the voice in singing will be helpful to many, and may serve to spur others on toward the study of the subject under the tutelage of competent voice teachers, so that more beautiful tone will be the aim of conductors of choirs, and the preservation of much voice material, which now is so frequently damaged by improper use, will result. Our choir leaders are of two types: first, the vocalist who is called to the work because he is able to sing, but who frequently has had only meagre music training as such; second, the instrumentalist who plays well, and who is trained in the theory of music, but who has little conception or knowledge of the human voice as a result of his not being a singer, and who is apt to look upon it in much the same manner as he regards any musical instrument. Each type possesses an advantage over the other, but the ideal type would be a composite of the two, namely, a singer who is well trained musically, and an instrumentalist who can sing intelligently. It is hoped that this les- son will benefit both. It will not be necessary to dwell on the manner in which the voice is produced. Any student who has studied physiology knows that, so the discussion will proceed at once to the consideration of a few basic principles in the use of that voice as a singing instrument. All authorities are agreed that good singing rests upon proper breathing. The revered Pacchiarotti said, "He who knows how to breathe knows how to sing. The eminent William Shakespeare of London observes that the two factors in perfect voice pro- duction are (1) freedom of the instrument, and (2) the control of the breath pressure." Details of breathing and breath-control are so much matters of controversy, even among great singers and teachers, that it would require great space to set forth all contentions. Authorities agree, however, on a number of things which are here enumerated. The full lungs should be used in breathing, instead of merely the upper portion. The body should be erect, with chest up, the shoulders held still, and Tetrazinni reminds us that all acts of breathing should be as easy and natural as possible. This does not imply that the breathing capacity cannot and should not be developed by practice, but, to the contrary, development here is possible, just as in any other organ or function. The chest is like a cone-shaped box, with the small end upwards; the back being the spinal column; the top, the base of the neck; the front, the breast-bone; the sides, the ribs, most of them connected to the breast-bone; the base is the diaphragm, a large muscular membrane. This is the air-tight compartment which holds the breath, all of which must make its exit through the windpipe. The diaphragm is supported by a mass of fibers extending downwards and forwards, attached to the body in front near the soft place on the breast-bone, is attached to the sixth and lower ribs, finally 150 IMPROVEMENT ERA connected by two large masses of muscle to the backbone. When the lungs contain but little air, the diaphragm resembles an inverted basin, higher in the front than in the back. When a breath is drawn it contracts, and, becoming flatter, descends upon the organs underneath, so that considerable abdominal expansion is felt. The air-tight compartment is enlarged, and air is drawn from without to fill the increased space. As the lungs are filled, they descend with the diaphragm, and we experience a "deep breath." The singer must increase the supply of breath beyond what is required even in deep breathing, which he does by expanding the ribs. In all breathing, both in singing and in breathing exercises as such, the shoulders should be kept in their normal position. Any one interested in the operation of breathing should read a good book on physiology, or refer to the opening chapter of The Art of Singing, by William Shakespeare, or chapter two. The Singer and His Art, by Thaddeus Wrongski. In these works are given also extended exercises in breathing. The chorister is urged also to consult a proficient vocal teacher. Some eminent choir leaders advise a' few minutes of breathing exercises before or during the choir rehearsal, but such exercises should not be taken unless the leader knows something about singing, and how to get value from such exercises. Not only must the singers provide as large a supply of air as is possible but every bit of it should be used in the tone, and this for two reasons: first, that the breath may not be wasted, and second, that the purity of the tone may not be marred by escaping breath not vocalized, "breathiness." "The secret of expressive singing in sustained singing is absolutely steady tone combined with a perfect legato, and neither of these desirable things can be achieved without perfect breath control, this matter applying to choral singing as| forcefully as it does to solo work." The quality and carrying power of the voice depend more upon the use made of the resonance cavities of the head than upon the violence with which the vocal chords are made to vibrate. Musical instruments define their tone upon at least three things; the vibrating body, the force which sets the body in vibration, and the reinforcing medium of the tone thus produced (the sound-board of the piano, the body of the string instrument, the tube of a brass instrument, etc.) . In the voice, as with other instruments, the quality of tone depends upon the disposition of the parts of the "resonator," through which the breath must pass after it has set the vocal chords in vibration — throat, palate, tongue, jaw, cavities of the mouth, nose, and, in fact, the whole head to some extent. Some things which regulate tone are placement, keeping the tongue down, proper use of the nose as a resonator, proper focusing of the tone against the roof of the mouth, opening the mouth at just the right distance, forming the lips the correct way, etc. From what has been mentioned here so briefly, we wil have shown that vocalization is so complex an art that it takes years of hard work to master, and it cannot be taught by correspondence. The purpose of mentioning some of its difficulties here is to emphasize to the chorister that singing is a serious business, and consists of more than the mere giving forth by the voice of tones on proper pitch. It would be valuable assistance if the choristers of a stake might have given to them by a professional vocalist a demonstra- tion of the fundamentals of vocalization. There are plenty in the Church who might be secured to give such a demonstration. Those wishing to get expert written opinion on the subject are urged to read Wm. Shakespeare's The Art of Singing, the most comprehensive work on the subject in the English language. (Part 2 Lesson XI in the next Era.)