d to do a multitude of things that are
unnecessary, even positively harmful. For instance, they are required to
sing scales on the vowels, A, E, I, O, U. I only use the vowel Ah, for
exercises, finding the others are not needed, especially excluding E and
U as injurious. Indeed one of the worst things a young voice can do is
to sing scales on E and U, for these contract the muscles of the lips.
Another injurious custom is to sing long, sustained tones in the
beginning. This I do not permit.

"After telling you the things I forbid, I must enlighten you as to our
plan of study.

"The secret of correct tone emission is entire relaxation of the lips. I
tell the pupil, the beginner, at the first lesson, to sing the vowel Ah
as loudly and as deeply as possible, thinking constantly of relaxed lips
and loose lower jaw. Ah is the most natural vowel and was used
exclusively in the old Italian school of Bel Canto. Long sustained tones
are too difficult. One should sing medium fast scales at first. If we
begin with the long sustained tone, the young singer is sure to hold the
voice in his throat, or if he lets go, a tremolo will result. Either a
throaty, stiff tone or a tremolo will result from practicing the single
sustained tone.

"Singing pianissimo in the beginning is another fallacy. This is one of
the most difficult accomplishments and should be reserved for a later
period of development.

"The young singer adds to scales various intervals, sung twice in a
breath, beginning, not at the extreme of the lower voice, but carried up
as high as he can comfortably reach. I believe in teaching high tones
early, and in showing the pupil how to produce the head voice. Not that
I am a high tone specialist," he added smiling, "for I do not sacrifice
any part of the voice to secure the upper notes. But after all it is the
high portion of the voice that requires the most study, and that is
where so many singers fail.

"The young student practices these first exercises, and others, two half
hours daily, at least two hours after eating, and comes to me three
times a week. I suggest she rest one day in each week, during which she
need not sing at all, but studies other subjects connected with her art.
As the weeks go by, the voice, through relaxed lips and throat and
careful training, grows richer and more plentiful. One can almost note
its development from day to day.

WORDS IN THE VOICE

"When the time comes to use words, the imp