eath pressure;
another is the alternate tension and relaxation of the larynx and
vocal cords; a third is that commonest of faults--throat stiffness.
Either cause is possible, and variation in the pitch or intensity of
the tone is the result. Sufficient investigations have not been made
to make the matter certain, but tremolo, trembling of the vocal
organs, and muscular stiffness, or unnatural tension, seem to go
together.

It is quite possible in the early stages of culture so to train the
voice as to use the vibrato or not at will, but if not early
controlled this, like other bad habits, gains the mastery. Excessive
vibrato has spoiled many good voices. It is not a fundamental quality
of the voice. A little vibrato may occasionally be desirable when
properly and skilfully used; more than this is to be shunned as a
dangerous vice.

CHAPTER XI

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF VOCAL CULTURE

Mental conception precedes execution. The picture must exist in the
artist's mind before it can be drawn on the canvas. The architect must
mentally see the majestic cathedral in all its details before he can
draw the plans from which it can be built. In the field of physical
activity no movement is made until the mind has gone before and
prepared the way. A person's ability to do is in a great degree
measured by his determination to do, but sitting in a rocking-chair
and thinking will never make an athlete. Mental action is necessary,
but only through trained muscular action can the mental action
materialize in a finished performance.

So too the mind must anticipate the action of the vocal organs, but
the organs themselves must be led to interpret the mental concept
until such action becomes spontaneous. Action in turn quickens the
mental process, and the mental picture becomes more vivid.

Note with emphasis that the mental concept _precedes_ the action and
governs it. Therefore, instead of producing tone by local effort, by
conscious muscular action of any sort, correctly _think the tone_,
correctly shape and color it _mentally_. =Every vocal tone is a mental
concept made audible.= The beginner and the confirmed bungler alike
fail in this prime essential--they do not make this mental picture of
tone before singing it. Kindred to this is deficiency in hearing, in
discriminating between good tone color and poor. The student must
constantly compare his tone as it is sung with the picture in his
mind. Training the voice is therefore