y be able to defy all
possible chances.

Before all, never neglect to practise every morning, regularly, proper
singing exercises through the whole compass of the voice. Do it with
_painful_ seriousness; and never think that vocal gymnastics weary the
singer. On the contrary, they bring refreshment and power of endurance
to him who will become master of his vocal organs.

SECTION V

EQUALIZING THE VOICE; BREATH; FORM

Through the lowering of the pillars of the fauces, which is the same
as raising the soft palate, the outflowing breath is divided into two
parts.

I have sketched the following representation of it:--

Division of the breath.

By raising the pillars of the fauces, which closes off the throat from
the cavities of the head, the chest voice is produced; that is, the
lowest range of all kinds of voices. This occurs when the main stream
of breath, spreading over against the high-arched palate, completely
utilizes all its resonating surfaces. This is the palatal resonance,
in which there is the most power (Plate A).

[Illustration: A

Red lines denote division of the breath in palatal resonance, lower
range of male and female voices.]

When the soft palate is raised high behind the nose, the pillars of
the fauces are lowered, and this frees the way for the main stream of
breath to the head cavities. This now is poured out, filling the nose,
forehead, and head cavities. This makes the head tone. Called head
tone in women, falsetto in men, it is the highest range of all classes
of voices, the resonance of the head cavities (Plate C).

[Illustration: C

Resonance of the cavity of the forehead.

Red lines denote division of the breath in the resonance of the head
cavity, high range.]

Between these two extreme functions of the palate and breath, one
stream of breath gives some of its force to the other; and when
equally divided they form the medium range of all classes of voices
(Plate B).

[Illustration: B

Red lines denote division of the breath in the middle range.]

The singer must always have in his mind's eye a picture of this
divided stream of breath.

As I have already said, in the lowest tones of all voices the main
stream of breath is projected against the palate; the pillars of the
fauces, being stretched to their fullest extent, and drawn back to the
wall of the throat, allow _almost_ no breath to reach the head
cavities.

I say _almost_ none, for, as a matter of fact,