cessary relation to each other. A singer may, at will, pay entire
attention to any one, or to any particular set, of these sensations, and
for the time being completely ignore all the others.

Physiologically considered, the singer's sensations are of two
classes,--first, muscular sensations strictly speaking; and second, a
sense of tingling or vibration, definitely located usually about the
breast bone, and in the front and upper part of the head.

_Muscular Sensations of Singing_

It is very difficult to analyze and describe exactly the muscular
sensations which accompany any complex action. Swimming, diving,
dancing, skating,--each awakens a set of extremely vivid muscular
feelings; yet to describe these sensations so graphically that they
could be felt in imagination by one who had never experienced them
actually,--that would be almost impossible.

This peculiar aspect of muscular sensations is particularly true as
regards the action of singing. While every vocal teacher knows exactly
how it feels to sing properly, all descriptions of the singer's muscular
sensations are extremely vague. But the vividness of these sensations
keeps them constantly before the teacher's mind, and some application of
them, in the present state of Voice Culture, is almost inevitable.

The basic sensation of correct singing, as generally described, is a
feeling of perfect poise and harmony of the whole body; this is
accompanied by a sense of freedom about the throat and jaw, and firm
grasp and control of the expiratory muscles. Attempts are frequently
made to amplify this description, but the results are always very vague.
A feeling of "absence of local effort" at the throat is much spoken of,
or "perfect relaxation of the vocal muscles."

A few specially localized muscular sensations are also much discussed.
Descriptions of this class however are often so loosely given as to
render a definite statement almost impossible. Most frequently mentioned
are the feeling of "backward pressure in the throat," and of "drinking
in the tone," instead of sending it out. Then again, the "tone must be
felt at the upper front teeth." A feeling as of an "expanded and
flexible vocal tube, extending from the base of the lungs to the lips,"
is also much talked of. "Feel that you grow bigger as the tone swells"
is about as intelligible as the feeling of "floating jaw."

On the whole, the subject of the singer's muscular sensations is usually
rather mys