t the entire course of study, to be the most
important topic of instruction.

In order to understand the nature of a method of Voice Culture, it is
necessary first to consider the relation which exists, in modern
instruction, between training in tone-production, and the development of
vocal technique. According to the accepted theory, the voice must be
"placed" before the real study of singing is undertaken. After the voice
has been properly "placed," it is supposed to be in condition to be
developed by practice in singing technical exercises. But in actual
practice this distinction between "voice-placing" exercises and
technical studies is seldom drawn. The voice is trained, almost from the
beginning of the course of study, by practice in actual singing. The
earliest exercises used for "placing the voice" are in every respect
technical studies,--single tones and syllables, scale passages,
arpeggios, etc. It is impossible to produce even a single tone without
embodying some feature of technique. Practice therefore serves a double
purpose; it brings the voice gradually to the condition of perfect
action, and at the same time it develops the technique. The student
advances gradually toward the correct manner of tone-production, and
this progress is evidenced solely by the improved technical use of the
voice. Considerable technical facility is attained before the
tone-production becomes absolutely perfect.

A vocal student's practice in singing is not confined to technical
exercises, strictly speaking. Vocalises, songs, and arias are taken up,
usually very early in the course of study. Moreover, attention is nearly
always paid to musical expression and to artistic rendition, as well as
to the vocal action and the technical use of the voice. This is true,
whether the student sings an exercise, a vocalise, a song, or an aria.

For daily home practice, the student sings, usually, first some
exercises, then a few vocalises, and finally several songs and arias.
Every teacher has at command a wide range of compositions of all these
kinds, carefully graded as to technical and musical difficulty. As the
pupil advances, more and more difficult works are undertaken. For each
stage of advancement the teacher chooses the compositions best adapted
to carry the student's progress still further.

There is no point in this development at which instruction in
tone-production ceases, and the technical training of the voice is
begun. On