when the cause,
nervousness or lack of skill, is removed.

Throat stiffness does not necessarily destroy the musical character of
the voice. Very many degrees and varieties of excessive throat tension
are possible. The undue muscular exertion may be so slight in degree
that the throat stiffness can be detected in the sound of the tones only
by a highly sensitive and observant hearer. Or on the other hand, the
muscles of the entire throat may be so powerfully contracted that the
singer has only a very imperfect command of the voice. Between the two
extremes, perfect tone-production and exaggerated stiffness, every
conceivable shade of difference in degree of undue tension might be
illustrated in the case of some prominent singer.

Faulty tone-production manifests itself in two ways; first, in its
effects on the tones of the voice; second, in its effects on the
singer's throat. Let us consider each of these topics separately.

_The Effect of Throat Stiffness on the Sound of the Voice_

In whatever degree throat stiffness is present, to just that extent the
voice sacrifices something of its capabilities as a musical instrument.
The voice can realize its full natural resources of beauty, range,
power, and flexibility only when the throat is absolutely free from
undue tension. As regards the quality of the tones, every phase of undue
throat tension has its effect on the sound of the voice. These effects
are always bad; the same voice is less beautiful when used in a
stiffened condition than when perfectly produced. Throaty and nasal
tones are always more or less harsh and offensive to the sensitive
hearer. Further, the more pronounced the state of throat stiffness the
more marked does the throaty or nasal quality become.

Under conditions of throat tension the range of the voice is almost
always curtailed. The highest and lowest notes possible to any voice can
be reached only when the throat is entirely free from stiffness. So also
with regard to the varying degrees of power, undue tension prevents the
singer from obtaining the extreme effects. A throaty singer's soft tones
generally lack the carrying quality. Louder tones can be produced with a
normally relaxed than with a stiffened throat.

Real flexibility of voice is impossible to a stiff-throated singer.
Extreme rapidity and accuracy of muscular adjustments, the physical
basis of coloratura singing, cannot be attained when the muscles are
hampered by undue tension