precedes it and no
explosion follows it. The vowel-attack is clear, precise and distinct.
Not only is the voice-emission pure, but there is no needless fatigue
of voice, because all superfluous movement of the glottis is avoided.

The "check glottid" or glottic shock, on the other hand, involves an
undue effort of the vocal muscles, and the compression of the vocal
cords causes irritation. The audible shock of the glottis cannot be
avoided when it is necessary to accentuate a word beginning with an
initial vowel. Constantly used, however, it is part of the misuse of
the voice. Dr. Van Baggen recommends, as a method of correcting the
too frequent use of the audible shock, that when a word beginning with
an initial vowel appears in the middle of a phrase, this word should
be united to the preceding one, somewhat after the manner (but more
lightly) of the French verbal "liaison," in which the final consonant
of a word becomes the initial consonant of the following word beginning
with a vowel. For example in "vous avez," the _s_ of "vous" is drawn
over to and pronounced with the _a_ of "avez," the effect being
"vou-z-avez." If the phrase that is to be sung commences with a word
beginning with an initial vowel, care must be taken to employ the normal
_coup de glotte_, or _spiritus lenis_.

Although I have devoted two chapters to the registers of the voice,
I shall also quote Dr. Van Baggen on the faulty use of these and the
physical ills that result therefrom, since there are but few singers who
do not know the difficulties which the registers of the voice offer; and
many who spoil their voices forever by the misuse of those registers.
Generally, the misuse consists in the exaggeration of a lower register
at the expense of the higher; that is, in order to produce "big tone,"
forcing a register _up_ instead of bringing the higher one _down_.
Especially with dramatic singers, this fault is frequent. There is no
voice, however strong it may be, which can endure this overstraining of
the registers, and sooner or later the singer must experience the
disastrous results of his or her fault--hoarseness, fatigue, roughness,
and impureness in singing, and last, but not least, premature wearing
out of the vocal organs.

The exaggeration of the registers is generally united with faulty
breathing, which first of all must be corrected. Only after good results
have been obtained with regard to breath practice, can exercises for the
corr