ents, and leaving free only a third part of the whole
glottis, immediately under the lid, to the front wall of the voicebox.

* * * * *

"The foremost part of the glottis formed an oval orifice, which, with
every higher tone, seemed to contract more and more, and so became
smaller and rounder. The fine edges of the vocal ligaments which formed
this orifice were alone vibrating, and the vibrations seemed at first
looser, but, with every higher tone, the ligaments were more stretched."

* * * * *

I have repeatedly had the opportunity of observing the mechanism of the
small register, and I only differ from Madame Seiler in this, that I did
not notice that "with every higher tone the ligaments were more
stretched." It appeared to me, on the contrary, as though the raising of
the pitch was produced by a contraction of the vocal ligaments. In all
other respects I entirely agree with the above description. According to
Madame Seiler the small register is formed by the action of the wedges,
as described on p. 54.

We have thus become acquainted with the mechanism of the registers of
the human voice. We have also seen that it is possible to carry these up
beyond their natural limits, though the process is accompanied by
visible signs of straining. The practice of teachers, therefore, whose
aim it is to "extend" voices upwards, and who are very proud, especially
in tenors, of their "made tones," is strongly to be condemned, and is
sure to have disastrous results. It is, on the other hand, equally
possible to carry the registers down several tones below the places
called the breaks, so that at the limits of each register there are a
number of tones which may be produced by two different mechanisms. The
carrying down of a register causes no fatigue, and though its volume is
weak as compared with the corresponding lower register, it is surprising
how soon it can, by judicious practice, be made to acquire fulness and
power.

In order to prevent misunderstandings, it may be well to add that the
breaks as indicated in the preceding pages are intended only to show
the average compass in the great majority of voices. As, for instance,
there are basses who have an exceptional extension of the Lower Thick
downwards, so there are, undoubtedly, tenors who have an exceptional
extension of the Upper Thick upwards. It must, therefore, be the voice
trainer's business very caref