p, let us
examine a tone in the making, or, rather, let us feel how it is
made--for the process of tone production, so far as it concerns us, is
not of physiological, but rather psychological, significance. The huge
tomes on the physiology of the voice which are of vital interest to the
student of anatomy are not only of no use, but are apt to be a positive
hindrance to the student of vocal training. A vivid picture of the
larynx or vocal cords, a cross-section of the trachea, or a highly
illuminated image of any of the cavities concerned in the production of
that most wonderful thing in the world, a pure tone of the human voice,
is a source of delight to the physiologist, but will only interfere with
that _feel_ for the free, full volume of sound which the student of
voice as an instrument of thought and emotion is to make, as a first
step in vocal training. Then, not as anatomists or physiologists, but as
makers of music, let us look at, let us feel for, a tone.

I am "stung by the splendor of a sudden thought"; I desire to share it
with you; the desire causes me to take a deep breath, a column of air
rises, is converted into tone, passes into the mouth, and is moulded
into the words which symbolize my thought. Let us, without further
analysis, try this. Close your eyes, think of some line of prose or
poetry which has moved you profoundly; let it take possession of you
until you are seized by the desire to voice it. Still with closed eyes,
feel yourself take the breath which is to be made into tone, and then
into the words which stand for the thought. Hold that sensation, and
study it with me for a moment. "But," you say, "the desire to voice the
thought does not seize me." Very well, let me ask you a question. "Do
you believe in examinations?" Now your thought was converted so swiftly
into speech that you had no time to study the conversion. Once more,
whether your answer be Yes or No, close your eyes and feel for the tone
you are to use in making the single word.

Now, a little more in detail, let us see what happens. A thought full of
emotion meets the question, the desire to answer is born; the need of
breath to meet the desire contracts the diaphragm (the pump); the chest
(the reservoir) fills; a column of air, pumped and controlled by the
diaphragm, and reinforced in the chest, rises, strikes the vocal cords
(the "strings" of the instrument), the strings vibrate, converting the
air into sound, into tone; the to