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THE CONGRESS OF WOMEN.

The next step is to take a deep, full, slow, inspiration, filling the lungs from the very bottom. In escaping, the air passes through the top, so the top is always supplied. (We must form the habit of filling the bottom of the lungs at first effort.) This is called abdominal breathing, or, more appropriately, diaphragmatic breathing. As the bottom of the lungs is filled with air, there is a feeling of enlargement all over the abdominal region, caused by the pressure of the well-filled lung in all directions. The downward pressure of the lungs against the diaphragmic muscle distends slightly the abdominal cavity; hence, abdominal breathing, a very misleading name.

The diaphragm guards and follows the lungs like a guardian angel. To breathe a deep, natural breath is proper, but we must follow nature somewhat. When we make breathing altogether a voluntary action, we take the natural work from the involuntary muscles, which are thereby weakened by inaction.

For different modes of breathing, we have whatis called “ abdominal or diaphragm­atic, ” lateral or costal, lumbar and the clavicular. A good diaphragmatic respiration includes them all except the clavicular, which is of no importance to us, only to be avoided and which we need not consider, taking only the diaphragmatic; that is filling, the bottom of the lungs at the first effort. Learn to accomplish vocal feats with the smallest amount of breath; that is, let no breath escape unutilized.

EXAMPLE.

The first and most important step in singing is to control the emission of the breath.

Practice breathing at first slowly, then quickly. Now, see how nearly you can approach the yawn without yawning. This position of the mouth and throat is favor­able to good tone by opening the throat in all directions.

When we have acquired control of the breath, the next step is to open the back part of the mouth. Think of the singer’s throne at the top of the pharynx and raise the soft palate and head muscles without effort, widen the whole pharynx. The very thought will do it. You will observe at once the change even in the speaking voice, always support the tone in the pharynx.

This exercise will not only make a musical singing, speaking and reading voice, but it will banish clergyman’s sore throat and many other forms of throat trouble, which come from wrong placing. If we open the back part of the mouth, the front will take care of itself. Take the Italian la broad, or the word loud, and be sure that you open the throat, for you may say la without opening the throat.

Open the throat as much as possible without fatigue or strain, and you will be astonished at the volume of voice developed at once, without effort.

We are supposed now to be building or restoring a voice, but the best voices will be improved by correct practice. If nature has given you a fine voice, well placed, then the right practice will give it expansion, and bring possibilities before you of which, perhaps, you have never dreamed. If your voice is small and thin, you can comfort yourself with the knowledge that all things are brought about by condition and practice, and if you understand the laws of acoustics and the adjustment of the vocal apparatus, a small voice may be increased greatly in power and extent, and what it lacks in power it may make up in intensity, for the softest tones, when con­trolled rightly, may be heard as distinctly as the loudest, and with far more pleasing effect. Intensity comes through control at the throne of the pharynx.

EXAMPLE.

For a soft, intense tone, take the word He in the top of the pharynx— He-e~e-e.

The Bell tone is also a good exercise. For intensity make the last part soft, but distinct, as it dies away.

The immediate vocal instrument is made up of the nasal cavities, the pharynx, the larynx, the trachea and the lungs. But these depend upon the nervous and mus­cular system of the whole organism.