Chapter VII · THE HUMAN VOICE IN ITS RELATIONSHIP TO SCIENCE

The human voice is a physiological phenomenon produced by the vocal apparatus.

Two branches of science—Physiology and Acoustics—govern the human voice. Physiology, which rules the functions of the human body, controls the mechanism of voice production; and Acoustics, which treats of the laws and properties of sound, controls the physical product of the vocal apparatus—the sound.

As a fundamental element of the art of singing, however, voice represents a higher and more complex factor than sound, as it constitutes the artistic medium for expressing our thoughts and feelings through music. Therefore, for the full exploitation of the phenomenon—voice—the support of intellectual assistance is required, and that is supplied by Psychology, the science of the study of intellect and sentiment.

Psychology lends to singing its mental contributions—its inspiration, its emotions, its color, its style; all artistic features which do not belong to the voice in its simple form of physical sound.

This psychological contribution constitutes the most precious equipment in the art of singing and can be defined as the Sense of Singing. The sense 56of singing stands to the physical phenomenon of voice as the painter’s conception of life and colors—which he carries out through his imagination and feelings—stands to his hand and brush.

We believe that the sense of singing is entirely a natural gift, which no book or teacher can confer upon any pupil to whom Nature has denied it. Education may assist in developing it, but there must be a substrata of certain mental qualities which can be cultivated to make it possible to achieve this fundamental factor of the art of singing.

Therefore, the task of illustrating the contribution of Psychology to this art will not be part of our aim in developing this book. It is too important to be treated briefly, in outline form, and it is of no real value in the preliminary, though most essential, task of teaching the mechanism of voice production. Students of singing, however, must note that psychology constitutes the very soul of the art of singing, and must not neglect the education of their minds, which comes first in the exploitation of every art.

In regard to the physiology of the voice, in spite of all the doctrines and books written about it, there seems to be no clear understanding among professionals of the laws and rules which constitute the foundation of the physiological voice production and culture. Many, in fact, confuse physiological functions with physical efforts, and their misconception goes to the extent of condemning the real laws ruling the function of singing because they 57attribute to the term “physiological” the qualification of effort.

In reality physiological, when related to a function, is equivalent merely to normal. The misunderstanding on this subject is due principally to the fact that the greater part of the singers of our times in producing their voices employ a power which is the result of their maximum energy, and they gauge it as normal, while in reality it is not. As a matter of fact normal efficiency is produced by the minimum of energy. A motor car running at the speed of one hundred miles is not ruled by its normal power, its motor being under high pressure.

The voice produced by the maximum energy of the vocal organs is under a strain, while the minimum of power produces its normal efficiency. This normal efficiency is what should be conceived as the physiological function.

The multitudinous theories about breathing, breathing exercises, diaphragm development, voice building and many other complicated suggestions related to the mechanism of the voice, show how incorrect is the knowledge of the functions of the vocal organs and how far these functions are from being performed by physiological mechanism. Voice production in reality is as simple and spontaneous as is any other function of the human organism. That constitutes the wonderful asset of Nature—simplicity.

A clear conception of the function of the vocal apparatus and the mechanism of voice production 58cannot be attained without, at least, an elementary knowledge of the anatomy of its different organs, and of the fundamental laws of acoustics which rule them. But a thorough anatomical study of the different organs of the vocal apparatus is not really necessary for the comprehension of the principles of voice culture. Such information may be necessary for teachers, but it is as unnecessary for the student to know the different muscles and cartilages of the larynx as it is for the dancer to have a detailed anatomical knowledge of the muscles of the legs. Too much emphasis has been placed upon the necessity of the study of anatomy for pupils. We believe that the student should know only what the mechanism of the voice is, and what the different organs are that take part in the production of this mechanism. The teacher should acquire a thorough knowledge of the vocal organs, but most essentially of their functions, in order to be able to determine whether the pupil’s work is correct, according to physiological rules, or whether it is incorrect because of a faulty mechanism in the voice production.

In the next chapter an outline will be given of those few anatomical parts which are necessary for the study of the voice, omitting all unimportant and complicated data.

Of the other scientific branch, concerned with the phenomenon of the voice—acoustics—it is enough to bear in mind a few elementary principles related to the fundamental laws of the sounds.

Sounds are the physical result of bodies in vibration. Vibrations are movements traveling in every 59direction, which reach our ears and are perceived in the complex form of sounds, if periodic, of equal duration, regular and rapid. If they are irregular and unequal in duration, they are perceived merely as noises.

This difference is very important because it establishes from the very roots of the physical formation of the voice the fact that only equal vibrations can produce perfect sounds or tones; therefore, equal vibrations are the fundamental asset for a correct form of singing. That makes it very evident how strictly the laws of acoustics are connected with the rules of physiology in the production of the laryngeal sound which is the seed that generates the wonderful phenomenon of the human voice.

Therefore, the correct physiological mechanism of voice production, by generating equal vibrations, establishes the basic foundation for a correct and natural method of singing. It is obvious then that the mechanism of voice production is fundamentally controlled by the laws of both sciences—Physiology and Acoustics—working in harmonious coöperation.

60