Grove's dictionary of music and musicians

SINGING SINGING 461
subsidence of the expanded chest while the
diaphragm is contracted, causes too much abdominal
distension.
Those who have developed a good expansion
of the lower ribs will be able to maintain that
expansion while the diaphragm is supported
by the abdominal muscles, and the upper part
of the abdomen becomes concave before the ribs
are allowed to descend. In this manner very
great delicacy in breath-control can be exercised.
When the capacity is large enough the ribs can
be kept expanded while the diaphragm moves
to and fro, opposed by the abdominal muscles,
and thus the breathing both in and out becomes
entii-ely diaphragmatic or alidominal. This is
the only form in which this is permissible,
namely, when the ribs are fully expanded all the
time and the movement of the abdominal wall
is confined to the region above the waist.
Towards the end of a very long phrase, however,
the ribs will have to come down. It is
better then, that only the lower ribs should be
relaxed while the upper ribs remain raised as
part of a permanent position.
The permanent expansion of the ribs is partly
secured by straightening the upper part of the
spine in standing or sitting up straight, and the
larger amount of residual air retained in the
lungs is of great value in maintaining continuity
of air-pressure and tone.
It will be noted that the form of breathing here
explained and advocated is practically invisible.
It is also designed to add to volume, the continuity
and control of air-pressure necessary
to good phrasing. The permanent expansion of
the ribs also assists resonation in the neck, an
advantage which will be dealt with later.
The vocal reed is formed by two elastic membranes
or cords which can be drawn together
from their position of rest, so that they meet
like curtains, and completely close the air-passage
at the upper end of the windpipe, where the
larynx begins. Their front ends are fixed close
together to the shield cartilage, and behind they
are attached to two small triangular cartilages
which move very freely upon the thick ringshaped
cartilage supporting them. During
breathing in they are wide apart, and during
breathing out they approach one another. In
the act of whispering, they are definitely drawn,
so as to reduce the opening between their edges
considerably.
As soon as air-pressure acts upon the elasticity
of the edges of the membranes they
vibrate, in accordance with the physical laws
which govern the action of reeds ' ' in general.
This may happen before the whole passage is
occluded, and a soft ' breathy ' note is produced,
but the reed acts most strongly and perfectly
when the two cartilages are brought into close
contact, so that the whole air-pressure acts upon
the vibrating edges of the membranes, and is
converted into sound.
Singing is practically confined to the last
position. The tremor of the elastic membranes
rapidly opens and closes the fine slit between their
edges and releases the air-pressure in a quick succession
of minute puffs. One group of muscles
regulates the movements of the small triangular
cartilages, by the action of which the membranes
are brought together and drawn aside. Another
group is concerned with tightening and loosening
the membranes, and thereby regulates the tension
upon which the rapidity of their vibration
depends.
Every vocal reed may be expected to have a
compass of two octaves which can be controlled
by this function of tension and relaxation, and it
must not be forgotten that this tension is an
unconscious act guided solely by sound perception
or ' ear,' and cannot be appreciated by
any muscular sense as in the case of a voluntary
movement.
The general pitch of every voice is determined
by the size of the membranes. In men they are
both wider and thicker than in women, and
their length is generally estimated at about
^ths of an inch and ^ths of an inch in women.
Roughly speaking, the male voice is about an
octave lower than the female, but in either sex
all degrees of general pitch exist between certain
limits. For convenience three types are usually
considered—high, low, and middle. The maj ority
of voices are near the middle type in both sexes,
while exceptional instances of abnormally high
or low are sometimes met with.
The male Alto voice has an intermediate
position between the two gi-oups, but being an
unnatural product it cannot be considered with
the others.
Thus every voice has its middle note whence
if may be expected to range to the extent of an
octave upwards and downwards by performing
the same muscular action. In the figure the
middle note of each voice is indicated by a
double vertical line.
_Soprano_