CHAPTER III THE POWER As in everything in which there is action the production of vocal tones is accomplished at the expenditure of some energy. The power for the production of this energy is consequently the first requirement of an artist. The power in vocal tone production, to be normal, must originate in the action of the muscles marked D in Plate No. 1. These muscles, by their contraction, cause the lungs to open and let in the air, and by their relaxation they become dead weight against the bronchial tubes and the air cells, so that the air previously taken in is forced out. Unfortunately we do not, in our present civilization, ordinarily use our lungs enough. Most adults only partly use them. This accounts for the abnormal development of these organs. Some persons, Some persons, while usually using their lungs, but faintly keep all the power-producing muscles in action all the time. The bronchial tubes and the air cells of the lungs, while weak, keep their normal proportions. A person having lungs in this condition has, to express it differently, retained the natural voice and only needs the proper exercises to strengthen and limber the power-producing muscles, and at the same time study for artistic achievements. Some persons do not use some of their power-producing muscles, and the bronchial tubes and the air cells beneath become useless. This prevents a normal development of the lungs and is the primary cause of breaks in the voice. We can classify the lungs into four types. No. 1 type in Plate No. 2 is the normal lung. The types Nos. 2, 3, and 4 are abnormal. The possessors of such lungs have lost their natural voice, and the first step in regaining it is the restoration of the normal development and strength of the lungs by some simple breathing exercises. The most effective breathing exercise to begin with is what may be called The Exhaustion. It induces very deep respirations. A respiration is composed of an inhalation and an exhalation. The exhaustion is obtained by ending a respiration with a sigh of contentment, and at the end of the sigh, when the exhalation seems to be completed, begin to count legato, one, two, three, four, etc., as far as you can, depressing and bearing down inwardly on the lungs, in this way forcing a continuous outflow of air, which is necessary for the action of count ing. When you can count no further the exhaustion is completed. Now let the air rush back into the lungs through the nostrils. This should be continued as long as possible without too much fatigue. The exhaustion exercise has the effect of relaxing all the power-producing muscles, and thus the air cells and bronchial tubes, which are otherwise inactive, are brought back into natural action. The activity of the whole lung brings on a desirable flexibility of the surrounding soft tissues and a motility of the bony frame without which the maximum voice power cannot be acquired, especially for the high tones, because the weight of the clavicular muscles is not sufficient to counterbalance the pressure exerted by the powerful diaphragm when it has attained its normal development. The exhaustion exercise has also the effect |