the soft palate
and is frequently entirely closed. The size of the pharynx is varied
by the contraction and relaxation of the circular muscles in its
tissue; when swallowing its walls are in contact. The pharynx acts as
does the expanding tube of brass instruments. It increases the force
and depth of the tone waves. The wider the pharynx is opened, without
constraint, the fuller the resonance and the better the tone.

THE UNDER JAW

The under jaw furnishes attachment for the muscles of the tongue and
hyoid or tongue bone. It also controls, owing to the connections of
the larynx with the hyoid bone, the muscles that fix the position of
the larynx.

The pterygoid muscles, which move the under jaw forward and backward,
do not connect with the larynx, so their action does not compress that
organ or in any way impede the action of the vocal apparatus. A
relaxed under jaw allows freer action of the vocal cords and ampler
resonance. The under jaw should drop little by little as the voice
ascends the scale, thus opening the mouth slightly wider with each
rise in the pitch of the tone. In ascending the scale it is well to
open the throat a little wider as you ascend. The delivery will be
much easier, and the tone produced will be much better. At the highest
pitch of the voice the mouth should open to its full width. At the
same time care must be taken _not_ to draw the corners of the mouth
back, as in smiling, because this lessens the resonance of the tone
and gives it a flat sound.

The under jaw must have considerable latitude of motion in
pronunciation, but by all means avoid chewing of the words and cutting
off words by closing the jaw instead of finishing them by the use of
the proper articulating organs, which are the tongue and lips.

THE SOFT PALATE

Writers on the voice have almost universally claimed that the
principal office of the soft palate is to shut off the nasal and head
cavities from the throat, and to force the column of vibrations out
through the mouth, thus allowing none, or at most a very small part,
to pass into the nasal passages.

This contention implies that the vibrations are imparted to the upper
cavities, if at all, through the walls of the palate itself, and not
through an opening behind the palate. This is entirely at variance
with the facts as verified by my own experience and observation and
the observation of others who are expert specialists. The true office
of the soft palate is