in. The contraction of the muscles must go only so far
that they can be slowly relaxed; that is, can return to their normal
position _easily_. Never must the neck be swelled up, or the veins in
it stand out. Every convulsive or painful feeling is wrong.

SECTION VI

THE ATTACK

To attack a tone, the breath must be directed to a focal point on the
palate, which lies under the critical point for each different tone;
this must be done with a certain decisiveness. There must, however, be
no pressure on this place; for the overtones must be able to soar
above, and sound with, the tone. The palate has to furnish, besides,
the top cover against which the breath strikes, also an extremely
elastic floor for the breath sounding above it against the hard palate
or in the nose.

This breath, by forming the overtones, makes certain the connection
with the resonance of the head cavities.

In order to bring out the color of the tone the whirling currents must
vivify all the vowel sounds that enter into it, and draw them into
their circles with an ever-increasing, soaring tide of sound.

The duration of the tone must be assured by the gentle but
uninterrupted outpouring of the breath behind it. Its strength must be
gained by the breath pressure and the focal point on the palate, by
the complete utilization of the palatal resonance; without, however,
injuring the resonance of the head cavities. (See plate, representing
the attack.)

[Illustration: Sensation of pitch.

Red line denotes sensation in the attack.]

SECTION VII

NASAL. NASAL SINGING

By raising the back of the tongue toward the soft palate and lowering
the soft palate toward the tongue, we produce nasal sound, such as is
heard in the pronunciation of the word "hanger," for instance. The air
is then expelled chiefly through the nose. The nasal sound can be much
exaggerated--something that very rarely happens; it can be much
neglected--something that very often happens. Certain it is that it is
not nearly enough availed of. That is my own everyday experience.

We Germans have only small opportunity to make the acquaintance of the
nasal sound; we know it in only a few words: "E_ng_el," "la_ng_e,"
"ma_ng_el," etc.,--always where _ng_ occurs before or after a vowel.

The French, on the contrary, always sing and speak nasally, with the
pillar of the fauces raised high, and not seldom exaggerate it. On
account of the rounding up of the whole soft pa