e those indicated by sets
of sympathetic sensations, the direct opposites of those characterizing
the perfect vocal action. Thus the open throat is indicated by one set
of sympathetic sensations, the lack of this characteristic of tone by an
opposite set, etc.

Whatever distinct fault of production the pupil's tone indicates, the
master immediately notes the character of the faulty throat action. The
master feels, simply and directly, what is wrong with the student's
tone-production. Whence this knowledge comes he does not stop to
inquire. Suppose the pupil to sing an exercise, and to produce tones
which stick in the throat, instead of coming out freely. The master
simply hears that the pupil's voice is caught in the throat; he does not
observe that he is informed of this condition by muscular as well as
auditory sensations.

This ignoring of the psychological nature of the impressions of tone is
not necessarily detrimental to successful instruction. On the contrary,
the master's empirical insight into the vocal operations of the pupil
would probably not be advanced by an understanding of the psychological
process. It is sufficient for the teacher's purpose to hear that the
pupil's voice is caught in the throat. What robs this hearing, or
feeling, of all value is this: the master attempts to interpret the
sensation as an indication of the need of some specific muscular action,
to be directly performed by the pupil. To this end he cites the
mechanical rule, assumed to be indicated by the pupil's faulty vocal
action. This may be, for example, the opening of the throat to give room
for the tone to expand. It seems so perfectly simple to the
teacher;--the pupil narrows his throat, and so holds in the tone; let
him expand his throat and the tone will come out freely. This conclusion
seems so clearly indicated by the sound of the tones that the master
almost inevitably gives the precise instruction: "Open your throat and
let your voice come out." This sums up, to the master's satisfaction,
everything the pupil need do to correct this particular fault of
tone-production.

Other sets of sympathetic sensations, awakened by badly produced tones,
are interpreted in the same manner. A tone heard to be held in the back
of the throat is believed to indicate the need of bringing the voice
forward in the mouth. Other forms of throaty production are taken to
show a lack of support, a wrong management of the breath, a need of
breath-