eloping the full
measure of his natural endowments. Mechanical instruction has upset all
this. Nowadays the successful vocal student is the exception. Even those
students who succeed in acquiring sufficient command of their voices to
win public acceptance are unable to master the finest points of vocal
technique.

Perfect singing is becoming rare, mainly because the technical mastery
of the voice cannot be acquired under modern methods of instruction.
These methods have been found unsatisfactory in every way. A change must
be made in the practices of Voice Culture; its present state cannot be
regarded as permanent. Modern methods are not truly scientific. There is
at present no justification for the belief that the art of Voice Culture
is founded an assured scientific principles. This does not by any means
invalidate the idea that Voice Culture is properly a subject for
scientific regulation. Modern methods are unsatisfactory only because
they do not conform to the fundamental laws of science. In order to
erect a satisfactory art of Voice Culture it is necessary only that the
art be brought into conformity with scientific principles.

No sweeping reform of modern methods is called for. A thorough
application of scientific principles in the training of voices demands
only one thing,--the abandonment of the idea of mechanical vocal
management. This is not a backward step; on the contrary, it means a
distinct advance. Once freed from the burden of the mechanical idea, the
art of Voice Culture will be in position to advance, even beyond the
ideals of the old masters.

Nothing could well be simpler than the dropping of the mechanical idea.
It was pointed out in the review of modern methods that most of the time
spent in giving and taking lessons is devoted to actual singing by the
student. This is exactly what rational instruction means. Were it not
for the evil influence of the mechanical idea, the results of present
instruction would in most cases be satisfactory. It is only in
consequence of the attention paid to the mechanical workings of the
vocal organs that throat stiffness is interposed between the ear and the
voice. Let the mechanical idea be dropped, and instruction may be
carried on exactly as at present. There will be only one marked
difference,--throat stiffness will cease to be a source of difficulty.

It is for the individual teacher to change his own practices. This could
be done so easily that students w