s
simple enough to ascertain. At the very instant that the slightest
constriction or effort is noticed strain is very likely to be present.
Much of this depends upon administering exactly the right amount of
breath to the vocal cords at the moment of singing. Too much breath or
too little breath is bad. The student finds by patient experiment under
the direction of the experienced teacher just how much breath to use.
All sorts of devices are employed to test the breath, but it is probable
that the best devices of all are those which all singers use as the
ultimate test, the ear and the feeling of delightful relaxation
surrounding the vocal organs during the process of singing.

COURAGE IN SINGING

Much of the student's early work is marred by fear. He fears to do this
and he fears to do that, until he feels himself walled in by a set of
rules that make his singing stilted. From the very start the singer,
particularly the one who aspires to become an operatic singer, should
endeavor to discard fear entirely. Think that if you fail in your
efforts, thousands of singers have failed in a similar manner in their
student days. Success in singing is at the end of a tall ladder, the
rungs of which are repeated failures. We climb up over our failures to
success. Learn to fear nothing, the public least of all. If the singer
gives the audience the least suspicion that she is in fear of their
verdict, the audience will detect it at once and the verdict will be
bad. Also do not fear the criticism of jealous rivals.

Affirm success. Say to yourself, "I will surely succeed if I persevere."
In this way you will acquire those habits of tranquillity which are so
essential for the singer to possess.

THE REASON FOR THE LACK OF WELL-TRAINED VOICES

There are abundant opportunities just now for finely trained singers. In
fact there is a real dearth of "well-equipped" voices. Managers are
scouring the world for singers with ability as well as the natural
voice. Why does this dearth exist? Simply because the trend of modern
musical work is far too rapid. Results are expected in an impossible
space of time. The pupil and the maestro work for a few months and, lo
and behold! a prima donna! Can any one who knows anything about the art
of singing fail to realize how absurd this is? More voices are ruined by
this haste than by anything else. It is like expecting the child to do
the feats of the athlete without the athlete's training. Ther