ed the notes and made no
progress whatever on the main point--tone.

The pupil should learn to use the ear, mind and memory, and a great deal
of time would be gained in tone placing which should be taken up before
using an exercise book. If you are not a sight reader, take up this
study at once, preferably in class work, as it is absolutely necessary
that you should be able to read music at sight.

Antiquated and complicated systems of sight reading are responsible for
many poor readers. We need more ear =training= and ability to =think=. Avoid
the use of the do-re-me syllables unless you are already proficient in
that system. Practice with the pitch names, A, B, C, D, and with the
scale numbers, 1, 2, 3, 4, in order to acquire a relationship of the
tones of the scale, otherwise the syllable "la" or any other syllable
will do.

If you have an "off day," when all the work seems to go wrong, don't
practice. Mechanical work is of no value whatever in singing. Even the
artists have their "off days," but don't allow these days to become too
frequent.

The best position for practice is to stand naturally, clasp your hands
in front or let them hang carelessly and naturally at your sides.
Clasping your hands behind your back or resting them on your hips, are
both bad positions for singing.

When you practice do not simply kill fifteen minutes' time. Mere
practice makes a mechanical gymnast, while study produces a musician.

In taking up your exercises use the instrument as little as possible.
For illustration we will take the arpeggio.

Play the arpeggio until you are perfectly familiar with the
construction, then =sing= it once =with= the piano, then play only the chord
or keynote and sing the arpeggio =without= the piano; continue in this way
in all the keys within your range, getting your pitch from the chord or
keynote; this manner of practice is of the greatest value, as you can
stand in a natural singing position and as you do not have to give part
of your thought to the music or instrument, you pay more attention to
the pitch and tone, so that when you come to arias with recitatives
=without= accompaniment, you will not have as much difficulty staying on
pitch as those who invariably depend on the support of the instrument.

In songs you should pursue the same course, play the most difficult
passages, "memorize them" before you attempt to sing them; in this way
you do not unnecessarily tire the voice. Memorize a