The Mechanism of the Human Voice Part 6

THE TEACHINGS OF THE LARYNGOSCOPE.

On introducing the mirror into the throat we first see the back part of the tongue, which has a very uneven surface, and which is, as a rule, covered with greyish phlegm. We next notice a hollow s.p.a.ce between the tongue and the lid, which is divided by an elastic band forming a little bridge between the two. Next comes the upper free part of the lid, the shape of which greatly varies in different individuals. It hangs over the voicebox, which it almost completely hides from view; but during the production of a high tone on the vowel A, as in "sad," it takes an almost perpendicular position. When the lid is so raised (pl. XIV, L) we can see right down to the bottom of it, where we observe that it bulges out a little. Extending from either side of the lid to the pyramids are two folds of mucous membrane, in the hinder part of either of which are to be observed two little elevations representing the cartilages of Santorini (pl. XIV, S S), and the upper points of the wedges, called the cartilages of Wrisberg (pl. XIV, W W). Looking down the kind of tube which is formed by the parts just enumerated, we next notice two horizontal projections running from front to back, which are the pocket ligaments (pl. XIV, P P). Everything we have seen so far is of a pinkish colour. Below the pocket ligaments, right at the bottom of the tube described above, we see the main object of our investigation, namely, the vocal ligaments (pl. XIV, V V). These, being almost of a pearly white, form a strong contrast to all their surroundings, and it is quite impossible to mistake them.

In quiet breathing the vocal c.h.i.n.k is of a triangular shape, of which, however, we can only see the hinder part, the front part being hidden by the lid (pl. XIII). In exaggerated efforts at breathing this s.p.a.ce gets considerably larger, so that, with a well-directed light, we can see into the windpipe, of which the rings are plainly noticeable. It is even possible to see the lowest part of the windpipe, where it is divided into the two branches entering the lungs.

For the purpose of studying the movements of the vocal ligaments in the act of singing, the vowel A, as in "sad" will be found the most favourable, because the formation of the mouth, and the position of the tongue which it necessitates, enable us to get a complete view of the interior of the voicebox, which during the emission of other vowel sounds is more or less hidden.

Mr. Lunn objects that all investigations with the laryngoscope are valueless on account of the supposed necessity of holding the tip of the protruding tongue. He says, in a letter to the "Orchestra"

(January, 1880): "One of our most promising singers told me he could not rightly produce his voice when under laryngoscopic investigation. It is a moral impossibility for all!" (A physical impossibility would be more to the purpose.) "Let the reader pull his tongue out with a napkin as far as he can, and sing, and he will get some notion of the tone producible." There is no foundation for this objection, because if a singer has his tongue under proper control there is not the slightest occasion to put it out and to hold it. As to pulling it out as far as one can, that should not be done under any circ.u.mstances, and no man having the slightest knowledge of laryngoscopy would suggest such a ridiculous proceeding. In my own case the vocal ligaments can be seen from one end to the other while I keep my tongue in its natural position, and I am willing to demonstrate this fact to any one who has any doubt in the matter.

As soon as we produce a tone, the pyramids, and with them the vocal ligaments, meet, so as to touch each other more or less closely, while there still remains a large s.p.a.ce between the pocket ligaments above.

Every time we take breath, the pyramids with the vocal ligaments recede, to meet again as before, every time we strike a new tone. The vocal ligaments, thrown into vibrations by the stream of air pa.s.sing between them, cut, as it were, this stream of air into regular waves, and thus (as more fully explained on p. 38) tone is produced.

We notice here that this tone-production may be originated in three different ways:--(1) The vocal ligaments may meet _after_ the air has commenced to pa.s.s between them. Of this an aspirate is the result. (2) The vocal ligaments may meet _before_ the air has commenced to pa.s.s between them. This causes a check or a click at the beginning of the tone. (3) The vocal ligaments may meet just at the very moment when the air pa.s.ses between them. In this case the tone is properly struck. There is nothing to make it indefinite as in case No. 1, and nothing to impede it as in case No. 2. Production as in case No. 3 causes the tone to travel much farther than production as in cases Nos. I and 2, and it is this way of striking a tone which is known under the name of "Coup de Glotte" or "Shock of the Glottis."

"But it is not a shock of the glottis at all," says Mr. Lunn, on page 68 of the book quoted before. "It is an audible result arising from the false cords [pocket ligaments] releasing condensed air imprisoned below them, which air in its release explodes." I beg leave to observe that condensed imprisoned air thus released could produce a puff, but not a musical tone. The matter is, moreover, capable of being demonstrated to the eye. The process takes place as described above, and I am ready at any moment to show that the pocket ligaments _never_ meet in singing. There can, therefore, be no possibility of condensed air being imprisoned below them, and we need not enter into any further argument on the subject.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PLATE XIII.

LARYNGOSCOPIC IMAGE. BREATHING.

T. TONGUE.

L. LID.

V. V. VOCAL LIGAMENTS.

W. W. CARTILAGES OF WRISBERG.

S. S. CARTILAGES OF SANTORINI.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PLATE XIV.

LARYNGOSCOPIC IMAGE. UPPER THICK.

T. T. TONGUE.

L. LID.

P. P. POCKET LIGAMENTS.

V. V. VOCAL LIGAMENTS.

W. W. CARTILAGES OF WRISBERG.

S. S. CARTILAGES OF SANTORINI.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PLATE XV.

LARYNGOSCOPIC IMAGE. UPPER THIN.

T. T. TONGUE.

L. LID.

P. P. POCKET LIGAMENTS.

V. V. VOCAL LIGAMENTS.

W. W. CARTILAGES OF WRISBERG.

S. S. CARTILAGES OF SANTORINI.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PLATE XVI.

LARYNGOSCOPIC IMAGE. SMALL.

T. T. TONGUE.

L. LID.

P. P. POCKET LIGAMENTS.

V. V. VOCAL LIGAMENTS.

W. W. CARTILAGES OF WRISBERG.

S. S. CARTILAGES OF SANTORINI.

We now proceed to study the Registers of the human voice. A very Babel of confusion exists on this important subject, and we are not only perplexed by a multiplicity of terms, but also by the various and often contradictory meanings attached to them. Thus people talk of chest, medium, mixed, throat, falsetto, and head registers, and these terms being utterly unscientific--_i.e._, being based upon sensations and fancies instead of physiological facts--no one can give a clear and satisfactory definition of any one of them. To bring order into such chaos is an almost hopeless undertaking, and the first step in this direction is obviously to ask ourselves, What is the meaning of the word "Register?" My reply is this: _A register consists of a series of tones which are produced by the same mechanism_. Then comes the question, Can any such registers be demonstrated in the vocal apparatus; and if so, what are the mechanisms by which they are produced? The answer supplied by the laryngoscope is, Yes. There are, broadly speaking, three registers in the human voice, and the mechanisms are plainly visible, as follows:--(1) During the lowest series of tones the vocal ligaments vibrate in their entire thickness (pl. XIV). (2) During the next series of tones the vocal ligaments vibrate only with their thin inner edges (pl. XV). (3) During the highest series of tones a portion of the vocal c.h.i.n.k is firmly closed, and only a small part of the vocal ligaments vibrates (pl. XVI).

In accordance with these physiological facts, Mr. Curwen, in his admirable book "The Teacher's Manual," calls the registers _the Thick_, _the Thin_, and _the Small_. These names have a scientific basis, and their meaning cannot be misunderstood. They are already familiar to thousands who study music by Mr. Curwen's method, and I have myself made use of them in my lectures at University College and at other places. I shall, therefore, also adopt them in this little work, and hope they will soon find general acceptance among teachers and learners, as thereby a great many misunderstandings will be avoided.