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88 TRAINING THE SINGING VOICE |
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play the greater part." [434] To keep the breathing flexible, especially In deep breathing, use either the mouth or nose in inhalation. [Maybee »8i II, 6] "In the use of proper voice, the breath is emitted through both, the mouth and the nose." [Waller 631] "Breathing deeply through the nose alone is too slow a process for singing." [Marchesi 369, p. 3] Wither-spoon sums up the case for mouth and nose breathing by declaring that it is impossible to breathe noiselessly and rapidly without a simultaneous use of mouth and nose. [677, p. 65; also 675] In this belief he is upheld by Austin-Ball [31, p. 5] and Waters [647, p. 54].
QUANTITATIVE FACTORS OF BREATHING
The amount of breath required in normal breathing varies with the individual. Curry estimates about 500 cc. of tidal air or that amount which actually passes In and out of the body with each normal respiratory cycle. About 1500 cc. of supplemental air may be added to this amount during maximum inhalation and exhalation. [124, p. 10] But even after the lungs are voluntarily depleted in maximum exhalation there remains about goo cc of so-called residual air in trie breathing organs. All this adds up to the maximum or vital capacity o£ the breathing organs which, in adults measures about 3000 cc. or 3 liters. "The measure of vital capacity is used as a test of physical fitness/* [Ibid.]
The 100 opinions expressed on quantitative factors are largely related to economy of breath in singing. Quantity implies amount or volume of breath. But the length, duration and brevity of the breathing cycle are directly associated with the quantity of breath taken. Likewise the force or pressure, frequency and speed of breathing have a direct relationship to the expenditure of air in breathing and to the intensity of the vocal sound emitted in singing. The arrangement of quantitative concepts is in three categories as follows:
a) Concepts of breath economy—56 statements.
b) Concepts of breath pressure and support—27 statements
c) Concepts of breath renewal, frequency and speed—17 statements.
a) Principles of breath economy. Economy of breath in singing is the utilization of a minimum of breath for each tone produced. Such economy is essential to pure tone production. [Dossert 140, p. 38; Rimmer 470] Voice production is often described as a laryngeal product. But correct voice production, as Herbert-Caesari describes it, is a coordination of correct laryngeal adjustment and minimum exhalation of breath. [269, p. 18] According to Marafioti, the great Caruso always employed "only the exact amount of breath required for producing each tone, and |
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