PRODUCTION OF THE VOICE. 501 



and with the passage of air through the chink, the edges of 

 the opening, which are formed by the true vocal chords, are 

 thrown into vibration. Many of the different qualities 

 that are recognized in the human voice are due to differ- 

 ences in the length, breadth, and thickness of the vibrat- 

 ing ribbons ; but, aside from what is technically known as 

 quality, the pitch is dependent chiefly upon the length of 

 the opening through which the air is made to pass, and the 

 degree of tension of the chords. The mechanism of these 

 changes in the pitch of vocal sounds is well illustrated by 

 Garcia in the following passage, which relates to what is 

 known as the chest-voice : 1 



" If we emit veiled and feeble sounds, the larynx opens 

 at the notes p/jiv ^^1, and we see the glottis 



agitated by r *~~j [ d large and loose vibrations 

 throughout do, re, mi. its entire extent. Its lips 



comprehend in their length the anterior apophyses of the 

 arytenoid cartilages and the vocal chords ; but, I repeat it, 

 there remains no triangular space. 



" As the sounds ascend, the apophyses, which are slightly 

 rounded on their internal side, by a gradual apposition com- 

 mencing at the. back, encroach on the length of the glottis ; 

 and as soon as we reach the sounds pi? ~], thev fin- 



i VT, I ' v 



ish by touching each other through- ESzzzztzzEij out their 

 whole extent ; but their summits are ^ do. on V s l~ 

 idly fixed one against the other at the notes p^jr-- ^ . 

 In some organs these summits are a little bLj!__^_^j:z3 

 vacillating when they form the posterior d o, re . 

 end of the glottis, and two or three half-tones which are 

 formed show a certain want of purity and strength, which 

 is very well known to singers. From P-J2- i the vi- 

 brations, having become rounder and EfcSi 1^3 purer, 



9J &' 



are accomplished by the vocal liga- do, re. ments 



alone, up to the end of the register. 



1 GARCIA, op. cit., p. 401. We have indicated the notes in the following 

 paragraphs by the method most commonly used by musicians, as is done by 

 Mrs. Seiler, in the same quotation. 



