THE VOICE 233 



by resonance, a selection of the overtones, 

 and thus give quality to the voice. A very 

 small change in the capacity of these 

 chambers will alter the quality. 



140. Speech is the expression of ideas by 

 means of the voice or by the breath (without 

 voice), as in whispering. Speech sounds are 

 produced by the articulating mechanism. 

 Certain open sounds, more or less modified, 

 give the vowels, which are musical tones. 

 So-called consonants are produced in many 

 ways, but these cannot be here discussed. 

 The simplest view to take of them is that 

 they are breaks of, or interferences with, the 

 current of air which, if the mouth were open, 

 and the articulating mechanism were at rest, 

 would produce vowel tones. Physiologically 

 all words are made up of certain sounds 

 that may be called phones. Each phone may 

 have its own pitch, intensity, and quality ; 

 and by their blending a word is produced. 

 Each phone on a gramophone record is 

 composed of curves that vary as to number 

 (pitch), amplitude (loudness) and form (qual- 

 ity), consequently when the vibratory needle 



