444 VOICE AND SPEECH 



The epiglottis, the superior vocal chords and the ventricles are by 

 no means indispensable to the production of vocal sounds. In the 

 emission of high notes the epiglottis is somewhat depressed, and the su- 

 perior chords are brought nearer together; but this affects only the 

 form of the resonant cavity above the glottis. In low notes the superior 

 chords are separated. It was before the use of the laryngoscope in the 

 study of vocal phenomena that the epiglottis and the ventricles were 

 thought to be so important in phonation. Undoubtedly the epiglottis 

 has something to do with the character of the voice ; but its action is 

 not absolutely necessary or even important, as has been shown in 

 experiments of excising the part in living animals. 



The most important modifications of the laryngeal sounds are pro- 

 duced by the resonance of air in the pharynx, mouth and nasal fossae. 

 This resonance is indispensable to the production of the natural voice. 

 Under ordinary conditions, in the production of low notes the velum 

 palati is fixed by the action of its muscular fibres, so that there is a 

 reverberation of the bucco-pharyngeal and naso-pharyngeal cavities ; 

 that is, the velum is in such a position that neither the opening into 

 the nose nor the opening into the mouth is closed, and all the cavities 

 resound. As the notes are raised in pitch, the isthmus contracts, the 

 part immediately above the glottis also is constricted, the resonant 

 cavity of the pharynx and mouth is reduced in size, until finally, in the 

 highest notes of the chest-register, the communication between the 

 pharynx and the nasal fossae is closed and the sound is reenforced 

 entirely by the pharynx and mouth. At the same time the tongue a 

 very important organ to singers, particularly in the production of high 

 notes is drawn backward. The point being curved downward, its 

 base projects upward posteriorly and assists in diminishing the capacity 

 of the bucco-pharyngeal cavity. In the changes which the pharynx 

 thus undergoes in the production of different notes, the uvula acts with 

 the velum and assists in the closure of the different openings. In sing- 

 ing up the scale, this is the mechanism, as far as the chest-notes extend. 

 When, however, a singer changes into what is sometimes called the 

 head-voice (falsetto), the velum palati is drawn forward instead of back- 

 ward, and the resonance takes place chiefly in the naso-pharyngeal 

 cavity. 



Laryngeal Mechanism of the Vocal Registers. One difficulty, at 

 the very beginning of a discussion of this subject, is in fixing on clear 

 definitions of what are to be recognized as vocal registers. In the first 

 place it must be understood that the singing voice is different from the 

 speaking voice. Without being actually so far discordant as to offend 

 a musical ear, the ordinary voice in speaking seldom has what may 



