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£. Cutter—Key Note of Auditoriums. 449 
Art. L.—How to find the Key Note of Auditoriums ; 
by Eporamm Cutter, M.D., New York. 
In a former paper the principle of air physics was laid down 
that oratorical phonation should be in the key note of the audi- 
torium, as the oripulations (os = mouth) of speech are the same 
as those of song and as the basic vowel sounds are the same in 
speech and song. Since then an English writer has demon- 
strated that vowel sounds in speech are musical tones. Com- 
plying with a request from a teacher of physics, I will try to 
givesome directions for ascertaining the key note of auditoriums. 
Th, Sing the major scale of C So or ‘ot 7 == 
y- 
100 m, in a rostrum position facing the audience or empty 
auditorium. Use care to sing each note with the same power ; 
that is, with a medium voice uniformly as to loudness. Then 
observe which note is more resonant than any other note 
(only if the observer sings let him or her not get excited). 
This note is the key note. Test by singing this note near a 
piano with damper raised. If the piano answers back better 
to this note than any other note (for the chords and over-tones 
will be heard) it is the key note. 
Tune an instrument of the violin family so that one of the 
open strings will be in the supposed key note: then sing it and 
the instrument will respond audibly. 
II. If an organ is present play the scale of C natural on the 
pedal diapason alone, giving each note an equal force. Ob- 
serve which note is most resonant and this note will be the 
“key note,” to be tested as above. 
III. Or play this C major scale on an open piano and note care- 
fully the effect. When the key note is struck there will be a 
liquid reedy tone imitating an organ tone. This is the key note. 
IV. Another way practised by Senator W. M. Stewart and (it 
is said) by Cicero, is to station a man at the other end of the 
auditorium, who raises his hand and lowers his hand according 
as the voice rises and falls but keeps it stationary when the 
voice is best audible, and the speaker then voices his utterances 
in that key note. The Senator says he did this not knowing 
this rationale, and Cicero was probably in the same condition. 
V. When on the platform, the way the writer tells if he has 
struck the key note is to observe the effect on his audience and 
himself. The most common key note of auditoriums is F 
pe He usually begins in that key. If it is the key 
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