The reason the sound represented by _m_ should be used in securing this freedom and direction of tone is because this letter best represents the tone which proper resonance of the nares produces. In vocal practice, one should begin on a comparatively high pitch and descend to a lower one, because the front of the nares resounds the high notes of the scale, and therefore assists in fixing consciousness of the direction of tone. Then, too, while using the voice, the mind should never hold as an object of thought the idea of going up to a tone, for the reflex action of such an idea upon the vocal organs is to produce a squeezed and strained effect. The mind should develop the consciousness of being higher than the note it would give, so as to feel as if descending upon a note, rather than trying to reach to its height. If this first exercise, which gives direction to the vocalized column of air, is practised on successive intervals of the scale, it will fix this direction as a habit. Hence, it is very important that there should be much repetition in descending and ascending the scale; otherwise, the voice might be open and resonant on some notes, while on others it would be constricted and forced, and consequently bring those false breaks into the voice which have been called registers. Registers are not natural to the voice, but created by its wrong use.
_EXERCISES FOR FORMING TRANSIENT RESONANT CHAMBERS FOR BEAUTIFUL WORD ELEMENTS._
EXERCISE II.—Sing the sound represented by _m-nom_ on the different intervals of the scale, commencing on a comparatively high pitch, descending and ascending a number of times. Begin the tone with the pure nares resonance as described in the previous exercise. Allow the sound which is represented by _m-n_ to blend with the resonance which constitutes the vowel _o_, closing the lips before the tone ceases. In this exercise we blend the vowel _o_ with the resonance in the front of the nares, thus directing the mind, which guides the vocal action, as far as possible from the throat, where it would cause constriction.
EXERCISE III.—To gain greater facility for uniting the free resonant elements of speech in a forward and downward curve, other words may be practised, viz., _Most-men-want-poise-and-more-royal-margin_.
