Remember, however, that the human voice must always remain the king of all musical instruments, as far as elasticity of tone is concerned. The process of working out this desirable and absolutely essential result is termed ” Education of the voice, voice-building or tone-forming.” And no singer can accomplish much towards attaining this result without the guidance of a competent instructor. The mystery of vocal training or voice-building consists in a reformation of the throat. The throat of a singer that has not used his voice correctly, must gradually be changed even in appearance and build. During the act of singing, the adjacent muscles of the pharynx governing tone, must be so intelligently controlled, that the rays of vibration, starting from the vocal membranes in the larynx below, shall pass unobstructed, up through the vocal tube of the pharynx, to the upper cavity of the mouth. There, above the upper teeth, is the reception room of the voice.

When the pupil has learned practically to allow to the larynx a free and generous downward motion, when he no longer hinders the arch with the uvula or soft palate from rising freely to cover the nasal passages; when he has been taught to let these membranes rise and fall freely and naturally during the increasing as well as the diminishing of the volume of the voice, and in short, when he has learned to manage the pharynx as above described, to hold the refusing muscles of the throat in a relaxed or passive condition, and to rely for vocal power, upon the action of the diaphragmatic and abdominal muscles alone, then he will be possessed of the essential capacities of a successful singer. This voice will be at once flexible and clear, mellow and elastic, round and ringing. For him to sing and for others to hear him sing, will be equally pleasant. As a result of his study, he will sing, not only without exertion, fatigue or injury, but even with positive benefit to his throat and voice.

Pattou, Ange Albert. The Voice as an Instrument. E. Schuberth, 1878.