The collection of vocal technique and pedagogy contains views and teaching from five different countries throughout the nineteenth century. Led by Manuel Garcia, the inventor of the laryngoscope, this group of authors and pedagogues bring their work in the field and classroom to the readers. The two Americans on the list were both closely associated with the early American church, Frederick Helmore and Andrew Law. Both were influential in the early shape-note movement. In England, William Kitchiner, inventor of the potato chip, and Emil Behnke, strongly backed by the scientific community, approached vocal technique differently. The final two authors, Bassini and Fétis, came from orchestral backgrounds and their vocal writing reflects that aspect as well.

The included guides to vocal technique include various methods for conveying information. Some are primarily musical examples with exercises for singers to focus on individual passages. Others include diagrams of anatomy, specifically the larynx and lungs. Finally, some use text to convey themes and ideas. In addition to the guides on the human voice, the translation of Fétis’s treatise on the choir adds ensemble context to others that focus on the solo voice.

Research Questions
How was scholars’ understanding of the larynx, including the cartilages and muscles, changed over time?

How do various scholars describe the function of the tongue, teeth, and lips in articulation and diction?

How does Fétis and Helmore’s understanding of singing with others align with the sound models described by Kitchiner, Bassini, and Garcia?

How are the lungs and larger muscles seen in relation to the vocal mechanism? Are they something to be controlled (and how) or are they a by-product needed to power the smaller parts of the larynx?

Examine the three sources which use musical examples and notation: Garcia, Bassini, and Law. How do their musical examples exemplify their understanding of the voice or detract from other sections of the text?

Activity: Curiosities During Research

Have students spend time with the portal—this could be an extended time with a single item or a survey across items. For the cabinet of curiosities assignment, have students consider information that they found unexpectedly and that resonated with their interests, and think again about why it is compelling—in other words, what stood out for one reason or another. From their list, have students select one concept, technique, or idea which stands out for any reason (odd, usefulness, imagery, wrong-ness), and have them create a visual representation of that concept. This visualization (either 2D or 3D) should be accompanied by a short narrative about the idea, where it came from, and how it matches the student’s understanding of vocal technique. In the past, students’ approaches to the project were varied: some used the opportunity to explore working with new materials or using familiar materials in new ways, others used object creation to explore and manifest new ideas, and some did both. It is important for students to worry less about the outcome and instead focused on the experience of making.

Activity: Finding Biases in Teaching

No teaching, especially of the voice, is without bias toward a particular outcome or focus. In vocal pedagogy, the preference for one sound over another often results in singers being able to make one sound instead of a wide variety of sounds. For this activity, assign each student one source in the portal and have them explore the bias of the author toward a certain sound or technique. This is most likely in the opening chapter or introduction. Once the preference is found, have students reflect on several questions:

• What is the author trying to convey with this text?
• Who is the audience?
• What sound is desired, and thus what sound is avoided?

Activity: Teach a Lesson

Each author has a different approach to ideal qualities of the human voice, physiology, and “ideal” sound. To better understand the differences between what students know and what they think they know, each student should receive a different section of one of the singing manuals. After reading and understanding what the author is illustrating or striving for, each should teach a 3-5 minute lesson to a peer, exemplifying the author’s points. This can be done in class or recorded outside of class. After the lesson, reflect on what felt right (aligning with the student’s current knowledge of the voice) and what felt contradictory.

Forvo
An audio pronunciation guide for many of the world’s languages. Hundreds of volunteer editors have recorded words in their language.

Oxford Music Online
The most comprehensive reference work for music in English, with continually updated content. Searches Grove Music Online initially; on search results pages, provides links to more results from The Oxford Dictionary of Music and The Oxford Companion to Music.

Voice Science Works
A website for all voice users who wish to deepen their understanding and empower their learning process! They focus on contemporary research on the voice and translate it into directly applicable information so that users can immediately apply it in practice.

Science Direct: Vocal Tract
Peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters from scientific fields, focusing on topics relating to the vocal tract. Searchable topics include formants, vocal folds, phonation, articulators, and vocalization.

Complete Anatomy
Following directions on the guide, download the Complete Anatomy application. Includes 3D rendering of the human body, including layering of bodily systems, specific zooms and processes, and videos by medical experts.