QUALITY.
The quality of the voice is that which affects us agreeably or disagreeably; and we say it is gruff, or husky, or harsh, or pleasant, &c. Four general and distinct qualities need to be practised until they are at command of the mind.
1. Whisper.—Whisper the long and short vowels very easily and quietly at first, without the slightest feeling of effort in throat or mouth, and perfectly free from hoarseness or murmuring. As soon as you can make a clear whisper heard across the room, whisper so as to be heard farther off, and so proceed gradually, day by day, until you can whisper, clearly and without effort, loud enough to be heard in a large hall. Do not practise whispering more than three minutes at a time.
2. Aspirate Quality.—This is what, in general, is called undertone. It is a mixture of whisper and voice, and is what you would be likely to use when in company you speak to any one with a desire not to be overheard by others. Practise with vowels as in whisper.
3. Pure Quality.—Speak the long vowels in your conversational tone as pleasantly as you can, tossing the tone lightly, as if speaking to some one across a large hall. Speak each vowel three times on one breath. Practise them first speaking shortly, then with prolonging of each tone not over five seconds.
4. Orotund Quality.—This quality is seldom to be heard in uncultivated voices, but is much to be desired in a speaker. It can only be acquired slowly and with much practice. It will be easily recognized when heard, as it possesses a fulness and richness of tone very pleasing. It is not high, but seems low in pitch; and, although it does not sound loud, it seems to be effective, and reach a long distance. To acquire it, practise, as recommended in "Pitch," the chanting and reading of sentences on the conversational and lower tones of the voice; also swelling tone under "Tone," on low pitch, using long vowels, especially oo, oh, awe, ah.