This should be effected by quickly drawing in air through the nostrils
without apparent effort and to as full extent as opportunity offers between
the phrases. By intelligence and perseverance the guiding sense which
informs the singer of the amount of air at his disposal, and when and how
it should be replenished and voluntarily used, is of fundamental importance
to good vocalisation. Collar-bone breathing is deprecated by some
authorities, but I see no reason why the apices of the lungs should not be
expanded, and seeing the frequency with which tubercle occurs in this
region, it might by improving the circulation and nutrition be even
beneficial. The proper mode of breathing comes almost natural to some
individuals; to others it requires patient cultivation under a teacher who
understands the art of singing and the importance of the correct methods of
breathing.
The more powerfully the abdominal muscles contract the laxer must become
the diaphragm muscle; and by the law of the reciprocal innervation of
antagonistic muscles it is probable that with the augmented innervation
currents to the expiratory centre of the medulla there is a corresponding
inhibition of the innervation currents to the inspiratory centre (_vide_
fig.
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