"The management of the breath is a most important factor, as the life of
the tone depends on the continuance of the breath. The student must
cultivate the power of quickly inhaling a full breath and of exhaling it
so gradually that she can sing a phrase lasting from ten to twenty
seconds. This needs months of arduous practice. In all breathing, inhale
through the nose. The lower jaw during singing should be entirely
relaxed.
"The tone should be focused just back of the upper front teeth. The way
to place the tone forward is to _think_ it forward. The student must
think the tone into place.
"To 'attack' a tone is to sing it at once, without any scooping, and
with free open throat. When the throat is tightened the student loses
power to attack her tones in the right way.