Page "science_fiction" Paragraph 264

She approached the problem by investigating the methods of sound reproduction through the centuries, human and instrumental.

Her own sound production equipment was essentially more instrumental than vocal.

Breath control and the proper enunciation of vowel sounds within the oral cavity appeared to require the most development and practice.

Shell people did not, strictly speaking, breathe.

For their purposes, oxygen and other gases were not drawn from the surrounding atmosphere through the medium of lungs but sustained artificially by solution in their shells.

After experimentation, Helva discovered that she could manipulate her diaphragmic unit to sustain tone.

By relaxing the throat muscles and expanding the oral cavity well into the frontal sinuses, she could direct the vowel sounds into the most felicitous position for proper reproduction through her throat microphone.

She compared the results with tape recordings of modern singers and was not unpleased although her own tapes had a peculiar quality about them, not at all unharmonious, merely unique.

Acquiring a repertoire from the Laboratory library was no problem to one trained to perfect recall.

She found herself able to sing any role and any song which struck her fancy.

It would not have occurred to her that it was curious for a female to sing bass, baritone, tenor, alto, mezzo, soprano and coloratura as she pleased.

It was, to Helva, only a matter of the correct reproduction and diaphragmic control required by the music attempted.