Many’ people do not know what causes differences in vocal quality; yet they probably would have no difficulty in describing a voice according to its tonal characteristics. For instance, we often hear a voice called guttural, throaty, nasal, musical, vibrant, loud, penetrating, soft, and subdued. We think of a voice as pleasant when it is clear, mellow, rich, resonant, smooth, and well-controlled. It is unpleasant when it is hoarse, thin, hollow, monotonous, harsh, and uncontrolled. Beauty of tone is possible only when the voice is properly used, or in other words, when good vocal habits are present.

Nature gave most people at birth a vocal instrument which normally is adequate for the production of pleasing tones. It is our business to learn to play effectively upon it. If you would have an attractive voice, you must learn to breathe correctly and to let the breath come through a free, open throat. Pliable articulatory organs are also essential. The jaw must be devoid of stiffness so that the mouth may be opened easily, the tongue should be without rigidity, while the lips should be flexible. In a voice used correctly, quality is in agreement throughout the entire range of tones. For example, the high notes are not light and smooth while the low ones are heavy and rough. Yet it should not be thought that quality is static. It develops with practice and right vocal use and changes as do mind and body. Beautiful tone is sometimes called forward to distinguish it from throaty tone. It is tone that may move quickly or slowly from one pitch to another with accuracy of intonation. Furthermore, good tone permits ready and clear formation of words.

Quality of tone depends very much on the thought that is back of the sound. A tone should be colored according to the meaning of the word you are singing. Every word in every language has a color of its own: life, death; joy, sorrow; great, small; slow, fast; simple, grand. Certainly life should be sung with a different thought and a different color than death, and so with all words, especially those of emotional suggestion.
Color your words and you will color your voice, and with the changing thought there will be corresponding variety of tone color in your singing and monotony of tone will be avoided. A voice, no matter how beautiful, becomes tiresome if the sound is continually the same.