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Historical summary: I. Critical study of new and adapted apparatus and technique. Types of technique: 1. With phono-photographic apparatus-laboratory type; adaptation to studies in intensity and timbre; adaptation to phonograph record photography; adaptation to records of bodily changes in singing and speaking; field type of phono-photographic camera; conversion of film data into pitch and duration; desirable method of reading; tests of accuracy of apparatus and technique; isolation of phonograph recording error; tests of photography with long lengths of film. 2. With phonoptical devices-Seashore tonoscope; technique of reading; phono-projectoscope. 3. With ear analysis of phonograph records. II. Sample results from different methods used. 1. From direct phonophotography. 2. From phonograph record with tonoscope, ear analysis, and slow speed phono-photography. 8. From phonograph sound photography. Primitive music; conclusions; references.In general, the present purpose is to develop an adequate setting in which investigations of the vocal art may proceed. This will involve (1) a description of simple and accurate apparatus, constructed or adapted during the progress of the investigation, and (2) recommendations for technique of procedure for various phases of the whole problem.Extensive tests were made to determine the practical success of the apparatus and actual results achieved are used as a criterion for the technique described. These results contain much suggestive material relative to the principles of emotional artistic singing, but await the verification more extended studies may give. They will be published subsequently under the auspices of the National Research Council.2 1The work throughout the following pages was accomplished with the cooperation of Professor C. E. Seashore.2 At the time of reading of the proof of this article there is at hand material on the following problems and devices:1. Role and status of the vibrato in artistic singing. 2. Origin of the vibrato. 3. Definition of the nature of the vibrato, tremolo, and trill. 4. Types.

Physics and psychophysics have always regarded fusion of pitches and their intensities as a simultaneous subjective phenomenon, dependent on the form of the molecular motion energizing the ear. This concept of tonal fusion has been built up in terms of a single sound wave. Timbre (tonequality, tone-color, or quality), has been defined as a simultaneous fusion of pitches, and has been considered as the unique variable quality of the clang, or single complex tone.* Ladd and Woodworth state that ". . . tone-color is determined by the character of the overtones which are blended with the fundamental tone," 8 and "each sensation of a clang is a summing-up in consciousness of several absolute qualities of musical sound; the stimulus which occasions this complex subjective state is a complex sound-wave made up of the contrasts and coincidences of several single waves that have the character of simple pendular vibrations." * Miller writes that "Since pitch depends upon frequency, and loudness upon amplitude (and frequency), we conclude that quality must depend upon the only other property of a periodic vibration, the peculiar kind of form of the motion . . . ." 6 Miller states that Helmholtz's law of tone-quality is: "The quality of a musical tone depends solely on the number and relative strength of its partial simple tones ...."• Seashore explains that ". . . psychologically, timbre is to be understood and explained as a complex of pitches fused into 1 The writer wishes to acknowledge indebtedness to Professor C. E. Seashore for crucial suggestions.

Research on the nature of the voice vibrato, which for identification purposes may be described as that agreeable pulsing heard in singing, has been concerned with muscle action, the sound wave, and the sound heard.1 This report deals with the sound wave, which has a dual interest for the psychologist, since its properties may be directly related to aspects of muscle action in vocal expression or to attributes of auditory experience.Measurements of the vibrato on the sound wave would include wave-frequency, wave-amplitude, wave-form, and wave-recurrence (any temporal groupings of sound waves). We will here consider only the first and last. There is at hand measures of the amplitude of the waves in nearly all the tones of this study, but these were not considered reliable. Other than noting a change of wave-form with a change of frequency in most vibratos, no quantitative data on wave-form has yet been secured.There are a number of different situations in which the vibrato occurs, viz., in untrained, in trained, and in what is ordinarily called artistic singing. This study has been limited to the latter, eleven artists from basses to sopranos being chosen from the Victor Red Seal catalogue.There are only three published experimental contributions of note on the nature of the vibrato. The work of Schoen, (1) Kwalwasser,(2) and Gray (3) will be referred to in connection

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