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| Voice - The Musical Instrument |
 The term 'Voice' is used in two senses: (a) to denote the vocal mechanism which acts as an instrument of speech and song and (b) the sound produced in the mouth by human beings in speaking and singing. This section deals with the superiority of the voice as compared to the other musical instruments and how the voice is used for the purpose of singing as opposed to speaking. Voice may be regarded as the first musical instrument of man because mankind was endowed with voice even before the invention of instruments. It is a universal instrument of music. It is the only musical instrument common to all musical systems in the world.
The Sanskrit treatise Aitereya Aranyaka describes the voice as
deyvi-vina (Aitereya Aranyaka 2nd Adhyaya., V. Khanda) or divine lute,
sarita-vina (Aitereya Aranyaka 2-5, III Khanda.) or bodily lute.
Narada Siksha uses the word gatra-vina (Narada Siksha, Prapataka1, Khandam 6, Vol.1, 210) (bodily lute) in place of
sarita-vina. The Sanskrit idea of considering throat or as Vina was also accepted in the literary traditions of Tamil country. The voice commentator of
Silappadikaram explains mitaru (literally throat) as
Kantappatal (Silappadikaram, Arangerrukkadai, 11. 26-27; 50-51 pp. 64, 109.) (the song by the throat) in one place and
sarira-vina (IBID, pp. 102, 189) (bodily lute) in another place. Jivakachintamani, another Tamil work also uses the term
mitaru (vv.658, 728, 2047.) and the commentator has explained the term as
sarira-vinai (bodily lute). The idea that the throat (mitaru or kanam) was considered as bodily lute is clearly stated in one place in
Jivakachintamani as narampotu-vinai navinavinrato. (v.658.)
The human voice is a delicate, sympathetic and perfect musical instrument according to a musician. The
psychologist views the voice as an indicator of character and personality of a person whereas in the view of the physiologist the human voice
mechanism is an indispensable organ for the survival of mankind. In every respect, the human voice is superior to all man-made instruments. All man-made instruments are designed to cover a fixed range. This God-made instrument - the human voice - does not have a definite range and the range of this instrument is extended through practice.
The shape of the resonators can be modified by muscular movements which enable to make hundreds of phonetic sounds.
To-date no inventor has built a musical instrument in exact imitation of the ingenious flexible vocal tract with its elastic and
marvelously mobile walls. One of the unique features of the human voice is that the size and shape of the resonators are under the conscious control of the performer. A variety of tone colours are produced by this instrument either orally or nasally by the adjustable resonators of the human voice.
 This instrument consists of four parts namely (a) the vibrator, (b) the resonator, (c) the motor and (d) the articulator. Many musical instruments have the first three parts in some form or other. But the articulator is characteristic of the human voice. It is here the instrument voice becomes human and transcends mechanism. It is the most articulate instrument since it can be made to utter words according to the musical laws by modifying the sound produced by the vocal cords into vowels and consonants by the shape of the lips, the placement of the tongue and the soft palate. It conveys poetic thoughts and produces impressive music. Other instruments merely play the tune, while the voice plays and says at the same time.
No other instrument can duplicate the intensity of feelings the voice puts forth. The extreme flexibility of the control of the frequency, the timber and the output in the voice make the instrument express all the emotions. The colouring of a tone is made by varying the dimensions of the vibrators and resonators. As the voice is the only living instrument of music, it exudes personal warmth. It is an undeniable fact that the most perfect and beautiful musical instrument is the human voice. So far, the human voice has not been equalled by any musical instrument that man has devised in possible variations of pitch, intensity and timber. Therefore it is up to us to cultivate and preserve this Divine instrument 'Singstemme' a God given gift to humanity to sing His glory.
(to be continued)
Dr. S A K Durga
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