MAN WITH TWO VOICES.

Shannon News, 24 October 1923, Page 2

MAN WITH TWO VOICES.

ABLE TO SIN.G DUETS

The Department of Phonetics at University College, London, is interesting itself in the phenomenal voice of Mr Strathie Mackay, a London window-cleaner, who can sing two notes of music at the same time.

Mackay's voice has been tested in the! laboratory by Professor Daniel Jones, head of the department, who declares that it is absolutely unlike any other he has ever heard. At the professor's request, Mr Mackay sang a great number of notes with the double voice, and records of .these tones were taken by the Kymograph, an ingenious instrument which shows sound vibrations. The man's most astonishing achievementi was to sing the top C together with the C two octaves below it (says the Daily Express). The gift of singing two notes at the same time can be controlled at will. Mr Mackay has a fine range of single notes, from a deep bass to high tenor, and can sing a song like a normal person. The lower notes generally follow in consecutive fifths. Professor Jones explained -tfhat Mr Mackay apparently had the power, when singing, to make on* of hia vocal chords viberate at half the rate of the other, or a third, fourth, or fifth of the rate. IH was tHiis which produced the double notes.