Overtone Singing/ Throat Singing/ Harmonic Singing

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Overtone singing, also known as overtone chanting, or harmonic singing, is a type of singing in which the singer manipulates the resonances (or formants) created as air travels from the lungs, past the vocal folds, and out the lips to produce a melody.

The partials (fundamental and overtones) of a sound wave made by the human voice can be selectively amplified by changing the shape of the resonant cavities of the mouth, larynx and pharynx.[1] This resonant tuning allows the singer to create apparently more than one pitch at the same time (the fundamental and a selected overtone), while in effect still generating a single fundamental frequency with his/her vocal folds.

Another name for overtone singing is throat singing, but that term is also used for Inuit throat singing, which is produced differently.

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Overtone singing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I've started researching and learning 'Overtone Singing', specifically the Tuvan variety... although the Tuvan and Mongolian techniques and results are related and similar. Tomorrow I'll be posting a demostration of where I'm at as far as skill. I've come along in both khoomei and Sygyt, but just recently began learning Kargyraa.

However... I'm not sure where this should go, since it could be classified as music, spirituality, culture, or could even be considered 'Inner Sanctum' material... or all of them together. So I figured this is the best place.

Anyone have any experience(s) with overtone/harmonic/throat singing? Anyone have questions? Any discussion is appreciated.

I don't really have any experience, but I have looked into it a little in the course of my vocal explorations, and downloaded a couple of professional course-guides. While I'm working on less exotic Western vocals currently to get up to scratch I'll return to overtones at some point when I feel ready.

I can do it a little (hardly enough to be extant, so not putting up any recordings, but I can hear the harmonic moving). What I can also do, and I'm not actually sure if it's in the Tuvan tradition or I've just invented something myself (or if it's elsewhere for that matter) is whistle and produce a low drone note at the same time, both of which can be moved independently, if not exactly easily.

I'd like to hear how you've done it.

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Here's a recording I just whipped up of that drone whistle thing. It's a terrible laptop microphone due to my lack of another so it may not entirely serve for analysis. But we shall see.

I don't have any experience or ability, but I do rather enjoy listening to it, and I'll suggest a few albums that I like.

The album "The Orphan's Lament" by Huun-Huur-Tu
"Back Tuva Future" by Kongar-ol Ondar - On this album, the last two tracks actually are instructional
Melodii Tuvi: Throat Songs and Folk Tunes from Tuva

These are all really amazing albums. Check them out if you get a chance.

Also there's a great documentary about Tuvan throat singing called Ghengis Blues which follows an American blues singer as he goes to the Tuvan region to learn more about throat singing and participate in a festival there. I highly recommend that film as well.

@Lseadragon
Aw yes!! Whistling was actually the first thing I got into musically. I've got a few nifty tricks for whistling. The "hum-whistle" is very fun and cool sounding, however in my searches I've found nothing that would lead me to believe it is a technique from Tuva or otherwise.

@Bearsy
I've listened to the first two there.... very cool stuff! And Ghengis Blues wass a great movie. Paul Pena is very talented. However, he practiced the technique "Kargyraa" which isn't a overtone focused as oother methods llike khoomii or Sygyt. He got the nickname "Earthquake" for that talent.

I don't have a mic, which means I'll need to record video and put it on here... however I'd rather not show my face or anything so I'm just thinking of how to set this up. I'll have the video or audio up soon! Thanks for the replies!

http://www.dreamviews.com/f48/tell-m...singing-92431/ :)

Interesting that throat singing came up on a dream forum. The two came together for me a few years ago.

I attended several throat singing concerts, one of which featured female singers. I sat near the front and one of the women looked at me in an odd way, as if she was looking right through me.

That same night I dreamed that I was entering a cave and as I walked in I saw the women who had been throat singing. They were performing gymnastic feats on parallel bars. The things they were doing seemed impossible and that caused me to become lucid.

I walked over to them and they took me by the hand and lead me deeper into the cave. There I met a guru who was dressed in animal skins. He told me that throat singing "was a spiritual path".

edit: Due to somee problems as far as time constraint I won't be uploading the video for a bit, but feel free to continue discussion.
First technique is khoomii, second is sygyt. Khoomei is described as wind blowing and whirling gently between rocks. Sygyt is more like a summer day, with birds. Khoomei has 'softer' more breathy overtones, while sygyt has flute like piercing overtones.

Alright, so here it is. I don't have the best acoustic environment... also the patio door is open. Regardless, you get the idea. This is where I'm at, pretty much just at the vanguard of intermediacy. I can do it, but not well. I'm going to keep working at it, and also practice Kargyraa. Once I get these three down the fun really starts, and not only with using these three types.... but also being able to experiment and create new sounds with these techniques. Also, as I progress I'll post new videos in this thread.

I can't find any vids where the person sings in actual harmony with themself. All I can find are ones where it's just raspy throat singing

Or maybe it's just that the "harmony" is not what I think it should sound like... you know, actual 1, 3, 5, 7 chord-like structure

Well, I'll be posting a video soon anyways.

Until then, if you want, just youtube Sygyt or Khoomei or overtone singing.

Forgot about this thread - here are a couple songs with overtone singing. Keep in mind, these are almost a year old... in my early days of singing.

I am Free
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rY-Xz2hxcI

Mourning Wolf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiFEhM71ICk