Posted on 06/03/2010 10:22:23 AM PDT by a fool in paradise
What is it?
A catch-all term covering different disciplines of extreme vocal technique from around the world, often recognised as a low, pulverising, drone-growl that western ears sometimes interpret as "scary". But the history behind the throat singing traditions of Inuit tribes and the people of Siberia has strong cultural significance, and the overlapping, oscillating vocal tones (several different notes are produced in the mouth of one singer simultaneously) can be transcendent and beautiful.
...The Canadian Inuit throat singer Tanya Tagaq has fashioned a powerful, abstract music all of her own, catching the ears of Mike Patton, Kronos Quartet and Björk. Tuvan exile Sainkho Namtchylak uses elements of throat singing in her challenging Yoko Ono-type music, which melds pop, jazz and avant garde. Huun Huur Tu are perhaps the Ladysmith Black Mambazo of Tuvan throat singing, with a prodigious back catalogue and collaboration credits with everyone from Frank Zappa to Nina Nastasia. Yat-Kha are edgier, covering Motörhead and working with Asian Dub Foundation. Check out our Spotify playlist.
How does it work?
The Tuvan overtone technique involves producing a droning note that is raised and lowered by opening and closing the vocal cords until harmonic resonances appear. It is the abrupt open-and-shut of the vocal cords that (through a process known as biofeedback) apparently charges the higher harmonics with increasing energy, resulting in separation between up to six simultaneous tones.
...What's the best ever throat singing song? It's not really a "song" medium, so don't expect it to click with you instantly, but start with Tagaq and Huun Huur Tu.
...The most famous non-traditional throat singer was the American blues musician Paul Pena, who brought self-taught throat singing into his bottleneck blues, and who in the 1999 documentary Genghis Blues travelled to Tuva to compete in throat singing contests...
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
Uh, isn’t all singing done using the throat? ;’)
While "there" I ran into some guys who could do "throat singing" while calling cadence. One of the guys had served as a liaison with the Russians along the Siberian Railway during WWII so I presume that's where he learned to do it.
No luck finding a cadence caller using throat singing techniques though.
Guy must have some spare lungs tucked away there.
Amazing indeed.
I hope this goes through. There’s a thunderstorm outside right now.
I have a CD called “Deep in the Heart of Tuva” that is one of my fave rainy day discs. Very cool!
That could strain her uvula...
Just saying.
bttt
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