Comments on: Overtone Cowboy

Overtone Cowboy

kenko — Sun, 29 May 2005 11:27:16 -0800

Arthur Miles [mp3], the throat-singing cowboy, singing about the lonesome cowboy. Types of throat-singing, with tips, brought to you by the International Association for Harmonic Singing.

By: kozad

kozad — Sun, 29 May 2005 11:59:48 -0800

Illuminating link...I had no idea there were so many different techniques...I've heard some Tuvans live (and saw them step outside afterward to light up...everybody over there seems to smoke)....The Tibetans also do harmonic singing...is it also "throat singing?" I guess so. I'm sure the answer is in here somewhere. The Arthur Miles song is a gem.

By: Aknaton

Aknaton — Sun, 29 May 2005 12:34:16 -0800

I learned overtones from this guy: How to Sing Three Notes at the Same Time It should be pointed out that the Tuvans are also cowboys, and indeed, their music has some cowboy feel to it. (I would say "indefinable" but that's just by me.)

By: greasy_skillet

greasy_skillet — Sun, 29 May 2005 13:31:04 -0800

That Arthur Miles mp3 is wonderful, great yodel too.

By: malaprohibita

malaprohibita — Sun, 29 May 2005 14:28:40 -0800

That Arthur Miles mp3 is wonderful, great yodel too. Oh yeah, love it. I knew about the Tuvans, but I had no idea anyone else had accomplished throat-singing. Great post.

By: JGreyNemo

JGreyNemo — Sun, 29 May 2005 16:47:21 -0800

Simply awesome.

By: hortense

hortense — Sun, 29 May 2005 18:15:21 -0800

Thanks for this! I really enjoyed Genghis Blues "Tuva or bust" ( a blind american throatsinger/blues player,wins a pony!)

By: nomis

nomis — Sun, 29 May 2005 20:51:45 -0800

I love the blues/throat singing on the Genghis Blues soundtrack, but not so keen on Arthur Miles. Cool post though ... thanks kenko!

By: The Bishop of Turkey

The Bishop of Turkey — Sun, 29 May 2005 22:03:00 -0800

There is a Mongolian ensemble that uses a lot of throat singing that you can hear some samples of here (check out the "Altai Praise Song") with more info on them on the h2g2 It is quite fun to play for other people and have them try to guess just what the hell it actually is.

By: The Bishop of Turkey

The Bishop of Turkey — Sun, 29 May 2005 22:05:17 -0800

Oh, and make sure you listen to "Khoomii" which is pretty unbelieveable considering that that is a human singing that.

By: soi-disant

soi-disant — Mon, 30 May 2005 03:33:36 -0800

so very cool. thanks kenko. i think some of the tibetan (and perhaps other) styles are actually undertones/subharmonics rather than overtones/harmonics. however, they're all fascinating, and amazing to hear. thanks again.

By: kenko

kenko — Mon, 30 May 2005 06:52:07 -0800

A human and a string bass or cello-like instrument, I hope. Or is it all human?

By: Aknaton

Aknaton — Mon, 30 May 2005 15:24:02 -0800

In fact the mechanism of vocal undertones is completely different from that of overtones (harmonics). To produce a normal tone, you blow between your vocal chords, which flap flap flap transversally. If you "hold them loosely" then they may also jiggle longitudinally. Do it well, and you get audible undertones. Do it long enough, and you can seriously damage your vocal chords, apparently. (Or so I've heard; no luck Googling.) The guy I linked above, Bernard Dubreuil, flew some Tuvans to Canada to have them swallow laparoscopes and confirm the mechanism just described.