Throat sing the body electric

August 31, 2009 3:43 AM

Throat singing is popular in Tuva and Siberia, but other people try it too. Like this guy or this guy or grace guy or some guy in a lake. You too can learn to throat sing.

Genghis Blues is a great film about throat singing that has been mentioned previously and previously and previously.

posted by twoleftfeet (21 comments total)

Post lacks a little yat-kha re-covers. Here's a quick listen: Orgasmatron
posted by dabitch at 3:51 AM on August 31, 2009

This guy too.
posted by Pollomacho at 4:36 AM on August 31, 2009

There's also a previous post on Inuit vocal games.
posted by daniel_charms at 4:37 AM on August 31, 2009

After watching Genghis Blues, my partner, who has a professional background as a vocalist, tried to do it. She managed a pretty good earthquake type throat harmony. It was way cool. I can't do it at all.
posted by kalessin at 5:13 AM on August 31, 2009

I like Huun-Huur-Tu for this sort of thing.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:14 AM on August 31, 2009

Richard Feynman was a friend and fan....
posted by chavenet at 5:24 AM on August 31, 2009

I like Okna Tsahan Zam, also. Though he does tend to overdo the horses in the album I like most. Seriously, damn things are in every song.

Love me some throat-singing, thanks.
posted by six-or-six-thirty at 5:44 AM on August 31, 2009

Here's an Amazing Grace arrangement with banjo and throat singing.
posted by The White Hat at 6:41 AM on August 31, 2009 [2 favorites]

Previously: The Inuit throat singing in the Simpsons movie.
posted by mikeweeney at 6:54 AM on August 31, 2009

Well crap, looks like somebody beat me to it.
posted by mikeweeney at 6:55 AM on August 31, 2009

This guy is one of my favorites, though the throat-singing is only part of a blend of dark ambient, industrial, experimental, etc.
posted by infinitywaltz at 6:56 AM on August 31, 2009 [1 favorite]

The White Hat, that's the best damn thing I've seen all day.
posted by runningwithscissors at 8:27 AM on August 31, 2009

I think I have a crush on the ethnomusicologist in the last link.
posted by thivaia at 8:36 AM on August 31, 2009

Last link in first paragraph, I mean. I should really double check myself before I post.
posted by thivaia at 8:37 AM on August 31, 2009

I am a Friend of Tuva.
posted by Eumachia L F at 8:41 AM on August 31, 2009

I can do it a bit, but it really annoys my throat after a while, and I don't have much control. Basically I can get the harmony tones and the rumbling tones, and then play around a little, but I can't sing anything on cue.
posted by Never teh Bride at 9:42 AM on August 31, 2009

umbú had some fun with throat singing awhile back over at mefimu.
posted by man vs sun at 9:46 AM on August 31, 2009

Neat.

A few years ago I saw Tuvan throat singers (they had won some sort of national throat singing competition there...) perform with Laurie Anderson in Prospect Park. It was one of coolest and strangest shows I've been to (and I was once at a show where a girl pulled a script out of her vagina, opened it, and began reciting Shakespeare...).

Not a video from that particular show (and kinda shitty recording quality).
posted by Lutoslawski at 10:15 AM on August 31, 2009

Here's a simple but informative page on many types of overtone singing.

A friend of mine, Stephen Fandrich, is accomplished in Tuvan throat singing but he is even better at piano.
posted by bz at 10:17 AM on August 31, 2009

I saw an Everyone Orchestra show earlier this year that included a duet between a throat singer and a cellist, which was incredibly cool - especially as throat singing was one of those things I'd previously encountered only written descriptions of.

Audio from the show is online here - the track with the thoat singer and cello is labeled Middle Eastern Improv Jam.

Ooh, and thanks infinitywaltz, I think I now know who the throat singer was! I'm definitely going to check out more of his music...
posted by polymath at 3:11 PM on August 31, 2009

I saw a Tuvan ensemble perform at Twist and Shout (a local Denver record store) and was amused to see them all duck out for a cigarette after the show. Well, I'm always surprised to see singers smoke, to tell you the truth, even though it is pretty common. (And Asians - especially Mongolians that I personally know, smoke a lot more than Americans!)

In my experience...and I don't have time to view the tutorial now even though I wish I could...is that singing very low and playing around with your mouth/throat yields some of the overtones that make throat-singing so wonderful, but you can only hear them in your own head unless you put in some serious practice.
posted by kozad at 3:22 PM on August 31, 2009