Take a Musical Trip: Tuvan Throat Singing

 Tuvan Throat Singing 

What is it? 

Tuvan throat singing, also known as Khoomei, originated in the Republic of Tuva. It is a unique vocal technique that has been practiced by the indigenous Tuvan people for centuries and is an essential part of their traditional music and culture. Tuvan throat singing involves producing multiple pitches and harmonics simultaneously using the human voice, creating a mesmerizing sound. It has gained international recognition and popularity as a distinct form of vocal artistry.

Tuvan Throat Singing | Alash | TEDxBaltimore

This group is called Alash, and they are masters of Tuvan throat singing and traditional Tuvan instruments. Alash was founded in 1999, and its members have worked to preserve and promote the traditional music of Tuva while incorporating contemporary elements into their performances. Alash has gained international acclaim for their virtuoso throat singing and musicianship. They perform a wide range of traditional Tuvan songs and melodies, often accompanied by traditional Tuvan instruments like the igil (horsehead fiddle), doshpuluur (Tuvan lute), and byzaanchi (Tuvan jaw harp). Alash has toured extensively, bringing Tuvan music and culture to audiences around the world and helping to raise awareness of this unique art form.

There has been research done to understand better how Tuvan throat singers can produce two different pitches simultaneously. Researchers found that Tuvan singers can do this by forming precise constrictions in their vocal tract. One key constriction occurs when the tip of the tongue nearly touches a ridge on the roof of the mouth, and a second constriction is formed by the base of the tongue (Bergevin et al.)

Tuvan Throat Singing

Here is another fascinating piece of Tuvan Throat singing. I could not locate any specific information about who the singer is or where the video takes place. I am guessing that the video was filmed in Tuva, and it was posted on YouTube in 2014, so around that time it was filmed. 

There are several different classification schemes for Tuvan Throat singing. Three basic styles are 

Khoomei - The most popular style, and it is a softer sounding style, with the fundamental mostly in the low-mid to midrange of the singer's normal voice. Singing in this style is supposed to give the impression of wind swirling among rocks. 

Sygt - ‘whistling’, is characterized by strong flute-like and piercing harmonics. It is described as an imitation of breezes during the summer. 

Kargyraa -  This is a more deep-sounding style of throat singing. It is like a growling sound and is apparently related to Sardinian bass singing. 

In the video above, we can hear the different styles being intermixed, and the visuals help you understand the concept of imitating of the sounds of nature.

Alash - About Tuvan Throat Singing

This is an excellent link where you can listen to examples of these different styles. It also provides good information about overtones and their use in Tuvan singing.

Analysis of the Musical Elements 

Harmonics and Overtone Singing: Tuvan throat singing is characterized by the ability to produce multiple pitches and harmonics simultaneously. The singer manipulates their vocal tract to emphasize specific overtones, creating a unique layered sound.

Melody: Tuvan throat singing includes melodic elements, with singers often producing melodic lines using their harmonics. These melodies are based on traditional Tuvan tunes.

Text and Lyrics: Tuvan throat singing does include lyrics, which are typically in the Tuvan language. The lyrics usually relate to nature and the Tuvan way of life.

Rhythm and Timing: Tuvan throat singing incorporates unique rhythmic patterns, often accompanying melodies. The timing and rhythm can vary between the different Tuvan throat singing styles and substyles.

Tuvan throat singing has faced challenges due to modernization and globalization, but efforts have been made to preserve and promote this traditional art form. Tuvan throat singers and ensembles like Alash have played a significant role in keeping the tradition alive and sharing it with a global audience. I find Tuvan throat singing very interesting; I did not know anything about it or that it existed before doing research for this unit's blog post. When I came across it, I thought it was really cool.  It requires a great deal of talent and practice. To be able to sing different notes simultaneously with minimal breaks for breathing takes a lot of skill. 

How to Throat Sing With 3 Easy Steps (Kargyraa Style)

Here is a good video to check out if you’d be interested in learning how to throat sing. I tried it out and found it to be very hard. Others might have more luck! 

Sources:

Bergevin, C., Narayan, C., Williams, J., Mhatre, N., Steeves, J. K., Bernstein, J. G., & Story, B. (2020). Overtone focusing in biphonic tuvan throat singing. ELife, 9, e50476. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.50476

Pegg, C. (n.d.). Throat-singing | music. Retrieved from Encyclopedia Britannica website: https://www.britannica.com/art/throat-singing

Tuvan throat singing. (2023, November 1). Retrieved November 6, 2023, from Wikipedia website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuvan_throat_singing#:~:text=In%20Tuvan%20throat%20singing%2C%20the