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. – Wikipedia
I have collected a variety of examples, from traditional, to experimental modern forms, and beyond.
Enjoy!
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Inuit Throat Singing: Kathy Keknek and Janet Aglukkaq (long) This is the real deal. This isn’t about Hollywood and Veuve Cliquot, it’s about chillin’ in an igloo.
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Alex Glenfield Throws Seven Styles of Tuvan Neck Magic – Yes, this white boy is the Elvis of Tuvan throat singing. No joke.
- The King of Mooooooooooooo! Someone call Peter Jackson. Miroslav Grosser gots your Elvan porno soundtrack.
- Ondar Takes Us “Back Tuvan Future” on Late Night With David Letterman I smell sell-out, but look how he attacks the mic like a T Rex. Boom!
- Ondar, Why The Hell Did You Cut A Rap Song? And Sample Richard Feynman? Genius! – Ozark harp coda, extra genius
- French beat box phenomenon EKLIPS performs a 4 minutes history of HIP HOP for Trace Urban… In one single take! – This is the evolution of throat singing, adding a plethora of other vocalization techniques
- My name is HIKAKIN. I’m a Japanese Beatboxer. He uses an electronic sampler to do Skrillex the beat box way. Check out the Tuvan bass line. Arigato!
- Mr. Methane Demonstrates a Most Unusual and Unorthodox Form of Polyvocal Singing – A duet of Da Do Ron Ron on BBC, banned! Disgusting…and fairly accurate.
