Mongolian throat singing (overtone singing)

If you’re like me, you’ve probably made this sound accidentally while you were bored or drawing pictures of laser guns and aliens. This sound has a name, and it isn’t “rotating-space-crystal.”

Overtone singing, also known as throat singing or harmonic singing, is a way of tuning the mouth and vocal cords to match the natural resonance frequency of air passing from the lungs, through the vocal cords, and out between the lips. The air passes through three resonant chambers before it is expelled: the larynx, the pharynx, and the mouth (in that order). These resonant chambers can be shaped to produce multiple harmonic frequencies at the same time which creates the incredibly strange and the surprisingly loud and long-distance traveling sound that is heard.

Above: Natascha Nikeprelevic

The video below is a good example of overtone singing. Listen closely, beyond the humming, for the subtle whistling sounds which are the overtones.

Throat singing is an ancient practice and an important tradition in Tuvan, Mongolian, and Tibetan cultures. The video below is of traditional Tuvan throat singing.

Also, check out the Inuit throat singing game which was traditionally played by Inuit women as entertainment while their men were away hunting. In the game, two women sing face-to-face, and the winner is the one who can sustain the longest without laughing! When their faces are very close and their lips almost touching, the women can use their opponents mouths as resonance chambers. Odd, unique, and interesting. What do you think? Please post a comment if you care to share.