Tuvan throat singing, also called Mongolian throat singing, is a type of throat singing. The main method used is called khoomei (pronounced /xuˈmiː/ or /xoʊˈmeɪ/). People in Tuva, Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Altay practice this art.

This style of singing uses either overtone singing or undertone singing, depending on the technique. In 2009, Tuvan throat singing was added to UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Overview

Tuvan throat singing is a musical technique where a performer hums a main pitch and, at the same time, controls the higher pitches that naturally occur with that main pitch to create a melody. This tradition has a long history. Many men who herd animals practice throat singing, and now some women also learn it. The popularity of this art in Tuva is connected to the region's geography and culture. The open landscapes of Tuva allow sounds to travel far. Experts who study music in this area say that khoomei, a type of throat singing, is an important part of an ancient belief system that still exists today. Singers often travel to remote places, such as rivers or mountain steppes, to find the best environment for throat singing.

In this region, people believe that objects in nature have spiritual qualities, including their sounds. Normally, throat singing uses specific notes from a series of sounds called the harmonic series. For example, if the main note is C3, the higher pitches would include G5, Bb5, C6, D6, E6, G6, and A6. However, singers can also use notes much lower or higher than these. The main note is usually a low E or G, and this affects which higher pitches can be produced. Higher pitches are easier to sing when the main note is lower, and lower pitches are easier when the main note is higher.

The people of Tuva have developed many different ways to perform throat singing. They were the first to use six different harmonic pitches. There are multiple systems for classifying these styles. One system divides them into three main styles: khoomei, kargyraa, and sygyt, with substyles like borbangnadyr, chylandyk, dumchuktaar, ezengileer, and kanzyp. Another system lists five main styles: khoomei, sygyt, kargyraa, borbangnadyr, and ezengileer, with substyles such as chylandyk, despeng borbang, opei khoomei, buga khoomei, kanzyp, khovu kargyraazy, kozhagar kargyraazy, dag kargyraazy, Oidupaa kargyraazy, uyangylaar, damyraktaar, kishteer, serlennedyr, and byrlannadyr. These systems use Tuvan language terms.

Styles and techniques

Khorekteer refers to the "chest voice." This is the voice used by throat singers when performing khoomei, kargyraa, or other styles that create harmonies. The term can also describe all types of Tuvan throat singing, similar to how khoomei is used. It can also describe the feeling of chest resonance or pressure felt during throat singing. Khorekteer is often the starting point for singing in khoomei, sygyt, or kargyraa styles.

An expert in music, Zoya Kyrgys, explains that khorekteer is a term used to describe all forms of Tuvan throat singing.

The most popular style of throat singing is called khoomei (or khöömei in Cyrillic: хөөмей). The word "hömei" or "komei" means "throat" and "larynx" in some Turkic languages. Khoomei is a softer style, with the main sound (drone) usually in the low-mid to midrange of the singer's voice. In this style, two or three harmonics can be heard above the main sound. The abdomen is relaxed, and the larynx has less tension than in other styles. Pitch is changed by moving the lips, throat, tongue, or jaw. The term khoomei is also used to describe all throat singing techniques in this region.

Sygyt (in Cyrillic: сыгыт), meaning "whistling," has a midrange main sound and is known for strong, flute-like or piercing harmonics. The ideal sound for these harmonics is called "Чистый звук," which means "clear sound" in Russian. To perform sygyt, the tongue rises and forms a seal around the gums, leaving a small opening near the molars. Sound is directed between the teeth, and the lips form a bell-like shape, usually with an "ee" vowel. Pitch is changed in the same way as in khoomei.

Kargyraa (in Cyrillic: каргыраа) is a deeper style of throat singing with a growling sound. It is related to a type of singing called Sardinian bass singing in Cantu a tenore choirs. This style uses both the vocal folds and the vestibular folds (also called "false vocal cords") at the same time, creating two connected sources of sound. By tightening the larynx, the vestibular folds can vibrate, producing a sound that is half the frequency of the main sound. The mouth shape can be adjusted to select specific harmonics, creating the impression of multiple pitches at once. This technique is similar to Sardinian bass singing and Tibetan chants, even though the methods differ. In beatboxing, the kargyraa sound is called "Throat Bass."

There are two types of kargyraa: dag (mountain) and xovu (steppe). Dag is deeper, while xovu is raspier, higher in pitch, and uses more throat tension with less chest resonance. Notable styles include those by Vladimir Oidupaa and Albert Kuvezin, the latter also known as kanzat. This style is sometimes described as the sound of winter winds or a mother camel's cry after losing her calf.

Two common effects used in khoomei, sygyt, and kargyraa styles are Borbangnadyr and Ezengileer.

• Borbangnadyr (Борбаңнадыр) is a trill that sounds like birds or flowing water, created by rapid tongue and lip movements. A related effect is "byrlang," which involves slight lip quivering.
• Ezengileer (Эзеңгилээр) is a pulsating style that mimics the rhythm of horseback riding. It is named after the Tuvan word for "stirrup," "ezengi." This effect is achieved by opening and closing the velum, a part that separates the nasal cavity from the mouth.
• Chylandyk (Чыландык) combines sygyt and kargyraa, creating a sound with low undertones mixed with high-pitched whistles. It is sometimes called the "chirping of crickets." This style can be further divided into Dag Chylandyk and Xovu Chylandyk.
• Dumchuktaar (Думчуктаар) is described as "throat humming." The singer produces a sound similar to sygyt using only the nasal passage. The word "dumchuk" means "to sing through the nose." The mouth does not need to be closed, but it helps demonstrate the technique.

Women in Tuvan throat singing

In Tuva's history, there were a few women who performed throat singing. Some people believed that a woman singing throat music could cause infertility. Choldak-Kara Oyun, who was the mother of the famous throat singer Soruktu Kyrgys and the grandmother of the husband of well-known Tuvan actress Kara-Kys Namzatovna Munzuk, practiced throat singing throughout her life. She sang while milking her cows, sang lullabies to her children, and sometimes sang while drinking Tuvan araga (a type of alcohol made from fermented milk).

Some close relatives of famous throat singers also performed khoomei (throat singing) in public. For example, Khunashtaar-ool's niece in the 1960s and Kombu's daughter in the 1940s or 1950s sang khoomei more than once. Aldinsova Tortoyavna, the wife of throat singing shaman Bilek-ool from Manchurek, said she always sang khoomei because it was something she was born with. She could not stop singing after she married and had children, and she performed khoomei publicly in the 1950s and 1960s. Her sister, who also sang khoomei as a child, stopped singing because others reminded her repeatedly about the supposed dangers.

In 1979, Valentina Salchak performed throat singing in public. Valentina Chuldum from Mongun-Taiga (1960–Autumn 2002) traveled to European countries as a throat singer in the early 1990s. Women were allowed to sing khoomei publicly after the start of the International Symposium of Khoomei.

Tyva Kyzy (Тыва Кызы, pronounced [tɯˈva kɯˈzɯ] ) (Daughters of Tuva, in the Tuvan language), founded in 1998, is an all-female folk group that performs Tuvan throat singing. It is directed by Choduraa Tumat and is the first and only women's group in Tuva that performs all styles of Tuvan throat singing.

In popular culture

• Richard Feynman, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist, was interested in Tuvan throat singing and tried to visit Tuva in the 1980s when he was seriously ill from cancer. He never reached Tuva, but his daughter visited Tuva in 2009 and met Tuvan throat singers during her trip. The Quest for Tannu Tuva is a 1988 documentary film about Feynman’s attempt to visit Tuva. It was made for the BBC TV series Horizon and later re-released with American narration as The Last Journey of a Genius for the PBS series Nova in 1989. Tuva or Bust! is a book published in 1991 by Ralph Leighton, a friend of Feynman who tried to go to Tuva with him. The book includes a flexi disc recording of Tuvan throat singing.

• Yat-Kha is a band formed in 1991 and led by Tuvan throat singer Albert Kuvezin. The band plays a mix of traditional Tuvan music and rock.

• Huun-Huur-Tu is a band formed in 1992 that uses Tuvan throat singing in its performances. The band has performed internationally since it started.

• Chirgilchin is a Tuvan musical group formed in 1996 and led by Igor Koshkendey. He won the Grand Prix of the International Throat Singing Competition in 1998, 2000, and 2002.

• K-Space is a British-Siberian experimental improvisation music group formed in 1996. It includes Tuvan throat singer Gendos Chamzyryn.

• Tyva Kyzy is an all-female folk ensemble formed in 1998. The group performs Tuvan throat singing and has performed internationally.

• Genghis Blues is a 1999 documentary film that won the Sundance Film Festival Audience Award for a Documentary and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. The film follows the journey of blind American singer Paul Pena to Tuva to learn about Tuvan throat singing.

• Alex Brightman used Tuvan throat singing in his role as Beetlejuice in the Broadway version of Beetlejuice The Musical.

• Alash is a group of Tuvan musicians and throat singers formed in 1999 at the Kyzyl Arts College. The group has performed internationally since 2006.

• The Tuvan National Orchestra, formed in 2003, often includes Tuvan throat singing in its performances. It features artists from Alash, Chirgilchin, Huun-Huur-Tu, and Tyva Kyzy.

• Batzorig Vaanchig is a member of the band Khusugtun, which was a runner-up on Asia's Got Talent in 2015. He is a Mongolian throat singer with tens of millions of views on YouTube.

• The Hu is a band formed in 2016. The group is from Mongolia and combines rock and heavy metal with traditional Mongolian music, including Mongolian throat singing and the Morin khuur (a horsehead fiddle). The band calls its style "hunnu rock," with "hu" meaning "human" in Mongolian. In 2018, the band performed at the Download Festival in Donington. A song by The Hu, "Black Thunder," was made for the 2019 video game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. The band later translated and recorded a new version of the song in a fictional Star Wars language called "Sugaan Essena" for the game.

• Soriah/Uger Khan is an American overtone singer, performance artist, and multi-instrumentalist based in Portland, Oregon, and the Tuvan Republic. His music mixes traditional styles like Tuvan throat singing, shamanic music, and pre-Columbian Mexica music with experimental styles such as industrial, ambient, noise, and goth. His live performances include costumes and rituals from Tuva, Mexico, North American Native cultures, and Western ceremonial magic traditions, as well as elements from chaos magic, butoh, and modern primitive movements.

Audio examples

• Kargyraa.mp3
• Khoomei.mp3
• Sygyt.mp3
• For more information, visit https://www.alashensemble.com/.