I bet you never thought it was possible! I certainly didn’t. Throat singing has always fascinated me, but I never imagined I could produce those ethereal sounds myself. It seemed like something only individuals from Mongolia, Tibet, the Arctic, and a handful of other northern cultures could do, and even more so, mostly men. However, everything changed when I stumbled upon a video featuring a woman skillfully throat singing with a high-pitched voice. That inspired me to give it a shot myself. If I can do it, then I believe you can too! Just follow the outlined steps, and you’ll be creating your own throat singing vibes reminiscent of a Tibetan monk in no time. Well, perhaps you’ll start out sounding like a tone-deaf Tibetan monk, but don’t let that discourage you. The fine-tuning can come later; for now, let’s focus on the fundamentals—plus, remember the basics of regular singing as you dive into this captivating style.
How to Master Mongolian Throat Singing
Honestly, I didn’t have any specific reason to dive into this captivating art form, which is often referred to as Tuvan throat singing, overtone singing, or harmonic singing. My curiosity was simply piqued. After reading several articles on the subject, I decided to practice. The experience was a rollercoaster of sensations; at one point, I even felt light-headed and a bit drooly—anyone who’s tried to master the tricky Spanish “rr” will understand that feeling. However, after about half an hour of trial and error, I was actually throat singing. My skills weren’t refined, and I wasn’t in complete control yet, but I grasped the essential concepts.
By following the six steps outlined here, you too can produce your first throat-sung notes within about 30 minutes of practice.
1. The Mouth Shape for Throat Singing
To start, you want to keep your mouth slightly open. Aim for about a one-centimeter gap between your top and bottom front teeth. At this stage, it’s crucial to maintain relaxed muscles in your jaw and lips. Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can work on engaging those muscles to develop better resonance control.
2. Positioning Your Tongue
Next, let’s focus on your tongue. Begin by placing the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth, as you would for the pronunciation of the letter “L.” Gradually move it back slightly, finding a spot between where it would be for “L” and where it would be for the American “R.” Once you have that position, press your tongue firmly against the palate of your mouth.
3. Creating a Resonant Chamber
The mesmerizing sound associated with overtone singing comes from strong harmonic resonance within your mouth. To achieve this resonance, you must create a proper resonant chamber. With the tip of your tongue already against the roof of your mouth, drop down the bulk of your tongue a bit and press the sides against your molars. Your tongue should form a seal with your teeth, allowing for an airtight chamber. No air should be escaping.
4. Ventilation – Creating a Small Opening
Once you’ve constructed that airtight chamber, the next step is to create a small vent. This tiny opening can be located between your tongue and your side teeth or between the tongue and the roof of your mouth. It should be small enough that you can breathe through it with a bit of effort. Hold your nose and take a breath exclusively through this opening—you should produce a soft “hyuuuh” sound. Congratulations! Your mouth has now transformed into a throat singing instrument.
5. Modulating Your Resonant Chamber’s Volume
To generate melodies while throat singing, you’ll need to learn how to adjust the chamber’s volume. You can do this by manipulating the central part of your tongue. Raise and lower it, which influences the size of your resonant chamber and subsequently alters the pitch. Keep the chamber sealed except for the small vent. Play around with the shape—making it flatter or rounder while producing the “hyuuuuh” sound—and notice how it affects the pitch. Some throat singing styles also incorporate lip positioning as an additional measure to refine pitch.
6. Vocalizing Your Resonant Chamber
Now comes the moment to turn that “hyuuuh” sound into meaningful vocalizations. While maintaining the mouth shape established in prior steps, try generating a sound akin to “oooo” as in the English word “tool.” If done successfully, you’ll unlock an overtone that sounds similar to a flute. Throat singing is all about emphasizing specific harmonics by fine-tuning the resonance in your mouth. When you aim for that “oooo,” the overtone you seek will be over an octave higher than the regular “oooo.”
You may not catch the flute-like sound on your first attempts, and that’s okay. Most people possess the ability to produce it but struggle to recognize it, especially when the sound is faint at first. You should be able to hear a deep “oooo” accompanied by a higher-pitched, flute-like overtone. Keep manipulating your tongue’s position and lip shape until you pinpoint the correct resonance, which will likely yield several distinct pitches.
If you find the flute-like sound elusive, don’t worry. We’ll address common challenges next.
7. Troubleshooting Common Issues
If you can’t produce the flute-like sound, it’s generally a result of two potential issues: incorrect mouth shape or weak harmonics. To adjust your mouth shape, revisit step five and play around with minor changes to the chamber formed by your tongue and the roof of your mouth, honing in on the necessary resonance. Also, try modifying your lip position.
As for harmonics that appear too weak, it’s not about raising your voice—maintain that “oooo” sound, but infuse it with brightness. The sound waves vibrating within your mouth inherently carry high frequencies, so focus on clarity rather than volume. Here’s a quirky visualization: imagine being slightly strangled while singing throat music. Keep that “oooo” sound flowing as if someone is tightening their grip. Eventually, your tone should begin to echo more of a drawn-out “we” rather than just “oooo.”
Final Thoughts on Throat Singing
If your initial attempts don’t yield results, don’t despair! Keep practicing. It took me about 30 minutes to start producing the right sound. Sometimes, it can be helpful to observe others; below, you’ll find two videos worth checking out. The first showcases Mongolian throat singer Batzorig Vaanchig performing in a breathtaking setting. The second video features Anna-Maria Hefele, who provides an insightful series on overtone singing through a different technique than the one I followed. Her guidance may clarify aspects where my explanation fell short.
It’s essential to be cautious as you practice these vocal exercises; overexertion can lead to straining your vocal cords. If you find yourself with a cracked voice, have some strategies at the ready for recovery.
Further Reading
If you’re intrigued and eager to explore more about throat singing, consider delving into resources that cover unique vocalization techniques from various cultures and learn the science behind producing multiple notes simultaneously.
It’s true—throat singing may seem daunting at first, but with patience and persistence, you can definitely master it! Embrace the journey, and who knows? You might just surprise yourself.
