Performers who have mastered the technique of laryngeal singing (also called throat singing) are able to produce completely unique sounds. Such singing should be heard in reality at least once in a lifetime. However, learning him is not easy. In the article you can learn more about throat singing and its varieties.
The essence of throat singing
This singing technique is based on imitation of the most diverse sounds of nature - from the murmur of a stream to the growling of a bear. Therefore, there are so many styles (rather, even directions) of guttural singing, each of which has its own characteristics, melody and rhythm. In this case, the singer performs two notes at once, thanks to which throat singing is both solo and a kind of duet.
This type of singing clearly arose long before our era, but the written record of information about it appeared only in the 19th century. Since that time, laryngeal singing has become increasingly interesting for Europeans because of the unusual way of performing and the specific beauty of this singing without words. Often it was accompanied by playing on comuses or stringed instruments.
In a certain sense, throat singing is not only the technique of performance itself, but also an effective instrument of meditation. The singer is overwhelmed by the sound uniting him with nature. Thus, he gets the opportunity to join her language.
The technique of guttural singing is characteristic of the peoples living in the Altai region — Tuvans and Altays, residents of Mongolia, and also to some extent for the Bashkirs living in the European part of our country.
Singing styles
There are five basic styles of modern laryngeal singing. We list them, as well as several of their varieties.
Firstly, it is kargyraa - a style used by Tuvans. According to legend, it arose as an imitation of the camel’s voice, or rather, the sounds that it makes when its camel dies. The singer usually draws such a sound from himself, slightly opening his mouth.
The story of the emergence of another genre - khoomei - is very lyrical. She talks about an orphan who lived alone for three years, not far from the cliff. She reflected the sounds, and they echoed through the valley, and reflected off the cliffs on the opposite edge of it. When the wind blew in the valley, an interesting melodious sound was formed, and the young man began to try to copy it. Singing came to the inhabitants of the valley, and they gave him a name - “khoomei”. The sounds that the singer makes are very powerful, tuneful and melodic. They can, in addition, be supplemented by text.
The style of borbannadyr is similar to the hoomei, but differs in the discontinuity of the melody. The performer at the same time leaves his lips almost closed. This is one of the most characteristic ways of performing Tuvan throat singing.
Esengileer and similar styles are similar to each other. Both of them combine a quiet melody with a sharp whistling and making sounds against its background. Styles differ only in the specificity of the melody: in esengileer, the rhythm is similar to the rhythm of a gallop of a horse. The plays in which it is used usually involve the image of a rider on a horse.
Among the Altai peoples, the kai style was common. Such singing - from growling, vibrating to whistling - accompanied, first of all, long epic legends.
In addition, there are many branches from the main directions: the steppe and cave kargyraa, khorekteer - singing by the chest, and many others.
Shaman singing
The guttural singing of shamans is somewhat different from other performance techniques, since they did not follow specific genres in their rituals. Apparently, they made sounds appropriate to the situation. For example, if with the help of singing the shaman intended to heal a person, then he selected the frequency of vibrations that was most consistent with the vibration of a healthy organ. For a shaman, throat singing is, first and foremost, a tool for mentally moving to the upper world.
Buddhist monks singing
In Tibetan Buddhism, there are a number of educational institutions that specially prepare performers of laryngeal singing, for example, the Gyamo Monastery. This practice applies only to the Gelug Buddhist school. The basic style is called "gyuke".
The essence of the guttural singing of Tibetan monks is that each of them displays his own “note”. These notes merge into a single chorus, which creates a powerful unique impression on the audience. Singers spread around themselves vibrations that are felt almost physically. Such singing is used, of course, for the performance of ritual texts.
Singing technique
Typically, beginners are advised to learn laryngeal singing with the basic technique of khoomei. It is universal, suitable for both men and women. However, there is an opinion that in the body of a woman who has started to engage in throat singing too intensively, an endocrine failure can occur.
You can practice singing vowels, performing them long and long. The main difficulty: to learn to sing them with a relaxed lower jaw, but so that the throat is not transmitted and the sound is not “jammed”.
What throat singing does to a person
At the same time, the singer, who regularly practices in the art of throat singing, the chest becomes wide and powerful, since he must absorb as much air into it as possible in order to get a strong long-lasting sound. In addition, in everyday life, a person’s voice becomes strong and sonorous, and the throat becomes as relaxed as possible. Apparently, this helps to get rid of various unpleasant diseases like laryngitis and tonsillitis. And given that singing is also an instrument of general relaxation, it improves and stabilizes the mental state of a person - not only a singer, but also listeners.