One of the oldest singing arts of the indigenous ethnic group of the Sayan-Altai region is throat singing, which is noteworthy in that, when properly performed, it allows a person to enter a special state called trance and achieve peace of mind, balance, and also find harmony with the inner “I” and Believe in your own strength.
Way to yourself
The constant reproduction of sounds in this way helps to learn the perception of the subtlest streams of energy floating in the near-Earth space. Therefore, if you want to find inner balance and strive for it with all your heart, this vocal technique will certainly help you with this. And in this article we will focus on the opportunity to learn throat singing as one of the ways to communicate with the Universe.
The origins
Ancient Buddhist treatises narrate that the birth of the Universe came from powerful sound vibrations, so using this technique allows you to establish contact with the outside world and ask him about his health and vitality.
The main secret of throat singing is that it is a practice that allows you to find harmony with nature, which was used by the ancient shamans of Altai. And in order to understand how to learn throat singing techniques yourself, you should collect as much information as possible, to begin to master the theory before you begin to practice. And:
- Look into the history and find out why this technique was used and how it was improved.
- Read more about what changes occur in the body, if you constantly practice throat singing.
Of particular value is the guttural manner of performing Russian folk songs, as the sound takes on a new meaning and reveals them from an unusual perspective. Both throat singing and songs sounded from the lips of our ancestors long before our birth are similar folklore styles.
If you are interested in where and how to learn throat singing, then nowadays you can just find vocal schools located nearby.
Who can help in mastering the skill?
A good vocal teacher can provide assistance in this matter, especially if he is from a worthy educational institution, because it provides very useful lessons that affect the overall development of the vocal cords. You can always agree on a convenient time for you and feel free to start mastering a new skill. But still not everyone has the opportunity to attend a vocal studio, so many are in search of an answer to the question of how to learn throat singing on their own. And in fairness it should be noted that learning this technique is easier than opera singing, and with proper training, you can master the technique in a week.
What is the use and is there any harm?
Throat singing arose at the dawn of human civilization and was used among shamans of different peoples of the world both for unity with the Universe, meditation and entry into a trance state, and for healing the soul and body. It is also known that throat singing helps to clear the mind of evil thoughts, because its nature is akin to sacred mantras, but it is more effective, because sounds come not only from the body, but also from the soul.
Scientists have found that in a person performing various methods of throat singing, those parts of the brain that are usually inactive are activated. And it is thanks to the sound resonance at the healing frequency that every cell in the body vibrates and regenerates. Which, of course, leads to the restoration of the whole organism as a whole. From this it is clear that throat singing affects a person very positively.
But still, you should not be particularly carried away with this, since long breath holdings are fraught with an increase in the carbon dioxide content in the blood, and excessive tension of the chest muscles leads to their weakening. Therefore, three hours of throat singing a day is more than enough for it to benefit the body, and not harm. The sensible use of this technique has a beneficial effect on blood circulation and tones the pectoral and abdominal muscles.
Manners of execution
There are several techniques that are strikingly different from each other, these are:
- Hoomei (kyume). It is an imitation of the resonant hum of the wind, wandering in crevices of rocks. It is particularly melodic and is most suitable for female vocals. Therefore, a girl can learn throat singing as simply as possible, using precisely khoomei.
- Kargyraa (kyrkyra). It is an imitation of a camel cry and is performed with barely open mouth.
- Sagyt (dried up). If you are thinking about how to learn to whistle with throat singing, then this style is just what you need. After all, this is a technique in which not words are used, but a piercingly sounding and sharp overtone, and a quiet and unobtrusive melody sounds in the background. Sound extraction occurs through the muffled position of the vocal cords and ajar mouth.
- Borbannadyr (Berbender). It has some similarities with khoomei, but the sound is extracted with the same position of the vocal cords, as with Kyrgyz. Just lips close almost completely.
- Esengileer. Performed on horseback, as it is during riding that the natural vibration of the voice occurs. But nevertheless, in order to use this style, it is not at all necessary to climb a horse, it is enough just to wave your right hand imitating shaking during a gallop.
Where to start?
To begin with, you should learn khoomei, as this is the basic technique of execution. Moreover, it is much easier to learn throat singing for those people who have already managed to comprehend the basics of vocal art, they can well master it on their own. Classes with academic vocals will be useful for beginners, since it is with him that the path to the heights of singing art begins. An experienced teacher will help you deliver your voice, after which you can master any performance techniques, if, of course, you want to.
Is this technique the lot of the stronger sex? Not at all!
Altai men often practice this kind of vocal performance, but how can a woman learn throat singing, and what style is best suited? The question is good, because in the case of the weaker sex, the sound is strikingly different due to differences in the structure of the body.
For women, it is preferable to use khoomei, since other styles with frequent reproduction can adversely affect the hormonal background. That's just evidence for this evidence is not available, so believe it or not - it's up to you. But in general, this manner of performance is very favorable for the development of voice and the healing of a fragile female body.
Identity
For the ear of a European who is not accustomed to such guttural sounds pouring out of his throat, such a performance seems to be a very strange and incomprehensible phenomenon. In addition, this technique, due to its originality, has overgrown with many myths, and it is very important to separate reality from them.
The average layman is likely to think about the following: what happens to this person, is he feeling bad? But the one in whose brain such a thought flashed is deeply mistaken. After all, the performer of throat singing at this moment is associated with the energy of the Earth itself, and every cell of his body begins to recover, and, as a result, his health gradually improves.
How is sound extracted with throat singing?
The peculiarity of this manner of performance is unusual sound extraction when not one sound is played from the larynx, but two at the same time. The main one can be described as a low-frequency buzz, and the secondary one - as a sound wandering around different keys (which a singer can make up to several at a time).
Exercises for self-mastery of the throat singing skill
- Lung activation. Take a horizontal position and inhale slowly with your nose in a wave-like fashion (quick-breath), while tapping the entire chest area. Then hold your breath and thoroughly rub your chest with warm hands, then exhale, inhale and exhale slowly and deeply for eight seconds.
- Strengthening the lungs. Repeat your breath and hold your breath for 8 seconds. Then stretch your lips with a tube and exhale air in small portions. You should exhale quite powerfully and count to eight each time.
- Reinforcing ribs. Stand up straight, and palms pressed to the armpits so that four fingers are directed forward, and the big one - back. Then - inhale-inhale, do not breathe for eight seconds. Then begin to exhale slowly, slightly pressing on the sides, as if helping yourself with your palms.
- Expansion of the chest. Take a horizontal position and again take a quick breath, after which it is imperative to hold the air. Clench your fists and, raising your hands to shoulder level, stretch them in front of you, and then spread them apart. Repeat the action a number of times, and then exhale with full power through the mouth opening.
- Amplification of voice acoustics. Inhale the air fully through the nasal passages and hold it for eight seconds, then exhale briefly and forcefully.
What nations are characterized by this style of performance?
Similar technique is practiced by Tuvan shamans and other peoples of the Mongoloid and Turkic groups (Khakases, Kalmyks, Altaians, Buryats, Bashkirs, Kyrgyz, Kazakhs and Yakuts), but a representative of any nationality can easily master it, if, of course, he wants to. In addition, throat singing is widely used by the monks of Tibet to read Buddhist mantras, and some temples have special musical instruments to prepare vocal cords for the performance of this vocal technique (Gyuto and Gume Gumemed).
Among representatives of South African tribes, throat singing is also used, in particular among the people of the braid. Also, this style of performance can be heard from Canadian Inuit. And among the people of the Caucasian race, the technique is owned by representatives of the Irish ethnic group. How to learn throat singing? “Ohm” is a unique sound that allows a person to enter a special state of trance, so its reproduction allows you to successfully meditate. The exercise is that this sound should be pronounced in different keys, starting from 15 minutes a day. It consists in the fact that you need to take a deep breath and as you exhale longly chant the letter “O”, and adjust the timbre of the voice with the position of the lower jaw and tongue.
When performed correctly, the sound gradually deepens from the larynx into the chest and becomes like a bear roar. Also, for the successful development of the throat singing skill, the pronunciation of sounds such as “yu” or “el” is ideal, because it is during their reproduction that the vocal cords and muscles are in the correct position for the desired sound. Nowadays, many speeches are freely available that can give an idea of how to learn throat singing yourself, without any help. The most important thing is to understand how to play sounds, and only then learn how to sing them with the right intonation and timbre of voice.
The use of throat singing has been proven for centuries, so you can safely trust his technique, but still you should not forget about the sense of proportion, because any "medicine" in large quantities becomes poison.