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First One

Posted by RKiT (Tamas Arki) on April 23, 2008 at 18:54

Greetings everyone!It's great to be among You, my friends, finally a site where I can exchange knowledge and ideas concerning my Passion, the jew's harp.I've just registered, and I don't have many things yet, but I'm going to resume uploading, I have loads of stuff that could be interesting. ;)I hope I'll be able to make lots of friends here. :)Cheers,Tamas

R.I.P.

Obertongesang - Westlicher Obertongesang - Kehlgesang - Höömii = mongolischer Kehlkopfgesang

Posted by Tran Quang Hai on April 22, 2008 at 17:53

ObertongesangObertongesang ist eine Gesangstechnik, die aus dem Klangspektrum der Stimme einzelne Obertöne so herausfiltert, dass sie als getrennte Töne wahrgenommen werden und der Höreindruck einer Mehrstimmigkeit entsteht. Man spricht dann von Obertongesang, wenn den Obertönen eine eigenständige musikalische Funktion zukommt, zu unterscheiden von Gesangtechniken, die lediglich die Klangfarbe der Stimme mit Obertönen anreichern.Westlicher ObertongesangDie Gesangskunst wurde im okzidentalen Kulturkreis vor allem in der New Age-Szene der 1980er Jahre populär. In den 1960ern hatten Komponisten wie La Monte Young und Karlheinz Stockhausen Obertongesang in die Avantgardemusik eingeführt. Die westliche Obertonmusik ist also recht jung. Während einige Künstler ihre Techniken vor allem aus Stimmexperimenten und Vokaltechniken zu einer neuen Kunstform entwickelten, lassen sich viele jüngere Obertonsänger auch von den asiatischen Kehlgesangtechniken inspirieren. Trotzdem ist ein Obertonsänger klanglich meist leicht von einem asiatischen Kehlsänger zu unterscheiden.Obertonsänger nutzen als Grundton die „normale“ weiche Stimme. Dadurch ist ein fließender Übergang von Vokalen und Sprache zu Obertongesang möglich. Für viele Obertonmusiker sind daraus entstehende neuartige Klangfarben die Grundlage ihres künstlerischen Ausdrucks. Andere entwickeln eine hohe Virtuosität in polyphoner Singweise, indem sie zwei unabhängige Melodien gleichzeitig mit Grund- und Oberton singen. Vielerorts entstehen begeisterte Singkreise, die mit Obertönen in Gruppen improvisieren (chanten, tönen, Obertonchor). Der Obertongesang gehört der freien Musikszene an und entwickelt sich stetig weiter. Inzwischen wurden die ungewöhnlichen Klangeffekte auch für die Filmmusik entdeckt und finden zunehmend Interesse in der E-Musik. Jüngere Anwendungen in der Musiktherapie zeigen Potenziale des Obertongesangs im Heilwesen auf.KehlgesangIn Tuva, der Mongolei und weiteren Ländern Zentralasiens rund um das Altaigebirge wird Obertongesang in verschiedenen Formen des Kehlgesangs gepflegt. Weitere Bezeichnungen sind Kehlkopfgesang, Khöömei, tuvinisch: Хөөмей (für „Kehle“), mongolisch: Xöömii, chinesisch (vereinfacht):呼麦, chinesisch (traditionell):呼麥. Ähnliche Obertongesänge kennt man als umngqokolo von den Xhosafrauen in Südafrika und von den Dani in Papua-Neuguinea.Kehlgesang unterscheidet sich von westlichem Obertongesang sowohl musikalisch durch seine ethnische Tradition wie auch technisch durch besondere Arten den Grundton zu erzeugen. Beim Kehlgesang werden unter anderem Teile des Kehlkopfs verengt (Xorekteer). Man diskutiert eine Verengung der Taschenfalten (falsche Stimmlippen) bzw. einen aryepiglottischen Sphinkter (Bildung einer Verengung der aryepiglottischen Falten mit der Epiglottis), die jeweils einen Resonanzraum im Kehlkopf hervorrufen, der den Oberton gegenüber dem Grundton verstärkt.Eine spezielle Kunst der Kehlsänger sowohl in Zentralasien als auch bei den Kehlsängerinnen der Xhosa ist der Gebrauch von Untertongesangstechniken, die man in Tuva Kargyraa nennt. In der Regel wird der erste Unterton der Grundstimme, die erste Subharmonische, als Grundton verwendet. Dadurch wird das Obertonspektrum des Sängers bzw. der Sängerin stark erweitert.Quelle: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kehlkopfgesangmit HörprobenInformationen auch hier: http://www.oberton.org http://www.obertoene.com http://www.kondor.de/shaman/xoomej.htmlMusikgruppen: http://www.huunhuurtu.com/http://www.egshiglen.net/khukh03/index.htmlHöömii = mongolischer KehlkopfgesangHöömii-GeschichteDie Mongolen beschäftigen sich als nomadische Stämme vorrangig mit Jagd und Viehzucht. So setzten sie sich tagein und tagaus mit den Elementarkräften und Naturgewalten auseinander und sind gleichzeitig eng mit ihnen verbunden. Denn nur ein geschickter, respektvoller Umgang mit der Natur sichert ihnen das Wohlwollen aller sichtbaren und unsichtbaren Kräfte. Die Mongolen begegnen der Natur mit großer Achtung und Verehrung. Ihnen sind die Erde, die Berge und die Flüsse heilig und sie leben im vollendeten Einklang mit der Natur.Der berühmte westmongolische Epenerzähler Avirmed sagte: ”Dieses Volk, das beim Verehren der Hochgebirge singend und Ode und Epen erzählend feierte, ist der Pfad der altertümlichen Menschen, die Feuer verehrten und den Jagdhimmel anriefen”. Aus dieser innigen Naturverbundenheit entwickelte sich im Laufe der Jahrhunderte die Gesangstechnik Höömii, bei der die Tiere (vor allem Pferde, Wölfe, Kamele), die Flüsse, das Echo der Berge und der Wind vom Höömii-Sänger imitiert werden.Höömii-TechnikDas Höömii ist eine imitative Vokaltechnik und eine besondere Oberton-Gesangskunst, die von beliebigen Musikinstrumenten begleitet werden kann. Die Besonderheit besteht darin, daß der Sänger gleichzeitig zwei Töne hervorbringt. Einer dieser Töne ist ein einziger langgedehnter summender Grundton, über welchem sich die Melodie zu großen Höhen erhebt.Der Ton des Gesanges wird durch gezieltes Ausströmen der Atemluft hervorgerufen. Geformt wird der Ton durch die veränderte Position der Zunge, des Gaumensegels, des Kehldeckels und Verformung der Mundhöhle. Bei einigen Arten wird der Ton noch zusätzlich durch die Kontraktion und Ausdehnung der Hals- und Bauchmuskeln geformt, und so in seiner Klarheit verbessert. Diese Atemtechnik des Obertongesanges beansprucht stark die Stimmbänder, den Kehlkopf und das Zwerchfell. Ein guter Höömii-Sänger singt Höömii, ohne die Lippen zu bewegen!Quelle: http://www.hosoo.de

R.I.P.

Alexander Jentsch: Obertongesang in Mitteleuropa

Posted by Tran Quang Hai on April 22, 2008 at 17:30

Obertongesang in MitteleuropaAlexander JentschMagisterarbeit am Seminar fürVergleichende Musikwissenschaftder Freien Universität Berlin.Vorgelegt März 2007.InhaltsverzeichnisVorwort ... 11. Fragestellung, Lösungsansatz und Methodik ... 32. Obertongesang – Eine Einführung ... 72.1 Physikalische und physiologische Grundlagen des Obertongesang ... 72.2 Obertongesang im Kontext zentralasiatischer und anderer Musiktraditionen ... 132.3 Phänomenologie des Obertongesangs in Mitteleuropa ... 193. Geschichte des Obertongesangs in Mitteleuropa ... 213.1 Die Bedeutung von Obertönen in der Antike und der frühchristlichen Musik ... 213.1.1 Die Entdeckung der Teiltöne ... 223.1.2 Die Annahme einer europäischen Obertonsangstradition im Mittelalter ... 243.1.3 Boethianische Gesänge ... 273.1.4 Ein Einzelfall ... 293.1.5 Gregorianischer Obertongesang als nachträglich erfundene Tradition ... 303.2 Beiträge der abendländischen Kunstmusikgeschichte zur Entwicklung einer Obertongesangstechnik ... 323.2.1 Obertoninstrumente ... 333.2.2 Polyphonie als Vorraussetzung okzidentaler Obertonmusik ... 343.2.3 Auswirkungen von Stimmungstemperaturen auf den Umgang mit Obertönen ... 373.2.4 Die Bestimmung der Obertöne durch Hermann von Helmholtz ... 403.2.5 Klangfarbenbewusstsein in der abendländischen Kunstmusik ... 413.2.6 Karlheinz Stockhausens "Stimmung" ... 453.3 Obertongesang im Kontext okzidentaler Kunstmusik der letzten Jahrzehnte ... 483.3.1 Experimente und Inspirationen - Die Wurzeln Westlichen Obertongesang ... 483.3.2 Protagonisten des Westlichen Obertongesang ... 503.3.3 Techniken Westlichen Obertongesang ... 553.3.4 Kontextualisierungen und Stile Westlichen Obertongesang ... 573.3.5. Notation von Obertönen ... 613.3.6 Obertongesang im Kontext von Chormusik ... 684. Obertongesang im Kontext des New Age ... 714.1 New Age und romantischer Orientalismus – Obertongesang als Weg und Sinnbild ... 724.2 Heilung mit Obertönen ... 764.3 Gruppenimprovisationen mit westlichen Obertongesangstechniken ... 795. Zentralasiatischer Obertongesang in Mitteleuropa ... 825.1 Zentralasiatische Obertonsänger als Weltmusikstar ... 845.2 Zentralasiatische Obertonsänger als Lehrer in Europa ... 865.3 Bedeutung der zentralasiatischen Obertongesangsformen für den Westlichen Obertongesang ... 886. Westlicher Obertongesang – Schlussfolgernde Begriffsbestimmung ... 927. Anhang ... 957.1 Interviews und Transkriptionen ... 957.1.1 Interview mit Jan Stanek ... 957.1.2 Interview mit Bodo Maa ... 1037.1.3 Interview mit Matthias Privler ... 1067.1.4 Interview mit Goesta Peterson ... 1137.1.5 Interview mit Steffen Schreyer ... 1197.1.6 Ansprache des mongolischen Obertonsängers Hosoo bei einem Konzert ... 1227.1.7 Hosoo: „Kehlkopf-Gesangs-Workshop“ ... 1237.1.8 Wolfgang Saus: „Workshop – Grundlagenlehrgang Obertongesang“ ... 1347.1.9 Emailinterview mit Wolfgang Sau ... 1417.2 Glossar ... 1467.3 Quellenverzeichnis ... 1507.4 Liste der Tonbeispiele ... 1557.5 Liste der Abbildungen 1561. Fragestellung, Lösungsansatz und MethodikMit dem Begriff Obertongesang werden Singtechniken und musikalischen Stile bezeichnet, bei denen ein einzelner Sänger bzw. eine Sängerin scheinbar zwei- oder mehrstimmig singt.1 Bei verschiedenen Ethnien Zentralasiens stellen bestimmte Obertongesangsformen einen essenziellen Teil bestehender Musiktraditionen dar.2 In den letzten Jahrzehnten ist jedoch auch in musikalischen3 und esoterischen4 Kontexten westlicher Kulturen eine zunehmende Beschäftigung mit Obertongesang zu beobachten. Diese führt insbesondere in Mitteleuropa und den USA in breitem Umfang zu musiktheoretischen und musikpraktischen Entwicklungen. Hinsichtlich dieser Entwicklungen wird sowohl von westlichen als auch von zentralasiatischen Obertonsängern von Europäischem 5 oder Westlichem 6 Obertongesang gesprochen. Diese Begriffe werden verwendet, um die sich im Westen 7 entwickelnde Obertonmusik von den in Zentralasien gebräuchlichen Techniken und Stilen abzugrenzen, die seit den neunziger Jahren im Kontext von Weltmusik auch in den westlichen Kulturen Popularität erlangen. Aus Sicht der Vergleichenden Musikwissenschaft steht jedoch in Frage, ob eine solche Differenzierung sinnvoll ist. Der Aufklärung dieser Sachlage widmet sich die vorliegende Arbeit.Das Entstehen von dezidiert europäischen oder westlichen Formen des Obertonsingens in den letzten Jahrzehnten in Mitteleuropa wird von Obertonsängern erklärt als:a) Wiederbelebung einer alten, europäischen Obertongesangstradition,8b) Entwicklung einer neuen Gesangstechnik im Kontext okzidentaler Musik,9c) Herausbildung eines neuen Gesangstils, infolge der Verwendung von Obertongesang in einem spezifisch westlichen kulturellen Kontext.10Neben diesen Erklärungen ist jedoch zu erwägen, ob der Obertongesang, wie er in den westlichen Kulturen praktiziert wird, nicht anzusehen ist als:d) Übernahme außereuropäischer Singtechniken und Stile.Zuerst muss somit geklärt werden, ob es sich bei der gegenwärtigen Praxis von Obertongesang in den westlichen Kulturen um eine Entwicklung handelt, die sich auf musikalischer und/oder sozialer Ebene aus der abendländischen Kulturgeschichte ableitet. Ließe sich die unter a) aufgeführte Erklärung begründen, wäre es im Sinne einer wieder belebten Tradition gerechtfertigt, bezüglich der westlichen Obertonmusik von Europäischem Obertongesang zu sprechen. Andernfalls wäre diese Bezeichnung irreführend, da die gegenwärtigen musikalischen Entwicklungen in europäischen Ländern nicht abgesondert von denen anderer westlicher Kulturen, insbesondere den USA betrachtet werden können. Wenn also Erklärung b) oder Deutung c) begründet werden könnte, wäre es sinnvoll, von Westlichem Obertongesang zu sprechen. Diese Bezeichnung wäre dann durch Bezug auf eine besondere Gesangstechnik oder einen besonderen Gesangsstil zu definieren. Trifft hingegen Erwägung d) zu, ist es vom musikwissenschaftlichen Standpunkt unsinnig, von Westlichem Obertongesang zu sprechen, da entweder dieser Bezeichnung, in Referenz zu den zentralasiatischen Obertongesangsformen, keinerlei besondere Bedeutung zugewiesen werden könnte oder Unterschiede in der Praxis von Obertongesang nicht auf das typisch „Westliche“ daran zurückgeführt werden könnten. Stellt es sich als sinnvoll heraus, von Europäischem oder Westlichem Obertongesang zu sprechen, soll als Ergebnis der Arbeit eine Begriffsdefinition unternommen werden.Um eine Beschäftigung mit dem Thema zu ermöglichen, werden einführend die physikalischen und physiologischen Grundlagen des Obertongesangs erläutert. Darauf folgt eine Kurzvorstellung weltweiter Beispiele der musikalischen Verwendung von Obertongesang, damit die westlichen Entwicklungen mit diesen verglichen werden können. Eine Phänomenologie der Beschäftigung mit Obertongesang in den westlichen Kulturen schließt den einführenden Teil ab, um die Relevanz der Fragestellung zu umreißen.Der Hauptteil der Arbeit widmet sich der Geschichte des Obertongesangs in Europa. Darin werden die musikgeschichtlichen Entwicklungen chronologisch dargestellt, die zu den gegenwärtig bestehenden Obertongesangsformen in Mitteleuropa führen. Daran soll die Richtigkeit der Erklärungen a-c erörtert werden. Der sich auf die frühe europäische Musikgeschichte beziehende Teil soll insbesondere zur Überprüfung von Erklärung a) dienen.Die Bewertung der Erklärungen b) und c), und damit die Validität des Begriffes Westlicher Obertongesang hängt in besonderem Maße davon ab, ob die Entwicklung einer Obertongesangstechnik in den siebziger Jahren im Westen sich aus der „westlichen“ Musikgeschichte ableitet, d. h. als ein Resultat dieser gedeutet werden kann.Deshalb sollen im Weiteren wichtige Entwicklungen in der okzidentalen Kunstmusikgeschichte bezüglich ihres Einflusses auf den musikpraktischen Umgang mit Obertönen und ihres Beitrag für das Entstehen einer Obertongesangsform im Westen untersucht werden.Der geschichtliche Abriss der Herausbildung einer Obertonmusik im Westen während der letzten Jahrzehnte soll schließlich die Schlussfolgerung ermöglichen, ob der in Mitteleuropa praktizierte Obertongesang als von den zentralasiatischen Obertongesangsformen unabhängig betrachtet werden kann. Der darin gezogene Vergleich der in Europa verwendeten Techniken mit den in Zentralasien angewandten soll Erklärung b) verifizieren.Der Überprüfung von Erklärung c) dient zusätzlich der darauf folgende Abschnitt über Obertongesang im New Age. Schließlich soll unter Punkt 5. die Rolle der zentralasiatischen Obertongesangsformen für die Entwicklung der westlichen Obertonmusik und damit Erwägung d) näher untersucht werden.Das umrissene Vorhaben wird hauptsächlich mit Hilfe von Literatur und Internetrecherche sowie kurzen Feldforschungen realisiert werden. Als schriftliche Informationsquellen dienen fachliterarische Werke der Vergleichenden und Historischen Musikwissenschaft sowie Obertongesangslehrbücher westlicher Verfasser und Internetlexika. Um Erklärung c) zu überprüfen, soll die Arbeit auch die Bedeutung des Obertongesangs für die diese Technik Praktizierenden eruieren. Deshalb werden auch Internetseiten über Obertongesang sowie Werke populärwissenschaftlichen und esoterischen Inhalts zur Informationssammlung verwendet.Im Rahmen der Magisterarbeit führte der Autor zwei Feldforschungen in der Tschechischen Republik und Deutschland durch. Vom 20. 08. 2006 - 27. 08. 2006 nahm er an dem Projekt Europa Obertonchor sowie am Obertonatelier des Bohemia Cantat-Festivals in Liberec (CZ) teil. Die Ergebnisse dieses Forschungsaufenthalts aus teilnehmender Beobachtung, Teilnehmerbefragung und weiterführendem Kontakt via Email dienen der Informationssammlung. Die während der Forschung gesammelten Daten werden für die Darstellung des Entwicklungsstandes (August 2006) von Obertongesang in Mitteleuropa verwendet.Charakteristische Interviewaussagen und Informationen der Teilnehmer und Kursleiter werden an verschiedenen Stellen der Arbeit angeführt, um Ansichten europäischer Obertonsänger zu verdeutlichen und Interpretationen bestimmter Entwicklungen zu belegen. Vom 14. 09. 2006 - 17. 09. 2006 nahm der Autor an den 4. Internationalen Obertontagen – Lauschrausch VI in Dresden teil. In diesem Kontext besuchte er zwei Obertongesangseinführungskurse.Die Transkription dieser Einführungen eines westlichen und eines asiatischen Obertonsängers dienen der Darstellung des Verständnisses und der Weitergabe des Obertongesangs in der okzidentalen und der asiatischen Kultur.Tonaufzeichnungen beider Forschungsaufenthalte und andere Tonbeispiele sind der Arbeit auf einer CD beigefügt*, um bestimmte Aussagen zu verdeutlichen und Theoretisches zu belegen. Abbildungen des Programms Overtone Analyser und anderer Bildquellen werden innerhalb der Arbeit zur Veranschaulichung komplexer Inhalte verwendet.Der Autor lernte Obertongesang vor etwa 4 Jahren im Kontext einer Feldforschung über Mantra-Meditation kennen und bemüht sich seitdem um das Erlernen der Technik. Die eigenen Erfahrungen damit und die erarbeiteten grundlegenden Fähigkeiten fließen ebenfalls in die Arbeit ein.[...]1 Vgl. Pegg, Carole, Mongolian Conzeptualisations of Overtone Singing, in: British Journal of Ethnomusicology, Ausg. 1, British Forum for Ethnomusicology, 1992, S. 31-54, S. 31.2 Siehe Kapitel 2.2.3 Siehe Kapitel 2.3.4 Siehe Kapitel 4.5 Bezeichnung wurde nach Angaben Goesta Petersons (Siehe Interview mit Goesta Peterson, S. 114) auch von einer mongolischen Musikgruppe benutzt.6 Vgl. Saus, Wolfgang, Oberton singen, Traumzeit-Verlag, Schönau im Odenwald 2004, S. 64.7 „Westen“ wird im Rahmen der Arbeit als Synonym für westliche Kulturen verwendet.8 Vgl. Riccabona, Markus, www.oberton.at/53875098340a29103/53875098340cadb1a/index.html, besucht am 20.9.2006. Der Artikel erschien erstmals unter dem Titel: Viele Stimme aus einer Kehle, in: Kunstpunkt, Zeitschrift der Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst, Wien Juni 2000.9 Vgl. Saus, S. 66.10 Vgl. Berendt, Joachim-Ernst, Das dritte Ohr, Rowohlt, Hamburg 1985, S. 299.* Dies ist im Rahmen des Verlags der Arbeit als E-Book oder Buch durch GRIN nicht möglich. Desweiteren liegen die Rechte an bestimmten Aufnahmen nicht beim Autor. Die meisten Tonbeispiele sind jedoch als freie Samples im Internet verfügbar. Bitte entnehmen Sie die entsprechenden Lokalisierungsangaben der Liste der Tonbeispiele auf Seite 151.#http://www.grin.com/de/preview/83717.html

R.I.P.

Website : Au Coeur de la résonance - Articles and links on overtones

Posted by Tran Quang Hai on April 21, 2008 at 18:16

http://aucoeurdelaresonance.free.fr/Master dissertation on the Overtone Singing in French presented by Renaud Schmitt in 2002 at the Department of musicology, Strasbourg.Mémoire de maîtrise de Renaud Schmitt sur le chant diphonique (2002)Mémoire de maîtrise de Renaud Schmitt sous la direction de Jacques Viret soutenu à l’université Marc Bloch (Strasbourg), UFR Arts, Département de Musicologie, octobre 2002.Un autre travail de Renaud Schmitt.This is a M.A. Dissertation by Renaud Schmitt on "Overtone Singing" presented in October 2002, at Department of Musicology, University Marc Bloch, Strasbourg, FranceYou can read it by clicking the link above .

R.I.P.

Bernard DUBREUIL : How to Sing Three Notes at the Same Time

Posted by Tran Quang Hai on April 21, 2008 at 18:02

How to Sing Three Notes at the Same Timeby Bernard Dubreuil / June 1, 19971- Nomadic herders and Tibetan monksIn Mongolia, in the Republic of Touva, in certain monasteries of Tibet and among the Xhosa people of South Africa, one can hear an amazing vocal technique in which one singer can produce two stable notes at the same time while a third note varies on top. In other words, one person can sing in chords and can also provide a melody. The lowest note is so extremely low it sounds hoarse and raucous, stretching the limits of the human voice.In Touva and Mongolia the nomadic herders call it "Karguiraa" and they have been practicing it for over a thousand years. The monks of the monastery of Gy�t� call it "Yang" style and the monks in Drepung Loseling call it "Zu-Kay". The Xhosa women call it "Umngqokolo".In Touva, it is said that "Karguiraa" is an imitation of the female Bactrian camel calling out for a lost calf. Indeed, the similarity is striking. The Gy�t� monks have been practicing ��Yang�� style since around 1470 A.D. when Je Tsong Khapa founded the monastery. He was the originator of the style, said to have been inspired by female deities called Chadruma. It is not yet known when the Xhosa women started to sing ��Umngqokolo��.The reasons why the technique is used differ widely. The nomadic herders say it helps them kill time as they watch their flocks of sheep, yaks, reindeer and camels. They sing odes to the mountains, to the creeks, to the beauty of their land, to the many spirits surrounding them. For the Tibetan monks, it is a way to cleanse themselves and commune with their deities as they recite sacred texts. Xhosa women always sing in groups and tell simple stories: this person is stingy and will not share her home-made beer, that person is a thief, so the group leader criticizes her ways. Unmgqokolo is also used at initiation ceremonies, during rites of passage for boys and girls.2 - How do they do it?The vocal technique is based on a very precise control over the vocal resonators so as to amplify specific overtones. The vocal cords are used in a special way that allows them to vibrate at two different frequencies at the same time. Western voice specialists are often perplexed by this technique.In the Occidental tradition, singing is the production of a complex but unique periodic vibration. Overtones are amplified as a whole (not individually) depending on the requirements of the text and of the musical score.To analyze harmonic singing westerners must overcome culture shock and develop a theoretical framework. Western voice specialists were slow to accept that the human voice can produce two different fundamental tones at will.Our literature describes three modes of vibration for the vocal cords: glottal fry, modal singing (i.e. chest register) and falsetto. Chest and falsetto register are quite well known. Here is how Hirano and Bless describe glottal fry: ��In glottal fry (creaky voice) the closed phase is long relative to the entire period, and there are occasionally two open phases during one vibratory cycle. Vocal fry is associated with a very low fundamental frequency (approximately 30-75 Hz).�� When developing a classical singing voice, one goes through exercises meant to blend modal singing and falsetto. But the literature gives no detailed description of a mix between glottal fry and modal singing. Perhaps this is because such a vocal mix was never needed or prized in the West.3 - Combining glottal fry and modal singingIt is fairly easy to set the vocal cords into a mode of vibration which has characteristics of both modal singing and glottal fry. I call the result of this mix the grommelo mode. In this mode, two fundamental tones are always present and they are always one octave apart.When a singer sings in grommelo mode, one perceives the lowest note more than any other tone. It is natural to associate the lowest note with modal singing and to conclude that these singers can sing extremely low. In reality, the lowest note is always produced with glottal fry and only the second note, one octave above, is produced in modal singing. This explains how women and children (not just trained adult monks) can sing notes which seem extremely low for them. Because of this, even tenors can reach a B1, just as the monks do. All they have to do is use their glottal fry, not their modal singing voice, to reach it.Among the many different styles which can be sung in grommelo mode, the Gy�t� monks' style is the easiest to learn. It takes very little air. The larynx is lowered as much as possible. The lips are rounded and protruded. Relaxed (low adduction) vocal cords are necessary.As a result, one gets a chord of three different notes: 1) one fundamental tone at around 60 Hz, 2) a second fundamental tone, one octave above, at around 120 Hz, 3) one amplified overtone, stable at about 600 Hz. The amplification and selection of this overtone frequency is a result of the position of the lips. When the overall vocal posture is correct the identification of the elements in the chord is fairly straightforward.The Gy�t� monks sing a B2 with their normal voice, create a B1 with glottal fry and also resonate D#4, two octaves and a major fifth above B2.Many people have in fact discovered and practiced the mix between normal voice and glottal fry. Children, clowns, and artists use extended glottal fry or grommelo mode for fun and profit. They often do it unwittingly. In the soundtrack of Walt Disney�s Peter Pan, for example, one may remember how the Indian chief greets everybody with an ��How!�� which is pure extended glottal fry. In the East, the grommelo mode has long been at the core of a very rich vocal tradition. In the West, so far, it has mostly been used as a comic turn, but with the increasing popularity of world music this may soon change.Bernard Dubreuil studied Mongolian overtone singing with Tr�n Quang Hai in Paris. He also worked with Touvan artists Gennadi Tumat and Vladimir Mongush here in Montreal. Over the past ten years he has spent quite a bit of time singing, researching the subject or teaching it. Recently he created ��Caravane formation�� the company which runs his harmonic studio (tel 285-2050, fax 285-1139). Every Wednesday morning, 7:00 to 9:00, he hosts a radio show at 5 FM, Radio Centre Ville, 102,3 MHz. He will give a one-day workshop on overtone singing and Tibetan chant at Usine C Carbone 14 on Sunday June 8. To reserve, call Usine C Carbone 14 at 521-4198. With Club Aventure, in August, Bernard will guide a tour of Touva, meeting nomadic herders along the way.Discographie sommaire / DiscographyStyles tibétains / Tibetan Styles:- Style Zu-Kay : Sacred Tibetan Chants, Monks of the Drepung Loseling Monastery, Music and Arts programs of America, 1991, CD-736. Rinchen Chogayal, le ma�tre du choeur nous �tonne avec sa voix basse et ses harmoniques. Rinchen Chogayal, the choir master has an astoundingly deep voice.- Style Yang: The Gy�t� Monks, Tibetan tantric choir, Windham Hill, 1987 CD WD 2001. Un vieux classique! A precious classic!Style Kharguiraa:- Deep In The Heart of Touva, cowboy music from the wild east, Ellipsis Arts, 1996Plusieurs pièces en style Kharguiraa, dont une par un enfant de 11 ans et deux autres par un bluesman américain imitant les artistes de Touva avec une voix d'outre-tombe! Le livret d'accompagnement est une mine d'informations et de photos de Touva.There are several tracks in Kharguiraa style, among which one sung by an 11-year old child, and two by an American bluesman imitating his Touvan artist friends with his naturally grumbling voice. The CD comes with a book. A great buy.- Jagarlant Altai, Ethic Series, Pan Records, 1996. Une très belle anthologie, avec une jacquette d�taill�e et tr�s bien faite.Style Umngqokolo:- Afrique du Sud, Le chant des femmes Xhosa, The Ngqoko Women's Ensemble, VDE, CD 879, 1996.L'excellent livret du CD est �crit par le Prof. Dave Dargie, le "découvreur" de ces chanteuses. Les plages 1 et 4 sont des exemples frappants de style Umngqokolo et Unmgqokolo ngomqangi.Descriptions and explanations by Dave Dargie, the occidental field discoverer of the style, are very precise and fascinating. Tracks #1 and #4 are excellent examples of the style.

R.I.P.

MAKIGAMI Koichi : Vocalist, Improvizer, Songwriter, throat singer, JAPAN

Posted by Tran Quang Hai on April 15, 2008 at 23:00

MAKIGAMI Koichi

VOCALIST,IMPROVISER,SONGWRITER,ACTOR,DIRECTOR,PRODUCER Makigami Koichi is leader/vocalist/theremin/mouth harp player for rock band HIKASHU, known for his virtuosic vocal range and expression as well as his unique incorporation of elements of theatre, performance, and entertainment, all of which make this Japanese band so widely acclaimed both critically and popularly.
He is also active as voice improvisation artist and solo performer. In addition
to recordings with HIKASHU, Makigami released a solo album in 1992 of re-worked,
reinterpreted old Japanese popular songs, produced by John Zorn. Together with this recorded work, he has conducted a series of concerts under this project.

From 1993, Makigami has been acting as organiser and promptor for the monthly Tokyo session of John Zorn's game piece COBRA.

Makigami has worked and collaborated with a great many artists and musicians in a wide variety of areas and styles, such as Takahashi Yuji, John Zorn, Ikue Mori, Otomo Yoshihide, David Moss, Lauren Newton, Anthony Coleman,Umezu Kazutoki, Carl Stone, Jon Rose, Guy Klucevsek, and Derek Bailey. Ongoing projects include his aforementioned unique avant-pop based on old popular Japanese music, performance using interactive computer technology, voice improvisation, and various work as organiser and producer.

To contact Makigami Koichi:
Mail: click
17-14 Izumi,Atamishi,,413-0001,JAPAN
+81-465-63-0578tel +81-465-62-0427 fax

http://www.makigami.com/index-e.html

R.I.P.

EGSCHIGLEN (Contemporary and traditional music from Mongolia)

Posted by Tran Quang Hai on April 14, 2008 at 17:30

EGSCHIGLEN
(Contemporary and traditional music from Mongolia)

The band EGSCHIGLEN ("Beautiful melody") was founded in 1991 by master students of the conservatory of Ulaanbaatar. Still today 4 founding members are the heart of the group. From the very beginning, the musicians are focusing on contemporary music of Mongolia and searching systematically for the sound dimensions of this repertory with their traditional instruments and the central asian vocal technics.

The music of a country is formed by its landscape and the way of life of its people. Mongolia, in the heart of Asia, is a vast country, roughly five times the size of Germany. Endless graslands in the south envelope into the barren beauty of the Gobi desert. From the snow-covered Altai and Changaj mountains clear rivers run through forests and flatlands. A large part of the more than 2 million Mongolians still live as nomads to this very day, in harmony and rhythm with nature, and together with their "five jewels": horses, camels, cattle, sheep and goats. The music of the Mongolians breathes the freedom and power of the simple way of life close to the nature.

My friends of the group EGSCHIGLEN are musical ambassadors of their country. With their virtuoso, their musically transmit the harmony of their culture. The name EGSCHIGLEN stands for harmony or beautiful melody. Tume (Tumenbayar Migdorj) and Tumro (Tumursaihan Yanlav) sing and play the horse-head violin, morin khuur, a string instrument with two strings made of horse hair, played like a cello. Ugan (Uuganbaatar Tsend-Ochir) bows and plucks the mogolian bass, ih huur. The solo vocalist Amra (Amartuwshin Baasandorj) sings in khomii style and accompanies himself on the swan throat lute tobshuur. Khomii is a special throat singing in which the overtones are modulated while singing the base melody. Sara (Sarangel Tserevsamba) is an expert at the dulcimer, joochin and the female voice of the band. Boogi (Wandansenge Batbold) is her virtuoso equal on asian percussion and 2nd solo singer. The artistic movement of the dancer Ariunaa, who accompanies the group at their concerts, is unfortunately lost in the sound recordings, but you could enjoy it live performances!

The music of EGSCHIGLEN impresses by virtue of its variety and gracefulness. They interpret both traditional songs and the work of contemporary Mongolian composers with their fine-tuned arrangements. Their pieces often have chamber-music quality and transparency - and then again the orginal enchanting power of folk traditions. You can almost hear the sound of the hoofs by the smal and tough Mongolian horses - Genghis Khan founded the world's greatest empire of all times on their backs. And then again the music takes us to the clear silence of the Gobi desert, where only the wind sings in the dunes.

On one hand Mongolian sounds seems strange and mysterious to Western ears. Especially the khoomii chants leave you speachless. Can you believe that one voice can produce such low and high sounds at the same time? (Yes, it is possible!) On the other hand the music sounds familiar, by expressing basic human feelings: love, sorrow and thankfulness. The musicians of EGSCHIGLEN take us to the fascinating culture of their far-away home, at the same time showing us that beyond all cultural differences there is a common element of human existance."

Dr. Ludwig Frambach

VIDEO Egschiglen (Mongolia) at Tam Tam Festival 2006

The musicians

Migdorj Tumenbajar 1st morin khuur, vocals
Yanlav Tumursaihan 2nd morin khuur, vocals
Amartuwshin Baasandorj solo overtone vocals (khoomii), tobshuur
Wandansenge Batbold asian percussion, 2nd solo vocals
Uuganbaatar Tsend-Ochir bass
Sarangerel Tserevsamba joochin, vocals
Ariunaa Tserendavaa dance
Taivan Chimeddoo introduction

Dicography

EGSCHIGLEN Gobi
Heaven and Earth, 1997
CD HE 4
License to:
Robi Droli, 1998 - CD FY 8005

EGSCHIGLEN Traditionelle mongolische Lieder
Heaven and Earth, 1996
CD HE 1

Marc Hirte Second Nature
Hammer Musik, 1996
Songs: Lobpreisung an die Dunjin Garav
Bridge to the heart

Oliver Shanti & Friends Tai Chi Too - Himalaya, Magic and Spirit
Sattva Music, 1996
Songs: My Timeless Cosmic Friend
Luohan Amitabha's Hands
Spring in Lhasa
Autumn in Beijing
Oliver Shanti & Friends Well Balanced

Sattva Music, 1995

V.A. La Notte di San Lorenzo
ARCI Milano, 1997
Songs: Manduul Khan
Aufgehende Sonne

V.A. Celtic Cercles
Avalon/ Gruppo Futura, 1998
Song: Chingis Haani Magtaal

V.A. Chanting Globe
PolyGram, 1998 - Nr. 565396-2
Song: Chingis Haani Magtaal

V.A. Choirs of the World
ARC Music, 1999
Song: Ode an den Berg Dunjing Garav

V.A. Sacred Music
ARC Music, 1999
Song: Chingis Haani Magtaal
EGSCHIGLEN Egschiglen - Musik aus der Mongolei
ARC Music, 2001
EGSCHIGLEN Zazal

Heaven and Earth, 2001- Nr. CD HE 10

Biography

1991 - 1994 Festivals in Corea, Russia, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Hongary, Italy, Roumania and Germany
1995 Tour with concerts in the following festivals:
Muschelsalat Hagen, Köln-Sommer Festival, Theater Kiel, Theater
Ingolstadt, Theater Bernburg, Siegburger Sommerfestival (BRD),
Buskers Festival Neuchatel (Switzerland), IOV Festival Carrara (Italy),
Leeuwarden, Nijmegen, Emmen (NL)

1996 Tour with concert in the following festivals:
Landesgartenschau Böblingen, Sommerfestivals in Limburg, Detmold, Bonn,
Festival im Küchengarten Gera (BRD), Buskers Festival Neuchatel
(Switzerland), Buskers Festival Ferrara, IOV Festival Carrara (Italy)
radio recording for Radio Bremen

1997 Tour with concert in the following festivals:
Kulturdrom Mistelbach (Austria), Festival Mediterraneo Genova, La Notte di
San Lorenzo Milano, Time Zones Festival Bari, modern opera "Ghengis Khan" as co-production with Compagnia Pneumatica (Italy), Verdens Kultur Festivalen Arhus (Denmark), radio recording by WDR, Radio Bremen, Bayrischer Rundfunk

1998 Tour with concert in the following festivals:
Duisburger Akzente, Weltmusikfestival Kassel, Microfestival Dortmund, UN-
ART Festival Recklinghausen, Kemnade International Bochum, Rossini in
Wildbad, tour for Radio RPR through 9 cities in Rheinland-Pfalz (BRD),
Cantigas do Mayo Lissabon (P), Forde Festival (N) and tour in Italy with
more than 25 performances

1999 Tour with concerts in the following festivals:
Weltmusik Festival Frankfurt (BRD), Tag der Musik Eupen (B), Festival der
Kulturen auf der Kulturinsel Einsiedel (BRD), Perleberg Festival für Folk,
Lied und Weltmusik (BRD), mongolian week in Bourgtheroulde (F), Mongolia
Festival Torino (I) and many other concerts in Austria, Netherlands,
Germany, Italy and Switzerland

2000 Tour with concerts in the following festivals:
Expo 2000 Hannover, WOMAD Festival, Tag der Gewerkschaften,
Thementag Weltenwandern (BRD), WOMAD Festival Reading (UK), Mystic
Music Festival Istanbul (TR),
Tour in Norway with 14 concerts all over the country and many other concerts in Sweden, Italy, Switzerland and Spain

R.I.P.

Roberto LANERI, biography, ITALY

Posted by Tran Quang Hai on April 14, 2008 at 6:30

Roberto LANERI, biography

Studies e Background:Philosophy studies: University of RomeDiploma (clarinet): S. Cecilia Conservatory, RomeB.A. in performance, M.A. in composition: State University of New Yok at Buffalo (SUNYAB)Ph.D. in composition: University of California, San Diego (UCSD)

Teachers:Lejaren Hiller, Charlie Mingus, William O. Smith, John Silber and Keith Humble have left the most durable influences.

Early professional experiencesJazz and free music. Plays with Bruno Tommaso, Giancarlo Schiaffini. Mario Schiano, Marcello Melis, Franco Tonani in various groups and festivals ('65'68).Plays with Frederic Rzewski, Berlin Metamusik Festival ('72).In the U.S.Founder of the JAZZ IN PROGRESS ORCHESTRA.Creative Associate with the Center for the Creative e Performing Arts (a contemporary music group of highly selected young instrumentalists directed byLucas Foss and Lejaren Hiller.Season: Evenings for New Music ('70-'72), N.Y.C. Carnegie Recital Hall and all of N.Y. State.Member of SEM Ensemble, directed by Peter Kotick. Various European tours (first performances of John Cage's SONGBOOKS, Köln and Berlin, for the composer's 60h birthday, '71-'72).

Composer in residence for the Company of Man, directed by Graham Smith and Cristyne Lawson, realizes the soundtrack for Black Ivory, a ballet inspired by Genet commissioned by the Albright-Knox Art Gallery for its 10th anniversary).Plays in the Monday Evening Concerts, Los Angeles ('72).
Premieres several works by contemporary composers. (Sonata Quasi una Fantasia, written for him by George Perle).Compositions published by Media Press (Entropic Islands, L'Arte del Violino) and Seesaw Corporation (Esorcismi no.1).In '72 begins working on extra-european musical cultures and vocal techniques. Founding member of EVT (Extended Vocal Techniques) connected with the Center for Music Experiment at UCSD.

In '73 founds PRIMA MATERIA (see VOICE, OVERTONE SINGING), a vocal improvisation group which uses vocal techniques from Central Asia and Tibet in long sessions of great fascination and intensity. The group's debut takes place at the Autunno Musicale (Como), and for 7 years participates at prestigious festivals and events all over Europe, with great public and critical success.At the same time starts lecturing, writing articles and giving workshops on overtone singing.Since then appears in solo recitals and a variety of musical situations, most often playing his own music. Appearances in various national TV television, among which "Alla ricerca dell'Arca" and "Maurizio Costanzo Show".

1993: initiator and music director of the project I POTERI DEL SUONO (Volterra-Teatro festival):A small but exquisite festival with lectures and performances by Peter Michael Hamel, Jacques Dudon, Jean During, Tran Quang Hai, Walter Branchi, Stefano Scodanibbio, Manfred Kage, Christian Bollmann, Michael Reimann and Roberto Laneri himself who, between puns and besides giving a magnificent concert for voice and tape, every morning has held a widely attended workshop on overtone singing. (...) At last, Roberto Laneri's concert, a high point of the Volterra days.(Deep Listenings no.2, Fall 1993)

1994: ORIGINI (Orvieto, Palazzo del Popolo).(...) In the end, Roberto Laneri in top form: 2 compositions for solo voice (...)to show how far this great artist has reached.(Deep Listenings no.2, Fall 1993)1st Prize Winner, composition competition "Quattro passi nel delirio", Rumori Mediterranei Festival, Roccella Jonica.

1995-97: initiator and artistic director of I POTERI DEL SUONO, a festival realized in Orvieto with EC's contribution.Other interesting activities, such as I POTERI DEL SUONO, an unusual festival in today's scene, centered both around cultural-ethnic-musical multiplicity and vocal usages and research.(Oltre il Silenzio, December 1995)

In 1999 founds another vocal group, currently active: IN FORMA DI CRISTALLI.2002: writes the music David Riondino's recital "La signorina Felicita" (premiere: 03.13.02, Teatro degli Illuminati, Città di Castello), and is elected "creative member" of the Budapest Club, the organization for planetary consciousness founded by Ervin Laszlo.Attends the workshop in traditional didjeridoo techniques led by Djalu Gurruwivi at Eisembachcollaborates with visual artist Massimo Luccioli in the realization of the multimedia work “Armonie, elaborazioni sonore nel segno” (premiere: Rome, Museo d’arte contemporanea, università La Sapienza, 23.11.2002).

2003: collaborates with Peter Pannke in the soundtrack of Itinerarium Kircherianum, a multimedia work dedicated to Athanasius Kircher, prizewinner at the WDR, Köln, international competion (premiere: 05.17.03, Detmold, Kite-Museum)6.01.03, Theo Otto Theater, Remscheid: German premiere of “Clinamen”, a contemporary dance work with the Moto Armonico company, Betty Lo Sciuto, director2004: 2.14-15: 2 concerts at the Tirana Congress Palace, premiering “Ja ku jam”, Ardit Gjebrea's latest CD5.23.04, “Maestri” by Beppe Sebaste, an hour-long interview on Italian national Radio7.18.04, Anagni, cloister of the Cathedral, Festival of Medieval and Renaissance Theater, concert with the overtone singing group In Forma di Cristalli6.21-24, Bari University, psychology department: workshop on synaesthesia, sound and movement, with Betty Lo Sciuto11..07.04, Berlin, Back-Fabrik: "Armonie, elaborazioni sonore nel segno"During the first part of 2005 collaborates with poet Grazia Debé to a CD/DVD of poetry (Uroboros, published by Manni) set to music with Carolina Gentile, voice.September 9-10-11 2005Participates in CONTEMPO, A contemporary composer at Montefalco - 1st Edition, Terry Riley, with the group In forma di cristalli and plays in the opening concert.Festival Scelsi ,Rome, Goethe Institut, dec.10 2005."Musica in forma di cristalli"vocal-harmonic itinerary on texts by Giacinto Scelsi, fromIl sogno 10, II parte: il Ritorno with the vocal ensemble "In forma di cristalli" with Ilaria Drago narrating voice.Rome, Tevere Eterno, 6.21.06Premiere of "Flumen", an open book of patterns for any number of vocal groups, coordinated by the author; solo voice in "Molto presto di mattina", 4 arias from darkness to light, by Walter Branchi.

http://www.robertolaneri.net/

R.I.P.

HUUN HUUR TU, artist biographies, TUVA

Posted by Tran Quang Hai on April 14, 2008 at 6:00

Huun-Huur-Tu

Artist Biographies

Kaigal-ool Khovalyg

An extremely talented, self-taught overtone singer, Khovalyg worked as a shepherd until the age of 21, when he was invited to join the Tuvan State Ensemble. He settled in Kyzyl and started teaching throat singing and igil. A co-founder of Huun-Huur-Tu, he left the State Ensemble in 1993 to devote his attention to the newly formed quartet. He has performed and recorded with the Tuva Ensemble, Vershki da Koreshki, the World Groove Band and the Volkov Trio. Covering a range from tenor to bass, Khovalyg is particularly known for his unique rendition of the khöömei and kargyraa singing styles.

Sayan Bapa

Sayan Bapa, child of a Tuvan father and Russian mother, grew up in the industrial town Ak-Dovurak. He received his musical training in Kislovodsk, Northern Caucasus, where he played fretless bass in a Russian jazz-rock band for several years. In the early 1990s he returned to Tuva to study his roots, and became a member of a folk-rock band, performing traditional Tuvan music on electric instruments. A co-founder of Huun-Huur-Tu, Bapa is a versatile string instrumentalist, and performs on the doshpuluur, igil and acoustic guitar. As a vocalist he is currently specializing in the kargyraa style.

Radik Tolouche (Tiuliush)

Radik was born in the Ovur area of The Republic of Tuva, near the border with Mongolia. He has been interested in studying and performing folk music since childhood, and he learned throat-singing from his grand-dad. While Radik was still in secondary school, his family moved to Kyzyl. After receiving his high school diploma, he started studying medicine. Upon graduation he worked at the Centre of Folk Medicine in Kyzyl. He later graduated from the Chyrgal-ool Arts School (Kyzyl), where he had been studying igil. He participated in various Tuvan rock and folk collectives. Radik currently teaches igil at the Kerndenbilija Arts School of The Republic of Tuva. He joined Huun-Huur-Tu in 2005.

Alexei Saryglar

Alexei Saryglar joined the ensemble in 1995 to replace Alexander Bapa. He completed his musical training in Ulan Ude as a percussionist for classical and popular music, and became a member of the large Russian state ensemble 'Siberian Souvenir'. A multi-talented performer, Saryglar makes his mark as a sygyt singer, and his expertise with traditional Tuvan percussion and string instruments naturally extends into the art of piano playing. Like the other members of the ensemble, he resides in Kyzyl when not on tour.

R.I.P.

Bruno DESCHENES: Inuit Throat Singing

Posted by Tran Quang Hai on April 14, 2008 at 5:30

Inuit Throat-Singing

Introduction
For those who know about throat-singing, the expression commonly refers to a type of singing mainly used in Tibet, Mongolia, Tuva (situated North-West of Mongolia) and surrounding regions. This particular type of singing differs from normal singing in that a singer can produce two or more notes simultaneously or unusual textures/timbres through special vocalization and resonance of the throat. Throat-singing is found as well in other parts of the world. For example, among the Xosa of South Africa, as well as among few other Siberian peoples, such as the Chukchi from the far north of Russia or the Ainu of Northern Japan.

One other place where throat-sing has been an important cultural heritage for quite a long time is among the Inuit of North America. They developed a particular type of throat-singing that is different from its Mongolian and Tuvan counterparts, one that do not produce these extra notes. [Two short sound clips will be added to this article in the near future - Ed.] Interestingly, a few East Siberian peoples have also developed a throat-singing more akin to the Inuit type than the Mongolian one (more specifically, the Ainu of Northern Japan).

In the following article, I would like to introduce you to the Inuit throat-singing. A few CDs have been released (specially by the French labels Auvidis and Ocora, and few other Canadian labels), and a small number of papers (ethnomusicological or otherwise) have been published on the subject; yet the Inuit throat-singing remains almost totally unknown. I will first briefly introduce the Inuit, who they are, where and how they live. This will be followed by a presentation of their throat-singing, relying on the ethnomusicological literature and the scholarly understanding of it. I will end with an interview with a wonderful young Inuit throat-singer from the north of the province Quebec, who is dedicated to promote and make this particular type of throat-singing known to the world.
The Inuit
The Inuit live in the most northerly parts of North America, from Alaska all the way to Greenland. Some are also found in the Chukotsk Peninsula in northeast Siberia. It is believed that the Inuit are of Mongolian origin. It has been suggested that they crossed over through the Bering straight somewhere around 12,000 years ago, after the last ice age, and that they dispersed all over the barren frozen lands of North America. It is estimated that the Inuit population in this vast area is somewhere around 100,000 people.

They are still known by the name of Eskimos, which was the name given to them by the Algonquin American Indian people. The term means eaters of raw flesh. The Algonquin occupied most of Canada, right south of the region occupied by the Inuit. Today, they ask to be called the Inuit, the plural form of the word inuk, which means person in their language, which is called the inuktituk. They have developed their own distinctive way of life and their own culture, living almost exclusively by fishing and hunting.

Their first official contact with the Western world took place in the middle of the 18th century, and regular and enforced contacts from the beginning of the 20th century. These contacts with Western civilization had, like in all other cultures around the world, major influences; in particular through Christianization. They unfortunately lost a large part of their customs and way of life because of Western civilization's inforced encroachment. Today, no one follows the traditional life of living in igloos; and much of Inuit traditions can only be found in museums. In April 2000, after years of negotiations, the territory of Nunavut was officially created, which gives to the Inuit and other native peoples a relative right of self-government, though not an independent or self-reliant one. Their new territory covers about half of the Northwest Territory.

Inuit Throat-Singing
In the vast Inuit Artic land we find two types of singing: regular songs, generally accompanied by hand drums and dancing; and throat-singing, generally done by two women facing each other (and nowadays by a few men, too). Some ethnomusicologists have been suggesting that by being able to maintain their language, the inuktituk, this has also helped the Inuit maintaining that particular tradition; although in many regions, throat-singing was forbidden by Christian priests for many decades. The religious ban has now been lifted, and it has been resurfacing in the last 20 to 30 years.

The main regions where throat-singing is found in northern Canada are in North of the province of Quebec - where it is called katajjaq, on Baffin island - called pirkusirtuk, and in Nunavut - called nipaquhiit (Nattiez, 1983). In Alaska, throat-singing has completely disappeared while the Inuit of Greenland never developed it. Following the growing interest in this type of singing, there appear to be other communities all around Canada that are bringing it back. In September 2001, there was, for the first time, a Throat Singing Conference, which took place in Puvernituk, Nunavut, where one could hear different types of throat-singing from different regions of Canada.

There was a similar type of throat-singing to be found among the Ainu of the island of Hokkaido in the north of Japan, though with some differences. Called the rekkukara, it has unfortunately completely disappeared. The last person to sing it died in 1976. What remains are only recordings done by NHK, Japan's national television, in the 1960s and '70s (Nattiez, 1983).

Inuit throat-singing is not singing per se. Ethnomusicologists suggest that it should be viewed as vocal games or breathing games more than anything else. Traditionally, they are considered 'games in which one makes noises', as the Inuit would say. Because of the way they use the voice, the throat, deep breathy sounds, rhythms, as well as its similarity to Mongolian and Tuvan throat-singing, it is now called throat-singing. It appears that the main reason why ethnomusicologists suggest to call them vocal games is that they do not use only the throat, they also use regular voice. Traditionally, they are games the women employed during the long winter nights to entertain the children, while the men are away hunting (sometimes for up to a month or more). As already mentioned, they are generally done by two persons, but sometimes we can find four or more performers singing together.

Inuit throat-singing is done the following way: two women face each other; they may be standing or crouching down; one is leading, while the other responds; the leader produces a short rhythmic motif, that she repeats with a short silent gap in-between, while the other is rhythmically filling in the gaps. The game is such that both singers try to show their vocal abilities in competition, by exchanging these vocal motives. The first to run out of breath or be unable to maintain the pace of the other singer will start to laugh or simply stop and will thus loose the game. It generally last between one and three minutes. The winner is the singer who beats the largest number of people.

Originally, the lips of the two women were almost touching, each one using the other's mouth cavity as a resonatorIn the Ainu rekkukara, both partners cover their mouth with their hands which touch each other. In this way, the hands were creating a kind of resonance box for the sounds. (Nattiez, 1983, shows a picture of two Ainu women in rekkukara position.)1 . Today, most singers stand straight, facing one another and holding each other's arms. Sometimes they will do some kind dance movements while singing (e.g., balancing from right to left). The sounds used include voiced sounds as well as unvoiced ones, both through inhalation or exhalation. Because of this, singers develop a breathing technique, somewhat comparable to circular breathing used by some players of wind instruments. In this way, they can go on for hours.

Words and meaningless syllables are used in the songs. When words are used, no particular poetical meaning or regular meaning are assigned to them. These words can simply be names of ancestors, a word or name meaningful at the time the games are taking place, or other common words. The meaningless syllables generally portray sounds of nature or cries of animals or birds, or sounds of everyday life. These songs are generally identified by the first word, meaningful or not, of the game. In some regions, throat-songs may recount a story of some sort, though in Northern Quebec no stories are recounted, and may even include some improvisation.

An Interview with Evie Mark
Evie Mark, left, and Sarah BeaulneFor the past 10 years or so, there has been a revival of throat-singing among the Inuit, following a ban by priests for almost 100 years. The interesting thing is that this revival is catching on as much among the younger generations as among the elders trying to bring back this old tradition. There appears to be a need among the Inuit to express themselves through a tradition that is theirs and that expresses who they are.

I had the chance to meet with a 26 years old young Inuit throat-singer living in Montreal, but whose native village is situated right up in the north-west tip of the province of Quebec. She is sharing her personal experience of Inuit throat-singing and what it means for her and her people.

My first question was one that so many people ask and to which she does not have much of an answer. What is the history of Inuit throat-singing?

EM: A lot of non-Inuit people have asked the history of throat-singing, and have asked elders to find out where the throat-singing came from. Our elders always say it came from the Inuit people, way before I was born, and that is the only information that they can provide. I've heard this question so many times and I can never answer it, except that it's very old. We've never had a written history; we have an oral history. All this information has never been written down, except passed on orally from one generation to the next. I do know that it is extremely old. Older than my grandmother, older than my great-grandmother, older than my great-great-grandmother. Because that's what my grandparents have told me, and that's what elders have told reporters and television people. I also heard before from the elders, so I will just repeat what the elders have said, that men used to throat-sing, too.

How would you describe throat-singing?

EM: Throat-singing is a form of art, in a sense. We don't have a word in Inuktituk for art, but it is an art in a sense because that it is a way of socializing, a way of getting together. For one very typical example is when the husbands would go on hunting trips. The women would gather together when they have nothing to do, no more sewing to do, no more cleaning to do, they would just have fun, and one of the ways of entertaining themselves is throat-singing.

It goes like this. Two women face each other very closely, and they would throat sing like this If I would be with my partner right now, I would say A, she would say A, I would say A, she would say A, I say C, she says C. So she repeats after me. It would be a sort of rolling of sounds. And, once that happens, you create a rhythm. And the only way the rhythm would be broken is when one of the two women starts laughing or if one of them stops because she is tired. It's a kind of game. We always say the first person to laugh or the first person to stop is the one to loose. It's nothing serious. Throat singing is way of having fun. That's the general idea, it's to have fun during gatherings. It is also a way to prove to your friends around you or your family that if you are a good throat-singer, you're gonna win the game.

Throat-singing is a very accurate technique in a sense that when you are singing fast, the person who is following the leader has to go in every little gap the leader leaves for her to fill in. For instance, if I was to say 1 + 1 + 1 + 1, the ones being what I sing and the pluses the gaps, she would go in-between the ones, singing on the pluses. Then, if I change my rhythm, this woman has to follow that change of rhythm and fill in the gaps of that new rhythm. She has to be very accurate. She has to have a very good ear and she has to follow visually what I am doing.

Throat singing is not exactly easy on your diaphragm. You are using a lot of your muscles in your diaphragm for breathing in and breathing out. I have to find a space between sounds to breath in in order for me to throat-sing for 20 minutes or more. 20 minutes has been my maximum length of time to throat-sing. You have to focus on your lungs or your diaphragm. If you throat-sing using mainly breathing, you are gonna hyperventilate, you're gonna get dizzy and damage your throat.

When did you start to learn to throat-sing?

EM: I started throat singing when I was maybe 11 years old. I was raised by my grand-father and my grand-mother, my Inuk side, all my life. I was always different from my friends because I was half white, half Inuk. My father is white and my mother is Inuk. I was always picked on; "you little white person, you're so clumsy, you're not as good as us", stuff like that from my friends. I wanted to prove to the society that I was as much Inuk as they were. I needed to find a way to prove to them that I was good, as good as them. I worked so hard at learning the Inuktituk language to prove to them that I was as Inuk as them. But it was never good enough.

There were a lot of elders who would throat-sing. It would amaze me. How could these two old women create such unique kind of, like out of the world type, of sound? How could they create such spiritual sound? How can they do that? I wanna learn to; so it became one of my goals, as a young girl. And one day my Inuktituk teacher in school, a language teacher, was talking about throat-singing. I was very scared to ask her if she could teach me, but I decided to ask anyway. I went up to her and I said could you teach me how to throat-sing? She said "No problem, come over any time." Right after school, me and my best friend went to her house and she was surprised to see us. She thought we would go there in a month or a in week, but surely not right after school. And she taught us a very well-known song. For the longest time, I kept practicing it on my own and I get an itchy throat or I would start coughing. It was difficult. I couldn't really comprehend what she was trying to teach me. I kept trying to imitate her and I kept trying to sing like her but it never came out like her.

And then one day, it just clicked. It is as if it was like a fishing hook, it's hooked. It's hard to undo and not break it. So, that's what it did, it just clicked. It's as if I was like a fish and I was caught by the fishing hook, and it couldn't come out anymore. It's just came. It's as if it was in my blood. I found what I was searching for. It was there all along. But then, for a long period of time, I didn't practice. Maybe 10 years later, I started singing again and I discovered that didn't loose it. It was still within me. I couldn't undo it anymore from the day I learned it. And the only thing I had to work on was perfecting it. And the more I throat-sing, the more people got interested. It was evolving, developing really fast. I throat-sing for the first time in a public place at a multicultural week. And from there my profession just started evolving. And that's how I got into it.

The lady who taught me died from cancer when I was 18 and that was about the time I started performing as well. And it was kind of weird for me. If it hadn't been for her, I don't think I would have seen the French culture, the British culture, the Danish culture. Because of that lady I've been able to travel a lot around the world, even to Greenland to share my throat-singing. They don't throat sing in Greenland. They have different ways. They do a lot of drumming, and they do a lot of spiritual sessions. Even though it is a very similar culture, people in Greenland don't throat-sing anymore. I don't know when they lost it.

Do you always throat-sing with the same person?

EM: I throat-sing with a few people, but generally it is with Sarah Beaulne (see photo above). Also, it is easier when both singers know each other. There is always a period of adjustment to go through if you want to have a good performance with someone.

You mentioned me earlier that not so long ago there was an Inuit throat-singing festival.

EM: Yes. It was in September 2001 in Puvernituk in Nunavik. It was the first Throat-Singing Conference that ever happened on Inuit throat-singing. It was very successful. There were throat-singers from all ages, young people to the elders. There was a lot of exchanges between everyone. A lot of the elders were able to tell the younger singers "Don't add contemporary music to throat-singing." The youth replied "No we've got to follow the change of life, while keeping our traditional throat singing." The elders were much encouraged and pleased because young people showed that they wanted to learn from them and they were encouraged to keep going. So, there was a lot of good communications.

What was the most fascinating for me was that we heard different throat-singing techniques from different parts of Canada. It was amazing for me. Some people were singing as if they were whispering. To me, this singing was like a great boom, a great spirit that was whispering with a very strong voice, even though it sounded like whispering. I was completely mesmerized.

Tell me more of your experience of the conference?

EM: When I was there, I decided to analyze what was happening around me, rather than being part of the meeting. There was so many throat-singers all around Canada, female singers and there was maybe two or three men singers. They were even a bit shy to make mistakes. Some of them were scared to try because they would not be as good as the other throat singers. Teenagers were listening to the elders and their way of singing. I was a little bit scared too; what if I'm not a good throat-singer, what if I'm not as good as they want me to be? So I was very hesitant to try to do it with them.

Generally, how do young Inuit people respond to your traditions? As you know, in many places all around the world, because of Westernization, young people loose interest in their traditions and get much more interested in Western paraphernalia, most of the times at great costs for traditions. How is it with your people?

EM: Inuit people have lost so much in a very little time. What we lost, we really lost it. We lost it to religion, we lost it to development, we lost to settling down the Western way. And the youth like me never saw those changes, but my grandmother saw those changes, my mother saw those changes. I was already born when those changes were already there, so for me it was normal. What is pretty sad is that they also lost a lot of things that we don't know about. But throat-singing is such a strong tradition that it probably didn't want to die. It's probably not us who brought it to life again. I think it was so strong that it didn't want to die. So, I think it is coming back to us. We are not going back to it. It don't think it ever left us, I think we left it. And since it's so unique, so strong, it never died.

Young people are very interested in it because we are sort of going, to me, through an identity crisis. I'm going through an identity crisis. I don't really know who I am in a sense. In the North, physically, you have so much space to move around, but your mind has very little space. In the south, you have very little space to move around physically, but your mind has so much space. Because you live in the north and it's so tight, the way of thinking is one way. The kids see, specially through television, that there is not just one way, there is so many ways to live life. That situation brings a lot of crisis to the youth, which is the reason why we have the highest suicide rate in Canada. So, when they are introduced to something that will make their characters stronger, they go for it, like throat-singing. They grab it, they're hungry for it. And I guess I can say I was one of them. It's like craving for something that will make your identity stronger. It brought my attention to who I am, to my identity, to my culture.

When there is a change, there is always a stir; there is always an impact from that change. So, the impact we're going through right now is horrendous. We have diabetes, cancer, suicide, abuse. This is the impact of all the changes that were brought about by religion, food, sugar ... And it was brought to us in so very little time, and a lot of it was forced upon my grandparents.

And there is a thing called freedom of speech, freedom of voice, whatever; but they didn't have no such freedom. Our people were told that shamanism was bad and it was devil's work. They were treated as if they were savages. They lost so much, and not by choice. To me, I have a choice now because I grew up at a time when choice was around me. I was told I have a choice, I have a life. So, it was natural for me to always fight back with my voice. And, I was taught to always stand up for myself in the white society and through my grandmother's way of upbringing. For my grandmother to speak against a white person would not have been acceptable - not against - but to stand up for herself.

Does this mean that throat-singing is for you your way to stand up and speak your mind?

EM: For me, it's about identity, it's about who you are, where your environment is. Throat-singing is strengthening my identity. The same thing with the youth. Even though I was raised by my grand-parents, like a pure Inuk, some people in my community put me down because I was half white. I wanted to prove them wrong. Now I realized I did not have anybody to prove to. But then, when you're 9 years old, 10 years old, when you are being put down, it's easy to believe in them.

It seems that this fight to express your identity through your throat-singing goes much further than your own people?

EM: Although I am half white, I consider myself a true Inuk. But my white background allows me to share my culture to non-Inuit societies, like very English societies, French societies. I am able to say we are Inuit people, I am an Inuk person, this is where we come from. So I am able to share knowledge; I am able to say this is who we are. I have performed in many countries all over the world, in so many different places, hundred of schools, different stages, in Montreal, all across Canada, Greenland, England, Denmark, and other places.

I hope you will continue sharing that voice of yours, that singing, and that identity which they have helped you realise.
Suggested CDs of Inuit Throat-Singing

1. Canada- Jeux vocaux des Inuit, Ocora, 1989, C559071.
2. Canada Chants et jeux des Inuit, Auvidis/Unesco, 1976/1991, D8032.
3. Musique des Inuit, La tradition des Eskimos du Cuivre, Auvidis/Unesco, 1983/1994, D 8053.

References

* Bruno Deschênes. Throat Singing, site The All Music Guide (www.allmusic.com), http//www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=J346
* Jean-François Le Mouël. Canada. Music of the Inuit, The Copper Eskimo Tradition. CD notes. Auvidis/Unesco, 1983/1994, D 8053.
* Jean-Jacques Nattiez. The Rekkukara of the Ainu (Japan) and the Katajjaq of the Inuit (Canada) A Comparison. Le monde de la musique, Vol. 25, No. 2, 1983. Pp. 33-42.
* Jean-Jacques Nattiez. Jeux vocaux des Inuit (Inuit du Caribou, Netsilik et Igloolik). CD notes. Ocora, 1989, C559071.
* N Tsukw et Robert Vachon. Nations autochtones en Amérique du Nord. Montréal Fides, 1983.
* Erin Riley. Throat Singers Delight and Astound. The Yukon News, Monday, June 4, 2001. P. 10.
* Nicholas Wood. Face to Face. Sacred Hoop, Issue 30, 2000. Pp. 30-32.

Footnote
[1] In the Ainu rekkukara, both partners cover their mouth with their hands which touch each other. In this way, the hands were creating a kind of resonance box for the sounds. (Nattiez, 1983, shows a picture of two Ainu women in rekkukara position.)

Bruno Deschênes - 1.3.02
http://www.mustrad.org.uk/articles/inuit.htm

R.I.P.

Kongar-ol Ondar, biography, Tuvan throat singer

Posted by Tran Quang Hai on April 14, 2008 at 5:30

Kongar-ol Ondar

Ondar

Ondar was born in 1962 near the Hemchik River in western Tuva, within sight of the ruins of the Chadaana Buddhist Monastery destroyed by the communists in the 1930's. Ondar's epic saga would converge around his singular vocal gift to make him Tuva's musical ambassador to the world. As a child, he was taught the fundamentals of throat-singing by his uncle. "Throat-singing is a tradition of Tuva that is very old," Ondar recently remarked. "it is inspired by the beautiful landscape of Tuva, which is full of sounds -- the windswept open range with grazing livestock, the mountain forests full of birds and animals and the countless streams tumbling out of the mountains onto the open range to form mighty rivers. Our throat-singing has been passed down for countless generations. It is the immortal part of ourselves.

By 1980, after finishing his primary education, Ondar had already begun his career as a professional vocalist, employed by the Tuvan House Of Culture. He later became the MC and featured singer with the popular local group, the Cheleesh Ensemble. In late 1983, Ondar was drafted into the Soviet Navy, which seemed blissfully unaware that its young recruit hailed from an entirely landlocked country. While stationed on Siberia's Kamchatka Peninsula, he suffered a broken neck while loading hundred pound bags of sugar and, after 45 days in sick bay, was honorably discharged.

Returning to his native land, Ondar studied at the Kyzyl Pedagogical Institute and became a Russian language teacher. The haunting music of his homeland, however, was never far from his heart and mind. "As I am a Tuvan, I believe that throat-singing is in my blood," asserts Ondar. "When I was a boy, I would go every summer high into the mountains to stay with one of my mother's uncles. There, in the evenings in the camp, I would hear the old man sing to himself. He would have a few drinks of arak -- the local brew made from fermented goat's milk -- and sing two, three or even four notes at once.

Later, at school, I sang and sang and sang, until I got it, too." It was from such rich recollections and deep cultural roots that Ondar determined to make throat-singing his life. In 1985, he formed the Tuva Ensemble which, defying official displeasure, began performing concerts both in Tuva and in neighboring Soviet republics. By the early '90s Ondar's reputation had begun to take on an international scope, first with a series of well-received performances in Europe and then as the winner of the UNESCO-sponsored International Festival of Throat-Singing. A year later, after a hugely successful tour of the Netherlands, the Tuva Ensemble recorded their first album, Tuva: Voices From The Land Of The Eagle (on the independent PAN label). Small wonder that, in 1992, he was honored by his grateful nation with the title of People's Throat-Singer of Tuva. Ondar's odyssey had only begun. As word-of-mouth about this remarkable vocal style and its prime practitioner began to spread among a select group of savvy musicians,

Ondar found himself in demand for a diverse range of globe-spanning projects. In 1993 alone, he performed and recorded with The Kronos Quartet, for their album Night Prayers; Ry Cooder, as well as Frank Zappa, the Grateful Dead's Micky Hart, The Chieftains and Johnny "Guitar" Watson. Ondar was also a special guest at a command performance in New York City, sharing the stage with a troupe of Tibetan Monks and Japanese avant garde pioneer Kitaro.

In 1994, Ondar joined forces with San Francisco artist Paul "Earthquake" Pena to record a groundbreaking blend of throat-singing and blues, aptly titled Genghis Blues. He subsequently went on tour with Pena, and after returning home, sang for an august audience that included Tuvan leader Sherig-ool Oorzhak and former Russian Federation President Boris Yeltsin, who afterward named Ondar a National Artist Of Russia. It was a far cry from the days when the authorities all but banned throat-singing in the Soviet Empire. Additional accolades, awards and albums followed, including the 1995 release Echoes Of Tuva and appearances at San Francisco's Asian Art Museum, the Japan Society in New York and the Korea Society Center at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC.
http://www.ondar.com/

R.I.P.

Paul PENA, throat singer, USA

Posted by Tran Quang Hai on April 14, 2008 at 5:30

Thanks to the documentary film, Genghis Blues, Paul Pena is now known and appreciated throughout the world for his amazing accomplishments as a musician, particularly for having taught himself the techniques of traditional Tuvan singing.

K.O.& Paul perform at the Presidio Chapel (SF) Jan. 6, 2000. Paul's wearing a traditional Tuvan robe and hat that he was given during his epic journey to Tuva.

Paul Pena was born on January 26, 1950 in Hyannis, MA, the oldest child of Jack and Virginia Pena. His grandparents came from the Cape Verde Islands off the west coast of Africa. He was born with congenital glaucoma. When he was five, he began school at the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown (a suburb of Boston). He graduated in 1967 and then attended Clark University in Worcester, MA.

As a young child, Paul soon showed his talent for music. His mother heard him picking out melodies and chords on a baby grand piano that had been found in the town dump and brought home, 'as a toy that a blind child might enjoy.' He developed 'perfect pitch.' Soon Paul was studying the piano, guitar, upright bass, violin and 'a little trumpet.' He played and sang popular jazz and Cape Verdian ballads with his father, a professional jazz musician, and also sang in his school choruses. Paul appeared in a talent show, and while in college, performed in coffeehouses in Worcester.

In 1969, Paul played in the Newport Folk Festival 'in the Contemporary Composer's Workshop with such people as James Taylor, Joni Mitchell and Kris Kristofferson.' In 1971, Paul moved to San Francisco and recorded his first marketed record for Capital Records, which was released in 1973.

In his musical career Paul played with many of the blues greats, John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Mississippi Fred McDowell, 'Big Bones,' and T. Bone Walker. His song, 'Jet Airliner,' recorded by the Steve Miller Band, was a hit in the 1970s. Another album, recorded by Bearsville Records, was never released. It is scheduled to be released in the year 2000. To find out more about this album click here.

During this period Paul's wife, Babe, suffered kidney failure. Paul gave up his musical career at that point in order to take care of her. She died in 1991. He suffered greatly from her loss.

Paul first heard a fragment of harmonic singing on a shortwave Radio Moscow broadcast on December 29, 1984 and he was so struck by it, he spent almost eight years trying to track down its source. In 1991 he was finally able to locate a recording of Tuvan music and taught himself the vocal techniques known as 'Khoomei, Sygyt, and Kargyraa'. In addition, he learned a good bit of the Tuvan language using English-Russian and Russian-Tuvan dictionaries and an obsolete 'Opticon' scanning device which translates text into sensations. In 1993, Paul attended a concert sponsored by the Friends of Tuva organization and met Kongar-ol Ondar after the performance. Paul gave Kongar-ol an impromptu demonstration--and astonished him with his talent and mastery of traditional Tuvan singing. The two men formed a strong friendship along with their musical collaboration.

In 1995, Kongar-ol invited Paul to sing at the second international Khoomei Symposium and contest, held in Tuva's capital city, Kyzyl. Ralph Leighton and the "Friends of Tuva" sponsored his trip. Paul took first place in the Kargyraa division of the contest and became known as 'Earthquake' for his amazingly deep voice. He also won the 'audience favorite' award. Filmmakers Adrian and Roko Belic accompanied Paul to Tuva to film the contest and his travels through Tuva, guided by Kongar-ol. Paul and Kongar-ol have also recorded a compact disc called Genghis Blues, which combines American blues singing, Cape Verdian 'morna,' and Tuvan Khoomei.

Since the release of the film, Genghis Blues, and the CD Sountrack , Paul was named 'San Francisco's Tuvan Blues Ambassador' and July 11, 1999 was declared 'Paul Pena Day' by the mayor. Paul has also been diagnosed with a pancreatic illness. He is on the long road to recovery.

Sources:

Paul Pena's promotional autobiography, sent to Roko Belic

Paul Pena, A National Living Treasure in Cole Valley, by Fred Cirillo

CD's|Shows Letter From Paul|Photos|Biography|Paul Fund

http://paulpena.com/bio.html

R.I.P.

Michael WRIGHT , biography, Jew's harper, United Kingdom

Posted by Tran Quang Hai on April 13, 2008 at 22:00

Michael Wright is rapidly becoming the most recognised player of the Jew’s harp in the United Kingdom today.

His expertise with playing this melodic, uncommon, yet historically important musical instrument is stretching the repertoire to its limits, both as a folk accompaniment and as a classical centrepiece.

His research into the social history of the instrument is ensuring that the full scope of the Jew’s harp’s contribution to trade and entertainment is recorded.

And his enthusiasm and talent for performing, including comedic interludes, well-known and seldom-heard songs, is helping secure Michael Wright a place in the English folk music scene.

His workshops have been described as ‘fantastic!’, and he was called the ‘King of the Jew’s harpers’ by John Campbell, while his playing on the ‘Des ‘n’ Mel Today’ TV programme was described as “amazing” by Des O’Connor himself!

* BIOGRAPHY
* ABOUT THE JEW’S HARP
* SELECTED WORKSHOPS, GUEST APPEARANCES
* ARTICLES & PAPERS

BIOGRAPHY

Michael Wright is a tradition bearer, taught to play the Jew’s harp by his brother, John Wright, who was himself inspired by the great Scottish player, Angus Lawrie of Oban.
Michael has played at various folk festivals, from Sidmouth to Whitby, and at the National Folk Music Festival.
He was a winner of the ‘Bob Bland Trophy’, competing at the prestigious Rothbury Gathering of 2003, and was the first player of the Jew’s harp to perform in concert at the Galpin Society and American Musical Instrument Society Annual Conference, August 2003.

At present, Michael is developing new multi-media talks and planning his debut CD. He is also looking to organise an Association with the aim of raising the profile of the Jew’s harp, including the UK’s first conference devoted to the instrument, to take place in Oxford in 2006/7.
Here, archaeologists, musicians, and ethnomusicologists will be brought together to study the historic significance and versatility of this important musical instrument.
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ABOUT THE JEW’S HARP

Up to the beginning of the 20th century, the Jew’s harp was undoubtedly one of the most popular musical instruments around. Manufacturer evidence shows that literally hundreds of thousands were made each year in the UK and Europe, and literary references consistently note that every child had one.

‘Jues Harpes’ or ‘Jues trumpes’ (1481) are the oldest names found for the musical instrument, which became known as the Jew’s, or jaws, harp – amongst others (see ‘Penning the Air’ article. Today knowledge of the Jew’s harp is limited, and misconceptions are rife. As a performer, researcher and teacher, Michael Wright is leading the resurgence of interest in this underrated musical instrument.
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SELECTED WORKSHOPS, GUEST APPEARANCES

Winter 2006/7- recording of CD

August 2006 – Whitby Folk Week
Illustrated talk, workshops and performances with Lucy Wright

July 2006 – Munneharp 2006
Performances with Lucy & John Wright
Elected as member of the Board of the International Jew’s Harp Society

May 2006 – Keith Summers Festival
Performances with John Wright (KentFolk site)

April 2006 – Morpeth Gathering, Northumberland
Performances

February 2006 – Pindrop Concert, Oxford
Performance with Lucy Wright

December 2005 – Elected Chair of the National Council of the English Folk Song and Dance Society

November 2005 – Re-elected as member of the National Council of the English Folk Song and Dance Society

August 2005 – International Council for Traditional Music Conference, Sheffield
Illustrated paper

May 2005 – Bate Collection, Oxford
Illustrated lunchtime talk

April 2005 – Morpeth Gathering, Northumberland
Illustrated talk, performances.

September 2004 – Sheffield University Archaeological Society
Illustrated talk

August 2004 – Whitby Folk Week
Illustrated talk, Workshop and quiet instruments session

July 2004 – Sidmouth International Folk Festival
Illustrated talk and Workshop

July 2004 – Warwick Folk Festival
Illustrated talk and Workshop

July 2004 – Cleckheaton Folk Festival
Illustrated talk and Workshop

May 2004 – Holmfirth Folk Festival
Illustrated talk and Workshops

April 2004 – Morpeth Gathering, Northumberland
Illustrated talk, Workshop, performances and quiet instruments session

March 2004 – National Folk Music Festival
Illustrated talk

August 2003 – Waltham College Chapel, Oxford
Concert performance for the Galpin Society, the American Musical Instruments Society and the International Council of Museums international committee for musical instrument museum curators

August 2003 – Whitby Folk Week
Workshop and performance

July 2003 – Rothbury Gathering, Northumberland
Winner of the ‘Bob Bland Trophy’

May 2003 – Oxford Folk Club
Featured guest

May 2003 – BBC Radio Oxford
Guest on the Dominic Cotter afternoon show

May 2003 – ‘Today with Des ‘n’ Mel’, Carlton TV
Interview and performance with Des O’Connor

April 2003 – Morpeth Gathering, Northumberland
Workshop and performances

April 2003 – The Musical Traditions Club, London
Main Guest

November 2002 – Elected as member of the National Council of the English Folk Song and Dance Society

August 2002 – Broadstairs Folk Week
Workshop

August 2002 – Whitby Folk Week
Guest performance at the Northumbrian Evening and Men’s Concert

April 2002 – National Folk Music Festival, Kegworth
Guest performer with John Wright

August 2001 – Whitby Folk Week
Performance and workshop titled, ‘The melodic Jew’s harp’
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ARTICLES AND PAPERS

For 2006 – Folk Music Journal
Submitted article ‘The Jew’s harp and the Law’

For 2006 – Journal of the International Jew’s Harp Society
Submitted article ‘Trump manufacture in the West Midlands – Part One: 1800 to 1900’

For 2006 – Journal of the International Jew’s Harp Society
Submitted article ‘Food, drink and Jew’s harps revisited’

For 2006 – Journal of the International Jew’s Harp Society
Submitted article ‘Jolly Companions every one’

August 2005 – International Council of Traditional Music conference, Sheffield
Illustrated paper

Spring 2005 – Journal of the International Jew’s Harp Society
Published article Jue Harpes & Jue Tumpes, 1481

Spring 2005 – Journal of the International Jew’s Harp Society
Published article ‘Jews Trumps and their Valuation’

Spring 2005- Journal of the International Jew’s Harp Society
Published article ‘The Mystery of the Jews harps and St Kilda.’

June 2002 – eds magazine
Published article ‘This insignificant instrument’

July 2000 – Traditional Music Maker magazine
Published article, ‘Jew’s harp – questions and answers’

May 2000 – The Living Tradition magazine
Published article, ‘Jew’s Harp -The Fool’s Instruments’
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BOOKINGS

Michael Wright is available for performances, interviews, or participation in folk workshops.

To book Michael, please contact:

Michal Wright
77 Beech Road, Wheatley, Oxon OX33 1UD
Tel: 01865 872161

“Bibliography”:

“Acknowledgements”:

R.I.P.

TYVA KYZY (Daughters of Tuva)

Posted by Tran Quang Hai on April 13, 2008 at 20:30

“Tyva Kyzy” (“Daughters of Tuva”) is the first and only women’s group in Tuva that performs all styles of Tuvan throat-singing. This from of multiple tones harmonic singing has been practiced mostly by men and prohibited for women. Tyva Kyzy dares to perform publicly this ancient art of singing in their own unique “feminine” style.

Here is Tyva Kyzy’s “setkilemden sergek yr-dyr” (a cheerful song of my soul). The CD comes with a 20 page full color book and a 6 panel fold out “eco-digit pak.” This is a very elegant package with minimal plastic. DISCOGRAPHY>>

http://tyvakyzy.com

R.I.P.

Mark Van Tongeren : Presentation of the Tyva Kyzy - Tuva

Posted by Tran Quang Hai on April 13, 2008 at 20:30

Mark Van Tongeren, Amsterdam, 2002, p.110

One of the most controversial recent developments of khoomei is the growing popularity of female throat singing.....
.....Women and khoomei are a bad combination according to Tuvans. Khoomei is an utterly masculine matter, which is clearly reflected in a number of taboos for women. Tuvan men and women, as well as a Western overtone practitioner who demonstrated her skills in Tuva have told me about the many alleged side effects of female throat singing. There is a general idea that a woman who sings khoomei is unhappy and brings misfortune of various kinds. Her khoomei may affect her brothers, her husband and her father who may fall ill or be deprived of material well-being. She gets problems in her abdomen or she will encounter great difficulties when she gives birth to a child. The child of a female khoomei singer itself isn't any better off either as it can fall ill of her singing khoomei. The most common concern about female throat singers, however, is that they may become infertile. In the worst case scenario her khoomei leads to the death of her male relatives. Taboos abound in almost any aspect of Tuvan life. It isn't just khoomeithat may have adverse effects on pregnant women. To name an example: the introduction of the Latin alphabet in 1930 was also believed to impose a threat on the health of women expecting a child.47 One could fill a book listing all Tuvan taboos. But in a society with such an abun¬dant folklore of superstitious beliefs things would only really be wrong if taboos were not broken. Valentina Salchak was hailed in 1979 as the first woman to sing khoomei in public.48 But a small-scale investigation learns that every epoch has its female throat singers that were considered as exceptions to the rule that women cannot and do not sing khoomei. During the 1990s Valentina Chuldum received much attention as a throat singer. Close relatives of famous singers, like Khunashtaar-ool's niece (in the 1960s) and Kombu's daughter (in the 1940's or 1950s), have performed khoomei in public more than once with their father. The wife of the throat-singing shaman Bilek-ool from Manchurek, Aldinsova Tortoyavna, told us that she has always sung khoomei 'because it was innate to her from birth.' She could not resist singing khoomei after she got married and had children, and sang khoomei in public in the 1950s and 1960s. But her sister, who also sang khoomei as a girl, gave up when others repeatedly reminded her of the dangers.50 In response to Khunashtaar-ool's wish, a group of female throat singers has now started a group called Tyva Kyzy. Unfortunately he didn't live to see this group, which formed around one his students, Aylangma Dambyrang (from Aylang, 'nightinggale'). This is how shy Aylangma began to sing khoomei, in the words of Tyva Kyzy spokeswoman Choduraa Tumat:

"She simply started to sing. She was born in Bai Taiga and was raised in a family of herdsmen. She has been singing as of her childhood time. In the morning or evening she pulled the blankets over her head, so that no body would bear her, and sang for herself. Then she entered art school and Khunashtaar-ool became her teacher. She took a few lessons when she was seventeen. He gave khoomei classes there during the last year of his life, in 1993. Then she performed on the Republican Festival of Chadan in 1995, in the competition preceding the large festival. She received a special prize for women."......

Mark Van Tongeren music Holand

R.I.P.

MARK VAN TONGEREN, biography

Posted by Tran Quang Hai on April 13, 2008 at 20:30

Mark van Tongeren is a sound explorer and ethnomusicologist who has worked independantly for theatre, radio, clubs, universities and conservatories as a performer, music teacher, dj and researcher.

He feels equally at home ‘in the field’ to study and practice indigenous vocal techniques, as in cutting-edge experimentation in sound and vision, using his voice and a wide array of instruments small and large.

He divides his time equally between the performing arts and music research. He specializes in the performing arts of Turco-Mongol peoples and extended uses of the voice. He is well-known as an author, singer, teacher and speaker in the ancient Turco-Mongolian art of throat singing (or khöömei) and its contemporary, western variant called overtone singing.

He founded his own enterprise Fusica in 1998. In 1999 he co-founded the North Asia Institute Tengri, which is dedicated to the study, dissemination and exchange of the cultural traditions of this little-known part of Asia.

Mark gives workshops, concerts and private lessons in overtone- and throatsinging and other extended vocal techniques upon request.

Email: mark@fusica.nl

Yo-Yo Ma and Mark at the Smithsonian Silk Road Festival, Washington, D.C., june/july 2002
photo by
Shoko Sasaki

R.I.P.

Growl Voice in Ethnic and Pop Styles

Posted by Tran Quang Hai on April 13, 2008 at 19:00

Proceedings of the International Symposium on Musical Acoustics, March 31st to April 3rd 2004 (ISMA2004), Nara, Japan

Ken-Ichi Sakakibara^1,2, kis@brl.ntt.co.jp
Leonardo Fuks³, leofuks@serv.com.ufrj.br
Hiroshi Imagawa⁴, imagawa@m.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Niro Tayama^5,2 ntayama@imcj.hosp.go.jp

¹NTT Communication Science Laboratories, NTT Corporation, Japan
²Department of Otolaryngology, The University of Tokyo, Japan
³School of Music, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
⁴Department of Speech Physiology, The University of Tokyo, Japan
⁵International Medical Center of Japan, Japan

Abstract

Among the so-called extended vocal techniques, vocal growl is a rather common effect in some ethnic (e.g. the Xhosa people in South Africa) and pop styles (e.g. Jazz, Louis Armstrong-type) of music. Growl usually consists of simultaneous vibrations of the vocal folds and supraglottal structures of the larynx, either in harmonic or subharmonic co-oscillation.
This paper examines growl mechanism using videofluoroscopy and high-speed imaging, and its acousitcal
characteristics by spectral analysis and model simulation. In growl, the larynx position is usually high and
aryepiglottic folds vibrate. The aryepiglottic constriction is associated to a unique shape of the vocal tract, including the larynx tube, and characterizes growl.

1. Introduction

The term growl is originally referred to as low-pitched sounds uttered by animals, such as dogs, or similar sounds by humans, and therefore is mainly described by auditory-perceptual impression. Growl is widely observed in singing as well as in shouting and aroused speech.The growl phonation has been also referred to as the phonation observed in some singing styles, such as the jazz singing style of Louis Armstrong and Cab Calloway, [2, 3]. Many jazz, blues, and gospel singers often use growl in a similar manner. Besides such pop musics from North America, growl styles are widely found in pop music of other areas: in Brazil, samba singers, particularly in carnival lead voices, pop star Elza Soares, and country singing duo Bruno & Marrone; in Japan, Enka (a popular emotive style) singers, such as Harumi Miyako, employ it frequently. Some singers use growl extensively through a song, while others use it as a vocal effect for expressive emphasis.

In ethnic music, one of the most prominent use of growl is found in umngqokolo, which is a vocal tradition of the Xhosa people in South Africa [11]. In Japanese theatre, Noh percussionist’s voice, Kakegoe, may present growl at the beginning of phonation. Growl may have perceptual similarities with the rough or harsh voice. In terms of phonetics, growl is sometimes described as the voiced aryepiglottic trill [3]. However, there is no clear evidence of its production mechanism, such as physiological observation of the aryepglottic vibration.

In throat singing (Tyvan khöömei and Mongolian khöömij), ventricular and vocal fold vibration was observed for the two different laryngeal voices (drone and kargyraa) [4, 9]. In drone, the basic voice in throat singing with a whistle-like high overtone, the ventricular fold vibration is at the same frequency as the vocal fold vibration. In kargyraa, which usually sounds one octave (or more) lower than the modal register, the ventricular folds vibrate at f₀/2 when the vocal folds vibrate at f₀. Moreover, some singers can do triple-periodic kargyraa in which the ventricular folds vibrate at f₀/3. In this paper, the phonation mode with ventricular and vocal fold vibration is called VVM (vocal-ventricular mode) [4]. In growl, there is no clear evidence of the ventricular fold vibration.

The growl, drone, kargyraa, as well as vocal fry, and some pathological voices may have similar perceptual
characteristics related to roughness, creakiness, or harshness. Their acoustics may also have similar features. Therefore, clarifying differences among these phonations requires careful physiological observation.
In this paper, we examine the production mechanism of the growl phonation. Some of the authors (KIS, LF), who can utter several phonation modes, including the VVM, produced the growl phonation by carefully listening to and imitating various samples, as mentioned above. Observation of the laryngeal adjustment using endoscopic high-speed imaging and X-ray videofluoroscpy (partly reported in [1]), confirm the aryepiglottic vibration in growl. We also discuss the acoustical characteristics and differences between VVM (in particular, kargyraa) and growl.

2. Three-tiered sphincter of the larynx

In the human larynx, there is a three-tiered sphincter comprising the vocal folds, the ventricular folds (false vocal folds), and the aryepiglottic sphincter [7] (Fig. 1). The ventricular folds are incapable of becoming tense, since they contain very few muscle fibres. However, the ventricular folds can be constricted by the action of certain intrinsic laryngeal muscles. In the aryepiglottic region, the constriction is caused by the approximation of the tubercle of the epiglottis (anterior), aryepiglottic folds (lateral), and arytenoids (posterior). In normal phonation, the vibration of the ventricular and aryepiglottic folds is not observed.

Figure 1: Coronal view of the larynx, as seen from behind.

3. X-ray observation

We observed the vertical laryngeal configuration of three different types of phonations (modal, raquo;metallic«, and growl) using X-ray cinematography. Fig. 2 shows a lateral X-ray view of the phonatory apparatus at rest. A wide pharyngeal space between the epiglottis and the arytenoids is observed. The cricoid cartilage is located at about the level of the fifth cervical vertebrae.

Figure 2: X-ray image of phonatory apparatus at rest, lateral view (subject: LF)

Fig. 3 shows the lateral X-ray views of three different voices: modal (left), “metallic” (center), and growl
(right), in /y/ (close front rounded vowel). The metallic voice has a perceptually metallic impression and, in
terms of usual phonetic usage, can be interpreted as pharyngealized, a little pressed (not necessarily tense), and raised-larynx. White lines are traced along the edges ofthe cricoid, arytenoid, epiglottis, and cervical column. In modal phonation, a wide pharyngeal space is observed. The epiglottis doesn’t depress and its position is almost similar to that when it is at rest. In metallic and growl, the larynx is raised to about the level of the fourth cervical vertebrae. The epiglottis and arytenoid approximate very closely. There is no significant difference of the laryngeal adjustments between metallic and growl.

Figure 3: X-ray images of three different phonations of /y/ about in F3 = 177 Hz, lateral views. Left: modal. Center: metallic. Right: growl (Subject: LF).

4. High-speed images

We observed laryngeal movements in growl directly and indirectly by simultaneous recording of high-speed digital images, EGG (Electroglottography) waveforms, and sound waveforms. The high-speed digital images were captured at 4500 frames/s through a endoscope inserted into the mouth cavity of a singer. Sound and EGG waveforms were sampled at 12 b/s and 18 kHz sf. In growl phonation, the aryepglottic region is compressed antero-posteriorly, and the tubercle of the epiglottis and the arytenoid cartilages come into contact (Fig. 4). This antero-posterior compression is in good agreement with the lateral view of growl phonation in Fig. 3. Twosided chinks generated by the contact of the epiglottic tubercle and arytenoids were observed. Each chink is surrounded by the epiglottis, arytenoid, and aryepiglottic fold. In some cases, both aryepiglottic folds vibrate in almost same phase (Fig. 5), and in other cases, the phases of both seem to be slightly different. Furthermore, in some cases, the vibration of the aryepiglottic folds is unstable
and seems to be aperiodic.

Figure 4: Aryepiglottic region in growl, as seen from above. Upper part is posterior (subject: KIS)

Fig. 5 shows the sound waveform (top), EGG waveform (middle, ordinate corresponds to total contact area
of the larynx), and high-speed images. Vertical lines in the sound and EGG are synchronous to the last frames in each column of the high-speed images. The vibrations of the aryepglottic folds are observed in the high-speed images. In this case, the aryepiglottic fold vibration is likely to be periodic and the vibration of each side is mostly synchronous.

Figure 5: High-speed images of growl. Top: sound. Middle: EGG. Bottom: images. In images, frame step is 1 / 4500 ms (subject: KIS).

From the EGG and sound waveform, it is reasonable to conclude that the vocal folds vibrate alf-periodically
to the aryepiglottic fold vibration. This vibration pattern of the vocal and aryepiglottic folds is same as the VVM with f₀/ 2, i.e. kargyraa. The period-double vibration of the aryepiglottic folds generates subharmonics.

Neither the vocal nor ventricular folds were directly observed because the aryepiglottic folds were strongly
constricted. Therefore, it is difficult to prove whether the vocal and ventricular fold vibrate or not. However,
we conclude that the vocal and aryepiglottic folds vibrate and ventricular folds do not. The basis of this conclusion is as follows.
Smooth transition from modal to growl is frequently achieved by various singers and the subjects, therefore, it is reasonable to claim that, in growl, the vocal folds vibrate at almost opposite phases. To take account of the delay of the sound to the EGG, we consider that the maximal excitation of sound and the shape of the EGG waveform were mainly due to the vocal fold vibration. Next, if all three folds had simultaneously vibrated, the phases of their vibration would most likely have been different from each other by aerodynamical constraint. However, it is difficult to ascertain this phenomena from EGG waveform
alone. To verify our claim, it is necessary to directly observe the movements of the three folds.

5. Acoustical analysis

Fig. 6 shows a spectrogram of the growl voice. Subharmonics appeared in growl. Similar subharmonic oscillation has been observed in kargyraa [4, 6, 9], and in some cases of vocal fry [10]. Perceptual clarification of differences among these phonations is important. Here, however, we focus on acoustical differences between growl and kargyraa.

Figure 6: Spectrogram of modal to growl (subject: LF)

Figure 7: Power spectrum of growl (left) and kargyraa (right) of /o/ (subject: LF)

Figure 8: Inverse-filtered source of growl (top) and kargyraa (bottom). Left: sound waveform. Right: power spectrum. Subject: LF.

Fig. 7 shows the power spectra and spectral envelopes of growl and kargyraa. In growl, the range from above 2 kHz has very weak power. Fig. 8 shows the inversefiltered source and its power spectrum of growl and kargyraa. In growl, a pole is observed at about 1.5 kHz, whereas, in kargyraa, below 4 kHz, the power moderately decreases.

Physiologically, generation of subharmonics is concluded to be caused by the vocal fold vibration in vocal
fry, ventricular fold vibration in kargyraa, and the aryepiglottic vibration in growl. In karygraa, the ventricular fold constriction contributes to the generation of the laryngeal ventricle resonance, which appears as a zero in the laryngeal source. In growl, the aryepiglottic constriction constructs a deeper and larger cavity consisting of the laryngeal ventricle, ventricular fold region, and laryngeal vestibule (Figs. 1, 3, 4). Therefore, the resonance frequency of the cavity must be lower than that of the laryngeal ventricle. Fig. 9 shows the spectra of the synthesized laryngeal source obtained using the two-by-two mass model [8]. For simplicity, the aryepiglottic and ventricular fold vibration and vocal tract are omitted. The pole in the source of growl is at about 1.5 k Hz and is lower than in kargyraa.

Figure 9: Synthesized sources and spectra of growl (top) and kargyraa (bottom) using the two-by-two mass model.

We also roughly calculated the resonance frequencies of the laryngeal ventricle for kargyraa and the laryngeal cavity for growl by using a Helmholtz resonator. In kargyraa, we assume that the body cylinder (the laryngeal ventricle) has 0.4 cm height and 1.5 cm² area and the neck cylinder (the ventricular fold region) 0.8 cm height and several areas. In growl, we assume the body has 2.0 cm height and a 1.02 cm² cross-sectional area, and the neck (the aryepiglottic area) 0.4 cm height and several areas (Table 1). If the constricted regions have equal area, the resonance frequency of the source in growl is always lower than that in kargyraa.

Table 1: Resonance frequencies in growl and kargyraa, calculated by a Helmholtz resonator.

6. Discussions and conclusions

In growl, the larynx position is higher than in the modal case, and the aryepiglottic region is strongly approximated. The aryepiglottic folds vibrate, as well as vocal folds, and contribute to the subharmonic oscillation. The resonance frequency of the cavity induced by the aryepiglottic constriction is lower than that of the laryngeal ventricle, and this characterizes the growl voice. The mechanism of the supraglottal constriction is still controversial. The supraglottal constriction is widely considered to be caused by an activity of the aryepiglottic muscle, however, from our physiological observations and previous histological observation of the supraglottal muscles [5], the constrictions of the aryepiglottic and ventricular folds are presumably caused by different mechanisms.
The power of the subharmonics in growl is seemingly lower than in kargyraa, but further analysis is needed to clarify this. Perceptual evaluation of differences among various subharmonic phonations, such as growl, kargyraa, and vocal fry, will be addressed as future work. Analysis of other perceptually similar singing styles, such as Sardinian singing, will also be addressed as future work. Acknowledgments We thank Samuel Araújo, Parham Mokhtari, Seiji Niimi, Makoto Ogawa, Satoshi Takeuchi, and MamikoWada for
their helpful discussions.

References

[1] S. Araújo and L. Fuks. Prácticas vocais no samba carioca: un di´alogo entre a acústica musical e a etnomusicologia, In N. M. Claudia and T. M. Refnanda and T. Elizabeth Ed., Ao encontro da Palavra Cantada: poesia, m´usica e voz, pp.278–288, Viveiros de Castro Ltda., 2001.
[2] J. C. Catford. Fundamental Problems in Phonetics, Edinburgh Univ. Press., 1977.
[3] J. H. Esling. Pharyngeal consonants and the aryepiglottic sphincter, J. International Phonetics Association, 26(2):65–88, 1996.
[4] L. Fuks, B. Hammarberg, and J. Sundberg. A self-sustained vocalventricular phonation mode: acoustical, aerodynamic and glottographic evidences, KTH TMH-QPSR,3/1998:49–59, 1998.
[5] M. Kimura, K.-I. Sakakibara, H. Imagawa, R. Chan, S. Niimi, and N. Tayama. Histological investigation of the supra-glottal structures in human for understanding abnormal phonation, J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 112:2446, 2002.
[6] P.-A . Lindestad, M. Sodersten, B. Merker, and S. Granqvist. Voice Source Characteristics in Mongolian "Throat Singing" Studied with High-Speed Imaging Technique, Acoustic Spectra, and Inverse Filtering, J. Voice, 15(1):78–85, 2001.
[7] J. J. Pressman. Sphincters of the larynx, A. M. A. Arch. Otolaryngol., 59(2):221–236, 1954.
[8] K.-I. Sakakibara, H. Imagawa, S. Niimi, and N. Osaka. Synthesis of the laryngeal source of throat singing using a 2x2-mass model, Proc. ICMC 2002, 5–8, 2002.
[9] K.-I. Sakakibara, T. Konishi, K. Kondo, E. Z. Murano, M. Kumada, H. Imagawa, and S. Niimi. Vocal fold and false vocal fold vibrations and synthesis of khöömei, Proc. of ICMC 2001, 135–138, 2001.
[10] R. L. Whitehead, D. E. Metz, and B. H. Whitehead. Vibratory patterns of the vocal folds during pulse register phonation, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 75(4):1293–1297, (1984).
[11] H. Zemp, Ed. Les Voix du Monde — Une anthologie des expressions vocales. 3 vol. CDs with book, CMX374 1010.12, CNRS/Mus´ee de l’Homme, 1996.

R.I.P.

Sarah Wallin: Tuvan Throat Singing and the Legend of the Horse Head Fiddle"

Posted by Tran Quang Hai on April 13, 2008 at 14:00

Sarah Wallin

Tuvan Throat Singing
and the Legend of the Horse Head Fiddle

At the geographical center of Asia, surrounded by the Altai-Sayan mountain system, lies the
country of Tuva. Fifty percent of its mountainous territory is covered with forests of firs, Siberian
larches, cedars, pines, and poplars. Four hundred lakes spot the region, many of which are glacial,
(though Tuva is also known for its warm, curative waters); and the Jenisej river, one of the longest
rivers of our planet, originates in the territory of Tuva and flows over two thousand miles north to
the Arctic Ocean. Additionally, more than 1,500 species of plants, 240 types of birds, and a large
variety of animal species (including the lynx, the glutton, the sable, the beaver, the yak, and the
camel) inhabit Tuva. (Geography 1) “Tuva is a country of great variety with almost every type of
landscape: luxuriant meadows, green taiga [or, forests], boundless steppes, medicinal springs,
beautiful lakes, rushing mountain rivers fed in spring by melting snows, dusty semi-desert and snowy
chains of mountains.” (Tuva 2)
There is archaeological evidence of tribal warfare and settlement in the Tuvan region since
the Paleolithic era, but in the year 1207 AD, when Genghis Khan swept through the area with his
troops, Tuva was brought under Mongolian rule and remained a state of Mongolia for the next five
centuries. Then, from the mid-eighteenth century until 1911, after the dissolve of the Mongolian
empire, the people came under the Chinese Ch’ing or Manchu dynasty. From 1914 to 1917, Tuva
was a Russian protectorate, and, in 1921, the independent Tuvinian People’s Republic, with the city
of Kyzyl as its capital, was established. Then, “[i]n 1944, Tuva was brought into the USSR as an
Autonomous Region of the RSFSR and in 1961 became the Tuvinian Autonomous Soviet Socialist
Republic (ASSR)” (Nomads, pg. 44). Today, Tuva remains a republic within the Russian Federation.
© 2005 Sarah Wallin 1
At 170,500 square kilometers, Tuva supports about 308,000 inhabitants, two-thirds of whom
are of Turkish decent and one-third of whom are of Russian decent (Tuvan/Mongolian 2). For eons,
the Tuvan people have remained sheltered within this natural reserve, nestled within the boundaries
of the mountains. Thus, due to its isolation from the great trade routes of old, to the Soviet Union’s
restriction of the area to the outside world for nearly half a century, and to the general inaccessibility
of the landscape, Tuvan culture has remained virtually untouched. (Tuva 4)
The economic-cultural way of life of the Tuvan people can be categorized into three distinct
types: the pastoralists of the steppe zone, the hunters and reindeer-herders of the taiga zone, and the
pastoralist hunters of the taiga-steppe zone. The steppe zone pastoralists base their existence on the
herding of cattle, sheep, goats, horses, and camels, supplemented by land cultivation and occasional
hunting, fishing, and gathering. The hunters and reindeer-herders base their economic life on hunting
for meat and fur, gathering, occasional fishing, and reindeer-breeding, which animals are used for
carrying loads, riding, milk, and, in cases of extreme necessity, meat. Finally, the pastoralist hunters
base their existence on both pastoralism and hunting, depending on the numbers of livestock
available. (Nomads, pg. 49-50) Whatever shape their economic culture takes, a majority of Tuvans
still follow a nomadic way of life, migrating their homes and property with the cycle of the seasons
in search of hunting grounds or pastures for their livestock.
True to the ways of other nomadic peoples, the horse remains a most cherished possession
for the Tuvans, and is of particular importance to their way of life. Aside from its primary role of
transportation and pack animal, the horse provides the nomadic herdsman with meat, milk, leather,
and hair. “It is quite logical, [then,] that the number of horses kept by a Tuvan herdsman [is] a direct
measure of his wealth.” (Nomads, pg. 65) More than a mere possession, the horse is accorded a high
place of honor beside its master, for the modern Tuvans still carry on the ancient nomadic custom
© 2005 Sarah Wallin 2
of burying a horse with its deceased rider, and, in epic Tuvan literature, the hero of the tale “does not
even bear a name until he acquires a horse.” (Nomads, pg. 66)
Dwelling in this natural haven, where their existence is dependent on the land and
surrounding animals, the Tuvans and, thus, “Tuvan pastoral music, [are] intimately connected to an
ancient tradition of animism, the belief that natural objects and phenomena have souls or are
inhabited by spirits . . . According to Tuvan animism, the spirituality of mountains and rivers is
manifested not only through their physical shape and location but also through the sounds they
produce or can be made to produce by human agency. The echo off a cliff, for example, may be
imbued with spiritual significance. Animals, too, are said to express spiritual power sonically.
Humans can assimilate this power by imitating their sounds” (Scientific American, pg 80-82).
Stemming from both this profound system of belief and the nomad’s love for his horse, the
Horse Head Fiddle is an important part of Tuvan pastoral music. According to ancient Mongolian
legend, this special fiddle was brought into existence by the desperate grief of a poor shepherd boy
named Suho. The tale says that when Suho was young, he lived with his grandmother and tended
their small flock of sheep. One evening, the boy was late in returning home, for he had come across
a newborn foal, abandoned and alone. For the next months and years, Suho cared for the beautiful
white horse, who became to him “as dear as his own life”. (Suho, pg. 8) Then, one spring, news
spread among the local shepherds that the governor (or, according to other versions, the khan) was
holding a big race in the city, promising the winner his daughter’s hand in marriage. Suho’s
comrades admired his horse very much and urged him to enter the race, which he did. Naturally,
Suho’s brilliant white horse out-raced the others and won, but the governor was unwilling to make
this poor shepherd his son by marriage. So, the governor offered Suho three pieces of silver for his
horse and demanded that he leave. But, when Suho adamantly refused, the governor then ordered
© 2005 Sarah Wallin 3
that Suho be beaten and his glorious horse confiscated! Suho’s comrades carried the broken and
unconscious boy home, where his grandmother tended his wounds. Meanwhile, proud of his new
possession, the governor attempted to ride the white horse in the sight of his noblemen; however, the
horse would not have it and bucked until the governor had fallen off. Swiftly, the horse galloped
away, but the irate governor commanded that the horse should not get away alive. His guards drew
their bows and shot relentlessly at the fleeing creature, yet the horse did not stop, though the arrows
struck its flanks and bristled from its back. Finally, the horse made its way to Suho’s loving home,
and, though Suho carefully watched over the ailing animal, the horse grew weaker
and soon died. Suho spent many sleepless nights, struck with grief, until one evening
when his beautiful white horse appeared to him in a dream. It spoke kindly to Suho
and told him that if he would take its bones, hide, and sinews “and use them to make
an instrument to play on . . . then [it would] be able to stay by [Suho’s] side forever”
and would always bring him peace and delight. (Suho, pg. 40) “The moment Suho awoke, he set
about making a new kind of musical instrument. He did just as the white horse had told him to do,
fashioning the instrument from the bones, sinews, hide, and hair of his beloved horse.” (Suho, pg.
42) When he finished his work, he ornamented his creation with a carving of a horse’s head, and,
when he played the instrument, he could sense the white horse beside him, listening.
According to Seth Augustus in his paraphrase of the liner notes from Huun-Huur-Tu's
recording, “60 Horses in My Herd”, there are only slight differences in the Tuvan version of the tale,
namely that a peasant named Oskus-ol in ancient Tuva “rescued a colt that was abandoned by a
wealthy landowner--a Noyon.” When the Noyon found that the horse could outrun all of his own
horses, he became jealous and had the horse put to death. Everything else in the legend from then
on is the same, except that, when Oskus-ol finally played his new instrument, “the clouds parted at
© 2005 Sarah Wallin 4
the top of a high mountain and the horse's double came charging down along with a whole herd of
horses just like it” (Igil 2), illustrating, again, the equivalence of many horses to
great wealth. Thus, even after the death of his horse, Oskus-ol was rewarded in his
grief with prosperity, perhaps equal or greater to that of the Noyon.
The extent of Mongolian contact with Tuva naturally gave Tuvan culture an
instrument of equivalent background and construction, though it is uncertain who
first influenced who. Called the igil (pronounced ih-GILL), this horse head fiddle
is Tuva’s version of the Mongolian morin khuur and dates back about one thousand
years. The slender, tear-shaped body is made from a soft wood (such as pine) and
skin, and supports two strings of horsehair. The bow is also of horsehair and wood,
and is not fixed to the strings. The neck is fret-less, and, when playing the
instrument, the player’s fingers or nails touch the strings without pressing down
onto the surface of the neck. With the use of specific bowing techniques, such as
“the galloping horse, the walking horse, the walking camel (kind of like the walking horse, but
slower)” (Brubeck 2), the igil can be “used to re-create equine sounds.” (Scientific American, pg 80)
According to Stefan Kamola, “the igil is used by singers to search for melodies, and the voice
of the instrument works along with the human voice to present khoomei [throat singing] not just as
song, but as a distinct and deeply meaningful type of sound.” (Music and Language 7) The igil,
therefore, is an integral part of Tuvan culture, and it is one of the several different instruments that
can accompany throat singing. “The Igil has a hauntingly beautiful sound and goes very well with
throat singing . . . as it is in a similar frequency range.” (Igil 1)
© 2005 Sarah Wallin 5
Throat singing, also commonly referred to as
overtone or harmonic singing, is a type of folk singing
whereby the singer may enunciate a series of specified
harmonics above a fundamental pitch, a drone. In the
pure nature of sound, any fundamental frequency, or
pitch, will inherently ring with a series of harmonics,
specifically lined up in ascending order above the
fundamental. “In normal speech and song, most of the
energy is concentrated at the fundamental frequency, and harmonics are perceived as elements of
timbre – the same quality that distinguishes the rich sound of a violin from the purer tones of a flute
– rather than as different pitches. In throat singing, however, a single harmonic gains such strength
that it is heard as a distinct, whistlelike pitch.” (Scientific American, pg. 84) In other words, the
throat singer, by careful maneuvering of
the vocal tract, tongue, lips, and jaw is able
to single out one of the many overtones
above this fundamental pitch: “[b]y
refining the resonant properties normally
used to articulate vowels”, the throat singer
can “strengthen the harmonics that align
with the narrow formant peak [or, the narrow region of frequency within a sound spectrum], while
simultaneously weakening the harmonics that lie outside this narrow peak. Thus, a single overtone
can project above the others.” (Scientific American, pg. 84) Additionally, when “[s]ingers draw on
organs [throughout the vocal tract] other than the vocal folds to generate a second raw sound,
© 2005 Sarah Wallin 6
typically at what seems like an impossibly low pitch” (Scientific American, pg. 84), they are able to
reinforce two separate harmonics at the same time, one above each of the two “fundamental pitches”
– in essence, singing in two voices, with the drones below them. As complex as this whole
phenomenon may seem, “[t]hroat-singing is not taught formally (as music often is) but rather picked
up, like a language.” (Scientific American, pg. 82)
“Variation in the character of throat singing styles is dictated by careful positioning and
movement of the tongue, lips, and jaw.” (How To’s 3) Though there is no widespread agreement,
due to discrepancies between the few studies that exist on the subject and the continuing
development of modern hybrids and variations, most scholars yet agree on three to five basic styles
of Tuvan throat singing: khoomei, kargyraa, sygyt, borbangnadyr, and ezengileer. At the heart of
every style is xorekteer, meaning “chest voice”, a harsh, bright tone of voice which is often used to
launch the singer into the khoomei and sygyt styles. While the term khoomei can be used to mean
Tuvan throat singing in general, it is also a style unto its own. It is “a soft-sounding style, with clear
but diffused-sounding harmonics above a fundamental usually within the low-mid to midrange of
the singer's voice. In Khoomei style, there are two or more notes clearly audible . . . The pitch of the
melodic harmonic is selected by moving the root of the tongue and the epiglottis.” (Types 3, after
intro) Kargyraa is distinctive for its heavy, croaking chest drone; the formation of this style is closely
linked to the shape of sung vowels, for both throat manipulations and the shape of the mouth cavity
affect the harmonic pitch. It is the style for which Paul Pena (of Genghis Blues fame) took first place
in the second international Khoomei Symposium and contest in Kyzyl, “and became known as
'Earthquake' for his amazingly deep voice.” (Pena 8).
Sygyt “is usually based on a mid-range fundamental. It is characterized by a strong, even
piercing, harmonic or complex of harmonics above the ‘fundamental,’ and can be used to perform
© 2005 Sarah Wallin 7
complex and very distinct melodies, with a tone similar to a flute.” (Types 11, after intro) The
formation of this style is akin to that of khoomei, with a drastic increase in tension. To filter out
unwanted harmonics and gain that desired clean, piercing tone, the tongue must rise around the gums
and completely seal off the mouth cavity, save for a small hole left open on one side of the mouth
or the other, behind the molars, which then sends the sound between the teeth, producing the
sharpening effect. The technique for changing the pitch is the same as that for khoomei, “and in
sygyt, it is possible to nearly remove the fundamental.” (Types 12, after intro)
It is debatable whether borbangnadyr and ezengileer are two more distinct styles, or merely
enhanced versions of the previous three. Borbangnadyr consists of a combination of wide trills and
warbling effects on, most often, the Sygyt style (the result being termed Sygyttyng Borbangnadyr),
though it has been applied to the lower-pitched styles as well. “Ezengileer comes from a word
meaning ‘stirrup,’ and features rhythmic harmonic oscillations intended to mimic the sound of metal
stirrups clinking to the beat of a galloping horse. The most common element is the ‘horse-rhythm’
of the harmonics, produced by a rhythmic opening-and-closing of the velum.” (Types 14, after intro)
“The popularity of throat singing among Tuvan herders seems to have arisen from a
coincidence of culture and geography: on the one hand, the animistic sensitivity to the subtleties of
sound, especially its timbre, and on the other, the ability of reinforced harmonics to project over the
broad open landscape of the steppe.” (Scientific American, pg. 82) The true origins of Tuvan throat
singing remain obscure; however, “legends . . . assert that humankind learned to sing in such a way
long ago. The very first throat-singers, it is said, sought to duplicate natural sounds whose timbres,
or tonal colors, are rich in harmonics, such as gurgling water and swishing winds.” (Scientific
American, pg. 82) And, according to Tom Vitale, reporter for the National Public Radio station, “It
is said to have begun with a monk hearing overtones produced by a waterfall in a particularly
© 2005 Sarah Wallin 8
acoustic canyon in Western Mongolia.” (Tuva or Bust!, pg. 66)
While, according to Scientific American, many male herders can and do throat sing, though
“not everyone is tuneful” (Scientific American, pg. 82), there is a taboo within Tuvan society
concerning throat singing and women. It is strongly believed that if a woman engages in throat
singing:
“[She] is unhappy and brings misfortune of various kinds. Her khoomei may affect her brothers, her
husband and her father who may fall ill or be deprived of material well-being. She gets problems in
her abdomen or she will encounter great difficulties when she gives birth to a child. The child of a
female khoomei singer itself isn't any better off either as it can fall ill of her singing khoomei. The
most common concern about female throat singers, however, is that they may become infertile. In the
worst case scenario her khoomei leads to the death of her male relatives.” (Overtone Singing, pg. 110)
In spite of continual verbal warnings of these dangers, from men and women alike – Tuvans
who instinctively feel that women and khoomei are an unnatural combination – women may have
actually been throat singing for their own personal enjoyment behind the men’s backs, for many
years now. Afterall, “every epoch has its female throat singers that were
considered as exceptions to the rule that women cannot and do not sing
khoomei.” (Overtone Singing, pg. 110) Aylangma Dambyrang – a member
of the first and, so far only, all-women’s group of traditional Tuvan folk
music and throat singing – was born to a family of herdsmen and has been
throat singing since childhood. “In the morning or evening she pulled the
blankets over her head, so that nobody would hear her, and sang for
herself.” (Overtone Singing, pg. 110, quote from Choduraa Tumat) Some, like the former
© 2005 Sarah Wallin 9
Khunashtaar-ool Oor-zhak, a master throat singer and teacher, proclaim that women were actually
the first to sing khoomei. Indeed, true to the nature of a nomadic society, the men’s place is out in
the wilderness, the forests and the steppes, while the women are left to tend domestic affairs in the
yurt or aal (nomadic dwellings). “This age-old division of labour maintained marked differences in
a male and a female world, each with secrets of their own for the opposite sex.” (Overtone Singing,
pg. 110).
With a modern, growing openness toward women, however, and the general lightening of
women’s household loads, more and more women are performing in public. The aforementioned
women’s performing group, Tyva-Kyzy (“Daughters of Tuva”), was established in 1998 and, to
many, “their appearance on the stage was a brave step of delicate women . . . The group has been
valued for the originality of its repertoire and instrumentation. They have recently been recognized
as the best players of national instruments”. (Tyva-Kyzy 8)
Another notable Tuvan throat singer is Sainkho Namtchylak, a
woman born to a Tuvan family of nomadic ancestry. According to Yu
Sen-lun, reporter for the Taipei Times, “Namtchylak grew up singing and
later studied vocals in Moscow. Apart from classical training, she also
learned traditional Tuvan throat singing (khoomei) and Tibetan Buddhist singing. In 1989, she first
crossed into the European avant-garde improvisatory music scene, dedicating herself to expanding
the potential of throat singing in combination with various musical styles. The same year she worked
and toured with former Soviet Union avant-garde jazz band Tri-O.” (Taipei 6) Namtchylak is known
for her “unique throat singing technique and her experimental spirit” (Taipei 2); however, her own
people do not appreciate her incomparable sound, and instead view her as a traitor to their longstanding
traditions. In 1997, “Namtchylak was physically assaulted and hospitalized in Moscow by
© 2005 Sarah Wallin 10
a group of people claiming to be Tuvans. The 2001 album ‘Time Out’ was released after her
rehabilitation from the assault. She wrote in the CD that the album is dedicated to Tuva and its
people. ‘I hope one day my fellow countrymen can understand, that I am an artist belonging to the
whole world. The music I create has no boundaries,’ she said.” (Taipei 12-14)
A final important figure in the world of women and khoomei
is Moon Heart, a female Tuvan shaman, born to a celestial shamanwoman
and a horse thief. Moon Heart’s mother passed away when she
was only a child, and she was given unto the care of relatives who did
not understand nor appreciate the girl’s shamanic gift. When this gift
began revealing itself to her at an early age through persistent voices and visions, Moon Heart’s
relatives punished her by locking her in a cellar. Prior to Mikhail Gorbachev's Perestroika economic
reform in Russia of 1987, atheism was the established “religion” of the Marxist-Leninist-Stalinist
totalitarian state, and “the shamans were persecuted, considered charlatans, drunkards, seen like the
scum of the society” (Moon Heart 3). After trying to “heal” Moon Heart of this gift passed down
from her mother, to no avail, the family had her committed to a psychiatric hospital. This proved
useless, however, “and Moon Heart started to foretell events, to diagnose diseases, and in some cases
she foresaw the death of her relatives. At this point, they accused her of being a witch and . . . sent
her to Moscow.” (Moon Heart 5) With the voices constantly harassing her and the spirits revealing
themselves to her, Moon Heart felt neglected and alone in Moscow; however, she did meet her
husband during her time there, and, when Perestroika was instituted, Moon Heart and her new
family returned to the capital city of Kyzyl in Tuva, where she still works today as a serious shaman.
Moon Heart’s story is intriguing, as is this whole other dimension to the Tuvan connection
with animism: shamanism. As with everything else in Tuva, shamanism has been preserved in its
© 2005 Sarah Wallin 11
original form, and the people still strongly respect the traditions and ancient rituals.
“The Tuvan shamans have various lineages: there are the celestial shamans, those who come from the
mermaid of the steppe, or the taiga, there are the shamans who come from the waters and those who
derive from the spirits of the demons. All of them have a common task: to help the people. In order
to [achieve] this, they use the secret language of the animals, of the khoomei, throat singing, of the
drum and the trance, of the fumigation with the junip er of the taiga, artish. Every Tuvan shaman
considers himself the continuation of the life of his own fathers and grandfathers.” (Tradition 3)
According to Moon Heart:
"In order to cure and in order to calm a person or in order to recall the positive spirits, I use
the khoomei and the drum. The contact with the spirits happens mentally, in an altered state of
consciousness, through the use of the voice. We believe that the narration and the music have a
magical force; in fact the spirits of the mountain love music and the stories and listen to us gladly .
. .” (Moon Heart 8) “To get in touch with the spirits of the mountains and to soothe them, we use our
traditional throat singing chants whose melodies derive from our contemplation of life, of the sound
of nature, of the birds, of the whistling of the steppe wind, of the mountain's draft." (Women of Power
5)
Here, we discover another interesting facet of the Tuvan tradition of
throat singing. For one, Moon Heart, though she be a woman, she is also a
shaman, one who is deeply in tune with the spirits; so, who can possibly
bring any taboos against her for her throat singing, which she uses to help her own people? For
another, connected to the spiritual power running through Nature around them, the Tuvan shamans
utilize khoomei in reaching the plane where contact with those spirits happens.
© 2005 Sarah Wallin 12
As Moon Heart stated in the quote above, the shaman’s drum also plays a vital role in the
ancient ceremonies. To most Siberian shamans, the drum is a horse and the drumstick is a whip to
drive that horse forward. (Tuva or Bust!, pg. 140) In one ceremony, as the shaman falls into an
otherworldly trance, his beating of the drum becomes faster and more rhythmic, and the shaman may
begin roaming violently about, “flushing out evil spirits . . . yelling at them while beating his drum”,
until he has corralled them into his drum and wrestled them into submission before utterly destroying
them. (Tuva or Bust!, pg. 140)
In conclusion, the people of Tuva, secluded in a natural haven in the center of Asia, have an
intimate, multi-faceted relationship with their environment. According to Scientific American,
“Sound mimicry, the cultural basis of Tuvan music, reaches its culmination in throat singing . . . [It
is] one of the many ways the pastoralists can interact with and represent their secluded aural
environment . . . [It is] the quintessential achievement of their mimesis, the revered element of an
expressive language that begins where verbal language ends. For the herders, it expresses feelings
of exultation and independence that words cannot.” (pg. 80, 87)
© 2005 Sarah Wallin 13
Bibliography
< Allione, Costanzo. “Geography & History”.
http://www.siberianshamanism.com/inglese/tuvasing.html
< Sklar, Steve. “Types of Throat-Singing”.
http://khoomei.com/types.htm
< Vainshtein, Sevyan. Nomads of South Siberia: The Pastoral Economies of Tuva.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1980.
< “Tuva - Introduction”.
http://www.ewpnet.com/tuvados.htm
< Dunnick, Jamie. “Tuvan and Mongolian Throat Singing”.
http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/j/n/jnd126/mongolia.html
< Levin, Theodore C. and Edgerton, Michael E. “The Throat Singers of Tuva”. Scientific
American. September 1999: 80-87.
< Augustus, Seth. “The Igil”.
http://www.sethaugustus.com/igils.html
< Otsuka, Yuzo. Suho and The White Horse. New York: The Viking Press, 1981.
< Kamola, Stefan. “Brubeck, Subodai, and the Wine Dark Sea”.
http://www.fotuva.org/travel/stefan/brubeck_etc.html
< Kamola, Stefan. “Music and Language”.
http://www.fotuva.org/travel/stefan/music_and_lang.html
< Emory, Michael. “Khoomei - How To's And Why's”.
http://www.fotuva.org/music/emory.html
< “Paul Pena: Biography”. http://www.paulpena.com/bio.html
< van Tongeren, Mark. Overtone Singing - Physics and Metaphysics of Harmonics in East
and West. Amsterdam: Fusica, 2002.
< Leighton, Ralph. Tuva or Bust!. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1991.
< “Tyva-Kyzy: History . . .”. http://www.tyvakyzy.com/history.html
< Sen-lun, Yu. “The voice that crosses all boundaries”. Taipei Times.
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2004/11/12/2003210769/
© 2005 Sarah Wallin 14
< Allione, Costanzo. “Ai-Tchourek Ojun (Moon Heart)”.
http://www.siberianshamanism.com/inglese/tuvasing.html
< Allione, Costanzo. “Tradition and Godliness”.
http://www.siberianshamanism.com/inglese/tuvasing.html
< Allione, Costanzo. “Women of Power: Moon Heart”.
http://www.siberianshaman

R.I.P.

TSAI Chen-Gia: Kargyraa and Meditation

Posted by Tran Quang Hai on April 12, 2008 at 23:00

Kargyraa and meditation

Chen-Gia Tsai

Pipe model of a Kargyraa singer's vocal tract
The melody pitch f1 (the center frequency of the first formant) in Kargyraa voices is determined by the mouth opening. A perturbation method predicts the resonance shift caused by a bore enlargement at a position x0 of a pipe with a irregular geometry (e.g., Fletcher & Rossing 1991). During a performance of Kargyraa, the bore diameter of the vocal tract changes at the lips, a pressure node for all modes. Hence, an enlargement of mouth opening leads to an increase in the center frequencies of the first and second formants (Tsai 2001).

Figure: (a) Spectrogram of a Kargyraa song "the far side of a dry riverbed" (Audio file). (b) and (c) are two snapshot spectra of (a). They show f2=2f1.

This pipe model does not predict (1) the small bandwidth of the first and second formants, and (2) "mode-locking" f2=2f1. I hypothesize that periodic vorticity bursts at the diffuser-like supraglottal structures are responsible for producing the strong components at f1 and 2f1.
Subharmonic generation
In Kargyraa, there is a nonlinear coupling between the two pairs of the vocal folds, which can lead to either entrainments or chaos. While 1:2 entrainment can produce beautiful voices of Kargyraa, pathological voices with the involvement of chaotic vibration of the ventricular folds have a hoarse quality (ventricular dysphonia).

Based on recordings of high-speed images of the laryngeal movement, Lindestad and collogues (2001) reported that during Kargyraa singing the ventricular folds vibrated with complete but short closures at half the frequency of the true vocal folds, thus contributing to subharmonic generation.

Autonomic functions

It seems that stiffness of the ventricular folds cannot be manipulated by will, because they contain very few muscle fibres. However, the constantly increased ventricular function and repetitive closure may lead to new functional and anatomical changes in the interior of the larynx (such as ventricular hypertrophy) and, possibly, to a new system of innervation.

On the other hand, evidence of psychoemotional, cerebellar or midbrain (e.g., parkinsonism) types of ventricular dysphonia suggests sub-cortical influences of the ventricular folds.

It is interesting to note that Tibetan monks do not practice their vocalization. They improve the control of the ventricular folds through meditation! Meditaion is a conscious mental process that induces a set of integrated physiologic changes termed the relaxation response. The elastic property of the ventricular folds may be affected by meditation through autonomic functions. They become so relaxed that they vibrate with complete closures at half the frequency of the true vocal folds. In contrast, emotional stress can lead to adduction and vibration of the stiff ventricular folds with incomplete closures. Because lower subharmonics are weak in such melancholic voices, they sound rough (see "Roughness induced by subharmonics").

Tibetan monks stated repeatedly that while singing overtones one should always make a special effort to attune heart and mind to the meaning of the holy moment (Smith and Stevens 1967).

An overtone singer and researcher related the psychological mechanism underlying overtone singing during meditation to "a higher sound awareness":

When we meditate by way of singing the need to make pleasant or even beautiful sounds moves to the background. It is not the singing that decides whether we enter a truly meditative state of mind. More important is that we listen to ourselves, that we search for the voice inside. We are not concerned with personal judgments about our voice, nor with the personality in our voice. Singing harmonics automatically focuses the mind more than most other types of singing, because we essentially sing just one tone and listen to its internal dynamics. Overtones demand from us a higher than normal sounds awareness. They fulfil a service in certain spiritual traditions and have a built-in symbolic association with 'thing high'. They have the exceptional ability to unite voices to the highest degree and a tendency to unify the body and the mind. (van Tongeren 2002:207)

It is my hypothesis that overtone singing focuses the mind automatically on the weak pitch of the prominent nth harmonic. This form of meditation is designed to lead one to a subjective experience of absorption with the object of focus. From a viewpoint of neuroscience it seems appropriate that a model for this kind of meditation begins with activation of the prefrontal cortex and the cingulate gyrus. Brain imaging studies have suggested that tasks requiring sustained attention are initiated via activity in the prefrontal cortex, particularly in the right hemisphere, and the cingulate gyrus appears to be involved in focusing attention. In an excellent review paper on the neural basis of meditation, Newberg and Iversen (2003) proposed a neurophysiological network possibly underlying meditative states. They discussed the prefrontal cortex effects on thalamic activation, posterior superior parietal lobule deafferentation, hippocampal and amygdalar activation, hypothalamic and autonomic nervous system changes, autonomic-cortical activity, and neurotransmitter activity. Although their model may provide a general framework for studying the neural basis of meditation, it should be noted that there are categories and subcategories of meditation that may be associated with different neural activity. For example, overtone singing by Tibetan monks belongs to the meditation category in which the subjects focus their attention on a particular object. When the object is the melody composed of overtones, the mental task and thus neural activity may differ from the meditation technique that focuses the mind on an image, phrase, or word, because of the involvement of supraglottal structures.

Nitric oxide mechanisms

Nonadrenergic, noncholinergic (NANC) nerves, which cause relaxation of airway smooth muscle, have been described in several species including man. Nitric oxide appears to account for all the NANC response in human central and peripheral airways in vitro. A recent review on meditation stressed the importance of the involvement of nitric oxide during meditation (Esch et al. 2004, see also Kim et al. 2005). Based on these findings I propose a model for Tibaten overtone chanting:
The loop underlying Tibaten overtone chanting can be described as: (1) a monk adducts and relexes the ventricular folds; (2) he sings overtones; (3) he focuses his mind on the weak pitch of reinforced overtones; (4) this concentration triggers autonomic functions and nitric oxide mechanisms that in turn lead to a relexation of the smooth muscles in the supraglottal structures.

References
Andersson K, et. al. (1998) Etiology and treatment of psychogenic voice disorders: results of a follow-up study of thirty patients. J Voice 12: 96-106.

Doersten PG, Izdebski K, Ross JC, Cruz RM. (1992). Ventricular dysphonia: a profile of 40 cases. Laryngoscope 102: 1296-1301.

D'Antonio L, et. al. (1987) Perceptual-physiologic approach to evaluation and treatment of dysphonia. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 96: 187-190.

Esch T, Guarna M, Bianchi E, Zhu W, Stefano GB. (2004) Commonalities in the central nervous system's involvement with complementary medical therapies: limbic morphinergic processes. Med Sci Monit. 10(6):MS6-17.

Hisa Y, Koike S, Tadaki N, Bamba H, Shogaki K, Uno T. (1999) Neurotransmitters and neuromodulators involved in laryngeal innervation. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol Suppl. 178:3-14.

Kim DH, Moon YS, Kim HS, Jung JS, Park HM, Suh HW, Kim YH, Song DK. (2005) Effect of Zen Meditation on serum nitric oxide activity and lipid peroxidation. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2005 Feb;29(2):327-31. Epub 2004 Dec 29. Lazar SW, Bush G, Gollub RL, Fricchione GL, Khalsa G, Benson H. (2000) Functional brain mapping of the relaxation response and meditation. Neuroreport 11(7):1581-5.

Newberg AB, Iversen J. (2003) The neural basis of the complex mental task of meditation: neurotransmitter and neurochemical considerations. Med Hypotheses 61(2):282-91.

van Tongeren, M. (2002) Overtone singing - physics and metaphysics of harmonics in East and West. The Netherlands: Fusica, Amsterdam.

Yuceturk AV, Yilmaz H, Egrilmez M, and Karaca S. (2003) Voice analysis and videolaryngostroboscopy in patients with Parkinson's disease. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2002 259(6):290-3.

R.I.P.

TSAI Chen-Gia : False vocal fold surface waves during Sygyt singing: a theoretical study

Posted by Tran Quang Hai on April 12, 2008 at 23:00

False vocal fold surface waves during Sygyt singing: a theoretical study

Chen-Gia Tsai

1. Introduction

Overtone singing is a vocal technique found in Central Asian cultures such as Tuva and Mongolia, by which one singer produces a high pitch of nF0 along with a low drone pitch of F0 (F0 is the fundamental frequency, n = 6, 7, ...13 in typical performances). The voice of overtone singing is characterized by a sharp formant centered at nF0.

There are two approaches of physical modeling of overtone singing: (1) the double-source theory (Chernov and Maslov 1987), which asserts the existence of a second sound source that is responsible for the melody pitch; and (2) the resonance theory, which asserts that a harmonic is emphasized by an extreme resonance of the vocal tract. The fact that the melody pitches producible by the singer are limited to the harmonic series of the drone was regarded as robust support of the resonance theory (Adachi and Yamada 1999).

From a psychoacoustic point of view, a small bandwidth of the prominent formant is critical to a clear melody in Sygyt singing. A preliminary study using an autocorrelation model for pitch extraction suggested that the pitch strength of nF0 increased along with the Q value of this formant, with the formant magnitude playing a secondary role (see Perception of overtone singing). The amplified harmonic in a Sygyt voice can be 15 dB stronger than its flanking components. If the amplification of this harmonic cannot be explained in terms of vocal tract impedance, it should be attributed to the source signal.

Figure 1: Spectrum of a Sygyt voice produced by a singer from Tuva. The 18th harmonic is 15 dB stronger than its flanking components. It is likely that the false vocal folds generate the 9th, 18th, and even 27th harmonics.
The insufficiency of the resonance theory is notable in the spectra shown in Figs 1 and 2. The formant at 3 kHz of the Sygyt voice (Fig. 1) is so sharp that it may not be explained by tract filtering. On the other hand, the center frequencies of the first and second formants of Kargyraa voices always stand in the ratio of 1:2 (Fig.2). This strange phenomenon suggests hte existence of an unknown glottal source that produces the outstanding component at F1, and its second harmonic.

Figure 2: Two snapshot spectra of a Kargyraa song "the far side of a dry riverbed" (Audio file) .

The goal of this study is to offer a physical model based on a nonlinear loop that explains the harmonic amplification in Sygyt. This model asserts that surface waves (Rayleigh waves) of the adducted false vocal folds can actively amplify a harmonic. In this theoretical study I discuss the interactions between the false vocal fold surface waves (FVFSWs), the glottal flow and acoustic waves.
2. Theory
2.1 Rayleigh surface waves
The Rayleigh surface wave is a specific superposition of a transverse wave and a longitudinal wave of an elastic solid (see, e.g. Achenbach 1984). Its amplitude is significant only near the surface and attenuates exponentially with the depth. The trajectories of material particles are ellipses. At the surface the normal displacement is about 1.5 times the tangential displacement. The velocity of Rayleigh waves, independent on the wavelength, is about 0.9 times the transverse wave velocity. Rayleigh's theory of surface waves has been generalized to viscoelastic solids (see, e.g. Romeo 2001).

The assumption of Rayleigh surface wave on the false vocal folds is supported, although indirectly, by recent measurements of the medial surface dynamics of the vocal folds (Berry et al. 2001). The trajectories of surface fleshpoints were approximately ellipses, with the length ratio of the two axes varying in the range of 1.5-2.0. This value is in remarkable agreement with Rayleigh's theory of surface waves.

2.2 Surface wave instability
The mucosal wave grows in amplitude when propagating in the same direction as the glottal flow. It is a phenomenon of wave instability with similarity of a fluttering flag in the wind. Mathematically, it can easily be shown that the mucosal wave and the flag wave absorb the kinetic energy of the flow through the effects of the Coriolis force. Other effects contributing to wave instability are (1) the centrifugal force and (2) the viscous force at the separation point. Unfortunately, these effects have not been taken into account in two-mass or three-mass models of the vocal folds.

Fluid-structure interaction (Paidoussis 1998) is important in biomechanics (Carpenter et al. 2000, Huber 2000, Fenlon and David 2001). In the field of voice research, the fluid-structure interactions occurring around the true/false glottis are poorly understood. It is instructive to compare them to the system of fluttering flags in the wind ( Chang et al. 1991, Chang and Moretti 1991, Tang et al. 2003, Watanabe et al. 2002, Zhang et al. 2000, Zhu and Peskin 2002, Zhu and Peskin 2003 ).

It has been proposed that flag flutter is caused either by vortex-shedding from the flagpole, or else by pressure-feedback from the vortex-street in the wake of a flat plate or sheet. However, observed flutter does not match either Strouhal frequency (Zhang et al. 2000). Hence, one should looks for an instability phenomenon.

The pressure difference across the flag generated by a potential flow field can be described by aerodynamic mass terms resembling the "gyroscopic" inertia, Coriolis, and centrifugal coeffcients:

where w is the displacement of the flag, U the far-field flow velocity. This equation can be dated back to Bourrieres (1939) in a paper on the dynamics of pipes conveying fluid. This paper, published in the year of the outbreak of the Second World War, was effectively 'lost', and researchers rederived this equation in 1950s and 1960s (see Paidoussis 1998, page 59).

I suggest that the second term, which corresponds to the effect of the Coriolis force, contributes to the surface wave (dynamic) instability, which has been shown in the measurement of the medial surface dynamics of the vocal folds (Berry et al. 2001). This is consistent with the vocal fold model proposed by Horáček and Švec (2002), who regard the term of the Coriolis force as the aerodynamic damping. The surface wave instability can be attributed to a negative aerodynamic damping. Moreover, the centrifugal force may also plays a role in wave (static) instability (Moretti 2003). Further investigations are needed to quantify the glottic fluid-structure interactions.

2.3 Physical modeling of Sygyt
We suppose that the surface wave is triggered at the narrowing of the false vocal folds where the flow velocity is high enough to induce significant surface wave instability. The FVFSW grows in amplitude while traveling upward, significantly modulating the flow at the point of flow separation.

Based on the assumption of elliptic movements of fleshpoints on the false folds, snapshots of this wave can be obtained. The ellipses in Figs. 3a and 3b represent the trajectory of fleshpoints. We estimate the energy exchange between the flow and the tissue occurs at one point. In Fig. 3a the work done by the viscous flow at this point is positive. In Fig. 3b the flow separates upstream, performing no work (or positive work, if back-flow appears) at this point. It can easily be seen that over a period the FVFSW absorbs energy from the flow in the vicinity of the flow separation point, which moves back and forth at a crest of the FVFSW, modulating the flow through the false folds at frequency of nF0. This leads to a varicose jet producing the harmonic at nF0 in the source signal. This harmonic is in turn reinforced by the strong vocal tract resonance at nF0.

To sum up, a loop for Sygyt is established in terms of (1) linear resonator: the vocal tract with resonance at nF0, (2) energy source: pressure difference across the false glottis, and (3) nonlinear amplifier: the fluid-structure interaction around the false glottis. This self-sustained oscillator differs from the true vocal folds in that the false fold mucosa does not vibrate at any intrinsic resonance, but rather respond to the acoustic pressure.

The present model of "varicose jet oscillations induced by surface waves of curved walls in the vicinity of the flow separation point" could be regared as a counter-part of the jet-resonator model discussed by Meissner (2002). It should be noted that both the jet blown by a flute player and the false fold mucosa do not vibrate at their intrinsic resonance, but respond to the acoustic field. That is why their vibration frequency can be changed rapidly by manipulating the resonators (the fingering for flute playing and the tongue position for Sygyt singing).

Helmholtz resonator - Sinuous jet

Acoustic flow acting on the free jet
Flow separation - Jet instability
Coriolis force: acoustic flow/jet interaction

Helmholtz resonator - Varicose jet - Surface wave

Acoustic pressure acting on the surface
Surface wave instability - Flow separation
Coriolis force: surface wave/jet interaction

Table 1: A comparison of the feedback loop of a flute-like system (left) and Sygyt (right).

3. Discussion
The present model explains the crucial role of the adduction of the false folds in Sygyt technique. Because of this adduction the flow velocity over their mucosal layers is high enough to induce FVFSW instability. It is interesting to note that FVFSWs have been observed in patients suffering from ventricular dysphonia (Nasri et al. 1996), although their frequencies appeared to be much lower than those during Sygyt singing.

From an empirical standpoint, learning Sygyt is much more difficult than it is implicated by the resonance theory. In workshops of overtone singing, it has been repeatedly observed that only very few people are able to produce voices with a clear melody pitch. The present model predicts that one cannot sing Sygyt well even when manipulating the tract shape perfectly, because his false folds are not correctly adducted, or their mucosal layers do not have a proper shape, thickness, and viscoelastic properties.

During a 4 kHz pure tonal vocalization, significant surface waves of the false vocal folds have be detected (Tsai et al. 2004). This provides indirect evidence supporting my Sygyt model.

Figure 5: Spectrum of a pure tonal voice produced by me. During this vocalization, strong surface vibrations of the false vocal fold were detected by color Doppler imaging (Tsai et al. 2004).

4. Concluding Remarks
The surface wave of the false folds may appear in some Sygyt singers. However, a general conclusion could not be given because there appear different types of Sygyt technique.

The resonance theory and the double-source theory are not exclusive. The loop described in our model tends to "unify" these two theories of overtone singing. Whereas the true vocal folds and the vocal tract are, as usual, viewed as the independent source and filter, the false fold mucosa plays a key role in introducing acoustic feedback into the loop for harmonic amplification. This loop may also occur for other constrictions in the vocal tract, such as the soft palate (see velar-like voice with a sharp singer's formant).

Our model may also shed new light on the physical modeling of the vocal folds and the possible effect of acoustic feedback, especially for the phonations with large open quotient values. The model of Rayleigh waves and the effects of Coriolis force/centrifugal force in the glottic fluid-structure interaction demand further research.
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http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/%7Egim/gia/overtonesinging/fvfsw.html

Proceedings of the International Symposium on Musical Acoustics, March 31st to April 3rd 2004 (ISMA2004), Nara, Japan

Abstract

1. Introduction

2. Three-tiered sphincter of the larynx

3. X-ray observation

4. High-speed images

5. Acoustical analysis

6. Discussions and conclusions

References

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