Types of throat singing around the world
Mongolian, Tuvan, Inuit and Tibetan throat singing share a name, but each has its own sound and story.
Quick answer
Mongolian and Tuvan throat singing are close cousins: one singer makes a drone and a melody of overtones at the same time. Inuit throat singing is a different tradition, usually a playful contest between two women. Tibetan monks chant in a very deep voice that makes overtones ring out in prayer.
Mongolian throat singing (khöömii)
Sung all over Mongolia, and especially in the west, by herders who copied the sounds of wind, water and animals. The best-known styles are isgeree, a bright whistle above the drone, and kharkhiraa, a deep growl. UNESCO added Mongolian khöömei to its list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010.
Tuvan throat singing
Tuva lies just north of western Mongolia, inside Russia. Its five best-known styles are khoomei (soft and warm), sygyt (a piercing whistle), kargyraa (a deep, croaking growl), borbangnadyr (rolling and trilling) and ezengileer, which pulses like a horse's gallop.
Mongolian and Tuvan singers share many techniques. The names differ, and each land has its own songs and favorite styles.
Inuit throat singing (katajjaq)
In the Canadian Arctic, Inuit women sing katajjaq face to face, usually in pairs. They trade fast, rhythmic sounds made on the in-breath and the out-breath, often copying wind, water, birds and animals. It began as a game: the first one to laugh or run out of breath loses.
It is a separate tradition from Mongolian and Tuvan throat singing, with its own rules and meaning.
Tibetan chant
In some Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, monks chant prayers in an extremely deep voice. The low tone makes overtones ring above it, so a single monk can seem to sing a chord.
And more
Throat-singing traditions also live in the Altai, Khakassia and Bashkortostan in Russia. On the island of Sardinia in Italy, the canto a tenore choirs use deep, throaty voices of their own.
Hear the Mongolian side of the family
UYANA's songs are inspired by Mongolian throat singing and steppe folk, sung in Mongolian.
Sarny Okhin · Daughter of the Moon
A haunting ballad about waiting.
Read the lyrics and meaning of Sarny OkhinMönkh Tal · The Endless Steppe
Inspired by the Mongolian long song (urtyn duu), with long, free-flowing notes.
Read the lyrics and meaning of Mönkh Tal
Quick questions
What is the difference between Tuvan and Mongolian throat singing?
They are closely related and use similar techniques. The main differences are the names of the styles, the songs and the local favorites. Tuvan sygyt and kargyraa, for example, are close to Mongolian isgeree and kharkhiraa.
Is Inuit throat singing the same as Mongolian throat singing?
No. Inuit katajjaq is usually a rhythmic game between two women, while Mongolian khöömii is one singer making a drone and an overtone melody at the same time.
Which type of throat singing is the oldest?
Nobody knows for sure. These traditions were passed on by ear for many generations, long before anyone wrote them down.