How to Throat Sing

Co-authored by Jonathan Stancato

Last Updated: October 17, 2024 Fact Checked

Also known as overtone singing or harmonic singing, throat singing manipulates your vocal chords to create melody. Famous in many Asiatic and some Inuit cultures, throat singing creates the illusion that you are singing more than one pitch at the same time, though you are actually singing only one frequency. When you do it successfully you will produce a whistling sound, or overtone, on top of your singing voice.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Throat Singing

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1
Relax your jaw and lips. Your mouth should be slightly open with roughly a centimeter between your upper and lower teeth.^{[1]
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- One way to relax your jaw is to put on a recording of a droning sound, then to sing in unison with that sound for a full breath cycle.
- For instance, you could pull up a cello drone in D, then take a single syllable like "oo" or "la" and inhale and sing along with that drone for a full exhale.
Your tongue should almost touch the roof of your mouth. Don't worry if it brushes it occasionally, just get comfortable with the position.

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3
Sing a comfortably low "base" note. Sing and hold a note, just one note, with your tongue in place. You will be playing with this note to create your overtones. Sing from your chest, getting as deep as you can.
- Think of saying "oo," (like the sound in the word "cool") with the deepest voice you can.
Keeping the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth. Think of it as shifting between an "R" and an "L" sound with your tongue.^{[2]
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5
Slowly change the shape of your lips to adjust the sound. Think of moving your mouth from an "E" sound to a "U" sound ("as if saying "see you" without the "s"). This changes the shape of your lips and the "resonance" of your mouth (how sound bounces around inside).
- Do this slowly.
6
Bring it all together to throat sing. Everyone's mouth is a little different and there is no perfect formula for tongue position, mouth opening, or volume. Start with your basic "oooo" note, and then:^{[3]
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- Place your tongue near the roof of your mouth in a "r" position.
- Move your lips slowly between the "E" and "U" vowel sounds.
- Slowly curl your tongue back and away from the your lips.
- When you hear your overtones, stop moving your mouth and hold the tone.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Improving your Sound

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Practice with some background noise. These will hide your normal vocal tones and make your high-pitched "whistling" tones louder. Try practicing in the shower, while you drive, or while the TV is on in the back
- Don't worry if you cannot hear the overtones at first. It is difficult to hear yourself singing overtones when you first begin, even if you are making them properly, because of the resonance in your head.
2
Sing with a loud, bright voice. When they are first starting out, most people don't give enough power and energy behind their voice, To get the "ooooo" sound right, imagine you are trying to sing as someone squeezes your throat. Your voice will need to loud and forceful, and this will help you create overtones.^{[4]
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- After you master throat singing technique you can lower your volume and vocal power to something more comfortable.
- The best way to sing more beautifully and richly is to discover your true voice in the actual world, ex. to become more comfortable with your speaking voice.
There is a difference between your "chest voice" and you "head voice." With you head voice, you usually sing at a higher pitch, and you can feel the sound coming from your throat. A chest voice feels "resonant," and you can feel the vibrations along your upper chest.^{[5]
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Once you can comfortably make sing with overtones, you can learn to make melodies by moving your lips and adjusting your base note. Open and close them like you were transitioning from an "E" sound to a "U" sound ("eeeeee &rarr: you).^{[6]
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Throat singing is found in cultures from Alaska to Mongolia and South Africa. The Smithsonian museum has an incredible collection of videos from these cultures, as well as some tutorials for burgeoning throat singers.

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Why does my throat feel tight while singing?

Jonathan Stancato
Voice Coach
Jonathan Stancato is a Holistic Voice Coach and the Founder of Inside Voice, an approach to improving one's voice and singing abilities through a mind-body 5-octave approach developed while he was working at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. He serves clients online and in-person in the New York City metro area and has taught students in theatre conservatories, music festivals, mindfulness organizations, TED Conferences, colleges, choirs, and corporations. Jonathan has extensive training in extended voice (Richard Armstrong/Roy Hart), Hindustani classical vocals (Michael Harrison), and trance singing (Thomas Richards/Grotowski Workcenter).

Jonathan Stancato

Voice Coach

Expert Answer

It might be because you're overthinking your sound, rather than focusing on how you're feeling in your particular singing situation. Try singing along with a simple recording, even one of a single tone, and your human desire to sing in unison might help your throat loosen.

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How can I sing less nasally and more throatily?

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Blow your nose before a performance, use bigger breaths, and sing from the gut.

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How bad can I injure my voice while practicing throat singing? Can I injure it permanently?

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It is not possible to "permanently" damage your vocal chords by just using them. But if you've ever sung or talked for long periods of time, your throat will start to get a little sore. If you notice that it is starting to become uncomfortable to talk or sing, take a break and, if you so desire, have some hot tea with honey to help soothe your throat.

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If you're sick and have a sore thoat/phlegm, you should probably wait to practice singing until you're well again.^{[7]
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Clear your throat by coughing or drinking a glass of water before you begin.

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