Interview with Olga Masalkova
Published 05 September, 2007, 09:37
Olga Masalkova, RT correspondent on a visit to Republic of Tyva, shared her impressions of Tyvinian throat singing and how it differs from traditional Western ones.
Russia Today: How does the throat singing differ from traditional Western singing?
Olga Masalkova: It differs a lot. It differs so much that some musicians have been saying this is not a vocal art, this is an instrumental art. Because thinking about normal singing you can follow the melody. When you hear throat singing you hear different sounds at once. It is really like a one sound but with so many so-called overtones. And also, just trying to explain how it is produced is very difficult. But imagine a beam of light. When a beam of light goes through a prism it creates a spectrum of colours. So, that is what's happening when a person throat sings. Streams of air go through the vocal chords and then in the throat and the mouth – that is the way you can hear overtones, that spectrum of different tones. So it definitely takes a lot of practice.
RT: You should be very physically strong. Can anyone do it?
O.M.: In theory, anyone can do it who has a musical ear. If you can hear the melody, if you can repeat it – that is it. You do not have to have actually a strong voice and you do not have to be a man, or a woman, to do that. Even children can throat sing and produce these deep sounds. It is all a matter of technique, how you use your voice.
RT: Does it hurt to do it?
O.M.: When not done properly it probably hurts, but when it is done and performed properly it doesn't. In fact, it actually helps to develop your voice and helps your speaking voice and has a medical power as well for both those who are singing and for those who are just listening to it. And Tibetan monks practice it when they meditate. So it really helps. And an interesting fact is that during Soviet times it was prohibited for pregnant women, because it was considered that a woman can scare a child while throat sing.
Our full coverage on Republic of Tyva you can see here.
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