Mongolian overtone singing (by Altai KhairKhan)

[bluntobjct]

I think this song is called Gooj Nanaa

[bluntobjct]

I was there, :) I bought their cd.

[BisonTurdjoy]

I wouldn't be able to resist. If it sounds like a fiddle, I have to flatfoot. I don't care if I'm in a boat- I'm gonna flatfoot! Didn't anyone dance??

[soloscriptura1]

interesting sounds

[andarinneo]

I was in Paris that summer and i heard them and discovered tuvan throatsinging

you cannot imagine what it means to me to have found this video of the exact event...

[laurabenge]

Wow, what a great memory. So cool that you took this video. I saw them here, just a few days later....It was outside the Georges Pompidou. I love this music.

[tanushinki]

they are so generous th share their music with the world .. Lord knows we need it ...

[sfunfens]

i saw this when i was in paris!!!! wonderful sound

[D0NGI0VANNl]

So did I!

It's just incredible hearing them perform that live on the street.

I even took a look from behind to see if there was some kind of hidden speaker.. Couldn't believe they were singing that.

[marlinus64]

I can see how this much older form of music has influenced other styles as well. I can even hear "bluegrass" in it. Cool stuff.

[NicoSensei]

This guys really rock, their singers are amazing. This is really expertly played traditional mongolian music !

[afsarturk]

music of theTuric people... (Mongolians-Turks)

[XiaDynasty]

y street perform at france , sad. Nice sing.

[o0monox0o]

great!

[samdon815]

I would like to over-tone the blond at 2:12

[matthewdrinkwater]

lol or some tuvan style

[ThelemicPotter]

actually this may not be so far from the truth! This type of singing is often used to soothe upset animals, especially when a mother rejects it's young. While the short statement by fungo sounds bigoted, if you asked a Tuvan, they may actually tell you this same thing!

[Aleskandari]

Thats outside the Pompidu center in Paris!

I was there 3years ago!!!

These dudes are AWESOME!!!

[Smonjirez]

Lol me too XD

[zaits]

bayar laa !

[jeannetteud]

I bought their album when I was there :)

[51blue1]

this is awsome

[majnjord]

I saw these guys when I was at the Centre Pompidou! :D COOL!

And they're really great!

[pictishsapien]

You can purchase the CD for these guys on last . fm

[analogyman]

Very similar to the concerts at the Silk Road Festival in Washington, DC, about a dozen yrs ago. Thank you for posting this!

[pictishsapien]

I saw a similar group outside the pompidou centre last Summer. Different costumes. But absolutely incredible !

[henrysbone]

I can't believe I have found this video !!! I was there on that day in Paris and the recorded sound does not represent truly the amazing tones generated by these artists. Incredible, unimaginable skill. I stood there for over an hour totally transfixed by these incredible and noble men who performed with a massive dignity few people will ever achieve. Listen and be stunned !

[orangestoneface]

the should get the nobel prize

[Urdunchimeg]

I have not seen Mongolian performers like this in NYC, You in Paris are so lucky to have these performers :)

[Urdunchimeg]

Wow beautiful!

[kingbleah]

i hope you paid these guys well for this!!!!

[MichaelKrzyzaniak]

Great singing! Too bad your microphone didn't pick up any frequency above about 5 kHz (I just put it through a spectrum analyzer).

[ThelemicPotter]

for those who don't know, the "pig squeal" is a modern type of overtone singing found in heavy metal music and is in many ways a decedent of the Tuvan style, though much harsher to hear.

[TezzaLarks]

Piq Squeals...? Overtones? You would say that?

[DragonWorshipper]

You've gotta try and watch Miyavi and this video together! Wicked combination xD

[parkourgeneration007]

Oh Ive seen this band in Paris in front of the library

In 2004 one of my favourite throat singing band

Thanks for sharing

[toamaori]

it just makes me smile :)

[plathhs]

I saw them at the same spot back in 2004. I've been practicing throat singing ever since.

[samdon815]

If Ghengis didn't get sick we would all be singing like this.

[azzuman]

I wouldn't mind.

[BounceMC2000]

i saw them 3 years ago at the same place in paris and i really get deaply impressed...especially by the oldest of the musicians who was able only to sing overtones...i thought: where is the voice??? thxs for upload

[TheToiletmonster]

Huh, that stuff is quite catchy =)

[banduraplayer]

Thank you OctoBox for your reply. By the way, I hope nobody thought I was making fun of them in any way; I think they are great and amazingly professional.

I'm still racking my brains to think what song that sounds like to me; Lord Randal perhaps?

When they get to the end I hear the words "gallows tree" so I think it's probably an old English or Scottish song.

Isn't it annoying when you can't remember a song!!! Happens to me a lot.... :-)

[okpantsparty]

The two songs are quite common mongolian songs with no english words. Mongolian music is uses the pentatonic scale so that's why you're hearing something familiar. It's also folk music which is not usually complicated.

[banduraplayer]

That song sounds awfully like blue-grass and some of the early English folk songs; just imagine the same thing sung by blue grass singers with fiddle, banjo, etc......even the ending of phrases on the dominant chord...

[OctoBox]

I was just going to say they sound like Mongolian Hillbillies, smile. I mean they are country folk and this is folk music -- You have to admit that this is far more intricate than some appalachian singing, however -- those hillbillies can play the hell out of the banjo. Put the two together, bring in a digeradoo and you'd be set, smile.

[azmhyr]

they sure rocked once.

Genghis Khan is my idol.

He ravaged the earth and was not afraid of anyone.

He was the chosen one of Tengri, his champion.

I see him as a blessed man, and the Mongols as another blessed people, as we turkic people.

[azmhyr]

mongols are not turkic.

[mrmoofle]

Correct. Mongols are not Turkic, but Tuvans are. One group which knows this are the Mongols. Ghengis Khan recognized the Tuvans as a seperate race. His general, Subotai (sp?) was a Tuvan.

[tugsuufre]

hey Tuvans are turkic speaking mongol ethnic group. my ancestors,Subotai and Zelme were mongol-urianhan.. Calling them Tuvans is just stupid! We call them urianhan as one subgroup.

[uchka4]

yamar muuhai guilaga chin yum be tenegteed gadaad togloltoor yavlaa geed ingeed gudamjind suudag bol hetsuu l yum bna daa tee zaluusaa ingej tenegtehee bolitsgooyo

[Agaa71]

We have Altain mountains in Mongolia too

[Agaa71]

They are not Tuvans!They are mongols

[DragonWorshipper]

Altai is a part of Russia right? So, how is that mongolia?

[ancalimonungol]

It was actually invaded. People are still the same.

[TheBackgroundNoise]

What struck me as fascinating is how the low-pitched kargyra(?) overtone singing in this tune sounded very similar to the sound a jaw-harp (aka jews harp or juice harp) makes and the high-pitched sygyt(?) overtone singing sounded very reminiscent of a penny whistle (aka tin whistle, Irish whistle and Celtic whistle) or other such similar-pitch wind instruments. This makes me wonder if this ancient art did not then inspire those other instruments into existance....

[bluntobjct]

I was there! and bought their cd, this song is on it.

they're freakin awesome

[mononokifool]

lol i was there as well, its crazy that you come across this stuff

[bluntobjct]

yeah it is. we were lucky to be able to witnis someting like this

[mononokifool]

exstreamly grateful that i was able to tour Europe and to see stuff like this. I could have really spent all day outside of the museum with all of the exhibitionists

[foowah7]

Wow! Beautiful!

[chubsoffire]

I saw these guys here!!! it was amazing.

[jckzil130]

Tuva people are mongols, inner mongolians are mongols, we are all mongols.

[bilinmeyen05]

Does it matter to say Tuvan people are Mongols or Turks? They are Altaic and we are all of the same family. Altai!

[temuchin76]

They are Turk,check vikipedi or another books,they are talking Tuva,Turkish.

[Daikini0]

Great performance, if you close your eyes, you can see the endless Mongolian lands.

[Chichiri520]

But Tuvan people, are they also of Mongolian descent?

[terminaal]

Tuva is a russian republic at the left side of mongolia but a lot of tuvans live in the mongolian region & vice versa according to wikipedia.

[goodbelle]

Tuvans are Turkic people but their culture is Mongolian.

[Turkmen26]

watch?v=ZPEZSKNI9Hs

[mytribeismypride]

Tuvan people are definetly Mongolian descendants.Tuvans from mongolian tribe uriankhai.They played major role in conquest of Chingiskhan!Best famous generals of Chingiskhan ,Subedei and Zelme from uriankhai tribe.

[123139]

They are all mongolian people. Not Tuva or Turkish..... pure Mongolian famouse band.

[myjuly2004]

Mongolians rock!!!

[ilirkinja]

haha, did you ever look up Mongolian in urban dictionary? They sure rock.

[kynos]

my goodness! that's awesome! you guys must come play in Singapore!

[BobFuzz]

This is completely amazing, their outfits, the music. It's a musical treasure.

[ToniEvora]

Good stuff

[heroness]

Just gorgeous...

thankyou so much!

[galbadrakh0880]

who is talking Tuva is Turkish...??look at his traditioanal cloths...is that Turkish cloths?If you think yes..just fuck off with your turk...thats MONGOLIAN!!!! fuckers..

[galbadrakh0880]

KgTUrk...are you turkish...if yes fuck off with your TURK...fucking poor guy..actually who are you?!you just same with your fucking oldest MOM!!!!lol

[daturkishulan]

calm down bro.turks and mongols are brothers.both of them are altaic lineage,like japanese and native americans

[Aarsyor]

I love this performance in particular because it sounds so joyous. It seems that a lot of other pieces are melancholic.

[kgTurk]

Its like saying German singing by the Spice girls or French singing by Bjork. i think u get my point haha.

[kgTurk]

There needs to be some clarification. Tuvans are not Mongols, they are Turkic. It says the groups called Altai Khairkhan, well if they are Altains then they are neither Tuvan or Mongols, Altaians are Turkic though. Anyway its typical ignorance to refer to all southern Siberians as Mongols since its a multi ethnic region. Do a search on Tuvans, Altaians, Khakas, Shors, etc. if you want to know more, they all have their own languages and its wrong to lump them all together.

[suvdaa1008]

Minii Mongol ah duu nar mini yagaad gadaa gudamjind suugaad duulj hogjimdoj baigaan boldoo, setgel mini ovdoj baina. Ta nar uneheer avyastai, tengerlig Mongoliin ur sad shuu. Sain saihniig husiye. Altain udmiin ohinoos ni bichlee.

[myjuly2004]

amazing!!!

[joomarsh]

their skills are treasure of the whole world! why did they have to beg? pathetic

[butterslide]

its not begging, i see nothing wrong with what they are doing, if people enjoy their music they can leave money if they want... the people there are lucky that they dont have to pay to see this

[ruladrise]

who is living in tuva u idiot ? Shamans who are shamans ???  Believers of old turkic Religion!

Russia go back to europe

[Batmaaan]

tuva is not türc, tuva is a country from the russia federation

[malperk]

Tuva is Türk.

[DragonWorshipper]

great performance! I wish some of them came to our little country!

[dhaeze]

i saw them too :p

[DonClaude]

Anybody else that is trying to learn Tuvan Throat Singing? There is a crash course available on the net. Available as a link at Wikipedia's page on Throat Singing.

[DragonWorshipper]

There is? No need for... only the really sad people have to take a course :P Everybody can learn themselves in a few months ;)

[DonClaude]

Oh, that's right! Sorry, I forgot about that. :)

[DragonWorshipper]

wow, i wasnt very nice at that time :P

[DonClaude]

Don't worry. Even though I know about this crash course it would be better if I had a teacher instead since I can't seem to find the time to practise. :( I only know one guy in Sweden who is moderately known for throat singing.

[Qudghu5888]

why not

[tindione]

¡Qué capos estos tipos! ¡Aguante Mongolia, carajo!

[blackjamm]

This is great. I've been advised by my Mongol language teacher to find some Mongol music, so this is rather special. The word I've learnt for overtone singing is "khoomii" - the two "o"s should have umlauts in standard transliteration - but as with all Mongol words, there will be at least on synonym. Thanks for sharing, jermgardner.

[balerd]

to scriewy

the buzz sound is made by aman khuur.

you can listen to it if you search 'botgon duu'

[NEUTRiM]

Тувицы жгут! :D

[scriewy]

oh maaaaaaan lucky YOU !!! yea thats the thing ! oh man thanks ! i remember this since i saw it on TV back in late 80's age 7, and didnt know it's name !

[scriewy]

i didnt mean what ever they use, these guys dont got the thingy im asking about, it's a smal thingy held in mouth and the springs are moved with fingers while the instrument in the mouth. yea i know here it's their throat singing very nice, i got few throat singing songs [: very trancy.

[petermendum]

i think the instrument you refer to is called a jaw's harp or sometime a jew's harp, i've got one, they're great instruments

[bulbous915]

Fantastic!!! my mongolian heritage!!!

[scriewy]

hey any 1 knows the iunstrument witch they hold in their mouth and it's like metal strings springing little thingy and make a buzing sound bzzzz...bzz.bzbzzzzb...zzz got any clue of it's name ?

[bulbous915]

i know that the buzzz sound is their throats. not the insruments. i think the instument was called the 'horse head instrument'.. i think? it resembles the sound of a string instument. the melody of the horse head instument is supposed to remind you of a horse galloping. it DOES sound like it.

[cpjcjhsh]

You're exactly right. And the "buzz sound" is "throat singing" (also known as "overtone singing", and there are various names in Mongolian for each style of it). To give a quick explanation for what you are hearing, a resonance chamber is formed by positioning the tongue and mouth just right, a root note is vocalised, and changing the shape of the lips and slightly changing the shape of the mouth will make other notes audible overtop of the root note...

[cpjcjhsh]

...If anyone is familiar with how the notes work on a brass instrument, the overtones are formed in a similar manner; the first overtone jump may be half of an octave, but as you go higher up, the notes are closer together. i.e., C-G-C-E-G-Bb-C-D-E-F-G, etc.

[moonpieaidan]

your description sounds a bit like a jewish harp. I dont think it is but its an interesting instrument anyway

[jingwei111]

its not khomuz its khargyraa

[tarhun]

in English it's called either a "trump" or a "Jew's harp" (no-one knows why, it's not a traditional jewish instrument). I don't know about Mongolian, but I know in Tuva its called a khomuz.

[gccampello]

Beautiful !