In the late 80′s, someone gave me a cassette with examples of overtone singing around the world at the time. I’d only just heard of overtone singing myself, so none of the names were recognizable yet. Julia Heyward was one of them. She began her career in the 70′s, very early for this type of music, which was minimally seen in those days. She combined performance art, multi- media events which included working with Laurie Anderson. Her latest activities seem to be centered around giving presentations and lectures, most recently November 2010, with new media works.
It is truly avant- garde and over-the-top. The piece of music I have linked here is the only one I had access to at the time. The various textures she created proved to me the vastness of flavors the voice is capable of. Some of it, (third section) I didn’t even realize was a human voice (this might be done along with the nose flute, but I’m not sure). Anyone know for sure? There was no electronic trickery involved. She manages to combine yodeling, overtoning and lyrics simultaneously. She demonstrates not only amazing technique and improvisational ability, but a certain silliness that tends to endear yours truly. It’s in the spirit of child-like innocence and experimentation. Her sheer lack of inhibition is truly inspirational to me. I think that from that point on, my life purpose altered somewhat to include this scope of “I don’t care what anyone thinks!” What freedom!
This attitude has led me down a sideways path of performance opportunities. There are some I’d describe as ‘shamanic’ for lack of a better word. When I’m on stage, whether it’s solo or unrehearsed guest spots with other musicians (particularly percussionists, but the most gratifying has been a few occasions with Tanya Tagaq, Inuit throat singer), I go into a more or less trance state, and the audience barely exists. The body moves of its own accord. Usually this dance like activity only happens in my living room. Every now and then, I’ll poke my head up and remember the wisdom of connecting with your audience. Which seems to shake them up even more.
So, if vocal improvisation is a calling in your life, I highly recommend Julia Heyward as a leaping off point. And BTW, if you ever get the chance to study with Bobby McFerrin, go for it. I’ve been trying for years.
blog post about Julia Heyward from Nov 2010
The most well known track from Julia Heyward- Mongolian Face Slap
A fantastic gigantic resource for avant- garde artists of all descriptions is ubuweb.com
Most of us are quite familiar with traditional yodeling, especially the Swiss variety. It also has appeared in old fashioned American country music from days gone by. Here I’d like to discuss yodeling in combination with harmonic overtone singing in particular. Not that much has been done with this, to my knowledge.
In the current atmosphere of music in general, where anything goes, I would like to encourage experimentation with this concept. In this combo, both the lower and upper fundamental pitches also contain controlled specific overtones emphasized at the same time. Tricky, you might be thinking. Well, granted, one would need fairly solid skills in overtone singing by itself….But the possibilities are fascinating and stand poised to revolutionize both disciplines!
Along with the overtone singing course I offer here on the site, I have developed special harmonic yodeling exercises for all ranges. This is a good place to start to launch your new found vocal vocabularies.
I would like to point out a couple of revolutionaries here for your entertainment, amusement, and possibly the experience of having your jaw drop to the floor.
Here’s Mal Webb. I consider him the top expert in combining overtones with yodeling. But even more impressive is something he calls ‘Sideways yodeling’. Though I would call it ‘Backwards yodeling’. In this style, the lower pitches are produced with the head register, and the higher pitches use the chest register.
Christian Zehnder, (from Switzerland, no less), a thoroughly amazing and multi-faceted experimental singer also combines overtones with yodeling, though in this example, he quickly alternates between the two. Listen for this at the 2:00 mark.
And I’d be amiss if I didn’t mention Lioudmila Khandi from Siberia (Yakut), who definitely yodels in her own spine tingling way. You can listen and download here. Her voice enters at :55.
A great blog about overtones and yodeling, from a student at one of my workshops, Deirdre Ann Morgan. She also happens to idolize Christian Zehnder.
…But sometimes, when you are immersed in a certain topic, trying to convey it to the public, you stumble across a source so comprehensive and entertaining that you think, well, I may as well just give up now and send everybody there! Well, here it is!
Note: Mademoiselle Montana has not posted anything since Sept 2009, but that doesn’t deter from the massive amount of value here.
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