Tibetan Chanting

• Tibetan chanting is commonly considered to be the earliest form of throat singing. It is performed by monks for Buddhist ceremonies and consists of a low tone, another tone one octave higher than that and an overtone drone. The drone is usually the fifth overtone of the low tone. It should be noted that throat singing is not used in traditional Tibetan folk singing; this chanting is strictly the domain of Buddhist monks. It is also the most well-known form of throat singing in the West.
  
  

Tuvan Throat Singing

• Tuvan throat singing was developed by the Tuva people of southern Siberia. It actually refers to five different singing styles: khoomei, kargyaa, sygyt, borbangnadyr and ezengileer. Khoomei is the most basic style and produces two or more soft tones. Kargyaa produces low tones rich in harmonics and is similar to Tibetan chanting. Sygyt has a flute-like tone with piercing harmonics and is the most difficult to produce. Borbangnadyr and ezengileer involve manipulation of the lips, tongue and throat to produce trills and vibrato. Tuvan throat singing is traditionally performed by men, although women are beginning to learn how to do it.
  
  

Overtone Singing

• Throat singing is often referred to as overtone singing, although it's probably more accurate to say that it is just one type of throat singing. It places specific emphasis on harmonics and is sometimes referred to as "Western overtone singing." Overtone singers use vowels, different mouth shapes and the upper throat to produce sound. Harmonics are high sounds similar to sounds produced by instruments such as the guitar or violin that can be heard over a lower fundamental tone. The harmonic is therefore referred to as the "overtone," which is where the name "overtone singing" comes from.
  
  

Inuit Throat Singing

• Inuit throat singing is uniquely found among the Inuit people of the Arctic regions of Canada, Denmark, Greenland and the United States. What separates this from other types of throat singing is that it is almost always performed as a duet between two women, often as part of a competition. It is often treated as more of a vocal or breathing game as opposed to a form of music. It places more emphasis on rhythm and can include voiced and unvoiced sounds. As a competition between women, it often lasts until one woman loses her breath and can no longer sing. A duet typically lasts a couple of minutes.