Vocal fry register

The undertone is a singing technique that tones are produced in particular by use of the larynx, which are below the Singtons.

In contrast to the overtone singing these sounds are not harmonics, ie integer multiples of the fundamental, but integer divisor of the root, so-called subharmonic. The Art of Untertongesangs is mainly known by the throat singers from Tuva, Mongolia, the ritual chants of Tibetan lamas and of the Xhosa in South Africa. In European music, there is also undertone, but it is not widespread.

There are two basic ways to create undertones in the larynx, the straw Bass (English vocal fry ) and the throat singing techniques.

Straw bass undertones

In the straw bass for vibrational mode of the vocal cords is altered. It is usually sung to the first subharmonic and allows singers who voice an octave to transpose down, thus expanding the Stimmambitus. This art is occasionally required in Western classical music. Few experimental singer can also sing to the 5th subharmonics.

Throat singing overtones

For fillet techniques other parts of the larynx along with the vocal cords vibrated ( ventricular folds, aryepiglottic folds). Here, the first subharmonic is sung, so the game sounds an octave below the singing voice. In Europe one finds this technique, for example, in the Sardinian cantu a tenores. In Tuva called Kargyraa the technique in Mongolia Charchiraa in South Africa umngqokolo. In these countries it is customary to combine the undertone with overtone techniques.