Mongolian Khoomei (Throat Singing) — A mesmerizing overtone singing technique where Mongolian vocalists produce multiple pitches at once, mimicking the sounds of nature.

Heritage Category

Traditional Music

Geographic Origin

Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, North China

Temporal Peak

Ancient, originating in the Altai region

UNESCO Status

Representative List

Transmission

Master-Apprentice (Oral/Aural)

Primary Vectors

Mongolian Khoomei Overtone Singing

CIVILIZATION OBJECT NO. 051

Mongolian Khoomei (Throat Singing)

"A mesmerizing overtone singing technique where Mongolian vocalists produce multiple pitches at once, mimicking the sounds of nature."

COORD: 44.09N / 113.94E

CIVILIZATION CONTEXT

RELATED REGION

Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region

MATERIAL PAIRING

Mongolian Khoomei Overtone Singing

LITERARY NODES

Mongolian Long Song: The Grasslands Singing

info

This artifact is part of the Intangible Heritage Cluster. It connects to 8 entities across the atlas, spanning 1 region, 1 master, 0 festivals, and 1 skill.

01 / ARCHIVAL ORIGINS

Mongolian Khoomei (Throat Singing): A Living Heritage

Khoomei is a remarkable Mongolian overtone singing technique where a single vocalist produces two or more pitches simultaneously — a low fundamental drone with a whistling melody of harmonics. Originating in the Altai Mountains, it mimics the sounds of nature: flowing rivers, howling winds, and birdsong. Styles include kharkhiraa (deep), isgeree (whistling), and khamryn (nasal).

Centuries

Years of Unbroken Lineage

Related Cultural Vectors

FIG. 01: Mongolian Khoomei (Throat Singing) — a living tradition of Chinese intangible cultural heritage.

History & Development

Khoomei lets one singer sound two notes at once, anchoring a low drone while a flute-like overtone whistles above it in melody. Steppe herders developed the style imitating wind through valleys and water over stones, and nineteenth-century travellers recorded the two-voice effect across the Altai regions of western Mongolia and northern Xinjiang.

China inscribed Mongolian khoomei art on the UNESCO Representative List in 2009, and conservatories in Inner Mongolia opened dedicated throat-song majors soon after. Performers trained in pastoral lineages now teach alongside academy faculties, keeping both the ceremonial styles and the herder camp repertoire alive on stage.

How Throat-Song Overtones Are Shaped

01

Sinking the breath

Singers fill the lower lungs and press the abdomen outward, sustaining a relaxed column of air that feeds the drone for half a minute or more.
02

Locking the drone

A loose jaw and sunken larynx produce the low fundamental, held perfectly steady because every overtone above depends on it.
03

Shaping the overtones

Tiny movements of the tongue ridge and lip corners filter the harmonics, sliding a whistle-like melody across five or more scale degrees.
04

Directing resonance

Chest and head cavities amplify chosen harmonics; singers cup a hand to one ear to hear the faint upper voice strengthen as placement corrects.

Common Questions

Can anyone learn throat singing?

Most learners find a clear overtone within months of guided practice, but forcing pressure without breath support strains the throat, so teachers drill silent posture exercises before any sustained droning.

How is khoomei different from long song?

Long song stretches single syllables into ornamented melody at normal pitch, while khoomei layers two simultaneous voices; the steppe often pairs them, as heard in Mongolian long song performance traditions.

Who carries the tradition today?

Pastoral-born performers such as Baatarchuluun teach both ceremonial and herder repertoires, and Hohhot academies graduate new cohorts annually since the 2009 UNESCO inscription.

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Stories & Legends

Mongolian Long Song: The Grasslands Singing

historical

A melody as vast as the steppe, born among the nomads of Inner Mongolia.

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Skills & Techniques

Mongolian Khoomei Overtone Singing expand_more

The technique of producing two or more pitches simultaneously through controlled manipulation of the vocal tract, creating a low drone with harmonic overtones.

Steps

Learn diaphragmatic breathing for sustained exhalation
Practice producing a low fundamental drone from the chest
Shape the mouth and throat to select specific overtones
Master the three main styles: kharkhiraa (deep), isgeree (whistling), khamryn (nasal)
Combine drone and melody by adjusting tongue position and lip aperture
Imitate natural sounds — flowing rivers, wind, birdsong — through throat manipulation

Tools

none (vocal-only technique)

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THE LIVING BREATH

Generations Preserved

NATIONAL / GEN 1

Baatarchuluun

Baatarchuluun is a master of Mongolian Khoomei throat singing from the Xilingol Grassland of Inner Mongolia. Learning from elder herders in his youth, he has mastered all three styles — kharkhiraa (de...

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