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chanting & throat-singing (was Re: Telek -- Invent a Language)

From:Jonathan Chang <zhang2323@...>
Date:Sunday, October 1, 2000, 21:41
In a message dated 2000:10:01 1:39:29 PM, fortytwo@GDN.NET writes:

>Yoon Ha Lee wrote: >> And the website archive of the _Scientific American_ article thereon >> (where I found out about it): >> http://www.sciam.com/1999/0999issue/0999levin.html > >Ah! I have heard of that before. In fact, I think I heard it before. >Don't Buddhist monks do the same thing? I remember hearing some monks >making some bizarre sounds on an episode of Millennium.
Well there are several vocal techniques somewhat unique to some Asian singing/chanting. IIRC, Throat-singing is one and another is harmonic singing [also called "overtone singing"] (there is some overlapping of both these). I think most Buddhist monks chant in harmonics and overtones. (I have only heard Tibetan Buddhists even approach the use of throat-singing) Roughly, throat-singing is more glottal, harmonic singing more pulmonic. Throat singing is rougher, more "throaty"... harmonic singing can be quite etheral, otherworldly sounding (check out CDs by David Hykes and his choir). czHANg