Michael Ormiston

Overtone singing (also called overtone chanting, harmonic or diphonic singing) is a vocal technique in which a single singer produces two clearly perceivable pitches at the same time: a low fundamental drone and a high, flute‑like melody formed from the harmonic series. By precisely shaping the vocal tract (tongue position, lip rounding, soft‑palate height, and jaw opening), the singer selectively amplifies individual overtones above a continuous drone. Regional styles include Tuvan and Mongolian khöömei (with substyles such as sygyt, khöömei, and kargyraa), as well as Tibetan Buddhist and other Inner/Central Asian chant practices. Modern practitioners also employ the technique in ambient, experimental, choral, and meditative music. Timbrally, overtone singing ranges from bright, whistling tones to deep, growling textures. Musically it often centers on drones, pentatonic figures, and melodies that trace the natural harmonic series rather than equal‑tempered scales.