Central Asian throat singing is a family of overtone-rich vocal techniques practiced across Mongolia, Tuva, and neighboring regions of Inner Asia. Singers shape the vocal tract to amplify specific harmonics above a low fundamental drone, producing the impression of two or more pitches at once.
Traditionally performed by nomadic herders, these styles often imitate the sounds of wind, rivers, birds, and horses, and are closely tied to animist and steppe life-worlds. Substyles such as khöömii (overtone-focused), sygyt (whistling, high overtones), and kargyraa (very low, growling fundamentals) showcase distinctive timbral goals, breath control, and resonant vowel shaping.
While deeply rooted in folk practice, throat singing has influenced contemporary ambient, drone, and experimental scenes, and it increasingly appears in cross-cultural collaborations and modern stage settings.
References to overtone-rich singing associated with steppe cultures appear in Central and Inner Asia as early as the medieval period. Oral histories link the techniques to herding lifeways, where singers learned to project over long distances and to mirror natural soundscapes. The practice evolved in communities across present-day Mongolia, Tuva (Russia), and the Altai, with local names and variants emerging over centuries.
By the early modern period, distinct stylistic streams were recognized: khöömii emphasizing clear, bell-like overtones; sygyt producing flute-like, high harmonics; and kargyraa cultivating a low, growling fundamental with rich subharmonics. These styles developed alongside instruments such as the morin khuur (horsehead fiddle), igil, topshur/doshpuluur, and jaw harp (khomus/temir khomus), which supported or dialogued with the voice.
Ethnographers and radio archives in the 20th century began documenting the tradition in detail. Ensemble formats and staged performances grew, especially during late Soviet and post-Soviet periods, bringing Tuvan and Mongolian throat singing to international audiences. Landmark tours and recordings by leading ensembles in the 1990s and 2000s catalyzed a global appreciation.
In recent decades, throat singing has intersected with ambient, drone, experimental electronic, and rock contexts. Collaborations with world fusion ensembles and film composers have expanded its presence while educational programs and festivals in Mongolia and Tuva support transmission to new generations.
