How Tuvan throat singers produce multiple notes simultaneously using only the human voice

Music · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Huun-Huur-Tu, a musical ensemble from the Russian republic of Tuva, masters the ancient art of throat singing. By manipulating their vocal tracts, these performers sing a base note and its overtones at the same time, creating haunting, flute-like melodies that seem impossible for a single human to produce alone.

Founded in 1992 as the quartet Kunggurtug, the group soon adopted the name Huun-Huur-Tu, which translates to sunbeams or sun propeller. Their music is deeply rooted in the traditions of the Tuvan steppe, often drawing inspiration from the imagery of horses and the vast, open landscapes of their homeland. While their foundation is indigenous folk music, the ensemble has evolved over decades, selectively incorporating Western instruments like the guitar and experimenting with electronic soundscapes.

The core of their performance lies in throat singing, a technique where the singer produces two or three distinct notes at once. This acoustic phenomenon is entirely vocal, with the overtones mimicking the sounds of whistles, birds, or flutes. To accompany these vocal feats, the group utilizes traditional instruments such as the igil, the doshpuluur, and the dünggür, a shamanic drum. Over the years, the group has seen several membership changes, with founding members like Kaigal-ool Khovalyg and Sayan Bapa anchoring the ensemble through various iterations and international collaborations.

Since their debut album, 60 Horses In My Herd, released in 1993, Huun-Huur-Tu has gained global recognition. They have collaborated with a diverse array of artists, including the Kronos Quartet, Frank Zappa, and the Bulgarian vocal group Angelite. Their reach extends into film and television, with their music appearing in the soundtrack for the award-winning film Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner and the American series Fargo. Despite these modern intersections, the group remains a primary vessel for preserving the unique harmonic traditions of Central Asia.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• Some singers can produce two notes at once with a single voice.
• How a single voice can sing two notes at once
• How a Mongolian folk metal band conquered the world with ancient throat singing
• The horsehead fiddle that can tame wild animals
• The Celestial Mountains inspire a musical revival of ancient Kyrgyz traditions
• How a Marseille rap group used ancient Egyptian mythology to bypass French cultural censorship
• How Horace Silver Transformed Jazz by Moving Beyond the Bebop Standard
• From Vampire Diaries to regenerative farming: the career pivot of Ian Somerhalder
• How a small French port town became the cradle of the Impressionist movement
• The opera-trained baritone who became Japan's most unlikely pop music superstar
• Hole: The band that turned raw, abrasive punk into a global commercial phenomenon
• The Emperor of Anime Songs: How One Man Defined a Cultural Phenomenon

More in Musicians and composers · More in Music · Latest · A–Z · All topics