The human voice is a sacred instrument—capable of expressing not only words and emotions, but entire spectrums of sound hidden within a single tone.
Overtone singing is the art of isolating and amplifying these harmonics using subtle shifts in the vocal tract. While most people are familiar with the general idea of throat singing or harmonic singing, few know that this can be further refined into single cavity and dual cavity techniques.
These practices don’t require special talent—just focused attention, relaxed breath, and playful curiosity. Let’s explore both paths.
🎶 Single Cavity Overtone Singing
This method uses one resonant chamber—your full vocal tract—to gradually shift the tone's harmonic emphasis. By changing the shape and tension of your mouth, tongue, and nasal cavity, you “tune in” to individual overtones above a sustained base note.
✅ How to Begin:
- Start with a simple hum or tone in the middle of your vocal range.
- Begin to sing slowly through vowel shapes, focusing on these five:
- AH – as in MAMA
- EH – as in CHECK
- I – as in PIN
- O – as in MORE
- U – as in FOOD
- AH – as in MAMA
- Gradually make the vowels more nasal—allowing the sound to resonate behind the nose and in the skull.
- Gently pull the back of your tongue toward your throat, but without touching the back. Do this very gradually.
- Hold each vowel while slightly adjusting the shape of your lips and tongue to "catch" the overtones.
You may hear a faint flute-like whistle appearing above your main tone. That’s the overtone becoming audible. It may come and go at first—this is completely normal.
🌀 Tips:
- Be patient and explore slowly
- Sing at medium pitch—very low or very high tones are more difficult at first
- Close your eyes and focus your awareness on how the vibrations feel
- Record yourself and play it back—you may hear more than you do in the moment
🎵 Dual Cavity Overtone Singing
This technique divides the mouth into two separate resonant chambers using the tongue as a divider. It enables finer control over specific overtones, especially in the higher spectrum. While more complex, it opens up a powerful dimension of resonance.
✅ How to Practice:
- Begin by humming MMMMMM, letting it resonate in your nasal passages and skull.
- Transition into a growling or vibrating RRRRRR sound by raising your tongue and letting the tip flutter against the roof of your mouth (like a cat’s purr or a rolled ‘R’ in Spanish).
- Try: MMMMM → RRRRRRRRR
- Stretch the RRR and feel the buzz in your forehead and sinuses
- Try: MMMMM → RRRRRRRRR
- Now create long transitions with combinations like:
- NNUUUUUUURRRRIIIIIII
- IIIIRRRRRRRUNNN
- RUUUUUUUUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIR
- NNUUUUUUURRRRIIIIIII
- Use your lips to hold the sound in front—as if holding a cork gently between your lips and teeth. This increases front-resonance and stability.
🔄 Key Differences from Single Cavity:
- The tongue divides the space, allowing you to manipulate two resonance zones (front and back)
- You’ll notice a buzzier, metallic overtone character
- It requires more breath support and tongue control
🔍 What to Watch For
- Don’t rush. The muscles involved are subtle and often underused—give them time.
- Keep your attention on how the tones feel in your body: in the sinuses, skull, throat, and chest.
- Stay playful—enjoy the weirdness! There is no need to sound perfect.
- Explore different vowel-consonant combinations to find what resonates for you.
🧘♂️ Inner Effects: Beyond Technique
Overtone singing isn’t only a vocal practice—it’s an energetic one.
Many practitioners report:
- Greater mental clarity
- Activation of the third eye and sinuses
- A profound sense of calm and expansion
- Deepened listening skills and inner awareness
These effects are especially noticeable when practicing dual cavity tones, as they stimulate subtle points in the cranium and nervous system.
🎤 Final Thoughts: Your Voice Is a Portal
Learning single and dual cavity overtone singing is like discovering hidden rooms in a familiar house—parts of your voice (and being) you never knew were there.
Each overtone you access is a harmonic thread,
reconnecting you to the architecture of sound,
the geometry of light,
and the resonance of who you truly are.
Don’t worry if it doesn’t work right away. Just keep playing.
Your voice remembers—and with time, it will show you what it can do.