This is indeed the question I get asked the most frequent. It works the same way as a violin player discovers he/she can play the violin. By practice.
What benefit does overtone singing have?
Many. General benefits of all singing styles and techniques:
Singing in a group releases endorphins which is associated with feelings of pleasure, oxytocin is also released during singing which enhances feelings of trust and bonding. Cortisol levels go down, indicating lower stress. (http://ideas.time.com/2013/08/16/singing-changes-your-brain/ ).
Can everybody learn overtone singing?
Of course. If you can speak and sing, e.g. produce a sound with your vocal chords and you’re able to form vowels with your tongue, then you can learn overtone singing.
Can overtone singing cure cancer?
No. I don’t think that overtone singing can cure any diseases, although some overtone singers / sound healers might have another opinion about this. But singing can cure sadness & will make you feel good!
Does overtone singing have spiritual aspects?
For some people the practice of overtone singing might have spiritual or meditative aspects. Be welcome to find that out for yourself! For me it is purely a voice technique which I use as a musical instrument and art form in music and composition.
What can I do with overtone singing?
Everything you want to do! I make music with overtone singing and use it to change people’s listening habits, which has a big impact on their perception of sounds in music and daily life, as well as on their sense of self.
Can overtone singing harm my voice?
Any singing technique can harm your voice if it is done wrongly. If learned and done correctly, it won’t hurt or damage your voice. Useful indicator: Does it hurt? If yes, then what you’re doing is probably wrong and you should do it differently or get guidance by a teacher.
How did you get started?
In 2005 I heard a cultural radio broadcast about Hartmut von Voigt who is doing overtone singing, used to lead an overtone singing community and is building and inventing weird musical instruments of his very own design. He is a neighbour from the house where I grew up, so I asked him while he was working in his garden, if he could please show me how to do overtone singing, as I found it incredibly cool when I heard him doing it in the radio. So I just started! And continued with it over years and years of practice.
Have you been in Tibet/Mongolia?
No, never so far! It would be fantastic to travel there one day 🙂
Why are you bold? Do you have cancer?
No, fortunately I am very fine, fit & healthy – my hairloss is due to alopecia aerata, an harmless autoimmune disorder.
Will I get my partial payment back when I don't show up to the workshop?
No, I’m sorry. But you can send someone else as a participant to the workshop instead, who can take over your registration! (+ 20 Euros administration fee)
Do you offer instruction via the Internet?
In my experience, direct and immediate contact between teacher and student is the best way to learn singing. As this is quite impossible in this current global situation, you can begin your personal journey in learning overtone singing with my video workshop. Also you can book your space in one of the online group sessions, held regularly on Zoom. Here you get the opportunity to receive personal feedback and to ask questions. To take a look at the video workshop and the online sessions, please go to SHOP.