Introduction

[Throatsinger]

Greetings,

 

I'd like to introduce myself. I'm Steve Sklar, and I'm the Guitarist/Throat-Singer/Producer for the band Big Sky, based in Minneapolis. I have many years of mid-level recording experience, and am the only active performer/teacher of Khoomei, or Tuvan Throat-Singing in the USA.

 

I'm quite excited to find these very interesting boards, and look forward to networking with it's members! I invite you to become acquainted with Big Sky's music at mp3.com/bigsky where you can find a mix of studio, demo, and gig recordings.

 

If you're interested in hearing my experiments integrating Khoomei with contemporary music, try "Siberia" and "Fire in the Water."

 

Best wishes to all of you,

 

Steve Sklar/Big Sky

mp3.com/bigsky

[Tedster]

I listened to "Fire"...good tune, but I wasn't aware that there was throat singing in it, and my wife was yakking at me while I was trying to listen...I'll listen again...

[Throatsinger]

Hi Tedster,

 

Thanks for listening. People often confuse my singing for a didg, synth, flute, or bagpipes, since it's so unusual. The most obvious khoomei on that tune is at the beginning, and repeats elswhere. The high-pitched sound along with the cymbal is a style called Sygyt, in which the singer holds a midrange drone while singing a high, flute-like melody of harmonics above. There's also a little bit of Kargyraa towards the end, a low-raspy sound. The Kargyraa (reminiscent of Tibetan Tantric Chant, but musical) is more obvious on "Siberia," at the beginning and end, and the tune also features a very high sygyt in the middle and during the last verse.

 

Steve