Originally, Inuit throat singing was a form of entertainment among Inuit women while the men were away on hunting trips. It was an activity that was primarily done by Inuit women although there have been some men doing it as well. In the Inuit language Inuktitut, throat singing is called katajjaq, pirkusirtuk or nipaquhiit depending on the Canadian Arctic region. It was regarded more as a type of vocal or breathing game in the Inuit culture rather than a form of music.
Inuit throat singing is generally done by two individuals but can involve four or more people together as well. In Inuit throat singing, two Inuit women would face each other either standing or crouching down while holding each other’s arms. One would lead with short deep rhythmic sounds while the other would respond. The leader would repeat sounds with short gaps in between. The follower would fill in these gaps with her own rhythmic sounds. Sometimes both Inuit women would be doing a dance like movement like rocking from left to right while throat singing.more
Sounds produced can be voiced or unvoiced and produced by inhalation or exhalation. Both Inuktitut words and meaningless syllables are used in Inuit throat singing songs. However, when words are used in throat singing, no particular meaning is placed on them for a song. When meaningless syllables are used, they are often portrayals of sounds the Inuit hear in their natural environment such as animal sounds or even water running down a creek. Popular Inuit throat singing songs are usually identified by the first word or sound that is produced in each song.

Inuit throat singing is a skill that has to be taught and developed. Inuit throat singers try to show their vocal abilities in a fun competitive manner and the first one to either run out of breath, stop or laugh is declared the loser of the game.

Each game usually lasts from one to three minutes. In a group of Inuit women, the overall winner is the one who beats the largest number of her competitors in this fun filled activity.

Unfortunately, there is no written record of when the Inuit first developed their form of throat singing which differs from the type found in Mongolia and other parts of the world that has some form of throat singing. The Inuit did not keep any written records and history was simply passed down from generation to generation orally.

It was reported that at one point in time, Inuit women would actually have their lips almost touching while using each other’s mouth cavity as a sound resonator. This technique is not used anymore.

Inuit throat singing was actually forbidden by Christian priests for almost 100 years but since this religious ban was lifted, there has been a resurfacing of this traditional activity in the Inuit communities during the last 20 to 30 years. Interestingly enough, there has been a lot of interest among the younger Inuit generations in this revival in addition to the Inuit elders who are trying to bring throat singing back as part of present Inuit culture. Many of the young Inuit women who have taken up throat singing claim that it is a way for them to express their Inuit identities in the modern world where many Inuit traditions have already been lost.

The revival of Inuit throat singing has been so popular that in September of 2001, the first throat singing conference was held in Puvurnituq, Nunavik where different types of Inuit throat singing from different Arctic regions of Canada were demonstrated and shared. There has even been a small number of Inuit throat singing CDs produced

Have you ever noticed the way your favourite band or favourite singer dresses while on stage? They tend to look pretty good, or they at the very least dress in a way that suits the type of music they play. It’s one thing to be able to sing, but part of learning how to become a singer is taking your image into consideration. Image is one of the most overlooked aspects of becoming a musician/singer, and is usually one of the easiest aspects to fix. The importance of your image will vary depending on your goals, so if you only want to become a singer for the fun of it then it isn’t something to worry about. However, if your goals involve record labels, such as being in a signed band, or becoming a pop star, then you should really take your image into consideration.

So what exactly does it mean to have good image? All it really comes down to is putting some effort into your appearance, as well as making sure it fits the music you are singing. It does not mean dressing like someone you’re not, nor does it mean dressing in a way you are uncomfortable with. Nothing is worse than a phony or uncomfortable looking singer. For example, if you were going to an audition, then wearing one of your best outfits would suffice. Consider going to a hairstylist if your haircut doesn’t suit your look. If you are unsure of what good image looks like, have a look at some of your favourite artists and musicians for some inspiration. You can even look at the finalists on the Idol competitions, as they are also always pretty well dressed.

Why even bother with image? Shouldn’t your voice be enough to carry you to singing stardom? Your singing is obviously the most important, but if your look really goes with the music, it makes your music and performance that much more believable. Take Lady Gaga for example. Lady Gaga is definitely on the extreme end of the spectrum here, but imagine if she dressed like plain jane while on stage. Her music wouldn’t be nearly as effective. This doesn’t mean you need to start dressing outlandishly, or start wearing things you normally wouldn’t though. Take Taylor Swift for example. Her look is far more simpler, but it still works and looks great, especially because it matches her music. more

When people go to work, they dress a certain way. Be it a uniform, business suit, whatever. You wouldn’t go to work without it. The idea is similar with becoming a singer, because it shows you care about what you do and you put effort into the little details. Same idea with handing in a project at school. The project that gets handed in with a folder, title page, pretty cover, usually gets a good mark because of the effort put into it, and the attention to detail.