Yodeling is a vocal technique that is instantly recognizable. Not quite as cool as Tuvan throat singing, but in the general vicinity.
“The Rough Guide to Yodel” (Various Artists)
Yodeling Is Universal You might assume that yodeling is limited to the worlds of lonesome cowboys or Swiss Miss Cocoa ads. But according to Bart Plantenga...it's a vocal technique used all over the world.Recently, on a fact-finding trip to Wisconsin — home to many Swiss-Americans — Plantenga discovered something surprising even for someone whose oeuvre has largely relied on odd discoveries: groups of farmers from Wisconsin’s Hmong community yodeling their native folktales while working in the fields. But by showing how so many vocal traditions are united by a quirky vocal technique, can Plantenga really elevate our appreciation of the Swiss or cowboy yodeling we’ve learned to laugh at? Would a yodel-ay-ee-oooo by any other name still sound as corny?
Tags: music
