If you are a fan of Jewel, you wonder how can she yodel like that? Her voice is so angelic and her yodeling is so poised. Then you listen to her perform some of her songs, you know she’s doing live yodeling there and not lip synching.

What are the secrets to yodeling?

Yodeling is singing that involves an extended note rapidly and repeatedly changing its pitch from the vocal chord which usually comes from the chest. This vocal technique found its origin from many cultures all around the world.

Swiss, Persian and African singers all have their own versions of yodeling. Yodeling for those in the Swiss Alps was the form of communication between mountain peaks. Soon enough, it became a traditional music in the region. In Persian Classical music, singers accompany yodeling with tahrir or an instrument that oscillates the yodeling tones. In Central Africa, the pygmy singers use an elaborate polyphonic singing, which is also yodeling.

Normally, human voices have two distinct vocal registers - the head and chest voices. If the pitch is lower then it comes from the chest. There is a certain range of relatively higher pitch when it comes from the head.

Among inexperienced and experienced singers, the ranges between the head and chest are hard to reach. Experience singers have control of their voices thanks to their vocal training that they are able to overlap the ranges, switching from the head to the chest, low-quality to high-quality.

Upon doing so, yodeling is achieved. Repeatedly going back and forth over the head and chest chords is the technique to yodeling. By doing it over and over again, trying to change the pitches and the tones, then you can yodel!

Try this: “Yodlayeeooo” Say it as “Eeee” from the head voice while the rest is in the chest voice. Alternate the high and low pitches.

Other singers who can yodel are the Indigo Girls, Sarah McLachlan and Nelly Furtado. Yodeling is also form of the contemporary music. Some musicales have their characters yodeling briefly in scenes.

The saying practice makes perfect apply to yodeling. For better results, consult a vocal coach. With the right vocalization, anybody can learn the proper vocal trainings. One of which is positioning the vocal chords at the right place. By knowing where specifically you could draw a note - from the head or the chest - and singing it at the right time, then you’re on your way to yodeling.

Tags: Musical Performance, Practice, Singing