A hum is a sound made by producing a wordless tone with the mouth closed, forcing the sound to emerge from the nose. To hum is to produce such a sound, often with a melody. It is also associated with thoughtful absorption, 'hmm'.
A hum has a particular timbre (or sound quality), usually a monotone or with slightly varying tones. There are other similar sounds not produced by human singing that are also called hums, as the sound produced by machinery in operation, such as a microwave, or by an insect in flight. The hummingbird was named for the sound that bird makes in flight which sounds like a hum.
A 'hum' or 'humming' by humans is created by the resonance of air in various parts of passages in the head and throat, in the act of breathing. The 'hum' that a hummingbird creates is also created by resonance: in this case by air resistance against wings in the actions of flying, especially of hovering.
Humming in human evolution
Joseph Jordania suggested that humming could have played an important role in the early human (hominid) evolution as contact calls.[1] Many social animals produce seemingly haphazard and indistinct sounds (like chicken cluck) when they are going about their everyday business (foraging, feeding). These sounds have two functions: (1) to let group members know that they are among kin and there is no danger, and (2) in case of the appearance of any signs of danger (suspicious sounds, movements in a forest), the animal that notices danger first, stops moving, stops producing sounds, remains silent and looks in the direction of the danger sign. Other animals quickly follow suit and very soon all the group is silent and is scanning the environment for possible danger. Charles Darwin was the first to notice this phenomenon on the example of the wild horses and the cattle.[2]Joseph Jordania suggested that for humans, as for many social animals, silence can be a sign of danger, and that's why gentle humming and musical sounds relax humans (see the use of gentle music in music therapy, lullabies).[3]
Humming is often used in music of genres, from classical (for example, the famous chorus at the end of Act 2 of Giacomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly) to jazz to R&B.
Another form of music derived from basic humming is the humwhistle. Folk art, also known as "whistle-hum," produces a high pitch and low pitch simultaneously. The two-tone sound is related to field holler, overtone singing, and yodeling the music.
The Hum – an apparently widespread phenomenon involving a low-frequency hum of unknown origin, inaudible to most people
Mains hum – an electric or electromagnetic phenomenon that causes a low frequency (50 or 60 Hz) audible signal
References
^Jordania, J. (2009). Times to Fight and Times to Relax Singing and Humming at the Beginnings of Human Evolutionary History. Kadmos, 1, 272–277
^Darwin, Charles. (1871). Descent of Men. 2004:123
^Jordania, Joseph (2010). Music and Emotions: humming in Human Prehistory (proceedings of the International Symposium on Traditional Polyphony, held in Tbilisi, Georgia in 2008
^o'Neill, Gareth (2015). "Humming, whistling, singing, and yelling in Pirahã context and channels of communication in FDG". Pragmatics. Quarterly Publication of the International Pragmatics Association (Ipra). 24 (2): 349–375. doi:10.1075/prag.24.2.08nei.
External links
The dictionary definition of hum at Wiktionary
May 05, 2023
humming, other, uses, disambiguation, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, schol. For other uses see Humming disambiguation This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Humming news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2009 Learn how and when to remove this template message A man humming source source source A woman humming a tune source source source Problems playing these files See media help A hum is a sound made by producing a wordless tone with the mouth closed forcing the sound to emerge from the nose To hum is to produce such a sound often with a melody It is also associated with thoughtful absorption hmm A hum has a particular timbre or sound quality usually a monotone or with slightly varying tones There are other similar sounds not produced by human singing that are also called hums as the sound produced by machinery in operation such as a microwave or by an insect in flight The hummingbird was named for the sound that bird makes in flight which sounds like a hum Contents 1 Mechanics 2 Humming in human evolution 3 Humming in language 4 Music 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksMechanics Edit A hummingbird with flower A hum or humming by humans is created by the resonance of air in various parts of passages in the head and throat in the act of breathing The hum that a hummingbird creates is also created by resonance in this case by air resistance against wings in the actions of flying especially of hovering Humming in human evolution EditJoseph Jordania suggested that humming could have played an important role in the early human hominid evolution as contact calls 1 Many social animals produce seemingly haphazard and indistinct sounds like chicken cluck when they are going about their everyday business foraging feeding These sounds have two functions 1 to let group members know that they are among kin and there is no danger and 2 in case of the appearance of any signs of danger suspicious sounds movements in a forest the animal that notices danger first stops moving stops producing sounds remains silent and looks in the direction of the danger sign Other animals quickly follow suit and very soon all the group is silent and is scanning the environment for possible danger Charles Darwin was the first to notice this phenomenon on the example of the wild horses and the cattle 2 Joseph Jordania suggested that for humans as for many social animals silence can be a sign of danger and that s why gentle humming and musical sounds relax humans see the use of gentle music in music therapy lullabies 3 Humming in language EditIn Piraha the only surviving dialect of the Mura language there is a special register of speech which uses solely humming with no audible release 4 Music EditMain article Singing Humming is often used in music of genres from classical for example the famous chorus at the end of Act 2 of Giacomo Puccini s Madama Butterfly to jazz to R amp B Another form of music derived from basic humming is the humwhistle Folk art also known as whistle hum produces a high pitch and low pitch simultaneously The two tone sound is related to field holler overtone singing and yodeling the music See also EditKazoo The Hum an apparently widespread phenomenon involving a low frequency hum of unknown origin inaudible to most people Mains hum an electric or electromagnetic phenomenon that causes a low frequency 50 or 60 Hz audible signalReferences Edit Jordania J 2009 Times to Fight and Times to Relax Singing and Humming at the Beginnings of Human Evolutionary History Kadmos 1 272 277 Darwin Charles 1871 Descent of Men 2004 123 Jordania Joseph 2010 Music and Emotions humming in Human Prehistory proceedings of the International Symposium on Traditional Polyphony held in Tbilisi Georgia in 2008 o Neill Gareth 2015 Humming whistling singing and yelling in Piraha context and channels of communication in FDG Pragmatics Quarterly Publication of the International Pragmatics Association Ipra 24 2 349 375 doi 10 1075 prag 24 2 08nei External links Edit The dictionary definition of hum at Wiktionary Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Humming amp oldid 1142301806, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
