Music Teacher Reacts: Wolf Totem by The Hu 

The HU are Mongol warriors on a mission to introduce Mongolian music and cultural heritage to the world. They are all classically-trained professional musicians of Mongolian folk music, including the khoomei - overtone singing, with a background of at least 20 years of training and practicing. The main music instrument is the Morin Khuur, a Mongolian traditional musical instrument, with a history of at least 2000 years. It has a horse-headed stem, leather-board, 2 horse-hair strings, and a horse-hair bow. It's the most revered instrument derived from the horse worship of nomadic Mongols and the traditional melodies mainly imitate horse gaits and weighing sounds. Their playing techniques are ultimately traditional, with fingers up and down the strings. The Tovshuur is another Mongolian traditional plucked instrument, here it's in the shape of an arrow drawn in a bow. You can see some techniques and sounds of Morin khuur as introduced by HU frontman Gala: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-hHn-aBGEa0I.html

Apart from their amazing powerful music they have the most incredible videos too

15:02 yes, a couple of the “signs” or “tells” of a Master Morin Khuur player is they can almost realistically mimic horse neighs/whinnies and Falcon cries, both animals very important to the Mongolian culture.

Assuming the falcon sound was on purpose. Another song, Yuve Yuve Yu, also very cool, and more melodic, had a clearly deliberate horse sound on "cello."

the instruments are Morin Khuur (horsehead fiddle), Tovshuur (Mongolian guitar), they also use Tumur Khuur (jaw harp)..

I know almost nothing about instruments but I do know that the morin khuur has no frets, so they are played by running the fingers underneath or pressing on the sides. Great reaction!

Mongolia has practiced falconry for at least 4000 years, so I'd go with the falcon mimicry being intentional. 🤔

I think you're "spot on" with the reggae beat comment.

Check them out in concert if you ever get the chance. Saw them open for Halestorm , they are awesome. Mixing traditional Mongolian instruments with standard guitar, bass, and drums. And ,yes, Mongolian folk mixed with rock/metal. Pretty sure the Falcon sound was intentional, as was the Morin Khuur part that sounded like a horse whinny. 4 members and 4 touring members. Gala and Enkush on Morin Khuur and throat singing. Jaya - throat singing, Tumur Hhuur (jaw harp), and Tsuur (end blown flute) Temka - Tovshuur. 4 touring members. Ono -percussion Jamba -guitar Davaa -bass Odko -drums. This is one of several songs that they redid with new English lyrics and guest singers. This was redone with Jacoby Shaddix (Papa Roach), Song of Women with Lzzy Hale (Halestorm), Yuve Yuve Yu with Danny Case (Fron Ashes To New), This is Mongol with Wm, Duvall (Alice in Chains), and just recently Black Thunder with Serj Tankian (System of A Down). They also covered Metallica's Sad But True, in Mongolian.

I really love their "Legend of Mother Swan" The "Song of Women" featuring Lzzy Hale is also awesome

IIRC, these guys are mostly (all?) professors at a major university in Mongolia! Some in music, others in history. One of my absolute favorites from them is Song of Women featuring Lzzy Hale of Halestorm. The primal base they lay down, with Lzzy's incredible belts and rich feminine vocals blend so much better than you can imagine!

Thank you for your reaction. Next song The Hu Sad but true.

The power of their music is undeniable, they also have a cooking show. Another great Mongolian group is Uuhai

This song is really good, your analysis was really good, and there "Song of Women" with Lizzzy Hale and "Sad but True" Metallica cover is really good.

I saw them in concert a couple of years ago, and they were amazing! Love 😍love them! ❤ You should check out their The Woman Song, and Yuve Yuve Yu

The 2 stringed instruments are the Morin Khuur (Horse Head Fiddle), and (traditionally) the strings are made from the hair from a horse’s tail, to “bond” the instrument to the player the hairs must come from the player’s own horse. The male string has 150 hairs and the female string has 130 hairs. The 3 stringed instrument is the Tovshuur (Mongolian lute)

Reggae?!?! Amazing! Love this video. In fact, I am starting my next safety meeting with it! "As they will destroy their enemies, so will we destroy any threat to our safety!" Loved your reaction

Saw these guys live a few years back in Garden Grove. It was a great show.

Check out “The Great Chinggiss Khaan”, also by The Hu. If you ever get the chance to see them live, DO IT!!! You won’t be sorry.

Its called MORIN KHUUR .. Lyrics , it is about warriors dueling enemy for battle ..

The guitar-like instrument is a lute. This particular lute is shaped like a crossbow and it’s absolutely gorgeous, as are all of their instruments!

Seen The HU live in 3 Australian cities Brisbane 2020 Melbourne & Adelaide 2022

6:36 it’s called a Tovshuur, or “Mongolian Lute”, and has 3 strings.

You are correct. It's pronounced "who" and not "hew." Classically trained musicians from the Mongolian Conservatory of Music. Most of them play multiple instruments. This song is from their first album, "The Gereg." Their second album, "Rumble of Thunder" is also great. Great reaction.

It's best to listen with the translation so you know how badass the Mongols were.

These guys (the singers) are throat singers, and apparently all attended music school. Throat singing apparently takes about ten years to perfect (if i recall that correctly from watching an interview with them). Apparently if its not done properly it can damage the throat.

HU as they have said simply means the people.

Yeah, the pinky or other finger under the strings is part of the technique - either muting or harmonics, as you guessed, or actually fretting the note at that point using the fingernail (which isn't done on Western string instruments, I think maybe some Indian instrument do though). Anyway, yeah, they're professional, trained, musicians in the Mongolian Classical tradition, who decided to form a folk-metal band and conquer the world! hehe

The 2 stringed instruments are called morin khuurs or horse head fiddles the guitar is called a tovshuur or Mongolian lute.

Given that Mongol culture is a heck of a lot older than German ( or French ) and that most of our modern stringed instruments come from these clusters of 'ancestor' ones - like the Kobyz and Erhu etc. - broadly from that part of the world, maybe we should start calling 'the German technique' - 'the Mongolian' one!

"Let me know how to pronounce their name" - We won't need to do that Shawka 😄

The Morin Khuur goes way back to the days of Chinggis Khan and earlier, the Tovshuur is the oldest instrument, dating back to the days of The Huns

One of the Hu members is also a music teacher.

This music has symbolism to its historical and yes todays cultural roots. The horse head instrument, the two string inky guy lays a horse neighing. That falcon is an eagle they use for hunting. The wolf is ancient symbol of Kahns power , the guitar is shaped like the one used by the huns from horseback. The animals mentioned are historical wartime items. The old horseback banner carrier is today still at heart of the motorized warriors and leading them to defend lands and culture. Hu comes from ancient times' = mankind. They are environmental warriors as well not just in Mongolia but worldwide and try to protect nature. THEY HAVE A MUSICAL OF MOTHER NATURE THAT IS MORE THAN GREAT AND CARRIES A POTENT MESSAGE. "WOMANS SONG""? SWAN SONG HAVE DEEP CULTURAL ROOTS TRY GOOGLE , " FLASH DANCE WOLF TOTEM TO CATCH HOW REVERED THIS WOLF TOTEM IS IN MONGOLIA.

Lions are china, tigers Russia, elephants India. It’s a war song

I like that reaction. 👍 Suggestions for more official videos from The HU: Yuve Yuve Yu ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-v4xZUr0BEfE.html This is Mongol ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-4Y2gK4n35hw.html The Great Chinggis Khaan ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-pD1gDSao1eA.html Sad but true (Metallica cover) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-QpxA_ZxGX_M.html They have made a couple of videos of their songs featuring other artists. There is only one that - from my perspective - has become better than the original: Song of Women feat. Lzzy Hale of Halestorm ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-mdN1U9NvuIc.html For the following three videos I suggest this sequence as they tell a story. Black Thunder Part 1 (violence warning) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-3aguZjkVLaE.html Black Thunder Part 2 (violence warning) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-MZ81-htej6E.html Bii Biyelgee ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-eb3ysMtu8t0.html Almost all live videos from The HU I've seen so far had a poor sound quality, except these two: Covid-19 Relief Effort Fundraising Concert (1,25 hours, no audiance, good sound) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ik5qhnqIZy8.html Mercury Ballroom FULL CONCERT (1,5 hours, good performance, acceptable sound) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-p1n3mvYX1xg.html These would of course are to long to react to. But maybe you want to pick out a certain song from those concerts to react to them playing live. Have fun.

Not sure, l read once, just from a comment, that the Morin Khuur players strive to imitate all sounds of nature, animals as we here, but also water, wind etc

🖒😎

This instruments and way of singing is one thousand years old. This music is not american. It is so ancient and catchy. All of them have university degreeunder their belt. Check their cooperation with Lizzy Hale . Song of Woman. And that‚s not reggae. This rhythm has nothing to do with western music.