Have You Ever Wondered...

How do you yodel?
What are the two types of vocal registers?
Who started the yodeling craze in the United States?

Tags:

See All Tags

Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by Lily from west bend, WI. Lily Wonders, “What is a yodel?” Thanks for WONDERing with us, Lily!

Here’s a joke for you to share with your friends:

Knock-knock.

Who’s there?

Little old lady.

Little old lady, who?

Hey! We didn’t know you could yodel!

What is yodeling? It’s a unique type of singing. It features a fast, repeated change from low to high pitch. If you’ve ever heard Tarzan yell, then you have a bit of an idea of what yodeling sounds like.

Your voice has two separate vocal registers: a lower-pitch “chest” voice and a higher-pitch “head” voice. The difference between the two results from the different ways your body produces sounds.

Singing requires air support from either your lungs (your “chest” voice) or your mouth and throat (your “head” voice). Some people can even sing in a very high pitch without either chest or head air support. We call this singing in falsetto.

For most people, there is a natural gap between the chest voice and the head voice. Yodeling takes advantage of this gap. It incorporates quick, repeated switches between the chest and head voices at a high volume.

So how did yodeling get started? Many think it began in the Central Alps of Switzerland. There, yodeling was a way for herders to communicate. Herders yodeled to their flocks or to people from different villages. Over time, yodeling became a traditional part of Alpine culture, folklore, and music.

However, yodeling existed in many other cultures around the same time—and perhaps even before—it was used by Swiss herders. Mountainous regions of Africa, Scandinavia, and Australia had their own yodelers.

Yodeling became mainstream in the United States in the 1920s. In 1924, country music singer Riley Puckett yodeled on his record “Rock All Our Babies to Sleep.”

Then, in 1928, Jimmie Rodgers released “Blue Yodel No. 1 (T for Texas).” His song became a hit that started an immediate national craze for yodeling. Many blues and country musicians credit Jimmie Rodgers as a big influence on their careers.

Yodeling remained popular for many years. By the 1950s, however, yodeling was rarely heard in either blues or country music. Yodeling remains a unique form of singing that many people still enjoy listening to today.

Standards: CCRA.L.3, CCRA.L.6, CCRA.R.1, CCRA.R.2, CCRA.R.4, CCRA.R.10, CCRA.SL.1

Wonder What's Next?

Have a plankTON of fun tomorrow in Wonderopolis!

Try It Out

Are you ready to yodel? Find a friend or family member to help you explore the following activities:

Learning to yodel can be a lot of fun. First, you'll need to find your chest voice and your falsetto voice and learn to switch between the two. Can you sing low notes from your chest? Now try to sing really high from the top of your throat. Turn on the radio and try to sing songs in both your chest voice and your high falsetto voice. Practice switching between the two. When you think you have both voices down pat, try singing a simple phrase as a yodel. Take the joke that kicked off today's Wonder as an example. Can you sing "little old lady who?" as a yodel? The entire phrase should be in your low, chest voice except for the "dee" sound in "lady," which should be in your high falsetto voice. Keep practicing, because practice makes perfect!
If you want some inspiration, check out this fun yodeling video: Cowboy's Sweetheart by 9-Year-Old Yodeler Do you think you could ever become a professional yodeler? Why or why not?
Why do you believe yodeling has waned in popularity? Can you imagine turning on the radio and hearing yodeling in your favorite Top 40 songs? Why not give it a try? Choose one or two songs that are popular right now and try singing along with them while also adding in your own yodeling from time to time. What do you think? Can you make today's hits even better with yodeling?

Wonder Sources

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/where-did-yodeling-originate-and-more-questions-from-our-readers-23993/ (accessed 17 Mar. 2022)
https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Yodeling (accessed 17 Mar. 2022)
https://www.britannica.com/art/yodel (accessed 17 Mar. 2022)
https://www.neatorama.com/2010/05/21/a-brief-and-incomplete-history-of-yodeling/ (accessed 17 Mar. 2022)
https://www.britannica.com/dictionary (accessed 17 Mar. 2022)

Did you get it?

Test your knowledge

Wonder Words

Take the Wonder Word Challenge

Join the Discussion

Did you hear about the yodeling kid in Walmart?

We have! Thanks for sharing this connection with us, Bart!

YO DILI DEE!

? We are finding some talented yodeling Wonder Friends!! Thanks for yodeling for us, Joseph!

yodala yodala yodala ehoo

? WONDERful yodeling, Niko C! ?

i think ill try to yodel it sounds hard though

Yodeling does seem difficult, but we can't wait to hear how it goes for you, kaitlyn!!!

This description was awesome

Thank you, Ibrahim! It's kind of difficult to describe a sound!

I think that when I read this, it made me think of when you go to a place where you listen to a play that has someone yodeling to you on a scene area that they have for you. This is so awesome because you now get to know what it is really about . I would be that person if I had the talent to do that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Liberty, we LOVE your awesome connection to this Wonder! Thanks for telling us all about it! We bet you've got LOTS of talents to share... what's your favorite thing to do? :)

That video is the most funny video I have ever seen on this blue planet.

Thanks for letting us know you liked the video for this Wonder of the Day® about yodeling, Barbie! We appreciate hearing that and hope you have an AMAZING day! :-)

I love that video.

We're glad you liked the video for this Wonder, Janea! Thanks for letting us know! :-)

That is from the sound of music.

You're RIGHT, Evelyn! Way to go! Thank you for visiting this Wonder of the Day®! :-)

I LOVE THAT MOVIE!!!!! Please put up more music videos!!!!!!! :)

Thanks for letting us know you liked the video for this Wonder, Isabelle! We think that's GREAT-a-lay-hee-hoo! :-)

Hello, that's just weird (I mean in a good way). Yodelayheehoo!

We like your yodeling, Claire! Thanks so much for hanging out in Wonderopolis today and leaving us this COOL comment! :-)

Hi, I loved today's wonder SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS0 MUCH. THANK YOU.

Hi, Madeline! THANK YOU for letting us know you loved today's Wonder! :-)

Part of my family is from Germany, so we have an album of yodeling songs, lol.

We think that's really neat, Clayton! We like learning about our Wonder Friends, and are glad you shared a little about yourself with everyone in Wonderopolis today! THANK YOU-de-lay-hee-hoo! :-)

Dear Wonderopolis, Hi! I love your post! I have recently been in the play The Sound of Music. I was Marta von Trapp, and I have done lots of yodeling! Does that count? If so, that means I can yodel! (Lay-dee-odl-lay-dee-odl-lay-hee-hoo! :lol: ) Sincerely, Taylor

We think it's so COOL that you have been in a play AND that you can yodel, Taylor! Thanks so much for sharing your personal connection to this Wonder of the Day®! :-)

I never knew how to yodel, and I liked the part when the one goat pushed the other goat in the bottom.

We hope you'll be inspired to give yodeling a try, Djuana! It's super fun to learn how! Thanks for checking out this Wonder today! :-)

Cowboys know how to Yodel. I liked the video from the movie "The Sound of Music." We watched an old video by Jimmie Rodgers too.

That's really awesome, Jeron! We like the way cowboys yodel! :-)

Thanks I had a great time! We got to watch a play in greens burrow.

We think that's WONDERful, "I Love Wondering!" We're so glad you had fun on your field trip! :-)

People yodel to understand animals and people, too. Knock knock. Who's there? Little old lady. Little old lady who? ooh ooh!

What a GREAT comment, Lanyja! We liked that knock-knock joke, too! :-)

I never heard of that before. I like yodeling. Ah!

We like yodeling, too, Cam! It's super fun! :-)

We are going on a field trip and my teacher said she would help me. Talk to you later, bye!

That's GREAT, "I Love Wondering!" We hope you have FUN on your field trip and that you get to WONDER a lot! :-)

Hey people you are awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks, Mike! We think you are awesome, too! Thanks for visiting Wonderopolis today and leaving us this GREAT comment! :-)

Hey, wonderers! Have you seen the video that's called how do dinosaurs get there name? That is probably my favorite video. I am 9 years old!

Thanks for sharing your favorite video, Gage! Here is the Wonder of the Day® we think you are talking about, so all of our other Wonder Friends can see and explore it, too! Wonder #275 - How Do Dinosaurs Get Their Names? https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-do-dinosaurs-get-their-names/ Have a WONDERful day! :-)

Ok, is it ok if we take your pictures for the newspapers?

We're happy to hear from you again, "I Love Wondering!" There are LOTS of people who work behind the scenes here in Wonderopolis, making sure each Wonder of the Day® is the best it can be! Everyone's always on the go around here, too, so we're not quite sure it would be possible to get pictures! We have a GREAT idea, though! You could take "screen shots" on the computer of some of your favorite Wonders and use those as pictures for your newspaper when you tell other people how much fun learning in Wonderopolis is! If you're not sure how to take "screen shots," you can ask a grown-up to help you do that! :-)

Here's an idea! Do you think you could share something about Greek mythology?

Please keep visiting Wonderopolis, Devan! We have a Wonder of the Day® coming up in the near future we think you might really enjoy (wink, wink)! :-)

I love wonderopolis! How did y'all come up with such a site?

Hello again, Devan! We wanted to create a place where learners of all ages could visit, share and grow while exploring a new, different Wonder of the Day® each day! That's how we came up with Wonderopolis, and we're SUPER GLAD you and all of our other awesome Wonder Friends like learning here! :-)

I have a question...what can you do to progress in size?

Hi, Devan! We have a few Wonders we think you might enjoy! They're about growing up! Wonder #402 - Do Growing Pains Hurt? https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/do-growing-pains-hurt/ Wonder #207 - What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up? https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/what-do-you-want-to-be-when-you-grow-up/ Wonder #442 - How Old Can You Grow? https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-old-can-you-grow/ Happy WONDERing! :-)

It is funny yodeling. :) :D :P ;)

Hi, Kaya! We think yodeling is FUN, too! It's cool to try to make our voices do such interesting things! :-)

I thought that video was cool! Sometimes I see people yodeling. I also never know that was called yodel. By the way, I love watching your videos.

We're so happy to hear that you like watching the Wonder videos, Joseph! Thanks for letting us know that and THANKS for being a GREAT Wonder Friend! :-)

yodeley yodeley yodelakhiwho

That's some fancy yodeling, Lane! We like it a lot! :-)

I watched this. IT WAS AWESOME!!! Before!!!!

Hi, Heather! We know LOTS of Wonder Friends who agree with you (including everyone here in Wonderopolis)! The video for today's Wonder was extra AWESOME! :-)

Hi, I think yodeling is really cool! I didn't know a lot about it, but now I do! WONDEROPOLIS ROCKS! Peace 'till tomorrow, (I try to comment everyday).

We know you try to comment every day, Johannah, and we really appreciate it! In fact, we think it ROCKS! We're glad you learned some new facts about yodeling by exploring today's Wonder! :-)

I think this wonder was not great... not many I know like to yodel... what I did like was how you explained it. I'm in Mrs. Barthelems class and have Mr. P. as my library teacher.

Hi, Brock! We really appreciate you letting us know what you thought about today's Wonder...THANK YOU! :-)

Dear Wonderoplis, Me and my sister really liked the video. My little sister thought is was really funny. Ever since my teacher, Mrs.Kennedy, showed us your website, I was really obsessed with your website. I wonder what the wonder of the day will be tomorrow? That's a tough one. I love this website, it is the best one EVER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll have to see what the sound of music movie is like. I think I have the tape for the VCR. I wonder what it is like to go in space or go to another planet? Thank you for saying that our class is heroes today. You are my HEROES!!!! :)

What an AWESOME comment you left for us, Ava! We're so happy that you visited Wonderopolis again at home today AND that you shared your visit with your sisters...that is GREAT! If you WONDER about space travel, we've got a few past Wonders of the Day we think you might enjoy: Wonder #268 - How Will Future Astronauts Travel To Outer Space? https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-will-future-astronauts-travel-to-outer-space/ Wonder #215 - How Long Would It Take To Fly To Mars? https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-long-would-it-take-to-fly-to-mars/ Wonder #128 - How Much Do You Weigh On the Moon? https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-much-do-you-weigh-on-the-moon/ :-)

Dear Wonderopolis, Cool wonder! Yodeling is a type of singing that people that live on the mountains (and other people) do. I think tomorrow's wondering is about the Stars. XOXOXOXOXO, Paige ;)

That's a great description of yodeling, Paige...THANK YOU for sharing it with us today! :-)

I have always wanted to know how to yodel, but no matter how hard I try, I just can't! :) I think tomorrow's wonder will be about Uncle Sam.

We know you can do it if you keep trying, Audrey...we believe in you! It takes lots of practice (we know, because we have been practicing a lot and we can only yodel a little bit so far)! Thanks so much for sharing what you think tomorrow's Wonder will be about! :-)

I think the photo was sort of offensive to my Hispanic background. I think it should be a photo of something else. I am 100% Hispanic and I am just sharing my opinion.

Thanks for letting us know what you thought about the photo for today's Wonder, Sheboygan! We appreciate your comment very much and are super sorry you were offended by the photo. The photo is actually of people in Switzerland, specifically Portuguese singers at the International Festival of Folklore and Dance in Evolene, Switzerland. They are people celebrating their heritage by dancing and singing (including yodeling). :-)

I LOVE THAT SO MUCH. CAN TOMORROW YOU DO ONE ON CAREERS?

Hi, Ashlyn! Thanks so much for letting us know you loved today's Wonder of the Day®! Check out all these great Wonders about CAREERS: https://www.wonderopolis.org/category/careers/. Happy WONDERing! :-)

I think tomorrow's wonder is about Uncle Sam. :)

We think that's a really great guess, Eric! We'll all have to visit Wonderopolis again tomorrow to see if Uncle Sam is someone we'll be learning about! :-)

Dear Wonderopolis, Our class loved the singing in the video. Some of us have never heard yodeling before. We tried it out by singing LITTLE OLD LADY WHO!!!!!!!! The puppets in the movie were neat. Have a great day! Kids in Room 305

We think it's SO GREAT that you guys tried yodeling, Mrs. Kennedy and Room 305 Kids! You guys are our heroes today! We've been getting better at it ourselves, so we know practice makes WONDERful! Thanks so much for visiting Wonderopolis today and leaving us this AWESOME comment! :-)

How do they make the eyes roll?

That's a GREAT question, Joshua! Puppeteers are really skilled entertainers, aren't they? We're not sure how they make the eyes on the puppets roll, or even how they make the eyelids close! Thanks for giving us a SUPER idea for a future Wonder of the Day®!

That's cool how yodeling became.

We thought so too, Cheyenne! Have a WONDERful day! :-)

My class is watching that movie in music! I think I can yodel! Have you ever wondered why people yodel? Write back!

Hi, Tiarra! We really have WONDERed why people yodel, and a few other Wonder Friends have WONDERed it, too! That's why today's Wonder of the Day® is about yodeling! Thanks for leaving us this AWESOME comment-o-lay-hee-hoo! :-)

I liked the video with the puppets, they were funny!

We liked watching the puppets in the video, too, Cheyenne! Thank you for your GREAT comment today! :-)

I liked the video. It's from a movie that my class (and me) are watching in music.

We think that's AWESOME, Jordan! We like hearing that you and your classmates are enjoying the Sound of Music video today (in Wonderopolis AND in music class)! :-)

Our 4th grade class is watching the sound of music in music.

That's a really WONDERful coincidence that today's video was from the Sound of Music, Taylor! Thanks for sharing your personal connection to this Wonder of the Day®! :-)

I don't know how to yodel, but it's fun to know the people who can.

We think it's fun to watch people (like those in the video and links for today's Wonder) yodel, too, Johnathan! It sounds so cool! :-)

I don't know how to yodel, but my mom or dad might know how to yodel.

Wouldn't it be cool if BOTH your parents could yodel, Steven? We have been practicing our yodeling here in Wonderopolis all morning...we are getting better at it! :-)

I love it! Did you happen to know that I am in a magazine buisness and I would love to call a magazine Wonderopolis!! Is that ok with you?

Hi there, "I Love Wondering!" We are really flattered that you want to name your magazine Wonderopolis, because it shows us that you really love learning here! The name "Wonderopolis" is a super special kind of word that has protection from the United States government and is called a "registered trademark." That's what that little "®" symbol means beside the Wonderopolis logo at the top of this page. That special protection says that people can't use the word "Wonderopolis" for their own companies, products, and (unfortunately) magazines. We're super sorry, but we know you can come up with another AWESOME name for your magazine...we believe in you! :-)

HI wonderopolis! My mom and sister watched this with me because we all love the sound of music. Great video!

Thanks for sharing today's Wonder with your family, Ella! We REALLY like hearing that! We're glad you enjoyed the video! :-)

I do not know how to yodel!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello, Smile22! Thanks so much for stopping by today's Wonder of the Day®! Learning to yodel takes LOTS of practice...we've been practicing all morning here in Wonderopolis! We know you can learn to yodel, too, if you just stick with it and try your best! :-)

Related Wonders for You to Explore

#2961

Who Was Jacob Lawrence?

#2956

What Is Pride Month?

#2953

What Are the Types of Jewish Dance?

#2952

Who Was Sonia Delaunay?

#2951

Who Was Irving Berlin?

Select a Word

Drag a word to its definition

WordMatch

Select a Wonder Word:

traditional

registers

herders

incorporates

advantage

pitch

repeated

communicate

falsetto

Match its definition:

existing in or as part of a tradition; long-established

(plural) a range of tones in the human voice produced by a particular vibratory pattern of the vocal folds

people who look after a herd of livestock or make a living from keeping livestock, especially in open country

making into a whole or making part of a whole

the quality of having a superior or more favorable position

the property of sound that varies with variation in the frequency of vibration

recurring again and again

share or exchange information, news, or ideas

a voice or sound that is unusually or unnaturally high

WordMatch

Congratulations!

You’ve matched all of the definitions correctly.

Play Again

Have You Ever Wondered...

Tags:

Wonder What's Next?

Try It Out

Wonder Sources

Did you get it?

Wonder Words

Bart

Joseph

Niko C

kaitlyn (mrs.Mujrphys class)

Ibrahim

liberty

Wonderopolis

barbie

Wonderopolis

janea

Wonderopolis

Evelyn doss

Wonderopolis

Isabelle

Wonderopolis

claire

Wonderopolis

madeline

Wonderopolis

Clayton

Wonderopolis

Taylor

Wonderopolis

Djuana

Wonderopolis

Jeron at Kerrick

Wonderopolis

i love wondering

Wonderopolis

lanyja at kerrick

Wonderopolis

cam

Wonderopolis

i love wondering

Wonderopolis

mike

Wonderopolis

gage

Wonderopolis

i love wondering

Wonderopolis

devan

Wonderopolis

devan

Wonderopolis

devan

Wonderopolis

Kaya

Wonderopolis

joseph

Wonderopolis

Lane.E

Wonderopolis

Heather E.

Wonderopolis

Johannah

Wonderopolis

brock

Wonderopolis

Ava From room 305

Wonderopolis

Paige

Wonderopolis

Audrey R.

Wonderopolis

Sheboygan

Wonderopolis

ashlyn

Wonderopolis

Eric

Wonderopolis

Mrs. Kennedy

Wonderopolis