I once asked a talented friend if she could teach me to sing. She determined that I have a problem changing smoothly from the lower register to the soprano or falsetto register. Maybe I should have tried yodeling, which involves rapidly moving from one to the other, but it didn't matter as I can't carry a tune anyway and she gave up on me.
Yodeling has a long tradition in Switzerland, where a yodel can be heard from one Alpine mountaintop to another. Great Big Story went to the Alps to talk to people about yodeling. In this video we learn of its origins, continued popularity, and the nuts and bolts of how to yodel from Melanie of the famous Swiss band Oesch die Dritten. They also take us to Jodlerfest Altstätten, a yodeling festival that draws world-class yodelers. It was difficult, but our host finally found some yodelers and fans who speak English. -via Laughing Squid