[Harp-L] re: The benefits of playing jaw harp (longish)



I'm always looking for ways to improve my tone. Lately I've been learning to play jaw harp (jew's harp). Like the harmonica and accordion I have always enjoyed the sound of jaw harps and have marveled at the many different sounds and rhythms a skilled player can produce with such a small and simple instrument.

I embarked on my jaw harp journey because I love old-timey and Americana music and wanted to be able to contribute additional rhythmic support at acoustic jam circles and parties. I chose jaw harp partly because I figured that I already understood resonance and had some muscle memory from my whistling and harmonica playing. I was right about that. I could play melodies on a jaw harp the first time I picked one up -- usually a more advanced topic. But in an unexpected way, learning jaw harp has increased my understanding the contribution and thence control of the different components of my oral, nasal and chest resonance. This understanding has crossed back over into my harmonica playing in a positive way and that is why I am sharing this with y'all.

One could view a jaw harp as a large, combless, coverless single free reed in a frame, or one tenth of a giant diatonic harmonica reed plate. You pluck the reed instead of breathing on it to drive the vibration, though you learn that breathing has a major impact on the resulting overall sound, too. You play a jaw harp using techniques you already know and use as a harmonica player -- oral, nasal & chest resonance, various rapid diaphragmatic breathing techniques, glottal stops, tone shaping with the tongue, tongue articulations and so on. The single reed nature of the jaw harp presents both challenges and opportunities in learning how to exploit all the various ways you can contribute to the vast sound and rhythmic pallet the instrument can offer. As you might guess, a given jaw harp is only capable of producing its fundamental frequency and and its harmonics, so a player must be resourceful in using every possible way to influence the resulting overall sound. For me learning those possibilities has fed back into giving me a better understanding of how I might further my pursuit of improved harmonica tone.

I won't go into the details of playing a jaw harp here because I found s superb article titled, "How to play the Jew's Harp in a Virtuoso Manner" by a fellow named Robert Vandre (This article is on a web site with which I have no affiliation other than as a happy customer as it has one of the world's largest selection of jaw harps; scroll down to find the article):

http://danmoi.de/shop/index.php?main_page=trump

This article is a treasure-trove of information about the myriad of sounds and effects one can apply using a jaw harp, sure enough. But each of the little lessons applies almost directly to playing the harmonica. I think many a Harp-l'er might enjoy reading it and listening to the many sound samples provided as illustrations. If any of you happen to have a jaw harp gathering dust somewhere, dust it off and play along. You will quickly see what I mean about the relevance to your harmonica playing!

Also, if you do happen to share my appreciation for well-played jaw harp, check this cat out on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/user/navrangmusic

Jaw-dropping examples (no pun intended...) and many instructional videos, even if they are mostly in Hungarian. As I see it, jaw harp plays well in any language in the hands of a master. (Did you ever see James Conway play one?)

Dig it. 8^)

Michelle






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