[Harp-L] tuneable muzzle-drum

[Jonathan Ross <jross38@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

In a post about how to classify harmonicas when the reed is plucked I  
had wondered if there was such a thing as a tunable jaw-harp  
(guimbarde, jew's harp, etc...--I like "muzzle-drum" a babelfish  
translation of the German, but will mostly use guimbarde as that  
seems to be pretty standard amongst enthusiasts).  No sooner had I  
written that than someone who knows more about both guimbardes and  
harmonicas than anyone else I'm aware of sent me this link:

http://danmoi.de/shop/index.php? 
main_page=product_info&cPath=3_12_14&products_id=394

Sadly, while this is by far the coolest looking muzzle-drum I've ever  
seen, it's also the most expensive.

As far as the relation between free-reeds, mouth-organs and  
guimbardes, this is an interesting variant:

http://danmoi.de/shop/index.php? 
main_page=product_info&cPath=3_18_29&products_id=723&language=en

I've tried playing harmonica reeds (and other free-reeds as well) as  
guimbardes... but the problem I always end up with is that when I try  
to use a column of air to enhance the sound, it ends up just being a  
free reed again.  It appears from the photos that they have added a  
plucker to the reed, which makes sense and probably helps alleviate  
that problem by giving a much more forceful start to the pluck.

As far as harmonica related, I think the case for the free-reed as  
being developed from the guimbarde is fairly compelling.  I also  
think that it is interesting and perhaps significant that the  
differences in construction between the East-Asian free-reed and the  
European free-reed are mirrored in those of the guimbarde.



 ()()    JR "Bulldogge" Ross
()  ()
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