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

[Michelle LeFree <mlefree@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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