Re: [Harp-L] Ancestor of the harmonica

["Rick Dempster" <rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I believe the Japanese have a similar instrument; called a 'sho', I think.
RD




>>> Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx> 23/02/2011 18:26 >>>
The sheng and its cousin the Khaen (which resembles pan pipes) are often cited 
as ancestors of the harmonica.

However, this oft-repeated bit of wisdom is far from established fact. No direct 
link can be demonstrated.

One very important difference is that the reeds in shengs and khaens will not 
sound unless coupled with a pipe tuned to the note that the reed plays. This is 
not true of harmonicas, accordions, pitch pipes, and their various cousins.

The critical difference is that when a reed is mounted above the reedplate, 
instead of being level with and a part of the plate, it no longer needs to be 
coupled with a tuned tube. This innovation (a European one) allowed for the 
invention first of the pitch pipe, and then the various mouth organs and squeeze 
boxes that were invented in Europe starting in the early 19th century.

Pat Missin has done some excellent research on the topic, which you can read 
here:

http://patmissin.com/history/history.html 

Winslow
 Winslow Yerxa
Author, Harmonica For Dummies ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5
Harmonica instructor, The Jazzschool for Music Study and Performance
Resident expert, bluesharmonica.com
Columnist, harmonicasessions.com




________________________________
From: joe leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: john coster <john.medicineb@xxxxxxxxx>
Cc: Harp L Harp L <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tue, February 22, 2011 9:54:48 PM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Ancestor of the harmonica

The Sheng is closer to an accordion or better yet, the harmonetta. . The 
ancestor of the harp (as we know it) was actually made by taking a brass plate 
and 'scoring' the plate from one side until the tool cut all the way through and 
left a ribbon of light showing through. The reeds were part OF the plate and 
were graduated in size. Any slight variations in tone were adjusted by rubbing 
the reeds with sand till they came into pitch. I actually forget what that 
instrument was called. Note: they were also made out of bamboo.

smo-joe

On Feb 22, 2011, at 11:47 PM, john coster wrote:

> Hello Harp-L friends,
> 
> I was taking a break at one of our Celtic sessions here in the People's
> Republic of Northwestern Massachusetts when one of the other session players
> introduced me to a guy in the audience named Seth Bredbury who is an
> aspiring harmonica student. Seth and I got to  talking about the different
> kinds of harps, tremolo harps vs single reed etc. when he mentioned that he
> had seen a Chinese instrument that was probably the ancestor of the
> harmonica, the first reed instrument I think, called the sheng. Supposedly
> it dates from about three thousand years ago. I'd never seen one of these,
> but now that I've heard the music on the enclosed video Seth sent me, I
> think the sound is one I recognize, maybe from sound tracks. I don't know
> what connection may exist between this instrument and the harps we play, but
> I thought Harp L readers might find this video interesting. Quite a sound!
> It is at any rate a very early instrument with which the musician activates
> a metal reed with his or her breath.
> Maybe certain elements in its fabrication could be useful to harmonica
> designers
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8cJBHFQD64&feature=related 
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> John Coster
> 
> -