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08 Apr 03 - 04:37 AM (#928485) Subject: Tech: how to play a jaws harp From: GUEST,ossonflags I was rooting around in an old cupboard the other day and came across a jaws harp. After a cuple a days my front teeth are aching and as yet cant get anything out of it but a dull buzz. Any ideas? |
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08 Apr 03 - 04:51 AM (#928492) Subject: RE: Tech: how to play a jaws harp From: Mark Cohen You sure you didn't actually find an old dentist's drill? Aloha, Mark P.S.: If you check out this thread, you'll find an interesting discussion of the jews harp. Scroll down to a post by Jon W. (#13) that has pretty good directions on how to play. |
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08 Apr 03 - 08:12 AM (#928561) Subject: RE: Tech: how to play a jaws harp From: GUEST,Bystander Michael Wright, top jew's harpist is in London at Musical Traditions Club, The King & Queen, Foley Street,(Goodge Street Station) on Friday April 25th. He knows all there is to know. |
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08 Apr 03 - 09:48 AM (#928613) Subject: RE: Tech: how to play a jaws harp From: GUEST,.gargoyle Have you ever tried to make tones by thumping you cheeck with a finger, or tapping the front teeth, while making a hollow space in your mouth? Same technique. The mouth cavity is expanded, the jaw set, the throat opened and the tones produced by changing the resonance space with the tongue and jaw.
I've aways called it a JEWS-Harp.
Sincerely, |
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08 Apr 03 - 11:06 AM (#928678) Subject: RE: Tech: how to play a jaws harp From: GUEST,misophist For those who don't like the name 'Jew's Harp', Margaret Murray claims that in the Middle Ages/ Elizibethan Era it was called a 'tromp'. |
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08 Apr 03 - 11:26 AM (#928693) Subject: RE: Tech: how to play a jaws harp From: Blackcatter Check out these two jews harp links: Jews Harp Guild Mouth Music You'll see info on how to play them as well as info on why they're commonly called jews harps in North America and why many regular players still call them that. And keep trying. Set it in front of your teeth with the diagonal of each bar resting against the edge with enough room for the "twangy bit" to go back and forth, and put your lips around the rest to seal it so the sound only will come through the center. Breathing in and out while plucking will increase the volume quite a lot on good jews harps too. The biggest problem is that the ones you find in most music shops are cheap and aren't nearly as good as "professional" models. Most of my collection go for around $20 to $40 dollars and each us tuned to a certain key. |
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08 Apr 03 - 03:27 PM (#928875) Subject: RE: Tech: how to play a jaws harp From: Cluin Play around with it; keep your teeth, lips and tongue out of the way; try breathing in and out a bit during the notes, changing the size of your mouth cavity and pulling your lips back in a sort of grimace for more thin sounds occasionally; keep the tines of the jew's harp firmly against your front teeth, not between them and don't bite down. And develop a sort of "strumming" rhythm with your twanging hand. Practice. By the way, different sizes of jew's harps will produce different ranges of notes. You can't use one single one for all keys (if you care about that sort of thing... some people don't). |
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08 Apr 03 - 05:30 PM (#928958) Subject: RE: Tech: how to play a jaws harp From: GUEST,Q Jews harp and Jews trump are names for the same twinger-twanger-twonger instrument. See OED. Both names were extant in the 16th century. Tromp is a variant of trump. |
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08 Apr 03 - 06:02 PM (#928986) Subject: RE: Tech: how to play a jaws harp From: Blackcatter Correct, Q. The "jews" appears to have no connection to the religion. It likely derrived from some other word, but no one has been able to figure it out. "jaw" occured much later (20th Century) and likely stems from the embarassment some people felt about the name jews harp. Your jaws have little to do with playing a jews harp. If anything a "teeth harp" would be more appropriate. One could also use any of the non-American terms as well including: England - Gewgaw Germany - Maultrommel (which means mouth drum) Japan - Koukin Russia - Vargan Siberia - Khomus Philippines - Kumbing and kubing Italy - Scacciapensieri Norway - munnharpa or munnharpe France - guimbarde Bali - genggong |
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08 Apr 03 - 06:25 PM (#929002) Subject: RE: Tech: how to play a jaws harp From: GUEST,Q Politically correct gone crazy! Does anyone know of one of the Jewish faith objecting to the name? Personally, I find the name Irish harp degrading. And the French Horn- throw that name on the trash pile as well. Throw the horn after the name, it is a noisy thing, hardly conducive to sleeping during a concert. I could go on- The suggestion of "gewgaw" is useless, the term has several meanings, the most used being "a gaudy trifle," but it has already been applied to a flute and to a pipe as well as to the Jew's harp. |
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09 Apr 03 - 02:41 AM (#929268) Subject: RE: Tech: how to play a jaws harp From: GUEST,Ivor hughe - hampton here we go again!!!!! poor old ossonflags asks for a little info on jaws harps and gets all this pseudo intellectual pysco babble about political correctness. Carm on Q get with the programme !!!!! |
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09 Apr 03 - 03:29 PM (#929806) Subject: RE: Tech: how to play a jaws harp From: John MacKenzie Dave Goulder is the person to consult on this subject. He has a lovely box of tricks containing a multiplicity of Jews/jaws harps, it was as a result of his info that I first learned that they are available in different keys. However; I can't tell the difference!! Philistine....Giok |
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09 Apr 03 - 04:45 PM (#929889) Subject: RE: Tech: how to play a jaws harp From: GUEST,Q For a picture of a variety of Jew's harps, see: Jew's Harps |
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09 Apr 03 - 09:33 PM (#930069) Subject: RE: Tech: how to play a jaws harp From: Blackcatter Come on, Ivor - we gave ossonflags the info needed - hints from experienced players and links to extensive websites. Anything eles is for our pleasure and possibly for the edification of others. Everytime I begin playing my jews harps, someone comes up to me to ask questions. Until that stops happening, I'm going to share what I know. This thread can be dropped into by many people who just have an vague interest in 'harps and the info shared here might be helpful. And anyway - this is a time honored tradition at Mudcat. For as long as I've been here - now nearly 5 years. pax yall |
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13 May 10 - 11:35 AM (#2906095) Subject: RE: how to play a jaws harp From: GUEST I recently started playing the jaw harp (jew's harp, whatever) and I found the tutorial on Jaw Harp Guide really helpful for getting those first sounds out. Hope that helps! |
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13 May 10 - 12:15 PM (#2906122) Subject: RE: how to play a jaws harp From: beeliner While there is some uncertainty regarding the etymology, the consensus seems to be that it comes from the French word 'jeu', meaning 'toy'. |
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13 May 10 - 02:15 PM (#2906196) Subject: RE: how to play a jaws harp From: open mike make sure to keep your mouth open and your teeth far enough apart that the blade or tongue (moving part) has room to pass between your teeth as it vibrates...avoid dental work http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jew%27s_harp http://www.davidholt.com/music/playjawharp.html - David Holt's tutorial if a picture is worth 1,000 words, how many is a moving picture worth? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ddhb8oKoWmon - jaw harp heaven http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx0nnZZVnd8 - appalachian style there is actually a festival...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LMrSgRgiEk&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23kzXRaosyA&feature=related auld lang syne Buffy St. Marie plays mouth bow on Pete Seeger's t.v.show http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krx2MoTaAVo&feature=related http://www.alashensemble.com/instruments_xomus.htm in Tuva this type of instrument is called xomus of khomus http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIFgGveeF84 and in India.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnMXzCGNPSo&feature=related Kyrgyzstan... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPTWQnEMEjg&feature=related there is also a video from Brazil (or Portugal) they are also popular/common in Scandinavian Norwegian music. |
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13 May 10 - 02:36 PM (#2906216) Subject: RE: how to play a jaws harp From: Art Thieme I played jews harp for 40 years on stage and there is some good info in this thread. It is always a good change-up in a program. Art |
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13 May 10 - 02:49 PM (#2906226) Subject: RE: how to play a jaws harp From: GUEST,Songbob The original poster, ossonflags, never said whether the damned harp was actually playable. If it has too much space between frame and tongue (the instrument's, not his), it won't be any good in any way. If he/she wants to try a better one, he/she should buy an inexpensive but playable one from a good music shop. The Austrian harps I see aren't bad at all, for instance, and eBay will give him/her a boat-load of other options. If you want a really top-notch one for not much money (relatively speaking), look up "Dan Moi" on eBay or even the web. These are Vietnamese brass harps which are laser-cut and are played on the lips, not the teeth, and are louder than hell, sweet-toned, and just super. But if the harp CAN be played, placing it on the teeth with the teeth open enough for the harp's tongue to vibrate, then closing the lips around the frame so air can pass ONLY through the middle of the harp, with the vibrating tongue, and the result will be the best possible for a given harp. Once a good twang is achieved, breath in and out in a rhythmic pattern (the sound gets louder) and move your tongue up and down (the pitch of the overtones changes). Use the vowel sounds (A, E, I, O, U) to try different pitches, and then search for tunes among the better overtones. Tunes with strong 1, 3, 5, 2, & 6 notes will be easier -- "Cripple Creek," "Skip to My Lou," etc. are good starter tunes. And keep looking for the perfect harp. If you find it, send it to me. Bob Clayton |
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22 Dec 10 - 12:19 PM (#3059384) Subject: RE: how to play a jaws harp From: GUEST,dan ossonflags, For me, I just learned how to position it from this how to play the jaw harp article and played around for awhile. After probably a half hour I was getting some good sounds. I was also getting a pretty tired mouth! |
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22 Dec 10 - 12:26 PM (#3059391) Subject: RE: how to play a jaws harp From: EBarnacle Long ago, in my misspent youth, which I fondly recall, I saw a Bruce harp which was clearly a Jews Harp. |
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22 Dec 10 - 12:34 PM (#3059397) Subject: RE: how to play a jaws harp From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray A good instrument is half the battle; as far as standard Jew's Harps my favourites right now are Szilagyi Black Fires which I have in various keys down to a very lo-D. Being Hungarian instruments we might call these Doromb. The definitive Jew's Harp supplier: Dan Moi - The Jews Harp Site Try a Vietnamese Dan Moi for amazing harmonics & resonance - available in all keys costs next to nowt & requires no dental contact whatsoever, though watch out for those facial hairs... |
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22 Dec 10 - 01:02 PM (#3059420) Subject: RE: how to play a jaws harp From: GUEST,guest It"s aye been a trump in Scotland. A 15th./ 16th..Gordon clapped in the dungeon and due for the chop in the morning. The King pays a visit to the dungeon to gloat expecting to find Gordon subdued and lamenting, instead there he was playing away on his trump. The King was so impressed with his demeanour that he granted him a free pardon. Given a bit of time I could probably come up with names andd dates. |
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22 Dec 10 - 02:15 PM (#3059472) Subject: RE: how to play a jaws harp From: GUEST I also seem to recall reading extracts from the treasurers accounts for journeys by Scottish kings, during the 14th. and 15th Cs., to the religous shrine at Whithorn, making payment to trump players, among others, for playing to the king. The Gordon mentioned above could have been a Baron,Lord, Earl or Duke. |
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22 Dec 10 - 02:17 PM (#3059477) Subject: RE: how to play a jaws harp From: GUEST,guest gutcher Sorry the last two posts were mine. Joe. |
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23 Dec 10 - 04:41 AM (#3059857) Subject: RE: how to play a jaws harp From: Dave Hanson They can be played held against the lips instead of the teeth. Dave H |