Choosing a Jaw Harp

What kinds of jaw harp are there?

A jaw harp appears to be the simplest possible instrument—usually little more than two pieces of metal. You might think you could simply pick one up and play. The difficulty begins at “pick one”: open a catalogue, or worse, stand before showroom walls covered with instruments of every conceivable shape and size, and the immediate question is what to choose.

First, a jaw harp's appearance tells you almost nothing about its sound. In simplified terms, size, shape, colour, material and manufacturing method do not individually determine the acoustic result. Size and shape do matter, but only in combination with many other factors, so judging either in isolation is not useful.

One exception is the frame material: wood cannot provide the necessary accuracy and structural stability for a modern frame jaw harp. Put simply, the instrument should be metal; the particular metal is much less important.

The component that most strongly determines how the instrument plays is invisible in a photograph: the reed material. All else being equal, a long reed will produce a lower sound than a short one. Put a much stiffer metal in the long reed, however, and it may sound higher than the short, soft reed. Do not try to infer acoustic or mechanical properties from appearance.

This subject attracts many myths. One of the most common is that a “forged jaw harp” must be good. Forging, like other ways of making the frame, has no direct effect on sound. Country of origin is also a poor proxy for quality. Some regions have strong traditions affecting one or more features of construction, but these are exceptions rather than rules. The individual maker is a more meaningful level of comparison, yet even this works only when the maker produces one basic kind of instrument. Some makers produce dozens of models with completely different behaviour. Ideally, every jaw harp should be assessed individually.

The main practical properties can be grouped as follows.

1. Pitch

Jaw harps range from extremely low bass instruments to very high, almost squeaking ones. Each has a fundamental frequency at which its reed vibrates, corresponding to the lowest tone it can produce. If that frequency coincides with a named musical pitch, the jaw harp is tuned; small adjustments are often possible.

As a rule, a lower jaw harp is slower and more inertial, while a higher one lends itself to fast playing. A middle register is usually best for general use and for a first instrument. The very lowest jaw harps demand exceptional manufacturing accuracy if they are to work across a broad overtone range and are therefore seldom inexpensive. Simple models are often limited in their upper harmonics and sound dull. Lower instruments generally respond well to deep breathing because a larger open resonating volume favours lower frequencies; higher instruments reveal very small articulatory movements more clearly.

2. Timbre

At every moment a jaw harp, like most musical instruments, produces a fundamental together with a set of derived harmonics. Each harmonic has its own volume. Their combined balance is the instrument's voice—its timbre. Two jaw harps tuned to the same note may therefore sound entirely different.

At opposite ends of one useful spectrum are rough, crackling voices and smooth voices. A crackling instrument may initially seem more unusual and interesting, but too much noise can obstruct deliberate control. A smooth instrument asks more confidence from the player, yet puts fewer obstacles in the way and may at first seem less colourful. Timbre is largely a matter of taste, and it is the one major property that can be judged reasonably well from a recording.

3. Reed stiffness

Stiffness determines the tactile sensation of playing—more precisely, the sensation of the strike. Different stiffnesses suit different purposes, but this value should not be the sole basis of a choice. It mainly tells you how firmly the instrument must be held and how much striking force it expects.

4. Mechanics

The combination of reed material, dimensions and shape gives an instrument a preference for a certain type and speed of playing. Some work best slowly and gently; others reward fast, precise movement. Mechanical quality also includes the ability to retain a clean sound under strong or varying strikes and in both directions. This is useful not only for rapid playing, but for adding short ornaments such as tremolo and mordents to an otherwise unhurried phrase.

5. Sensitivity

The same striking force can produce very different volume on different jaw harps. Sensitivity is the relationship between the sound obtained and the effort used to obtain it: the greater the sensitivity, the easier it is to produce a strong sound.

Volume sensitivity can be considered together with responsiveness to control through articulation and breathing. A serious instrument changes clearly in response to a small movement; a simple one may have to be forced. In general, a more sensitive jaw harp is easier and more pleasant to play.

6. Volume

Jaw harps differ in volume, usually in connection with sensitivity and timbre. Timbre may be even more important against strong background noise: an instrument whose voice contrasts with the noise will be heard better than one that blends into it. Absolute loudness is of little importance when playing alone at home, although having more dynamic range is always useful.

7. Construction

Two forms are in practical use today: frame jaw harps, by far the most common, and lamellate jaw harps. Their principal difference is how they are held. A frame jaw harp is pressed against and supported by the teeth. A lamellate jaw harp is held freely in the hand and only lightly enclosed by the lips to obtain an effective volume. Most other constructions can be treated as exotic variants.

How should you choose?

If you have never played, first decide why you want a jaw harp. Do you want to enjoy making an unusual sound from time to time, or do you intend to learn the instrument? In the first case, quality mainly affects the amount of pleasure: the better the instrument, the more enjoyable the experience. You may reasonably trade some comfort for a lower price or a design you like and choose what appeals to you here and now.

An instrument intended for learning is a different matter: it shapes what you will be able to learn. A beginner cannot yet assess long-term potential from experience. The familiar advice to “choose with your heart” often favours striking-looking instruments that are poorly suited to developing technique. The practical solution is to rely on professionals who can genuinely play, have travelled through many generations of instruments and have watched the same process in many students. This does not remove personal choice. An experienced specialist should offer several models, any one of which is safe for learning, while keeping unsuitable novelties out of the shortlist.

Exploring contrasting instruments

Owners of frame jaw harps should try Vietnamese lamellate dan moi and perhaps Chinese kou xiang. These three families are far apart in technique and sensation, and one example of each covers a broad range of sound-producing methods and impressions.

You can also explore contrasts in pitch and stiffness by pairing a soft, growling jaw harp with a hard, ringing one; in timbre by seeking a genuinely different voice; or in sensitivity by combining a powerful dynamic instrument with a delicate, highly responsive one.

When trying jaw harps