Basics of Jaw Harp Playing

You have become the happy owner of a jaw harp. Now you need to learn how to play it. You do not have to read music, and at the very beginning you do not even need a trained ear. The jaw harp is a very distinctive instrument. Its vibrations can be calming and can help you settle into a desired state, rest and relax.

How to hold the jaw harp. There are several methods. Rest the rounded part on your index and middle fingers and secure it with your thumb near the point where the reed is attached. The important thing is to press both decks firmly against the teeth. While you play, the reed must move freely without touching anything.

Press the jaw harp to your teeth, draw the trigger back and release it. That is the instrument's voice. Try to produce as many different sounds as you can and experiment while you play.

Move your tongue. Press it against the roof of your mouth—firmly or with only the lightest contact. The sound will change. Move the tongue from side to side and try drawing it back towards the throat.

Change the volume of the space inside your mouth. Close your throat as if you were holding water in your mouth. Play while breathing in and out; the sound becomes much louder. After one strike, take a long breath. A vibrating note can be sustained for as long as the inhalation or exhalation lasts.

Try sounding a note in your throat while you play—the basis of what is often called throat singing—and blend the two sounds. Then improvise and experiment: this is where the instrument becomes especially interesting.

The repetitive vibrating sound can also be used for concentration and reflection. Hold a question in mind while playing and give yourself time to listen. In traditional cultures the jaw harp has also been associated with shamanic journeys, healing and guidance.

If you are in St. Petersburg and want to learn efficiently, come to the Oberton Pro jaw harp school. Good guidance can save years of trial and error. Many details of technique and notated melody examples are also covered in our 200-page jaw harp tutorial book.

biomif / www.oberton.pro