Quintuple Kou-Xiang

An unusual instrument that differs greatly from a conventional jaw harp. Several small lamellate jaw harps are joined at one end so they open like a fan. Each reed is tuned to a different pitch chosen to harmonize with the others. You can play the kou xiang without using your mouth: hold it in one hand and play with the other, using notes and chords to form a melody and the timing of the strokes to create rhythm. Waving it like a fan adds further sound effects, creating an impression of Chinese magic.

Held near the lips, it can be played with the breath for a louder, less delicate sound. The mouth cavity also acts as a resonator that changes the tone.

The kou xiang is a very quiet, beautiful instrument for playing at home and requires careful handling.

The 3-reed, 4-reed and 5-reed models differ only in the number of notes. More reeds offer more possibilities, but also make playing more complex.